Commercial Retrofit Opportunity

TVA has updated its Commercial Incentive Program. Details here.

This is a great way to bring in cash to pay for building improvements if you own businesses that consume significant amounts of energy. TVA gets reduced demand so they don't have to build new power generation facilities, and you get a check and a utility bill reduction, so it's a win-win. The City was able to catpure over $200,000 in TVA incentive through our ongoing upgrade project.

Publicity for Sustainability Efforts

Check out the national blog post highlighting our Energy Service Performance Contract progress here.

Also, the City of Knoxville is named a 2011 ET Green Achiever, winning the Renewable Energy category for the third party finance agreement for solar on the convention center.

Spring Events from Beardsley Community Farm

Wednesdays, March 23rd- May 25th, 5-7 pm, Free!
Urban Land Scout Workshops

The URBAN LAND SCOUTS are a scouting group open to all people who wish to become better stewards of the land where they live. Each Wednesday, the Urban Land Scouts will be engaged in activities ranging from cultivate native or edible plants, growing vegetables, to teaching others what they know. Bring a water bottle and wear close-toed shoes and clothing appropriate for being outside. We will meet at CAC Beardsley Community Farm, 1719 Reynolds St., (behind the Cansler Boys and Girls Club).
Email passage@urbanlandscouts.com for more information.
http://www.urbanlandscouts.com/


May 21 - CAC Beardsley Community Farm Workday/ Chicken Raising Workshop
9 AM-10 AM for the workshop, 9 AM-12 for the workday

Guest speaker Kelly Robinson will be coming to CAC Beardsley Community Farm to discuss the ins and outs of urban-chicken-keeping. Meet our chickens, bring pictures of your own, and see if urban-chicken-keeping is right for you. We will be unveiling our new chicken tractor, and discussing the new hen ordinances of Knoxville County. After the workshop, spend some time helping out on the farm in the (hopefully) lovely weather of May.


June 4 - FarmFest, 11 AM - 3 PM

Farm tours, children's activities, live music, food, craft, and plant vendors, and more.


June 27 - Summer Supper 6 PM

Disappointed that you missed out on our fall fundraising event, "Raise the Roots"? You have another chance to come out and support CAC Beardsley Community Farm while eating delicious Tomato Head food, socializing with some great people and learning about urban gardening. You may purchase tickets at An individual ticket is $30, and a table of six is $200

Free Local Spring Green Events:

Green Buildings for Cool Cities Tour
Saturday, March 26
2 PM – 4 PM
Open house at the Victorian Green House (1011 Victorian Way) from 2 PM until 4 PM
John J. Duncan Jr. Knoxville Station Transit Center Tours at 2 PM, 2:30 PM, 3 PM and 3:30 PM

Third Creek Greenway Cleanup
Saturday, March 26
12 PM – 3 PM
Tyson Park
http://www.cityofknoxville.org/Press_Releases/Content/2011/0321.asp

22nd Ijams Annual River Rescue
Saturday, April 2
10 AM-2 PM
Various sites in Knoxville
RSVP - Call Sarah Brobst at 865-577-4717 x 24
http://celebrateknoxville.com/2011/03/06/ijams-hosts-tennessee-river-clean-up.aspx

EarthFest
Saturday, April 16
10 AM - 5 PM
Pellissippi State - Hardin Valley Campus
Free Admission

Solar America Cities Ceremony
Wednesday, April 20
10:30 AM-12:00 PM
World's Fair Park Pavilion

Residential Energy Code Training
Wednesday, April 20
8 AM - 5 PM
Pellissippi State - Hardin Valley Campus
Free Admission, Lunch Provided

Commercial Energy Code
Thursday, April 21
8 AM - 5 PM
Pellissippi State - Hardin Valley Campus
Free Admission, Lunch Provided

Ongoing: Brown Bag Green Book
Thursdays, March 23, April 20, May 18 and June 15
12 PM – 1 PM
East Tennessee History Center
http://www.cityofknoxville.org/Press_Releases/Content/2011/0314.asp

Progress Update

Here's a brief update on some of the work we've been doing so far in 2011:

1.) We compiled and fleshed out the content of the Energy & Sustainability work plan many of you spent so much of your time contributing to during 2010, and have turned it into a solid working draft document. In December, Knoxville was asked to serve on a National Academies committee on incorporating sustainability into the U.S. EPA, so to take advantage of working closely with national and international sustainability experts, the draft will be circulated for comment as soon as what we're learning from that experience can be rolled into our plan as well. Additionally, we are closing in on metrics and a model to track our progress, so implementation will have measurable results.

2.) The East Tennessee Quality Growth group has been hard at work developing a spring conference - March 30-31 are the dates, at the convention center.

