district of sparwood community energy & emissions plan · , 2012 a workshop was held with...
TRANSCRIPT
Distr ict of Sparwood | CEEP: QuickStart
District of Sparwood Community Energy & Emissions Plan
December 11th, 2012
CEEP: QuickStart
Table of Contents
List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................ 2
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Sparwood CEEP QuickStart Report ............................................................................................................. 6
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... 6
Action Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 9
Results of Actions ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Conclusion................................................................................................................................................... 25
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List of Acronyms BAU Business As Usual CEEI Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (inventories created by the Province for
each local government) CEEP Community Energy and Emissions Plan CO2 Carbon Dioxide DCC Development Cost Charge DSM Demand Side Management (name for measures used to reduce energy consumption) GHG Greenhouse Gas (there are several different anthropogenic GHGs and they have
different relative impacts. When tonnes of GHGs are stated in the document the standard practice of stating this in equivalent of tonnes of carbon dioxide is followed. Carbon dioxide is the most important anthropogenic GHG.)
GJ Gigajoules (one of the standard measures of energy) HDV Heavy Duty Vehicles (i.e. commercial vehicles, like trucks) kWh kilowatt hours (standard measure of energy, typically used with electricity) LDV Light Duty Vehicles (i.e. the types of vehicles driven by the general public) OCP Official Community Plan RGS Regional Growth Strategy LAP Local Area Plan
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Executive Summary On December 4th, 2012 a workshop was held with staff, Council, Chamber of Commerce and individuals from the building/development community in Sparwood, facilitated by the Community Energy Association and BC Hydro. The workshop group looked at the energy and emissions data for the community as a whole and decided on an action plan. This Executive Summary section summarizes the outcomes of the workshop, and the action plan details as identified through the workshop.
Community energy & emissions – Current status & business as usual
Population projections in Sparwood are challenging to determine due to the variables in local industry, economy and recreational development that all impact the growth or decline of the population in the community. Sparwood has experienced fluctuations in population in the past, but most recently saw a decline in permanent population up to the year 2006, and a slow but steady increase in population since that year. Several population growth projection studies have been compiled for Sparwood, and it is expected that in the upcoming Official Community Plan review, a robust population projection exercise may result in an updated forecast for population growth in the community. The CEEP QuickStart process looked at population data from the Official Community Plan (which indicated 2 potential growth scenarios), as well as the Sparwood Housing Study. Discussions at the CEEP QS workshop resulted in the development of a growth rate that reflected a slightly higher growth scenario than was determined in the Housing Study. Participants were comfortable suggesting that a 1% annual growth rate out to 2020 was reasonable, and reflected the current goals of the community.
As required by Bill 27, the District of Sparwood selected a GHG emission reduction target of 2 tonnes per capita from 2007 levels by 2020. A per capita reduction target was selected due to the unknown nature of growth in the community. This target, based on the 2007 emissions baseline of 8.9 tonnes per capita, results in a community-wide target of approximately 14% reduction by 2020.
In the baseline year of 2007, total community annual energy expenditure was approximately $15.25 million, and GHG emissions were approximately 32,973 tonnes. Further detail on the current energy and emissions for the community can be found in the Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI), produced by the Province.
With no action plan, but taking into account Provincial policies, community emissions are projected to change according to the following chart:
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With no actions taken, the business as usual decreases slightly up to 2016 as a result of Provincial legislation that is currently slated to take effect by that year. This includes tailpipe emission standards and a carbon neutral electrical grid. These initiatives may change, as might the business as usual scenario. With no action taken, the community of Sparwood will not reach their GHG emission target.
Action Plan
The action plan decided on by the workshop group is shown below. Actions that were a “Maybe” are included so that staff and Council have the opportunity to consider implementation if desired. Actions are indicated in the chart by year of implementation.
