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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-03-11 Meeting PacketAgenda Energy and Environment Commission City Of Edina, Minnesota VIRTUAL MEETING Members of the public can observe the meeting by watching the live stream on YouTube at youtube.com/edinatv or by listening in by calling toll free 1-415-655-0001 with Access code: 133 646 3411. Thursday, March 11, 2021 7:00 PM I.Call To Order II.Roll Call III.Approval Of Meeting Agenda IV.Approval Of Meeting Minutes A.Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission January 14, 2021 B.Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission February 11, 2021 V.Special Recognitions And Presentations A.Climate Action Plan Introduction: paleBLUEdot VI.Reports/Recommendations A.Workplan Initiative #5: Green Business Recognition Program B.2021 Work Plan Updates C.Chair and Vice Chair elections VII.Chair And Member Comments VIII.Sta3 Comments A.Sta3 Comment: Green Buildings Policy & CAS Fund IX.Adjournment The City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing ampli8cation, an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Date: March 11, 2021 Agenda Item #: IV.A. To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type: Minutes From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission January 14, 2021 Action CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: Approve January 14, 2021 minutes INTRODUCTION: ATTACHMENTS: Description 2021-01-14 EEC Minutes Agenda Energy and Environment Commission City Of Edina, Minnesota VIRTUAL MEETING This meeting will be held electronically using Webex software. The meeting will be streamed live on the City’s YouTube channel, YouTube.com/EdinaTV or you can listen to the meeting via telephone by calling 1-415-655-0001, access code 177 444 2905. Thursday, January 14, 2021 7:00 PM I.Call To Order Vice Chair Horan called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM II.Roll Call Answering roll call were Commissioners Horan, Hussain, Lanzas, Manser, Seeley, and Student Commissioners Mans and Ana Martinez. Late: Commissioner Dakane, arrived at 7:55PM Absent: Chair Martinez and Student Commissioner Densmore III.Approval Of Meeting Agenda Motion by Melissa Seeley to Approve Meeting Agenda. Seconded by Bayardo Lanzas. Motion Carried. IV.Approval Of Meeting Minutes A.Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission December 10, 2020 Meeting Minutes Motion by Richard Manser to Approve December 10, 2020 Meeting Minutes. Seconded by Melissa Seeley. Motion Carried. V.Special Recognitions And Presentations A.Staff presentation: Morningside Flood Infrastructure Project Update VI.Reports/Recommendations A.2021 Work Plan Updates Initiative #2: Develop recommendation by February meeting or continue development with working group. Initiative #5: Created survey for feedback from businesses. B.2021 Workplan Action: Approve Climate Action Plan Working Group Charge Student commissioners Martinez and Mans presented the Climate Action Plan Working Group Charge. Motion by Melissa Seeley to Approve Working Group Charge. Seconded by Bayardo Lanzas. Motion Carried. C.Clean Cars Minnesota Commissioner Horan presented an advisory communication for City Council to adopt standards of Clean Cars Minnesota. Motion by Richard Manser to Approve Clean Cars Minnesota Advisory Communication. Seconded by Melissa Seeley. Motion Carried. VII.Chair And Member Comments VIII.Staff Comments Staff is working on a resolution of support for Xcel Energy's latest IRP. IX.Adjournment Motion by Bayardo Lanzas to Adjourn. Seconded by Melissa Seeley. Motion Carried. T he City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Date: March 11, 2021 Agenda Item #: IV.B. To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type: Minutes From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission February 11, 2021 Action CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: Approve February 11, 2021 minutes INTRODUCTION: ATTACHMENTS: Description 2021-02-11 EEC Minutes Agenda Energy and Environment Commission City Of Edina, Minnesota VIRTUAL MEETING Members of the public can observe the meeting by watching the live stream on YouTube at youtube.com/edinatv or by listening in by calling toll free 1-415-655-0001 with Access code: 177 513 396. Thursday, February 11, 2021 7:00 PM I.Call To Order Chair Martinez called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM. II.Roll Call Answering roll call were Chair Martinez, Commissioners Horan, Manser, Seeley, and Student Commissioners Mans and Ana Martinez. Absent: Commissioners Hussain, Lanzas, and Dakane and Student Commissioner Densmore III.Approval Of Meeting Agenda No action taken, not enough voting members. IV.Approval Of Meeting Minutes No action taken, not enough voting members. A.Minutes: Energy and Environment Commission January 14, 2021 V.Reports/Recommendations A.2021 Work Plan Updates Initiative #2 - First rough draft of advisory communication is complete. Stakeholder meetings will be held next week and emails have been sent to restaurants inviting them. B.Workplan Item Report: Green Business Recognition Program Presented results from the survey sent to businesses. Discussed ways to get recognition out there. C.Workplan Item Report: Climate Action Plan Working Group Only 12 applications for working group Consultant looking to find a more diverse group of applicants Blue Dot is being recommended as the consultant for the Climate Action Plan D.Clean Cars Minnesota Clean Cars Resolution sent to council. Will be on Feb 17th meeting consent agenda. VI.Chair And Member Comments VII.Staff Comments Staff Liaison Hancock discussed the process of selecting a consultant for the Climate Action Plan. VIII.Adjournment No action taken, not enough voting members. T he City of Edina wants all residents to be comfortable being part of the public process. If you need assistance in the way of hearing amplification, an interpreter, large-print documents or something else, please call 952-927-8861 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Date: March 11, 2021 Agenda Item #: V.A. To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type: Other From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:Climate Action Plan Introduction: paleBLUEdot Information CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: none, information only INTRODUCTION: paleBLUEdot, the consultant facilitating Edina's Climate Action P lan development, will present an overview of their approach to the plan development, and receive questions from the Commission Date: March 11, 2021 Agenda Item #: VI.A. To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type: Report and Recommendation From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:Workplan Initiative #5: Green Business Recognition Program Action CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: Commission should Review and Decide based on report. INTRODUCTION: Initiative reads: Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the Business Recognition Program by Q1 and decide future of the program. Implement changes, if any. ATTACHMENTS: Description GBRP Evaluation Presentation Preview Green Business Recognition Program Evaluation March 2021, Martinez, Mans, Horan Survey A survey went out to all current green recognized businesses (11) and to 3 non-recognized businesses. We received 7 survey responses from current green recognized business and 0 responses from non-recognized businesses. The survey included a variety questions: open ended, yes or no, and questions involving a rating scale of 1through 7 — 7 being the highest value and 1 being the lowest. Ease of Finding Information About GBRP Ease of Completing Application Results Number of Businesses0 1 2 3 Scale of Ease 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1= difficult 7 = easy Each Color Represents One Business Number of Businesses0 1 2 3 Scale of Ease 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1= difficult 7 = easy Each Color Represents One Business Those who responded “yes” provided the following feedback: •Create official "green" committee vs. running at the executive level to encourage more/new ideas. •Continue to add more composting availability, continuing to reduce salt usage. •In general, the application made me aware of our practices and some new practices that could be implemented. It allowed me to set monthly reminders to our staff to be sure we are using our best practices when it comes to environmentally friendly decisions. •Composting Did the Application Provide Sustainable Action Ideas? YES = NO = Number of Businesses0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Reason for applying to thre GBRP Businesses checked all that applied Financial Savings Environmental Concerns Customer Preference Employee Recruitment Sustainability What Motivated the Business to Apply to the GBRP? Did the Business Display their Window Cling in their Place of Business? No Yes Number of Businesses 0 1 2 3 4 5 We posted about it on our website. Not yet - Covid has pushed this back a bit Internal company recognition No No No Has the Business promoted their Green Business Recognition Though Other Avenues? No Are Customers Aware of Their Recognition and How? NoNO No NO 1.Window Cling 2.Media press release 1.Window Cling 2.Facebook 3.Internal communications platform 4.Other actions No. Actually, I am not sure. Did the GBRP Provide the Business with the Anticipated Value? 0 1 2 3 Anticipated Value 1= not at all 7 = yes Each Color Represents One Business 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Is There a Downside to Participating in the Program? All Participants Responded: No Would Business be Interested in Renewing Their Green Business Recognition? All but one business answered Yes Evaluation Have we reached our goals? Is it worth the time and effort? Has the GBRP Accomplished Those Goals? 1.Engage businesses to help the City reach its goals of GHG reduction. Yes. The GBRP gave us a reason to connect with businesses and have a conversation about the City’s environmental goals. 2.Celebrate businesses who are taking actions to be more sustainable. Not fully. Need for improvement. 3.Encourage businesses to begin to, or take additional environmentally friendly actions. Yes. Four of the six respondents said they took additional green steps after applying to the GBRP. 4.Provide businesses with resources. Links to resources are on the website. What Were the Goals? Results ≥ Time and Money? •Staff Time •60 hours/year •Volunteer Hours •60+ Hours/year •Budget •$100-$200/year Yes Yes We recommend continuing the program with the following updates and considerations: •Additional information about the application, on the landing page, including a reminder how to save their progress and find a printable version of the application •Include more detailed questions about the business applying. •Add more actions that pertain to tenants vs property owners or managers. •Explore the idea of percentages for scoring. •Investigate possible incentives to encourage businesses to apply. •Put links to resources directly on the application next to related actions. Other Cities and Programs: •Winter Park, Florida: https://cityofwinterpark.org/departments/ building-permitting-services/sustainability-program/community- engagement-green-economy/green-business-recognition-program/ •Glencoe, Illinois: https://www.villageofglencoe.org/government/ committees_and_commissions/sustainability_task_force/ sustainable_businesses.php •Louisville, CO: https://www.louisvilleco.gov/doing-business/green-business-program https://www.louisvilleco.gov/home/showpublisheddocument? id=24789 •California Green Business Network: https://greenbusinessca.org/ start-a-program/ •GreenBiz Tracker: https://greenbiztracker.org Date: March 11, 2021 Agenda Item #: VI.B. To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type: Report and Recommendation From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:2021 Work Plan Updates Discussion, Information CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: INTRODUCTION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Work Plan: Council Approved EEC 2021 Workplan Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports] Commission: Energy and Environment Commission 2021 Annual Work Plan Proposal Initiative # 1 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☒ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide) Make recommendations to Council regarding the development of the City’s Climate Action Plan [which will include information on GHG emission inventory and routes to carbon neutrality]. Create a Climate Action Plan Working Group to provide feedback and support for the plan development. The working group will report to the EEC which will provide formal recommendation to Council. Staff liaison will support this working group. Deliverable Recommendation to Council Leads H. Martinez Dakane A. Martinez Horan Target Completion Date December 2021 Budget Required: No additional funds required. Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (40hrs) Progress Q1: Progress Q2: Progress Q3: Progress Q4: Initiative # 2 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☒ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide) Review and recommend on development of to-go packaging ordinance and policy avenues. Includes an update to the 2016 study and report to incorporate the recently launched organics recycling program. Deliverable -Report and recommendation to Council Leads Dakane, Horan, A. Martinez, Seeley, Lanzas Target Completion Date December 2021 Budget Required: No additional funds requested. Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (20hrs), Health Division (40hrs) Progress Q1: Progress Q2: Progress Q3: Progress Q4: Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports] Initiative # 3 Initiative Type ☐ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☒ Event Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☒ 4 (Review & Decide) Initiative Title Review and decide on commission members coordinating and tabling at City events to educate the community on organics recycling and sustainable living. Deliverable -Presence at up to 4 City events to include Fourth of July, Open Streets, and Farmers Market Leads Lanzas, A. Martinez, Horan, Seeley, Mans Densmore Target Completion Date June – September 2021 Budget Required: Funds available, $200 for supplies and food. Staff Support Required: Coordinator (20hrs) and Organics Recycling Coordinator (8hrs) can advise and provide materials already created. Progress Q1: Progress Q2: Progress Q3: Progress Q4: Initiative # 4 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☒ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide) Review and comment on staff recommendations for the City’s Green Building Policy. Deliverable - Commission comments on policy Leads Jackson H. Martinez Target Completion Date December 2021 Budget Required: No additional funds requested. Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (16hrs) Progress Q1: Progress Q2: Progress Q3: Progress Q4: Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports] Initiative # 5 Initiative Type ☐ Project ☒ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☐ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☒ 4 (Review & Decide) Evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the Business Recognition Program by Q1 and decide future of the program. Implement changes, if any. Deliverable Report to commission. Leads Horan, Dakane, Densmore Target Completion Date ongoing Budget Required: No additional funds requested. Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison support to manage intake and acceptance process (16hrs), Communications to support communication updates (16hrs), Community Engagement Coordinator (8hrs). Progress Q1: Progress Q2: Progress Q3: Progress Q4: Initiative # 6 Initiative Type ☐ Project ☒ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☒ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide) Initiative Title Review and Comment on Conservation and Sustainability (CAS) fund proposed Capital Improvement Plan. Deliverable - Commission comments on Capital Improvement Plan Leads All Target Completion Date Q2, 2021 Budget Required: No additional funds requested. Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (4hrs) Progress Q1; Progress Q2: Progress Q3: Progress Q4: Approved by Council December 1, 2020 [Do not modify fields except progress reports] Initiative # 7 Initiative Type ☒ Project ☐ Ongoing / Annual ☐ Event Council Charge ☐ 1 (Study & Report) ☒ 2 (Review & Comment) ☐ 3 (Review & Recommend) ☐ 4 (Review & Decide) Review and comment on the ETC’s report and recommendation on organized trash collection. Deliverable -Memos to ETC for their study and report Leads Target Completion Date December 2021 Budget Required: No additional funds requested. Staff Support Required: Staff Liaison (4hrs) Progress Q1: Progress Q2: Progress Q3: Progress Q4: Parking Lot: (These items have been considered by the BC, but not proposed as part of this year’s work plan. If the BC decides they would like to work on them in the current year, it would need to be approved by Council.) Develop a program with realtors to give sellers the opportunity to showcase environmental improvements to their homes (such as insulation). Coordination with other cities on climate action., Advocating for street sweeping, Education and engagement on water initiatives. Study and report on inequities in the environmental movement. Research enforcement of state law requiring water sensors for irrigation systems and other water saving tools, including rebates. Exploring ways of partnering with under-served/other communities to outreach/educate businesses. Community wide environmental event listening to what the community is saying. Plastic bag policy / program / options Date: March 11, 2021 Agenda Item #: VI.C. To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type: Other From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:Chair and Vice Chair elections Action CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: The Commission should elect a Chair and Vice Chair annually. INTRODUCTION: No person shall serve more than three consecutive one-year terms as chairperson of a particular board or commission. A chairperson elected to fill a vacancy shall be eligible to serve three full terms in addition to the remainder of the vacated term. There are no term limits for the position of vice-chairperson. Date: March 11, 2021 Agenda Item #: VIII.A. To:Energy and Environment Commission Item Type: Report and Recommendation From:Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Item Activity: Subject:Staff Comment: Green Buildings Policy & CAS Fund Information CITY OF EDINA 4801 West 50th Street Edina, MN 55424 www.edinamn.gov ACTION REQUESTED: Review and comment on draft Green