Sustainability and Energy Action Plan

BUILDINGS AND ENERGY GRANTS PASS SUSTAINABILITY AND ENERGY ACTION PLAN Buildings and Energy The ways in which the City of Grants Pass designs its buildings, sources its energy, and operates all its infrastructure are crucial components to the sustainability of municipal operations. Buildings and Energy related uses account for 64% ofmunicipal spending on energy,29 and 85% of municipal GHG emissions.30 Dependable and dynamic energy sourcing is an integral part of resilience. For this reason, sustainability improvements in this area can result not only in substantial savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions/livability improvements but can also be the difference between functionality and failure in the event of a natural disaster.In order to meet overall Plan goals, the goals for the Buildings and Energy section of the Plan are to 1) reduce the energy usage of operations (and in turn, energy spending and emissions volume ); 2) convert critical infrastructure (Police, Fire, Wastewater, and Water) to be able to run off -grid without depending on external fuel sources ; 3) consider sustainability in all new constructions and remodels ; and 4) have a standing committee advise on sustainability of any major new projects. Projects in this section target reductions in electrical and natural gas consumption, as well as improvements in the sourcing of electrical power to reduce its direct cost and public health impacts. 38