The numbers of the actions listed above correspond to their numbers in the CEEP QuickStart Action Guide, which contains further detail about each of them. For further detail on BC Hydro DSM program incentives consult the BC Hydro Power Smart programs sheet, or refer to the BC Hydro Power Smart website at http://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/.
STEP 2 - SELECT ACTIONS AND TIMING - Sparwood District Municipality Years reduction occurs in
Actions 20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
20
16
20
17
An
nu
al
1 Buildings Basics1.1 Promote BC Hydro DSM programs x x1.2 Promote natural gas DSM programs x x1.3 Promote provincial / federal DSM x x1.5 Improve building code enforcement x
2 Buildings High-Growth Measures2.1 Sustainability checklist for buildings x2.2 Use zoning bylaws to define desired energy performance MAYBE x2.3 Density bonus for energy performance MAYBE x2.4 Expediting permit approvals, fee rebates, other financial incentives MAYBE x2.5 Tax exemption bylaw xhg1 Require energy efficiency standards when selling city lands x
3 Residential Buildings3.1 Sign on to solar-ready building code provision x3.2 Education to developers - renewable energy technologies and efficiency x3.3 Efficient wood stove program MAYBE x3.4 Green heat program MAYBE x
4 Commercial / Institutional Buildings and Transportation4.1 Promote the LiveSmart BC Business Energy Advisor for small businesses x4.2 Eco-industrial networking assessment MAYBE x
5 LDV Transportation Urban Form5.1 Land use suite "lite" x5.2 Land use suite "enhanced" - MAYBE x5.3 Street design x5.4 Flow RGS, OCP, and local area plans through to zoning x
6 LDV Transportation – Infrastructure & Collaboration6.1 Active transportation planning x6.2 Improve walking infrastructure x6.3 Cycling & alternative transportation infrastructure improvements x6.4 Special event planning x6.5 Collaborate with major employers on work-related transportation x6.6 Transit suite x6.7 Ride-sharing and guaranteed ride home programs x6.8 Intercommunity transit services x
7 Waste7.1 Organics diversion MAYBE x
8 Enabling Actions8.1 Organizational structure for climate action x8.3 Identify green economy opportunities MAYBE x8.4 Leverage Local Government assets into community change x8.5 Long-term, deep community engagement (culture change) x
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Formulas have been developed for each action in order to quantify the impact of implementation on energy and emissions in the community. Assumptions regarding uptake and implementation have been made and are conservative. These assumptions can be adjusted to determine impacts once implementation has begun and participation/uptake can be measured.
Results
The estimated impact of the plan on the community greenhouse gas emissions (in tonnes of GHGs per year) is shown below. Under the present action plan, the community of Sparwood will exceed the target for years 2013-2020 and meet the target at 2021. The plan should be revisited to determine how continued and expanded implementation can continue to reduce energy and emissions post 2020. It should be noted that there may be adjustments in the GHG emission reduction target through the ongoing OCP update, and changes to the target will impact the results.
Under the Business As Usual scenario, electricity consumption for 2020 and 2050 are estimated at 131,953 GJ/yr and 172,417 GJ/yr respectively. Under the plan, electricity consumption for 2020 and 2050 are instead estimated to be 96,973 GJ/yr and 78,585 GJ/yr.
The major actions, listed by impacts in terms of GHG savings are:
• Promotion of natural gas demand side management programs • Promotion of federal/provincial demand side management programs • Land use suite enhanced (this is currently a ‘Maybe’ action under the plan)
The major actions listed by impacts in terms of KW savings are:
• Green Heat Program (currently a ‘Maybe’ under the action plan) • Land use suite enhanced (currently a ‘Maybe’) • Promotion of DSM programs
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Sparwood CEEP QuickStart Report
Introduction
Through Bill 27, all local governments in the Province are required to make efforts towards reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of the community. In addition, considering the energy and emissions from the community can give opportunities for increased efficiency and local economic development for this community of approximately 3,700 people. The figures in this report are based on 2007 energy and emissions information (the Community Energy and Emissions Inventory, published by the Province of BC), and localized energy costing data.