Building Policy, and CAS Fund Capital Improvement Plan for 2021-26. INTRODUCTION: This Report fulfills the following EEC Workplan Initiatives: #4: Review and comment on staff recommendations for the City’s Green Building Policy. #6: Review and Comment on Conservation and Sustainability (CAS) fund Capital Improvement P lan. ATTACHMENTS: Description Green Buildings Policy Report Draft Green Buildings Policy CAS Fund CIP Report March 16, 2021 Energy and Environment Commission Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Sustainable Buildings Policy Report Executive Summary Climate change in Minnesota is here. The state’s climate today is warmer, wetter, and less predictable than in the past thanks to an accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) - primarily CO2 - in the atmosphere. To meet this challenge, the City of Edina set emission reduction goals of 30% by 2025, and 80% by 2050, from 2007. In Edina, building energy use – electricity and natural gas - accounted for ~60% of GHG emissions in 20181. Roughly 60% of building energy use comes from commercial buildings (rather than residential). Finally, the top 20% of commercial energy accounts consume nearly 90% of Edina’s commercial electricity use2. The City wishes to review options to institute Sustainable Buildings requirements that sets energy efficiency and environmental protection levels to meet City emission reduction goals and to adapt the built environment to the area’s changing climate. In reading this report, staff asks the EEC to consider the following questions regarding how to implement such a policy in Edina: • Applicability – Who should be subject to a sustainable buildings policy in Edina? The City could require compliance based on such factors as public funding requests and requests for zoning variances. The City could also include thresholds for compliance, including the amount of public funding requests, or square footage thresholds of the building in question. • Policy Parameters – What should the policy require? Policy elements could require compliance with a third party rating system, along with or instead of an Edina-specific set of sustainability requirements. If Edina-specific sustainability requirements are included, these could be met either in full or in part (i.e. three of the five requirements must be met to certify policy compliance). • Implementation – Who should lead the process for compliance? City staff might manage the compliance process from intake, to step-by-step guidance, to final approval of policy compliance. This requires new process developments and potentially additional staffing resources. Alternatively, Edina could participate in Hennepin County’s second Efficient Building Collaborative to buy into these resources along with area cities. 1 Regional Indicators Initiative, https://www.regionalindicatorsmn.com/emissions-chart, 2018 2 Edina Electricity Action Plan, Xcel Energy, 2016 STAFF REPORT Page 2 Policy Framework and Peers Sustainable building policies establish minimum sustainability criteria that go beyond existing state code for new construction or significantly renovated developments. Included criteria typically target areas for pollution reduction and resource conservation, also known as mitigation and adaptation practices. Because the State of Minnesota sets the building code, cities are unable to establish building requirements that are more strict than existing code. With financial levers and authority over land use, however, cities can use sustainable building policies as a tool to make progress toward sustainability goals. Sustainable Building policies are increasingly common in Minnesota, with six cities having already codified some kind of guidance for City and commercial buildings. Further, any project that receives general obligation bond funding from the State of Minnesota must meet B3 sustainable building guidelines. Syncing up approaches across jurisdictions simplifies requirements for developers who work in different cities. It also provides a platform for cities to focus on what works, leaving behind what doesn’t and avoiding reinventing the wheel3. Existing Sustainable Building Policies in Minnesota St. Louis Park Maplewood St. Paul Minneapolis Rochester Duluth Policy Structure City Overlay + Third Party Rating System Green Code City Overlay + Third Party Rating System Third Party Rating System City Overlay + Third Party Rating System Third Party Rating System - OR - Point System Applies to Municipal Commercial Multifamily Single Family Industrial Renovations / Additions Municipal Commercial Single Family Industrial Renovations / Additions Municipal Commercial Multifamily Single Family Industrial Renovations / Additions Municipal Municipal Commercial Multifamily Single Family Industrial Municipal Commercial Multifamily Single Family Industrial Policy Triggers Public funding; PUD requests (in development) City Financing Public funding Municipal buildings only Tax Increment Financed projects Developments 10,000 square feet or greater 3 Center for Energy and Environment, Minnesota Sustainable Buildings Report STAFF REPORT Page 3 Policy Trends Policies across Minnesota cities apply to new construction and significant renovations. All policies apply to municipal projects, and a majority apply to commercial, multi-family, single family and industrial projects. Most cities apply the policy when a project seeks public funding. Unique to St. Louis Park is their interest in adding Planned Unit Development (PUD) requests as a trigger for policy application. St. Louis Park and Minneapolis are actively reviewing their policies in 2021. The most common policy structure is two-fold. First, a policy requires a project to meet a third-party rating system, which provides processes for developers to achieve city goals in a streamlined fashion. Some common examples are noted below. Third-party Rating Systems and applicable building types Municipal, Commercial, Mixed-Use, Industrial • LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations; Certified Silver or higher • B3 Guidelines • International Living Future Institute; Core Green Building Certification, Living Building Challenge Petal Certification, or Living Building Challenge Living Certification Multifamily • LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations; Certified