Sustainability and Energy Action Plan

BUILDINGS AND ENERGY GRANTS PASS SUSTAINABILITY AND ENERGY ACTION PLAN Projects and Steps Project BE -1. Address Energy Inefficiencies within Existing Buildings and Operations Energy -efficiency upgrades are the critical first steps towards improved buildings andenergy systems. The City has already saved nearly $50,000 in electricity billing alone,32 largely through energy efficiency improvements. Making buildings more energy -efficient will reduce City energy spending and emissions, as well as make it more feasible to power facilities through more resilient, independent sourcing.Weatherization efforts can include a wide range of potential improvements, as shown in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program model for “whole house weatherization .”33Which weatherization techniques make sense for each building can be evaluated for impact v. cost of implementation on a building -by- building basis. EUI stands for Energy Use Intensity and is a way of measuring the energy efficiency of a building using the amount of energy it uses relative to its size.BE-1-1. Improve Weatherization of City Buildings Loss of heated/cooled air is costly, increases energy demand, and is a major factor in the EUI of older structures. Weatherization also contributes to resiliency by addressing poor seasonal air quality from fires in this region, something which is only projected to worsen.BE-1-2. Convert to Energy Efficient Lighting Grants Pass has saved thousands of dollars already through a variety of LED lighting conversions across the City. Completing this transition to LEDs for all City lighting, both interior and exterior, and maintaining this standard for energy efficient lighting, is one of the most cost -effective actions that can be taken to improve the energy efficiency of City buildings. 40