Bill 27 background Through the Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Amendment Act, also known as Bill 27, municipalities and regional districts are required to include targets, policies, and actions towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their communities in their Official Community Plans and Regional Growth Strategies. Targets, policies and actions were required to be integrated into the OCP by May 31st, 2010.
Community Energy & Emissions Planning A community energy and emissions plan (CEEP) evaluates a community’s existing energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to reduce energy consumption and emissions, improve efficiency, and increase the local renewable energy supply. A CEEP encompasses land use and transportation planning, building and site planning, infrastructure (including solid and liquid waste management), and renewable energy supply. It provides guidance to a local government in planning future developments and in long-term decision making processes.
Most GHG emissions within a local government’s jurisdiction result from energy consumption and the burning of fossil fuels. With this relationship it makes sense to combine greenhouse gas emissions and energy planning into one integrated plan. While some communities have completed stand-alone energy or GHG action plans, the close linkages between energy and GHG emissions suggest that a combined plan is preferable. In this guide the term community energy and emissions plan (and the acronym CEEP) is intended to incorporate both energy and GHG emissions, but not other emissions such as particulates or criteria air contaminants.
Energy Planning Hierarchy Not all opportunities to influence energy and emissions across a community are created equally. It makes sense to reduce demand as much as possible first, since there is often significant opportunity to reduce energy and emissions.
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A similar hierarchy can be applied to the transportation sector. The image below is similar to the steps towards energy planning. In the transportation sector, the easiest step to take is to reduce vehicular trip distances through appropriate urban form (planning) and transportation demand management.
For both hierarchies, the ‘base’ of the pyramid is an important foundational step in the process of community energy and emissions planning, and the implementation of any actions. Without using energy or fuel efficiently, the full benefit of the other opportunities will not be realized.
4 Fuel
3 Vehicle
Efficiency
2 Mode Shift
1 Trip Distance Reduction
Fuel - Electrify what is left of the passenger fleet and / or consider biofuels, consider biofuels and natural gas for the heavy-duty fleet
4
3
2
Vehicle Efficiency - Reduce the size of vehicles and improve engine efficiency, right-size vehicles to the need, minimize the tonnes of steel being moved to move a person
Mode Shift - Shift remaining kilometers travelled to cycling, walking, public transit, ride-sharing and out of the single-occupant vehicle
Trip Distance Reduction - Reduce the need to travel by vehicle through urban form and transportation demand management
1
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CEEPs for Small Communities Overview CEA’s Community Energy and Emissions Planning (CEEPs) for small communities is designed to provide a cost-effective way for small to mid-sized local governments to rapidly develop a practical CEEP including an implementation timeline. The CEEP process is depicted in the graphic below.
The box below explores the ‘planning’ step in the CEEP process as well as the benefits of developing a CEEP.
These steps create an action plan. A plan to implement actions over several years is also developed as part of this process.
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CEEP Partner Commitments
CEEP QuickStart participants are responsible for the following implementation steps:
• Taking ownership and demonstrating leadership over the CEEP • Submitting CEEP to Council for approval • Implementing the CEEP in their community • Joining and contributing to BC Hydro’s conservation community of practice • Provide 6 + 12 month progress reports.
The Community of Practice is a peer learning opportunity through which success stories and challenges can be shared with other CEEP QuickStart participants. BC Hydro hosts the Community of Practice for all CEEP alumni. In addition to the support provided through the Community of Practice, the Community Energy Association will provide follow-up implementation support to CEEP QuickStart communities. The following lists some of the areas of assistance that the Community Energy Association can provide:
• One–on-one staff coaching and advice during plan approval and implementation; • Drafting policy, OCP amendments, council motions; • Further analysis of impacts of actions • Council presentations • Grant identification and grant-writing assistance to implement identified actions • Drafting terms of reference or scope documents for specific initiatives • Supporting stakeholder engagement activities • Staff engagement and/or training
A lead staff person should be identified to liaise with both BC Hydro through the Community of Practice and Community Energy Association in the follow-up implementation support.