Silver or higher • B3 Guidelines • Minnesota Housing overlay • Enterprise Green Communities • GreenStar Homes; Certified Silver Parks and open space • Green Business Certification, Inc. SITES Rating System; Certified Silver Parking • Park Smart Silver Second, a policy can include a city-specific overlay. This overlay is a collection of sustainability requirements that must be met regardless of what third party rating system is followed. Here is an example overlay that incorporates successful rules from Minnesota cities, large drawing from Minnesota B3 guidelines. Example Overlay Criteria Example Rule Predicted and actual energy use Meet SB 2030 Energy Standard through design and operation; Predicted greenhouse gas emissions Calculate and report. Predicted and actual use of potable water Achieve 30% below the water efficiency standards of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. STAFF REPORT Page 4 Predicted use of water for landscaping Achieve 50% reduction from consumption of traditionally irrigated site. Utilization of renewable energy Evaluate 2% of on-site renewables; install if cost-effective using SB 2030 guidance. Electric vehicle charging capability (if parking is included) Install conduit that allows charging stations to be installed at a future date. Diversion of construction waste from landfills and incinerators Achieve 75% diversion rate Indoor environmental quality Use low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials including paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring, carpet, as well as ASHRAE thermal and ventilation minimums. Stormwater management Adhere to quantity and quality requirements, including infiltration rate, suspended solid, and phosphorous reductions. Resilient design Document a design response to several identified potential shocks and stressors such as utility interruption, extreme rainfall and transportation interruption. Design Team shall integrate the identified strategies into the design of the project. Ongoing monitoring of actual energy and water use Benchmark using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager annually. Interviews with cities who already require sustainable building practices from development projects did not report a slowdown in development. When initially enforced, training for builders and developers smoothed the rollout of these new requirements, and showcasing case studies also built understanding and buy-in. The financial cost of compliance can range from a 5-10% increase in overall development costs, but result in long-term cost-savings from efficiency measures while reducing impact on the natural environment and contributing to community sustainability goals. Applicability, Exceptions, Enforcement Applicability While cities cannot establish building requirements that are more strict than existing code, cities can use special development requests related to public funding or zoning variances to apply specific sustainability requirements. Thus, developments for new construction or a significant renovation which seeks the following provisions could be subject to a Sustainable Buildings policy in Edina: STAFF REPORT Page 5 • Public funding: other cities have a minimum trigger of $200K; Edina recommends no minimum but rather a limited list of funding sources that are most commonly used on large projects in Edina. These might include: 1. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) 2. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) 3. Bonds 4. HOME Investment Partnership Program 5. Housing Redevelopment Authority funds 6. Land write-downs 7. Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) 8. A dedicated Sustainable Building Policy fund 9. Any other Federal, State, Regional (e.g., Met Council), or City funding source • Planned Unit Development (PUD) requests: Where a city has a large tract of land for development, it can set rules such as a sustainable building policy for the site while giving the developer flexibility in how that is accomplished. Since 2012, an estimated 60 large projects were proposed in Edina that would have been subject to this policy if it was in place. Around nine of these projects, or 15%, were funded by TIF – half of these were affordable housing developments and two were parking garages. The remaining projects were commercial developments. Thus, instituting the public financing trigger alone would not result in many regulated projects. In contrast, roughly 40 of these large projects requested a PUD. Thus, the PUD exception process appears to be an important tool for Edina to require sustainable building practices and meet GHG emission reduction goals. Exceptions In other cities, exceptions to the policy are rare, and blanket upfront exceptions are not specified. Generally, exceptions occur when uncommon building types are proposed, such as an ice arena. Exceptions are not generally granted in other cities due to financial or timing concerns alone. In some cities, exception needs are determined by city staff on a case-by-case basis and presented to City Council to request a partial waiver to the policy. The partial waiver specifies which elements of the Overlay and third-party rating system might still be applied. If a partial waiver is granted, staff may also work with a proposal team to identify other sustainable building practices to include beyond the policy, such as Xcel Energy’s Energy Design Assistance program. Enforcement Public funding is often needed to encourage and make such developments viable in the first place, making a financial penalty for non-compliance challenging to employ. For that reason, the best practice is to be proactive on the front end, providing sufficient resources and check-ins during the design development process to ensure compliance along the way. For projects triggered by a PUD request, the city could enact a fine for violation, which has been done in other American cities. In Edina, policy compliance must be met before building permits are issued at STAFF REPORT Page 6 different stages of the development stages. One example is the stormwater management requirements – projects must demonstrate compliance before additional permits are issued. This enforcement method could be applied in the case of a sustainable buildings policy as well. In