New Energy Cities workshop in Edmonds

EDMONDS — Edmonds was selected as a project city for an energy pilot program.

The program, aimed at evaluating energy usage in public and private spaces in order to determine how to improve efficiency, will help civic leaders, residents and business owners identify energy alternatives and methods to reduce consumption.

Less than a dozen western cities — including Spokane; Salem, Ore.; and Jackson, Wyo. — are being eyed as Pioneer Communities in the program, spearheaded by spearheaded by New Energy Cities, a project of Climate Solutions, a Northwest nonprofit organization that work on practical solutions to global warming

Edmonds was dubbed a Pioneer Community for having innovative political leaders and a population that sees the economic opportunities of a clean energy economy, according to the program.

“Edmonds has the right events, people and timing,” said Eileen Quigley, program director of New Energy Cities. “It can serve as a shining example with innovative, bold and creative political leaders, energized residents and a business community that sees the value of the new energy economy. Edmonds has groundwork laid; we hope to help with an action plan.”

Quigley led a two-day workshop in January. Attendees ranged from city employees and elected officials to utility district officials and other stakeholders, including representatives from Sustainable Edmonds and local businesses. About 60 people attended.

“The group worked hard and asked good questions,” Quigley said. “They had put a lot of thought already into the topics.”

“The workshop exceeded expectations,” said Strom Peterson, city council president. “We will actually be able to take ideas talked about at the session and implement them. It will be great to see policy issues addressed, looking at what the city itself can do to reduce (energy consumption) while still meeting our energy needs.”

Within a few weeks New Energy Cities will return with an action plan based on input from the workshop and listing projects by the priorities set by the attendees.

“There will also be catalytic projects, which can be expanded into larger ways, identified,” Quigley said.

“I’m getting anxious to get off the sidelines and work on these projects,” Peterson said. “It can be tiny little steps, like encouraging residents to give their home an energy audit or encouraging all to turn down the thermostat and change out light bulbs to compact fluorescents.” Peterson said that by taking these sorts of simple steps at his home, he saved $500 last year.

Identifying financial incentives is another outcome Peterson is hoping for as Edmonds takes its place as a Pioneer Community. “It will be great to find out how to identify and access governmental grants.”

He pointed to the city of Bellingham, which has instituted an “energy concierge” system within the building department. This “green” team helps homeowners and builders identify funding sources for projects and can expedite permits for projects falling into the “green” category.

Participating communities in the New Energy Cities program set a series of goals, including committing to complete 80 percent of the identified energy efficient work — lighting, insulating, retrofitting — over a 20-year period; deploying smart grid technology to make buildings more efficient; use as much locally-produced energy as possible; and identify sites for charging stations for electric vehicles.