Knoxville Zoo is starting to take some serious steps towards becoming a sustainable operation. Look for a 50 kW system on the elephant barn this spring, funded by local Wamplers and installed by local Aries.
Those interested in solar installations can attend a workshop at the zoo on January 26, 8:30 AM.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Thursday, January 10, 2013
City Sustainability - A Look Back...and Ahead
Knoxville’s Energy & Sustainability Initiative is helping define a new paradigm for Knoxville’s development: one that reduces energy consumption while enhancing the quality and competitiveness of our community.
Sustainability staff discusses the following activities within an economic framework: energy retrofits free up tax dollars for uses other than electricity, and positively impact the health of the community by directly reducing local air pollution.
2007
• Mayor appointed the City’s first Energy and Sustainability Task Force
• Transit Center designed for LEED platinum certification (green roof, geothermal, solar)
2008
• City upgraded stoplights to LED, avoiding $250,000 annually in energy costs
• City piloted LED streetlight project on Wall Ave. with Beta fixtures in partnership with TVA
• Community and government data gathering began for energy baseline inventory
• Knoxville won DOE Solar City Designation
2009
• DOE funded Sustainability Coordinator position for 2 years
• $300,000 in grant and leveraged funds designated to grow the local solar economy
• 2,326 contractors trained in solar and renewable energy applications
• Local solar capacity rose from ~30 kW to over 1 MW during 3 year life of solar grant
• Energy Baseline Inventory and Reduction Goals document was released
• Recovery Act funded Sustainability Program Manager and ~$2,000,000 for energy and sustainability related projects
2010
• $19,000,000 13 year guaranteed savings energy performance contract executed
• 146 Contractors trained in green building best practices and energy code updates
• 99 city facility retrofits completed, generating $1,100,000 annual energy savings
• Fire Stations updated with new HVAC units
• Curbside recycling for 20,000 implemented
• 19 middle income homes retrofitted for energy efficiency
• Single stream recycling begins in city facilities
• City’s first Energy & Sustainability Work Plan is created with 6 working groups
2011
• $270,000 in energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives launched
• Co-authored the EPA Green Book with the National Academies
• Co-authored Accelerating Transition to Sustainability book with Environmental Law Inst.
• Founded Southeast Sustainability Director’s Network with Asheville, NC
• DOE SunShot: Rooftop Solar Challenge won and started
• Implementation of 12 items from City Energy & Sustainability Work Plan began
2012
• Became an official, locally funded Office of Sustainability
• Convention Center LEED certified
• Installed the 90 kW 3rd party solar model at the convention center
• Became a DOE Better Buildings Challenge Partner
• Installed 24 public electric vehicle charging stations in partnership with DOE & ORNL
• Began monthly measurement and verification of local energy consumption
• Pathway Lending Mayor’s Challenge announced: $10,000,000 designated for Knoxville
• Won IBM Smart City Challenge for residential energy efficiency measures
• Top 20 for Bloomberg Mayors Challenge for urban agriculture food corridor idea
• Became an Earth Hour City Challenge participant with World Wildlife Fund
• Won TDEC Infrastructure grant application for new stormwater permitting best practices
2013
New Pursuits
• DOE Home Energy Score Pilot letter of intent with the Energy Foundation
• UTK Service Learning grant application to the EPA and program development
Ongoing
• Urban Agriculture: Bloomberg Mayor’s Challenge grant idea development (January)
• IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant team coordination (February)
• Continue Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Program research and development
• Continue co-chairing the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network
• Continue partnering with IMT on development of a local energy policy
Will Finish
• Implement Zipcar car share program implementation in downtown and campus
• Wrap up Sustainable Communities HUD grant
• Incentivize commuting in city employee benefits
• Update TIF/Pilot application language for sustainable building practices
Sustainability staff discusses the following activities within an economic framework: energy retrofits free up tax dollars for uses other than electricity, and positively impact the health of the community by directly reducing local air pollution.