Action Plan On December 4th, 2012 a workshop was held with staff, Council, Chamber of Commerce and individuals from the building/development community in Sparwood, facilitated by the Community Energy Association and BC Hydro. To assist with pre-workshop preparation, reading material was distributed to workshop participants beforehand. This reading gave participants background information on how energy planning initiatives can influence long term carbon emissions while also providing economic opportunities. In addition, a short preparatory webinar was held.
At the workshop the facilitators gave a brief presentation and introduced a GHG reduction assessment tool that has been provided to staff for use in further analysis. This tool is populated with data derived from calculations developed to assess the impact that various actions and strategies may have on GHG emissions into the future. The tool shows the final results in user friendly charts and graphs.
The workshop group was provided with a collection of actions, and each action was discussed within the group and placed in one of four categories: “yes”, “no”, “maybe”, and “already done”.
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The actions were placed on a chart in order to create a plan that covered years 2012 through to 2015. Actions were placed along the timeline to indicate the ‘year of implementation’. The group reviewed the action plan to get consensus on the timeline and action selection. The facilitator then updated the model so that action impacts could be quantified and discussed.
Photo: Summary of the Action Plan timeline.
Current Emissions and ‘Business As Usual’ Projections The Province of BC has calculated the total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from the community for 2007 through the Community Energy and Emissions Inventory (CEEI). An updated version of that report was released in the summer of 2012 to include 2010 energy and emissions data. Due to a number of data glitches, the data was found to be inaccurate for several sectors of the Sparwood community, most significantly the transportation sector. For that reason, 2010 data has not been integrated into the CEEP Model. The Province of BC anticipates final and updated data for the end of 2012, at which point the Community Energy Association will provide an updated model with 2010 data included.
In 2007 (the baseline year for GHG emission reduction targets) the community of Sparwood produced approximately 32,973 tonnes of greenhouse gases through the use of electricity, natural gas, and petroleum fuels. Community wide energy spending was approximately $15.25 million in 2007.
A population projection in Sparwood is challenging to determine due to the variables in local industry, economy and recreational development that all impact the growth or decline of the population in the community. Sparwood has experienced fluctuations in population in the past, but most recently saw a decline in permanent population up to the year 2006, and a slow but steady increase in population since that year. Several population growth projection studies have been compiled for Sparwood, and it is expected that in the upcoming Official Community Plan review, a robust population projection exercise
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may result in an updated forecast for population growth in the community. The CEEP QuickStart process looked at population data from the Official Community Plan, which indicated 2 potential growth scenarios:
Projection to 5,500 people – projection is considered to be realistic for short range planning
Projection to 12,200 people – based on projection of manpower requirements for coal industry with multiplier effect.
A more recent scenario was identified through the compilation of the Sparwood Housing Study, completed in 2012. That study indicated that “Sparwood could see its permanent population either decline to as few as 3,370 residents or increase to as many as 3,825 residents’ by 2025.” Based on 2011 population numbers, this projection suggests that on the high-growth end of the scale, the community would see an annual growth rate of 0.35%.
Discussions at the CEEP QS workshop resulted in the development of an interim growth rate that reflected a slightly higher growth scenario. Participants were comfortable suggesting that a 1% annual growth rate out to 2020 was reasonable, and reflected the current goals of the community. An updated population projection will be completed through the OCP update in 2013, and the energy and emissions model that accompanies this action plan can be amended to reflect any changes in the growth rate.
The charts on the following page provide an overview of the current emissions and projected emissions based on this population projection.
