Sustainability and Energy Action Plan

GLOSSARY GRANTS PASS SUSTAINABILITY AND ENERGY ACTION PLAN knowledge, ideas, inspiration, creativity, recreation, and spirituality. Supporting services include fundamental processes that sustain life such as photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, soil creation, and the water cycle. In the context of this Plan, ecosystem services are considered when making recommendations about City trees. Electrical Grid Flux Electrical Grid Flux refers to ongoing changes in the electrical grid due to changing demand, weather conditions, and other factors. EPA The EPA is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , an independent executive agency of thefederal government since 1970. Energy Trust Energy Trust is dedicated to helping 2 million utility customers in Oregon and 86,000 utility customers in Southwest Washington save energy and benefit from renewable power, today andin the future. EUI Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is calculated by dividing the total energy consumed by a building in a given time period by the total floor area of the building. EUI is measured in units of energy per area per time, such as Btu/ft2/yr. It can be thought of as the energy inefficiency of the building. The lower the EUI value, the more energy efficient the building. GHG GHG stands for greenhouse gas, which is a gas that absorbs and emits infrared light more efficiently than it does visible light. As a result, it allows incoming (visible) light from the sun to pass through Earth’s atmosphere, but it absorbs and re -emits outgoing (infrared) light from Earth back toward the ground and contributes to global warming. Examples of greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water (H2O). HelioScope HelioScope is a software platform for modeling solar arrays using CAD -caliber layouts, remote shade analysis and energy yield calculations. Hügelkultur Hügelkultur is a horticultural technique in which a mound of logs, branches, leaves, and other biomass is covered with soil and used as a garden bed. The buried wood decays slowly, sequestering carbon in the soil and retaining moisture. In the context of this Plan, hügelkultur is recommended as a possible use for downed City trees. Black walnut, black locust, and old - growth redwood should not be used in hügelkultur. Some examples of trees that work well include alder, apple, aspen, birch, cottonwood, maple, oak, and poplar. 173