3.) The Solar America Cities Grant is in its final months, with a 100-fold increase in grid connected solar since 2007. Jake Tisinger, our Sustainability Coordinator who is currently funded through that grant will now be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) through 2012, so we are fortunate DOE was flexible with that.

4.) The City has hit all of the DOE EECBG spend deadlines to date, and the work is 36% complete. Highlights so far include:

- Weatherization of 19 local homes;
- 11 HVAC replacement in City Fire Stations;
- Earthcraft training will be available for free February 28 and March 1, and Energy Code Training dates are April 20-21 (865-539-7167 to register);
- Rollout of the City's single stream curbside recycling program marketing campaign for sign-ups starting in May; and
- Contract drafting for CAC administration of a 2011 solar and appliance rebate program, and contract drafting for third party financed solar on the convention center in progress.

5.) An Electric Vehicle Hosting Partners Forum will be at the Chamber February 24 from 10 AM to 12 PM. Interested parties can attend to learn about hosting a charging station. City right of way locations for both solar and non-solar electric vehicle infrastructure have been assessed and the contract with ECOtaility is being negotiated currently. Installation schedules are dependant on final DOE approvals.

6.) Knoxville's Transportation Planning Authority was awarded a grant to supplement a car-share program; the City and UTK will partner with them to host parking spaces on campus and downtown for those vehicles. That request for qualifications will be posted on TPO's website soon.

The Year in Review

2010 was a good year! Here's a snapshot of some of things our grants and partnerships let us accomplish this year:

DOE's Solar America Cities Grant (SAC):

- As the SAC grant wraps up, solar installations in the Knoxville area topped over 1 MW in 2010 (starting from ~15 kW in 2007);

- The SAC grant funded 2 solar installations: 4.7 kW system on the Transit center and 1.4 kW system on the Knox Heritage house; and

- The City of Knoxville has funded and installed 2 solar hot water systems this year (one at the Heritage House, one in a private residence via Community Development).

DOE's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG):

- EECBG funds have weatherized 19 private middle-income homes;

- EECBG funds have installed 11 HVAC systems in Fire Stations;

- The City has pioneered the first municipal Third Party Finance package for renewable energy in the Tennessee Valley region;

- Knoxville & Knox County were the only City / County combination in America to meet the EECBG 20% spend deadline; and

- The City of Knoxville is the only city in America being represented on the National Academy of Sciences advisory committee for "Incorporating Sustainability into the U.S EPA".

Partnerships with other departments / governmental entities:

- A contract for 10 solar assisted electric vehicle charging stations was executed with ORNL for public charging infrastructure;

- The Ameresco retrofit contract is 30% complete, with the 28.5 kW solar installation on the Convention Center complete;

- The Energy & Sustainability Task Force, through 6 working groups, completed the content for the City's first Sustainability Work Plan;

- Downtown and City County single stream recycling programs were launched with good intake volumes and feedback;

- Wall Ave. LED streetlight pilot's first report shows roughly 50% energy savings, and City Engineering & KUB are using LED in retrofits and new construction (Blount, Volunteer, Hill, Market & Union);

- LED stoplight conversion is complete and saving $250,000 annually; and

- A HUD / DOT $4,300,000 grant for sustainable planning was awarded to our 5 county region (managed by Community Development).

We also did 25 sustainability-related presentations in 2010. Thanks for the support to promote energy and sustainability efforts in the City of Knoxville!

Thank you, Energy & Sustainability Task Force!

E&S Task Force Members,

Thank you for serving on the City’s Energy & Sustainability Task Force. Since 2007, we have been able to develop a baseline inventory and accomplish much to improve the way we do business as a City and to reduce the amount of energy we require to operate.

Some highlights your efforts have contributed to:

• Through the Solar America Cities grant, we have grown solar capacity from just under 15 kilowatts to well over 1 megawatt;
• Through Ameresco’s guaranteed energy service performance contract, we are reducing the energy use of 99 City facilities with guaranteed payback over the next 13 years;
• Through partnerships, we have become a vital part of the highly visible electric vehicle rollout with Knox County, Oak Ridge, TVA, KUB, and ECOtality;
• Through over a decade of persistence and the influence of the Task Force goals, we have opened our new energy efficient transit center, which will be certified LEED silver;
• Through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, we are weatherizing private homes and city fire stations, educating builders, developing a third party finance model for renewable energy, beginning a curb-side recycling service, employing staff, and launching an appliance and solar incentive program; and
• Through the six Task Force working groups of 2010, we have the components of the City’s first Energy & Sustainability Plan.

Thanks to your planning efforts during Phase I and II of the working groups, we are moving into the implementation phase. Though there will be no more Task Force Meetings, City staff will develop the work plan from your recommendations and send a draft for your review and comment in early 2011. They will use the plan as a guide to implementation by priority.

Knoxville is thriving thanks to people like you who care enough to give time and effort to making a difference. Thank you for your commitment to making this City a better place to live.