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"Business As Usual" Projections & Target Overview
CommunityAnnual % target change in ghgPopulation growthDefault population growth2007 Population 3,704 Start-year for actions
2007 Emissions2010 Emissions (not from CEEI)2007 Total Energy Expenditure 15,251,173$ 2007 Per-capita energy cost 4,044$ 2007 Per-capita emissions
2016 2020 2030 2050Total reduction -7.5% -14% -27% -48%Per-capita reduction -15% -24% -42% -66%Total GHG 30,507 28,485 23,997 17,030 Per-Capita GHG 7.6 6.8 5.2 3.0
2016 2020 2030 2050GHG's 32,846 32,663 34,798 41,695 GHG growth 0% -1% 6% 26%Population 4,003 4,166 4,601 5,615 Pop growth 299 462 897 1,911 Pop Grow % 8% 12% 24% 52%Per capita emissions 8.21 7.84 7.56 7.43
Sparwood District Municipality-1.70%1.00%
32,973
Business as Usual (BAU) Summary
0.28%
2012
Emissions Summary
33,813
8.97
Targets Summary
-
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
45,000
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
2021
2023
2025
2027
2029
2031
2033
2035
2037
2039
2041
2043
2045
2047
2049
Business As Usual - GHG Emissions
BAU
Target
-
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
2027
2031
2035
2039
2043
2047
Business as Usual GJ by Fuel
Electricity
MobilityFuels
NaturalGas
Heating Oil
Propane
Wood
-
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
2027
2031
2035
2039
2043
2047
Energy Use (GJ) by Sector
LDV
HDV
Commercial/Small-MediumIndustrialResidential
$9,941,702
$2,661,132
$2,187,910
$209,869 $250,560
Energy Cost, 2007Mobility Fuels
Electricity
Natural Gas
Wood
Heating Oil
Propane
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Action Plan The action plan decided on by the workshop group is shown below. Actions that were considered to be inapplicable are not included in the plan. Some actions were already being implemented by the community. The actions in the plan were categorised according to what year it was believed that they could be implemented. Actions that were determined to be a “maybe” are included below.
The numbers of the actions listed above correspond to their numbers in the CEEP QuickStart Action Guide, which contains further detail about each of them. For further detail on BC Hydro DSM program incentives consult the BC Hydro Power Smart programs sheet, or the BC Hydro Power Smart website at http://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/.
During the full day and half day workshops, ways to proceed with the actions were discussed, and are outlined in the table below. Only those actions selected as part of the Action Plan are included in the table, and the action number correlates to the detailed action descriptions in the Community Energy and
STEP 2 - SELECT ACTIONS AND TIMING - Sparwood District Municipality Years reduction occurs in
Actions 20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
20
16
20
17
An
nu
al
1 Buildings Basics1.1 Promote BC Hydro DSM programs x x1.2 Promote natural gas DSM programs x x1.3 Promote provincial / federal DSM x x1.5 Improve building code enforcement x
2 Buildings High-Growth Measures2.1 Sustainability checklist for buildings x2.2 Use zoning bylaws to define desired energy performance MAYBE x2.3 Density bonus for energy performance MAYBE x2.4 Expediting permit approvals, fee rebates, other financial incentives MAYBE x2.5 Tax exemption bylaw xhg1 Require energy efficiency standards when selling city lands x
3 Residential Buildings3.1 Sign on to solar-ready building code provision x3.2 Education to developers - renewable energy technologies and efficiency x3.3 Efficient wood stove program MAYBE x3.4 Green heat program MAYBE x
4 Commercial / Institutional Buildings and Transportation4.1 Promote the LiveSmart BC Business Energy Advisor for small businesses x4.2 Eco-industrial networking assessment MAYBE x
5 LDV Transportation Urban Form5.1 Land use suite "lite" x5.2 Land use suite "enhanced" - MAYBE x5.3 Street design x5.4 Flow RGS, OCP, and local area plans through to zoning x
6 LDV Transportation – Infrastructure & Collaboration6.1 Active transportation planning x6.2 Improve walking infrastructure x6.3 Cycling & alternative transportation infrastructure improvements x6.4 Special event planning x6.5 Collaborate with major employers on work-related transportation x6.6 Transit suite x6.7 Ride-sharing and guaranteed ride home programs x6.8 Intercommunity transit services x
7 Waste7.1 Organics diversion MAYBE x
8 Enabling Actions8.1 Organizational structure for climate action x8.3 Identify green economy opportunities MAYBE x8.4 Leverage Local Government assets into community change x8.5 Long-term, deep community engagement (culture change) x
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Emissions Actions Guide. These action numbers are indicated in brackets. For more information on each action, including the formula used to calculate impacts, please refer to the Guide. Actions that were included in the Plan, but are not part of the Guide are indicated by a ‘t’ with a number.