either case, compliance with the sustainable building policy should be included in the development agreement and loan documents. Implementation Implementation points of contact occur at the following junctures: a) Intake review b) Ongoing point of contact c) Inspection at point of construction d) Commissioning e) Ongoing monitoring It is also critical to include a third-party verification component in the policy. Verifiers should be proposed by the developer and acceptable to the city. In general, city staff should provide the process of implementation to ensure compliance, but the developer, architect and design team should include a “special inspector” to incorporate sustainable building policy requirements and affirm compliance. Hennepin County Efficient Buildings Collaborative (EBC) opportunity Developing and implementing such policies can take significant expertise and staff capacity. To address this issue, the Efficient Buildings Collaborative Phase 2 proposes to create an implementation model for cities to share in technical assistance and enjoy standardized processes, making implementation more efficient and cost-effective for participating cities. Imitating the EBC implementation model used for city benchmarking policies, EBC phase 2 will create sustainable building policies implementation supports and resources, which cities will be able to access through a joint MOU with the County. The first step is to identify the specific support needed by cities. The second step is developing a County RFP to find an implementer to provide those supports. Hennepin County anticipates releasing an RFP for a program implementor in June, 2021. Edina-specific In Edina, a sustainable buildings policy would complement the City’s existing Building Energy Benchmarking ordinance and its Green Business Recognition program, ensuring the most efficient building is designed, constructed and operated to help the community meets its GHG emission reduction goals and build a more resilient city. Staff recommends drafting a policy that encompasses best practices from around the state of Minnesota, while customizing overlay metrics to acknowledge Edina’s specific context and goals. While GHG emissions from City operations are less than 5% of the total community emissions profile, staff suggests that the City lead by example and institute a Sustainable Buildings Policy for City-owned buildings ahead of passing a STAFF REPORT Page 7 broader commercial sustainable buildings policy. Though similar in scope, a policy focused on City-owned buildings could be implemented at a faster rate, and could serve as an avenue to build successful case studies in Edina. A Sustainable Buildings Policy would apply to new construction and significant renovations that either (a) seek public funding or (b) seek a Planned Unit Development variance. A policy of this design would cover roughly two thirds of large commercial development proposals, while only relying on a funding trigger would cover just 10-15%. The Policy would include two requirements: projects select and comply with a third- party rating system, and comply with the City’s Overlay. Points of Flexibility (1) The Overlay could be constructed as a points system, similar to Duluth’s approach. This means staff can assign points to each category, and a developer can choose to implement some of the categories to meet a minimum required point value – say, 70 out of 100 available points. This could ease project-specific challenges and reduce the number of exception requests. (2) Implementation – the City can choose to review staff capacity to administer this policy in house, or it might opt to buy into the Hennepin County EBC implementation model. Next Steps City staff are drafting a City Operations Sustainable Building Policy, and anticipate adoption in summer, 2021. For the Commercial Policy, staff will hold stakeholder focus groups with area developers, property managers, and others to receive feedback on recommendations in spring, 2021. Staff anticipates completing outreach and submitting a policy for adoption by fall, 2021. The policy would go into effect in either winter, 2021 or early 2022. ☐City Council Approved: Click here to enter a date. ☐City-Wide Revised: Click here to enter a date. ☐Department City of Edina Policy City Operations Sustainable Buildings Policy Policy Goal To curb the impact of climate change and increase Edina’s resilience to its effects, City Council has set emission reduction goals for the community and has asked City Operations to lead by example. This policy establishes minimum sustainability criteria that go beyond existing state code for new construction or significantly renovated developments. Included criteria target areas for pollution reduction and resource conservation, energy efficiency and transition to renewable sources, among others. In Edina, building energy use accounted for an estimated 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. While emissions from City operations are a small portion of these emissions, the City has the resources and responsibility to lead by example and demonstrate the social, environmental, and economic benefits of sustainable building practices. Definitions Major Renovation means renovation work performed on a building or portion thereof consisting of at least 2,500 square feet, and requiring installation of new mechanical, ventilation, or cooling systems, or the replacement of such systems. New Construction means the planning, design, construction and commissioning of a new building, or an addition to an existing building if such addition requires installation of new mechanical, ventilation, or cooling systems. Applicability This policy applies to City-owned buildings, including new structures constructed after the date of this policy’s adoption, and significant renovations occurring after the adoption date. Significant renovations are defined as those affecting more than 10,000 square feet, or which include the evaluation or replacement of the building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. Requirements: Any building, constructed, significantly renovated, or purchased by the City for City operations is required to be certified under one of the following Sustainable Building Standards, and meet the standards set forth in this policy’s Edina