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Energy Conservation
 A
team of city staff has worked together to reduce energy use and
costs for the City and the community. Chula Vista's leadership and
success in managing our energy use has been cited as a case study
in various publications such as CALPIRG's "Toward Smart Energy
Cities" and Pacific Gas Electric's "A Review Of Local
Government Energy Efficiency Programs In California." A few
examples of recent projects are highlighted below:
- The City Council instituted seasonal energy saving measures
that include a casual dress code, less use of electric lighting
when appropriate, elimination of all personal energy devices in
the City, mandates to turn off all electrical office machines
when not in use, and prohibitions against adjusting thermostats.
These actions helped reduce our overall energy use by more than
10% during the summer of 2001.
- Community Development led a team to develop the City's Energy
Strategy. The Energy Strategy's objectives are to protect the
City, residents and businesses from high-energy cost and unreliable
supply.
- The City Attorney's Office prepared a resolution that created
a Municipal Utility in May 2001. The Municipal Utility will provide
the City with an option to provide electricity and natural gas
services to City customers in the future.
- Planning and Building prepared a resolution that reduced Solar
Power permit fees from an average rate of $600 to $45.
- City Manager's Office, Special Projects is overseeing development
of a feasibility study to implement the City's Municipal Utility.
If financially, legally and technically feasible, a recommendation
to further develop the Municipal Utility will be presented to
Council for approval.
- Traffic Engineering oversaw the installation of Green LED traffic
signal lights, which are projected to save 1.1 million kilowatt
hours per year. A savings of more than $100,000 per year.
- During remodeling and renovation of the new Public Works Center,
Construction & Repair crews installed energy savings features
that include a heat-reflecting or "cool roof" feature
and skylights to reduce cooling and lighting energy use by up
to 25%.
- Special Operations facilitated outreach to more than 1,800 households
and 20 small businesses to assist with lighting retrofits. The
City provided energy audits and compact fluorescent lights to
residents for committing to recycling practices, and funded mini-grants
(up to $2,500) to small businesses for energy efficient lighting
retrofits.
- Community Development provided energy savings information and
coordinated energy management assistance for local businesses.
- Special Operations coordinated a feasibility study to site a
central combined heat power generation for the Civic Center Campus
and for individual buildings within the campus. The proposed options
provide environmentally cleaner power supply alternatives than
power plants and have payback periods of between two and seven
years. The findings of the study will guide siting of independent
power generation projects for City buildings in the campus. Special
Operations will continue to support Building and Parks to evaluate
feasibility of incorporating power generation in new construction
and renovation projects at Civic Center buildings.
- Public Works supervised installation of the City's first photovoltaic
system at the new Household Hazardous Waste facility. This system
has a capacity of 4KW, which will produce about 8,200-kilowatt
hours to offset electricity use at the yard.
- MIS implemented network software to put computer monitors in
sleep mode when unattended for more than 10 minutes. This will
save approximately $13,000 per year in energy costs.
- Special Operations replaced City refrigerators with Energy Star
models, and has also procured two electric vehicles for City staff
use.
Stay tuned for more energy related projects in 2002.
For low or no cost conservation tips please visit the sites below:
San Diego Regional Energy Office
http://www.sdenergy.org
California Energy Commission
http://www.energy.ca.gov
Consumer Energy Center
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org
Flex Your Power
http://www.flexyourpower.ca.gov
San Diego Gas and Electric
http://www.sdge.com
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