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<br />8A <br />Page 3 <br /> <br />'Sacramento Sustalnabillty Plan' Continued from Page 1... <br /> <br />Last December, the Sacramento City Council approved its first Sustainability Master Plan which <br />lays out the city's vision for sustainability and establishes its long-term goals related to reducing <br />greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In February, Sacramento adopted its one year plan for 2008. <br /> <br />Performance Contracting Saves Energy and Money <br /> <br />Performance contracting is a major component of Sacramento's 2008 action plan because it will <br />enable the city to make its operations greener without having to invest a great deal financially <br />upfront. <br /> <br />Through this process, companies will submit proposals to the city identifying energy saving <br />opportunities and offering recommendations the city can implement. Sacramento won't pay <br />anything for the improvements because they will be funded by the savings the city will enjoy from <br />spending less on energy. The performance contracting agency pays for the improvements and then <br />the city pays them back over time from the money saved. Of the city's 450 buildings, the <br />Department of General Services expects that approximately 50 buildings will go through this <br />process in 2008. <br /> <br />Request for proposals are expected to go out by summer. The performance contracting plan <br />selected by Sacramento will include: <br /> <br />. Implementing energy and water conservation measures through conventional performance <br />. contracting processes; <br /> <br />. Installing solar photovoltaic electrical systems through a power purchase agreement (PPA) <br />under which a third party owns, operates and maintains solar equipment and sells power to <br />the city at a reduced rate; <br /> <br />. Reviewing past bills for accuracy, including un-metered street lighting accounts; <br /> <br />. Performing an audit of energy cost and consumption strategy; and <br /> <br />. Providing assistance in obtaining necessary funding to implement the recommendations <br />identified by the audit. <br /> <br />Green City Operations <br /> <br />As part of its 2008 plan, Sacramento is launching a "Two UplTwo Down" program to reduce <br />heating and cooling costs. Thermostats in city buildings will be set two degrees warmer in the <br />summer and two degrees cooler in the winter, with an expected cost savings of $200,000-250,000 <br />annually. The normal temperature setting is 68 degrees in the winter and 72 degrees in the <br />summer, <br /> <br />The city is also collaborating with Sacramento County's Business Environmental Resource Center <br />(BERC). The center offers a localized standard for green building certification similar to the U.S. <br />Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. <br />Sacramento is working to bring many city facilities up to BERC's certification by addressing energy <br />and water conservation, solid waste handling, recycling and more. <br /> <br />Sacramento is the first city in California to integrate electric motorcycles into to its city fleet. With a <br />maximum speed of 62 mph and a range of 50 miles, the zero-emission, highway legal, fully electric <br />motorcycles are now being used by police and parking enforcement. <br /> <br />When asked about why Sacramento is taking sustainability so seriously, Mayor Heather Fargo <br />responded, "Sacramento is committed to being a sustainable city because we have to. Sacramento <br />has to do our part to enhance the quality of life in our neighborhoods, our city, California and <br />honestly - the planet. Cities play an enormous role in leading sustainability movement around the <br />globe. Sacramento will be a sustainable city and we believe our residents will save money while <br />saving the environment." <br /> <br />3 <br />