Action Effort Comments
Year 1
Promote BC Hydro DSM programs (1.1)
Low Request information from BC Hydro (i.e. leaflets and handouts) to distribute to the community. Provide a link on website, and handouts at District Office where applicable.
Possibly include a Sparwood-branded insert in the quarterly municipal utility bill summarizing individual action opportunities. Property tax and utility leaflets reach everyone.
Link/information in District of Sparwood Free Press and Herald sections.
Promote natural gas DSM programs (1.2)
Promote provincial / federal DSM (1.3)
Density bonus for energy performance (2.3)
Low Maybe. Integrate as an action in the CEEP should the scenario arise where this action would be applicable in Sparwood (e.g. higher growth scenario and increased market demand).
Require energy efficiency standards when selling city lands (t 2.6)
Low Consider incorporating energy efficiency standards into “option to purchase” agreements when selling lands for development.
Engage LiveSmart Business Energy Advisor for small businesses (4.1)
Low The Province of BC has initiated a program through LiveSmart BC which provides small businesses with free energy assessments. The Business Energy Advisor for the Kootenays can be contacted to come assess local businesses. Work with the Chamber of Commerce to promote this service.
Land-use suite “lite” (5.1)
Low On-going. Policies exist which encourage density and in-fill. Natural boundaries constrict development potential (e.g. floodplain and erosion areas). OCP will be under review in 2013, at which time new opportunities for policy review may be identified.
Land use suite “enhanced” (5.2)
Moderate Maybe. Potential enhancement zoning through OCP update, which may include opportunities for encouraging mixed-use development and active transportation-focused development.
Street design (5.3) Moderate Transportation Master Plan exists. Street paving program occurs every 2 years. Opportunity for bike/scooter lane designation on wide streets is included in the Transportation Master Plan.
Flow RGS, OCP and LAP through to
Low OCP update slated for early 2013.
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zoning (5.4)
Active transportation planning (6.1)
Moderate Off-street parking by-law amendment may require commercial businesses and multi-family developments to supply bike parking. A standard has been developed through the TMP. The District has been facilitating active transportation through construction of pedestrian bridges.
Improve walking infrastructure (6.2)
Moderate Connectivity to existing trails ongoing in existing neighborhoods. Through OCP update, consider integrating requirement of walking/active transportation trails in new development.
The District is currently mapping out planned walking and biking trails throughout the community. Intention is to create a network that will connect existing and create new trails.
Consider community-wide participatory opportunities, such as a community challenge, walk to work challenge or walking school bus challenge. Incentives for participants may help with uptake.
Cycling & alternative transportation infrastructure improvements (6.3)
Low See previous two actions.
Collaborate with major employers on work-related transportation (6.5)
Moderate On-going collaboration with major employer (Teck) but could use enhancement. Interest from Council participants to discussion more transportation options with Teck in 2013.
Leverage Local Government assets into community change (8.4)
Moderate The District of Sparwood is leading by example in a number of ways, both through implementation of actions and participation in other projects. Initiatives include an LED streetlight project, solar pathway lighting and municipal building retrofits. Other projects the municipality is involved in include Carbon Neutral Kootenays, Communities Adapting to Climate Change and the Water Smart Initiative.
