HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 19
Environmental Initiatives Committee
Minutes (Draft)
DATE: Monday, January 19, 2009
TIME: 7:30pm
LOCATION: Parks & Recreation Building
26379 Fremont Road
Los Altos Hills
Roll Call: The following were present: Peter, Evans, John Harpootlian, Lew Jameson,
Rich Larson, Raj Reddy, Steve Schmidt, Jay Shideler & Walt Wilson.
Committee acceptance of the minutes: All present accepted the December 8, 2009
Minutes as-is.
EIC Mission Statement, Goals and Milestone discussion:
1. Mission Statement - Jay handed out a starting draft for a mission statement for the
EIC. All members were encouraged to email back to Jay recommended changes
and comments to the mission statement. Jay will then re-craft the mission
statement based on feedback and submit it for a vote at the next EIC meeting - (H-
H) (all)
2. Goals and Milestones for 2009 – Jay handed out a sheet of potential goals and
milestones for 2009 EIC projects to consider (also sent out by email earlier). This
was to serve as a guide for establishing goals and milestone that are reflected in
various segments of these minutes, but, which are consistent with the GHG
reduction goals that were accepted by the Town Council earlier. The major effort
in the EIC will be to achieve the GHG reduction goals in LAH, but with water
conservation goals following close behind in importance.
Energy:
1. GHG Reduction presentation was made to the Town Council. Council voted
unanimously to accept the GHG reduction goal by 2015 of:
• 40% by LAH government
• 30% by LAH residents.
These goals will serve as “high-level” goals of which most EIC activities must be
consistent with.
2. GHG Reduction Presentation to Foothill College – (H-H) Steve.
3. Home audits: 5 homes have been audited so far for energy/water consumption
analysis. Spreadsheet is being refined as this is a “work in process” as audits are
being made:
• Complete the initial 10 home audits (Raj to help) – (H-H) – Steve, Peter, Raj.
• Refine audit spreadsheet and report findings to EIC – (H-H) – Steve, Peter.
• Solidify audit process – (H-H) – Steve, Peter
• Establish home audit game-plan (with milestones) for education and training –
(H-H) Lew.
• Resident’s annual participation spreadsheets – Evaluate efficacy of using such
a flier for residents to tract their own progress. Also, consider converting to a
web-base – (H-H) – Lew, Jitze.
4. Town Hall energy monitoring- FSI report has been given to Carl Cahill for the
following modifications to be made in the Town Hall:
• EMS (Energy Management System) that would work for at least controlling
the thermostats. Contact Carl Cahill to explain details of desired modifications
- (H-H) Peter.
• Data room outside cooling – implement ASAP – contact Carl Cahill with
recommendation – (H-H) Walt, Jay
5. Solar Energy Generation:
• Flier of P.V. Solar Systems Purchase Options has been submitted for the
perusal by the Town attorney. Flier has been updated and put into a Word
format. Pursue until flier has been approved and ready for handout- (H-H)
Jay.
• Jay presented a chart of solar installations from 2001 through 2008. After a
big jump in 2007 (51 solar permits granted in 2007), only 53 were permitted
in 2008 – two more than in 2007. Concern was expressed that solar
installations were flattening out in 2008 and more needs to be done to promote
solar in LAH.
• Check into requirements/restrictions for LAH government funding of solar
systems for residential homes – (H-H) Jay, Rich.
Green Construction and Demolition:
1. Build-it-Green requirement – procedure ready for next new home applicant but as
to this date, no permit applicant has yet to be subjected to its regulation.
2. Consider adapting build-it-green procedure for remodels – (H-L) - Raj
Recycling:
1. GreenWaste Recovery’s service – Continue to monitor GreenWaste. - (H-H) –
Jay.
2. GreenWaste recycling monthly spreadsheet: Progress has been made about
calculating GHG avoidance through recycling. Data has been obtained for all
other entries of the spreadsheet - (H-M) – Jay.
3. Write article for the next Town Newsletter about the changeover status of
GreenWaste – (M-M) Jay.
Water Consumption:
1. Landscape Water & Conservation Guidelines (CA AB1881): A handout detailing
salient points and milestones was handed out:
• Determine what is legally required of LAH regarding this ordinance by
February – (H-H) – Jay
• Prepare report on Ordinance for PC & Council by March – (H-H) -John.
• Prepare report for Council on landscape water use in LAH – (H-H) John.
• Evaluate & prepare report for possible water allotments increase by March –
(H-H) –Jay.
• Work with Foothill College to provide water conserving landscape plant to
LAH residents with Mayor, Jean Mordo, by April – (H-M) – John.
2. Cal water – what is the plan for implementing digital water meters? (H-H) Lew.
3. “Gray water” utilization in LAH – analysis ongoing. Make recommendation to the
EIC – (M-M) – Margie.
4. Pools, pool pumps, fountains, waterfalls discussion – Effort to put together a
guideline flier for design of pools, pool pumps, waterfalls and fountains has
stalled. Send around to EIC a first-cut for review – (H-H) – Peter
5. Drought preparation and plans needed – (H-H) – John.
Miscellaneous:
1. Status of official web-site for EIC – (H-H) – Lew.
2. Education Sub-committee – The EIC voted to establish a sub-committee to direct
effort of education of all aspects of the EIC. Sub-committee needs to be formed
and staffed with EIC members. Add detail bullets to outline developed by Lew
earlier – (H-H) – Lew.
3. Jay has been notified by the Town staff that the Town Hall solar website is to be
update by an outside contractor – send details of what is to be included in the
solar portion – (M-H) - Jay.
Next Meeting: Monday, February 16, 2009 at 7:30PM in the Parks and Recreation
Building.
Concept for establishing Goals and setting Priority: These minutes, henceforth, shall
follow the format of denoting priority as (Value-Time) until further notice. “Value” and
“Time” are expressed as one of three letters: “H” – high, “M”- medium or “L” – low.
JAS 01-19-2009