Sustainable Buildings Overlay section. . A third party special inspector should be included as part of the development project team to affirm compliance with policy requirements. Sustainable Building Standards include any of the following, at the listed rating level: For City-Owned Buildings: A. State of Minnesota B3 Guidelines; Certified Compliant B. LEED for New Construction and Major Renovation: Certified Silver, Gold or Platinum C. Or equivalent rating system with prior staff approval Page | 2 For City-Owned Parking Structures: A. ParkSmart; Certified Silver or Gold For City-Owned Parks and Open Space Sites: A. Green Business Certification, Inc. SITES Rating System; Certified Silver, Gold or Platinum Exceptions These requirements may be excepted, in whole or in part, by the Edina City Council. • Per B3 guidelines, any sustainable building practice whose payback period is not 12 years or less is excepted from this policy. Variance process – there may be significant cost or functionality constraints to meeting certification and/or overlay. Any new construction must go through initial review stage with B3 to demonstrate payback period of sustainable building improvements does meet the 12-year threshold. Enforcement For City-owned buildings, CAS Fund can assist in meeting budget gaps for already planned projects in the current CIP plan. Buildings will not advance to the next stage of construction or operation, including necessary permit issuance, without demonstrated ongoing compliance with this Policy. Edina Sustainable Buildings Overlay In addition to certification with one of the Sustainable Building Standards, projects complying with the Edina Sustainable Buildings Policy must also meet and document the requirements laid out in this section, referred to as The Overlay. While achieving the Overlay requirements may contribute toward compliance with one or more of the identified Sustainable Building Standards, some additional documentation of compliance for The Overlay must be completed. The following section lists the requirements of The Overlay, the required method(s) of demonstration of compliance, and the time at which this is due to be reported to the Sustainability Facilitator. Some of the requirements have coordinating or overlapping reporting requirements; these are ordered to streamline project teams reporting. List of Overlay Requirements: 1. Predicted and actual energy use Predicted greenhouse gas emissions Ongoing monitoring of actual energy use 2. Predicted and actual use of potable water Predicted use of water for landscaping Ongoing monitoring of actual water use 3. Utilization of renewable energy 4. Electric vehicle charging capability Page | 3 5. Diversion of construction waste from landfills and incinerators 6. Indoor Environmental Quality 7. Stormwater Management 8. Resilient Design Overlay Requirement 1: Meet SB 2030 Energy Standard Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following items: • Predicted and actual energy use • Predicted greenhouse gas emissions • Ongoing monitoring of actual energy use Overlay requirement: Project teams must demonstrate that projects meet the State of Minnesota’s SB 2030 Standard during both design and through 10 years of occupancy. The SB 2030 Standard sets an absolute energy target in Energy Use Intensity (EUI) in annual kBtu/sf based on the building’s program and schedule. This standard is based on the following reduction from a 2003 baseline average building: 80% from 2020 through 2024, and 90% from 2025 through 2030. Achieving this energy target may be done through improvement in energy efficiency and/or on-site renewable energy. Owners of campuses or sites that are greater than, and contiguous with the specific project site are permitted to locate new renewable systems that contribute to meeting SB 2030 anywhere on that campus, not merely on the portion associated with the relevant project. The SB 2030 program documentation is available at http://www.b3mn.org/2030energystandard/ Multiple paths may be available for projects, including methods for smaller buildings (under 20,000ft2) with more limited energy modeling requirements. Overlay Requirement 2: Indoor and Outdoor Water Efficiency Meeting this requirement during design, construction, and operation will document compliance with the following items: • Predicted and actual use of potable water indoors • Predicted use of water for outdoor use (i.e. landscaping) • Ongoing monitoring of actual water use Overlay requirement: The project shall achieve the following: Indoor water use: Reduce predicted and actual municipal potable water or harvested groundwater use in the building by 30% compared to code (Energy Policy Act of 1992) for any fixture types and water consuming appliances referenced by that standard. The criteria may be met by any combination of: selection of low or no flow fixtures, use of alternatively sourced water, or other strategies. Outdoor water use: Design and maintain landscape so that after a 2-year establishment period, the landscape uses 50% less municipal potable water or harvested ground water for irrigation than a base case landscape design. (Exception: annuals are exempt.) Any amount of site-harvested rainwater, storm Page | 4 water, or gray or waste water treated on site to tertiary standards may be used. The criteria may be met by any combination of: selection of native or low water use plants, use of alternatively sourced irrigation water as described, use of high efficiency irrigation systems, or other strategies. In order to verify compliance with this guideline during operation of the building it is necessary to sub-meter irrigation separately from indoor water consumption. Overlay Requirement 3: Renewable Energy Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following items: • Utilization of renewable energy Overlay requirement: Project teams must implement a renewable energy system designed to meet at least 2% of the annual energy need of the project through on-site solar and/or wind renewable energy systems if determined cost-effective using SB 2030 guidance. It may be necessary to supply more than 2% of the energy needs to meet Overlay Requirement 1: Meet SB 2030 Energy Standard. Overlay Item 4: Electric Vehicle Ready Meeting this item during design and construction will document compliance