Long-term, deep community engagement (8.5)
Moderate The District identifies the need for broader community engagement. Opportunities to initiate that engagement were discussed. Providing homeowners with low-flow showerheads, furnace filter changes or CFL’s were discussed. Hosting a competition to win a home retrofit was also discussed, in partnership with the District, Chamber and perhaps local builders. The District is also interested in support from a Regional Energy Manager.
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Year 2
Sustainability checklist for buildings (2.1)
Moderate Identify other successful sustainability checklists (i.e. Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Peachland, Kelowna, etc.) and adapt for the community.
Ensure the checklist is enforced and used by all builders/developers.
Sustainability checklist is intended to be as much of an educational tool as a suggested standard for more efficient development within the community. A ‘sustainability checklist’ could also be developed for the general public, i.e. ’50 tops things to reduce energy use in your home.’
Use zoning bylaws to define desired energy performance (2.2)
Moderate Maybe. Remove barriers to facilitate more options in housing size and type (e.g. zones that allow for smaller lots and more compact development)
Expediting permit approvals, fee rebates, other financial incentives (2.4)
Moderate Maybe. Consider this action if a structure can be developed to ensure the financial incentive is ‘cost neutral’
Tax exemption bylaw (2.5)
Moderate This mechanism could be applied to a downtown revitalization.
Education to developers - renewable energy technologies and efficiency (3.2)
Moderate Consider a builders/developers package that would summarize any changes to bylaws, permits, etc. as well as the Sustainability Checklist. Ensures all developers are on the same page and understand the ‘standard’ expected by the District.
Eco-industrial networking assessment (4.2)
High Maybe. There could be some interesting opportunities for heat recovery/energy production at an expansion of the industrial area.
Organics diversion (7.1)
Moderate-Low
Maybe. Potential for a community-based offset project. Requires a feasibility study to determine the best approach, whether it is promotion of backyard composters, curbside pickup or neighborhood.
See Grand Forks for an example of a curbside program and Jasper for an example of a centralized drop-off/pick up program.
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Year 3
Efficient wood stove program (3.3)
Moderate Maybe. Explore the opportunity for future funding to implement the program locally.
Green Heat Program (3.4)
Maybe. May not be feasible on a broad community scale. Potential for small and compact development opportunities.
Identify green economy opportunities (8.3)
High Maybe. Business development officer may be able to explore local opportunities for economic diversification into green or alternative businesses.
On-going
Organizational structure for climate action (8.1)
Moderate Explore opportunities to integrate organizational structure for climate action/sustainability into a job description. Consider a climate/environment/sustainability focused review of the CEEP and related projects to assess progress of implementation.
Initial Community Engagement Workshop Planning a community engagement event provides an opportunity for the District to not only present the CEEP, but to highlight some of the actions that have already been taken by the municipality to save energy and reduce emissions. This demonstrates commitment and leadership, and sets a positive example for the community. A public event can be an opportunity to showcase the resources that are available in the community to help the public take action. One effective engagement approach that was discussed during the CEEP workshop is to host a community Open House/Energy Tradeshow. There are many ways of implementing an Open House, and the level of engagement will depend on the resources available (budget and staff time). Some suggested approaches are provided below:
• Invite local experts or relevant businesses/organizations to set-up a booth at your Open House to share the services or products they offer that will support GHG emission redutions and energy efficiency
• Encourage input into the CEEP through an interactive wallchart timeline of energy and emissions actions – invite participants to add their own ideas or commitments to the timeline
• Invite the local utilities to share information about incentives or other programs that are available to encourage efficiency in residential homes (i.e. BC Hydro)
• The District may wish to engage community groups and individuals in addition to, or instead of hosting an Open House. It may be useful to liase with the Chamber of Commerce, local developers, local interest groups or specialists in applicable fields (i.e. alternative energy specialists, home energy assessment consultants, etc.).