2007
• Mayor appointed the City’s first Energy and Sustainability Task Force
• Transit Center designed for LEED platinum certification (green roof, geothermal, solar)
2008
• City upgraded stoplights to LED, avoiding $250,000 annually in energy costs
• City piloted LED streetlight project on Wall Ave. with Beta fixtures in partnership with TVA
• Community and government data gathering began for energy baseline inventory
• Knoxville won DOE Solar City Designation
2009
• DOE funded Sustainability Coordinator position for 2 years
• $300,000 in grant and leveraged funds designated to grow the local solar economy
• 2,326 contractors trained in solar and renewable energy applications
• Local solar capacity rose from ~30 kW to over 1 MW during 3 year life of solar grant
• Energy Baseline Inventory and Reduction Goals document was released
• Recovery Act funded Sustainability Program Manager and ~$2,000,000 for energy and sustainability related projects
2010
• $19,000,000 13 year guaranteed savings energy performance contract executed
• 146 Contractors trained in green building best practices and energy code updates
• 99 city facility retrofits completed, generating $1,100,000 annual energy savings
• Fire Stations updated with new HVAC units
• Curbside recycling for 20,000 implemented
• 19 middle income homes retrofitted for energy efficiency
• Single stream recycling begins in city facilities
• City’s first Energy & Sustainability Work Plan is created with 6 working groups
2011
• $270,000 in energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives launched
• Co-authored the EPA Green Book with the National Academies
• Co-authored Accelerating Transition to Sustainability book with Environmental Law Inst.
• Founded Southeast Sustainability Director’s Network with Asheville, NC
• DOE SunShot: Rooftop Solar Challenge won and started
• Implementation of 12 items from City Energy & Sustainability Work Plan began
2012
• Became an official, locally funded Office of Sustainability
• Convention Center LEED certified
• Installed the 90 kW 3rd party solar model at the convention center
• Became a DOE Better Buildings Challenge Partner
• Installed 24 public electric vehicle charging stations in partnership with DOE & ORNL
• Began monthly measurement and verification of local energy consumption
• Pathway Lending Mayor’s Challenge announced: $10,000,000 designated for Knoxville
• Won IBM Smart City Challenge for residential energy efficiency measures
• Top 20 for Bloomberg Mayors Challenge for urban agriculture food corridor idea
• Became an Earth Hour City Challenge participant with World Wildlife Fund
• Won TDEC Infrastructure grant application for new stormwater permitting best practices
2013
New Pursuits
• DOE Home Energy Score Pilot letter of intent with the Energy Foundation
• UTK Service Learning grant application to the EPA and program development
Ongoing
• Urban Agriculture: Bloomberg Mayor’s Challenge grant idea development (January)
• IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant team coordination (February)
• Continue Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Program research and development
• Continue co-chairing the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network
• Continue partnering with IMT on development of a local energy policy
Will Finish
• Implement Zipcar car share program implementation in downtown and campus
• Wrap up Sustainable Communities HUD grant
• Incentivize commuting in city employee benefits
• Update TIF/Pilot application language for sustainable building practices
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Solar Workshops Available
Friday, November 16, 2012
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Bearden Beer Market Hosting Green Building Series
"Solar for your Home Workshop with STION"
Bearden Beer Market (BBM) will host a free workshop at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, November 7th with STION, solar panel manufacturer located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. At the workshop you will learn more about solar energy and how you can incorporate into your home or building.
This workshop is part of a series of efforts taking place in the Bearden Beer Market's Best Building Practices Campaign.
One dollar from all pints sold on Wednesdays will go to the BBM's multi-phase campaign - the first being a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of the beer garden.
Other planned projects include a vegetative roof garden on the North-facing roof, lighting improvements (90% complete), and a porous surface to replace the current blacktop surface on-site.
Bearden Beer Market (BBM) will host a free workshop at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, November 7th with STION, solar panel manufacturer located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. At the workshop you will learn more about solar energy and how you can incorporate into your home or building.
This workshop is part of a series of efforts taking place in the Bearden Beer Market's Best Building Practices Campaign.
One dollar from all pints sold on Wednesdays will go to the BBM's multi-phase campaign - the first being a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the roof of the beer garden.
Other planned projects include a vegetative roof garden on the North-facing roof, lighting improvements (90% complete), and a porous surface to replace the current blacktop surface on-site.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Knoxville Applies for the Bloomberg Mayors Challenge
A community survey, over 50 responses, a selection committee, a mayoral decision, an application, and a video later, Knoville has submitted for the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge grant. Good luck, Knoxville!
Knoxville's Mayors Challenge Video
Here's a thumbnail:
The City of Knoxville wants to create a unique business model that encompasses the entire urban food cycle by connecting land, farming jobs, processing facilities, food transit, sale, and composting.
This idea is bold because it strives to create a replicable plan that encompasses the entire urban food cycle, distilling it into model ordinances and a business strategy that addresses food deserts comprehensively. The plan will provide employment and economic development opportunities, and link three key and as yet unconnected components: re-purposing vacant lots for food production, partnering with existing facilities to establish certified kitchens used to process food, and establishing a legal mechanism to enable a business model of food distribution to those in need and produce sale to local establishments.