with the following items: • Electric vehicle charging capability Overlay requirement: Provide Level 2 Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) infrastructure for at least 5% of parking provided by the project, and adequate infrastructure to permit future electric vehicle charging for at least an additional 10% of the parking provided by the project. If the project is providing five or fewer total parking spaces EVSE Infrastructure must be provided for at least one space. EVSE infrastructure shall consist of: • Dedicated space for future electrical distribution equipment to support EVSE • Raceway of at least 1” connecting the future EVSE parking space(s) to dedicated space above Considerations for locations of EVSE should include the ability for accessible parking to access charging capability. EVSE pedestals shall be designed to minimize potential damage by accidents or vandalisms, and to be safe for use in inclement weather. EVSE shall be installed in compliance with all relevant requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Locate EVSE in convenient parking locations that will serve as an incentive for the use of electric vehicles. Overlay Requirement 5: Construction Waste Diversion Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following items: Page | 5 • Diversion of construction waste from landfills and incinerators Overlay requirement: Divert at least 75% (by weight) of construction, demolition, and land clearing debris from landfill and incinerator disposal. Overlay Requirement 6: Indoor Environmental Quality Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following items: • Indoor Environmental Quality Overlay requirement: Projects must meet all of the following: • Use low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) materials including paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring, carpet, as well as ASHRAE thermal and ventilation minimums. • All newly installed interior materials must comply with the California Department of Health (CDPH) Standard Method v1.1-2010 and be certified as low-VOC. Interior materials are considered to be those within the least vapor-permeable most continuously-sealed layer. • Projects must document a Construction IAQ Management Plan, including following the SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction, 2nd edition, if any portion of the building is occupied during construction. • Projects not regulated under the Minnesota State Residential Code must achieve ventilation rates of not less than that required by the Minnesota State Energy Code or ASHRAE 62.1, whichever is more stringent. • Document that the project is designed to meet the design, operating, and performance criteria of the most current version of ASHRAE 55. Overlay Requirement 7: Stormwater Management Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following items: • Stormwater Management Overlay requirement: Refer to City of Edina Water Resources Management Plan for requirements and guidance to meet such requirements to control stormwater-related volume and pollutants. Overlay Requirement 8: Resilience in Design Meeting this requirement during design and construction will document compliance with the following items: • Resilient Design Page | 6 Overlay requirement: Urban resilience, as defined by the Rockefeller Foundation, is “the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience.” Building resilience is about making people, communities, and systems better prepared to withstand catastrophic events—both natural and manmade—and able to bounce back more quickly and emerge stronger from these shocks and stressors. For the purposes of The Overlay, Priority Shocks and Priority Stressors are identified as: Priority Shocks are: • Utility interruption: Partial or complete disruption of water, sewer, natural gas, and/or electricity service, evaluated during a period of extreme heat or extreme cold. • Extreme rainfall: Precipitation equal to or greater than a 50-year, 24-hour (ATLAS 14) storm event. • Transportation interruption: loss of passenger vehicle access to the building site for a period of 10 days. Priority Stressors: • Water quality: Document positive impact to chloride levels or other pollutant(s) of concern leaving the site, beyond the level required by other portions of this policy and other regulations. • Heat island: Document positive impact to building’s heat island effect, beyond the level required by this Ordinance and other regulations. • Air quality: Document positive impact to air quality or the building’s response to existing and future outdoor air quality issues, beyond the level required by this and other regulations. The design team must identify from the above list at least one Priority Shock and one Priority Stressor that could reasonably be expected to impact the project in the future. The design team must then develop at least one strategy to address the identified Priority Shock(s) and Priority Stressor(s) and integrate those strategies into the design of the project. Additionally, the design team will provide a Resilience Plan, a narrative that identifies the selected Priority Shock(s) and Priority Stressor(s) and a describes the strategy/strategies adopted to address the them. March 16, 2021 Energy and Environment Commission Grace Hancock, Sustainability Coordinator Conservation and Sustainability Fund 2021-26 Capital Improvement Plan Expenditures Background/Information The City of Edina’s 2021-26 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was approved in December, 2020. The Conservation and Sustainability (CAS) Fund, a part of this plan, collects money from a utility franchise fee to be used for projects that promote conservation and sustainability. Instituted in 2016, the Fund typically receives around $1,000,000 each year. The CAS Fund makes up around 3% of the City’s capital expenditures, noted in this graphic excerpted from the CIP document: From 2021-2026, the following capital projects are projected to be funded by the CAS Fund: STAFF REPORT Page 2 The CAS Fund balance at the start of 2021 is estimated to be ~$2,000,000. The bulk of 2021 spending is reliant on the development of the City Hall Energy Management Plan, underway now. The Energy and Environment Commission are invited to comment on this anticipated spending.