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The upcoming OCP review will be another great opportunity to engage citizens around energy and emission actions. Using Open House and Public Review sessions to highlight some of the energy components of the update will serve as an opportunity to further educate the community.
Next Steps to Finalize Community Energy & Emissions Plan 1. Achieve District of Sparwood Council ‘Buy-in’ by submitting a report on the BC Hydro Power Smart
CEEP Quickstart (QS) workshop. Report to Council: CEEP-QS workshop description and participation, DRAFT results and DRAFT report language.
2. Optional – conduct initial community engagement workshop for engagement, feedback & ideas 3. Submit final District of Sparwood Community Energy & Emissions Plan (CEEP) to Council for
approval 4. Where applicable, integrate Community Energy and Emissions Plan actions into statements in the
District of Sparwood OCP and future planning activities 5. Where applicable, include the CEEP in the OCP and ICSP processes 6. Include statement in financial budgets 7. Begin plan implementation
Next Steps for Implementation As previously described, Community Energy Association is able to provide additional implementation support over the first year of your CEEP project. The District of Sparwood has identified several initial steps for implementation of the Fernie CEEP:
1. Presentation to Council for CEEP QS Report endorsement.
2. Identify a staff person to oversee the plan implementation. This individual will work with staff in various departments through the implementation of CEEP actions.
3. Ensure integration of CEEP with upcoming OCP review.
4. Initiate conversations with Chamber of Commerce and local builders for the development of a community-wide initiative (e.g. energy retrofit contest or energy efficiency product installations).
Additional opportunities for support may be identified once the CEEP QS Report has been adopted by Council and presented to the OCP committee.
Results of Actions The anticipated results of the action plan, and the unpacked actions, are shown in the charts below. Significant greenhouse gas emission savings are feasible by implementing the actions, although at present it is predicted that a rising population will begin to create a net increase in emissions over time.
Under the Business As Usual scenario, electricity consumption for 2020 and 2050 are estimated at 131,953 GJ/yr and 172,417 GJ/yr respectively. Under the plan, electricity consumption for 2020 and 2050 are instead estimated to be 96,973 GJ/yr and 78,585 GJ/yr.
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The District of Sparwood community-wide GHG emission reduction target is achieved through implementation of the plan by 2020. A review of actions post-2020 should be done in the future to identify opportunities to continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.
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The following chart demonstrate the business as usual consumption of energy by sector (residential buildings, commercial and industrial buildings, light duty vehicles and heavy duty vehilces.
By 2050, if no actions are implemented, the projected energy use for the community of Sparwood would be approximately 910,000 GJ. Under the plan, total energy consumption is projected to be just over 600,000 GJ.
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This page summarizes the business as usually scenario for energy use by fuel type, and the projected energy use under the plan.
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The model assumes that energy costs will increase with time.
The chart below shows overall energy costs for the community, broken out by fuel type. 2010 energy costs were approxmiately $15.3 Million. The business as usual scenario estimates annual energy costs of approximately $29.5 Million, and under the plan approximately $25.5 Million. This suggests that if all actions are implemented, residents of Sparwood could be collectively saving over $4 M in the year 2020 in energy costs. This is a significant amount of money that will stay within the community.
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Conclusion The CEEP that was developed during the December 4th 2012 workshop allows the community of Sparwood to meet 2 tonne per capita reduction target by 2020. A model run of the actions not including the “Maybe” actions brings the community very close to achieving the target. The charts in this report do include the “Maybe” actions so that further consideration can be given by the community and Council.
The participation of Sparwood in this CEEP QuickStart process was very timely, with an Official Community Plan review taking place in 2013. This will provide the District with an opportunity to integrate the policy-based actions directly into the OCP allowing implementation of those policy tools in the very near future. Communities can continue to grow and expand in a manner that does not increase overall emissions and energy consumption. The planning mechanisms identified through the CEEP QS process will contribute to the development of a resilient future for Sparwood.