Though there is a Harvard tool kit available, no city has yet created a replicable comprehensive local food system that addresses land, jobs, processing, sale, and composting at once on a large scale. This idea creates steady supply for existing demand by tackling difficult zoning regulations, high insurance costs, and cross-sector interaction. It connects the dots.
Knoxville's Mayors Challenge Video
Here's a thumbnail:
The City of Knoxville wants to create a unique business model that encompasses the entire urban food cycle by connecting land, farming jobs, processing facilities, food transit, sale, and composting.
This idea is bold because it strives to create a replicable plan that encompasses the entire urban food cycle, distilling it into model ordinances and a business strategy that addresses food deserts comprehensively. The plan will provide employment and economic development opportunities, and link three key and as yet unconnected components: re-purposing vacant lots for food production, partnering with existing facilities to establish certified kitchens used to process food, and establishing a legal mechanism to enable a business model of food distribution to those in need and produce sale to local establishments.
Though there is a Harvard tool kit available, no city has yet created a replicable comprehensive local food system that addresses land, jobs, processing, sale, and composting at once on a large scale. This idea creates steady supply for existing demand by tackling difficult zoning regulations, high insurance costs, and cross-sector interaction. It connects the dots.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Knoxville wants to be an IBM Smart City
We're meeting the deadline for this initiative tomorrow.
Here's the pea-sized version:
Knoxville, Tennessee has an aging housing infrastructure that consumes energy in excess, often leaving residents with utility bills too large for them to pay. This results in draw down of resources from helping agencies, but not in direct follow up of weatherization and education services. The resulting cycle wastes millions annually.
Ignoring this problem is economically and socially destructive, and excessively damaging to local health, given that 60% of power consumed in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s territory is coal generated . Knoxville is first in the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s 2012 Top Five Allergy Capitals. In part this is due to topography, and in part it is because we could be more proactive about consuming less energy.
Buildings account for 36% of our energy consumption and 65% of electricity consumption. In spite of partnering with local utilities to lead aggressive energy reduction measures in-house, commercially, and residentially, the City of Knoxville lacks a methodical system that connects our vast network of emergency utility services – which identify problem spots - to the solution: weatherization and energy education.
In 2011, five organizations paid 3.3 million for emergency utility bills to the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) on behalf of private struggling residential accounts. This amount assisted 9,670 households, averaging $339 in utility benefits per household. These programs are designed to alleviate the financial pressure experienced by low-income families, rehabilitated citizens, and people who have recently been or are in immediate danger of becoming homeless. However, no follow-up preventative measures are systematically installed to keep this from happening again.
The City of Knoxville would like to utilize the skills and expertise of a talented IBM team to brainstorm a way to track and measure emergency energy services and to recommend the best way to systematically address Knoxville’s older housing stock accordingly. Knoxville is represented on national working groups dedicated to creating strategies for residential energy efficiency programs, so we know that this is a relevant area of study that as of yet has no consistent answer across the United States.
Good luck, Knoxville!
Here's the pea-sized version:
Knoxville, Tennessee has an aging housing infrastructure that consumes energy in excess, often leaving residents with utility bills too large for them to pay. This results in draw down of resources from helping agencies, but not in direct follow up of weatherization and education services. The resulting cycle wastes millions annually.
Ignoring this problem is economically and socially destructive, and excessively damaging to local health, given that 60% of power consumed in the Tennessee Valley Authority’s territory is coal generated . Knoxville is first in the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America’s 2012 Top Five Allergy Capitals. In part this is due to topography, and in part it is because we could be more proactive about consuming less energy.
Buildings account for 36% of our energy consumption and 65% of electricity consumption. In spite of partnering with local utilities to lead aggressive energy reduction measures in-house, commercially, and residentially, the City of Knoxville lacks a methodical system that connects our vast network of emergency utility services – which identify problem spots - to the solution: weatherization and energy education.
In 2011, five organizations paid 3.3 million for emergency utility bills to the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB) on behalf of private struggling residential accounts. This amount assisted 9,670 households, averaging $339 in utility benefits per household. These programs are designed to alleviate the financial pressure experienced by low-income families, rehabilitated citizens, and people who have recently been or are in immediate danger of becoming homeless. However, no follow-up preventative measures are systematically installed to keep this from happening again.
The City of Knoxville would like to utilize the skills and expertise of a talented IBM team to brainstorm a way to track and measure emergency energy services and to recommend the best way to systematically address Knoxville’s older housing stock accordingly. Knoxville is represented on national working groups dedicated to creating strategies for residential energy efficiency programs, so we know that this is a relevant area of study that as of yet has no consistent answer across the United States.
Good luck, Knoxville!
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