Implement Proven Sustainability Best Practices! May 30 th, 2011 Implement Proven Sustainability Best Practices! May 30 th, 2011

Introduction: GreenStep Cities Taking action with proven best practices GreenStep Cities is an action-oriented voluntary program offering a simple pathway to implementation of sustainable development best practices that focus on cost savings, energy use reduction and innovation. The Details Get Started Introduction

What is GreenStep all about? Introduction The Details Get Started Providing a “Pathway to Sustainability” (i.e., ACTION) that is: –Cost-effective –Pragmatic –Achievable for all cities Providing assistance & peer learning for local governments to implement best practices Achieving meaningful reductions in energy use & other positive environmental outcomes Providing leadership and action roles for community members and institutions so as to stretch limited city funds Promoting Innovation

What makes GreenStep different? Focused on Minnesota Geared toward smaller cities Best practices developed by experts in their fields from Minnesota Action-oriented Allows flexibility within each best practice Gives credit for actions you’ve already taken and helps you identify new actions Identifies individual resource people who can help you with each best practice Identifies resources for each action option under each best practice The Details Get Started Introduction

Why would my City do this? For a healthy, resilient community: Cheaper-to-operate & green buildings Lower costs to government, business, educational institutions & citizens Ecological infrastructure, low-impact development Cleaner water, air & viable habitat The Details Get Started Introduction Walkable, bikeable communities and healthier citizens & businesses Transportation options that connect jobs & housing Local food production Local renewable energy production Provide more local, green jobs Attract businesses & residents that want these services and amenities

Are other cities already involved? Yes! Over 25 cities are taking action: Pine River Breezy Point Eagan Edina St. Anthony Falcon Heights Rochester Apple Valley Red Wing The Details Get Started Introduction St. Cloud Farmington Luverne Hoffman Mahtomedi Northfield Oakdale Maplewood Milan

The Details: Best Practices GreenStep Cities has 28 best practices in 5 categories Buildings & Lighting Transportation Land Use Environmental Management Economic & Community Development Introduction Get Started The Details

The Details: Best Practices Introduction Get Started The Details

Which category city are you? Category C. Very small cities with no more than one public building and no more than two full-time equivalent staff. Category B. Small to mid-size cities that have several public buildings and several staff. Category B cities maintain roads and usually a separate public works department and a planning/development department. Category A. Mid-size to large cities that are within a metropolitan area or that serve as a regional economic and service center. Category A cities are served by a regular route transit service, provide a complete set of urban services, and have distinct commercial and industrial areas. Introduction Get Started The Details

Which category city are you? Introduction Get Started The Details

Programmatic Requirements Introduction Get Started The Details

Sample Best Practices Improve the efficiency of city street lighting and signals Improve the efficiency of drinking water and waste water facilities Construct new buildings to meet green building standards Adopt development ordinances or processes that protect natural systems Introduction Get Started The Details Increase city tree and plant cover Adopt an environmentally preferable purchasing policy Strengthen local food production and access Use assistance programs for green business and job development

Best Practice Actions…for trees Within each Best Practice there are a series of Best Practice Actions that a city can take to implement that best practice. This example is for trees. Increase city tree and plant cover: Qualify as a Tree City USA, or Adopt MN TreeTrust/Boonestro tree planting standards as city policy, or Budget tree plantings to reach 75% residential canopy cover in 15 yrs., or Enact street design standards that incorporate street trees Who can Help? Ken Holman, Community Forestry Coordinator, MN Department of Natural Resources: 651/ , Introduction Get Started The Details

Be a GreenStep City: 5 Steps Introduction The Details Get Started 1.Build community interest 2.Have your City Council approve a resolution to participate 3.Post info about what your city has already done 4.Work on additional best practices 5.Get recognized

First Steps: in Detail Introduction The Details Get Started

The Assessment Tool Inventory what you’ve already done…and what good opportunities might be Learn more about what’s happening in departments throughout your city Partner with neighboring communities and regional entities to jointly assess opportunities and areas of common interest – maximize shared resources Introduction The Details Get Started MINNESOTA GREENSTEP CITIES BEST PRACTICES, ACTION OPTIONS AND PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS (1/11/2011) Completed? In process? Planned? Responsible person / entity? 5 Buildings & Lighting Best Practices 1. Public Buildings (1) Enter baseline information into the Minnesota B3 database and continue entering monthly energy use data from city-owned buildings. (2) Audit (or when cost-effective, recommission) all city-owned buildings in the bottom third of the B3 energy performance ranking and implement a majority of energy efficiency opportunities that have a payback under 5 years. (3) Complete energy efficiency improvements in at least one city, school or park district building (in addition to buildings addressed in action 2) via retrofit and retro-/re- commissioning, with financing at attractive interest rates under MN’s PBEEEP program or related lease-purchase financing, energy performance contracting, or other cost-justified program. (4) Participate in other state or utility programs that provide rebates or co-funding for energy efficiency improvements to public buildings. (5) Document that the operation, or construction / remodeling, of at least one city-owned building (excluding park buildings) meets or qualifies for a green building standard. (6) Create an internal loan fund for making public building improvements based on an energy or green building standard. (7) Install in at least one public building at least one of the following energy efficiency measures: a. A distributed energy technology: micro-turbine, fuel cell, reciprocating engine. b. A ground-source, closed loop geothermal system where net greenhouse gases are less than those generated by the system being replaced Private Buildings

GreenStep Program Partners Minnesota Pollution Control Agency – Prevention & Assistance Division Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) League of Minnesota Cities Great Plains Institute Izaak Walton League – MN Chapter Urban Land Institute – MN Chapter Minnesota Division of Energy Resources Introduction The Details Get Started

For More Information Philipp Muessig GreenStep Cities Coordinator MPCA, Prevention & Assistance Division Introduction The Details Get Started