Several members of the Indiana Renewable Energy Association are participating today (12/06/08) in the Policy Forum and Annual Meeting of the Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC). Over 100 people
Author Archives Laura Arnold
Committee Chairs for 2009 Indiana General Assembly
This week Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer (D-South Bend) released the list of Chairs and Vice Chairs for the upcoming 2009 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Much to the surprise of veteran State House observers, Rep. Win Moses, Jr. (D-Fort Wayne) was named Chair of the House Commerce, Energy, Technology and Utilities Committee and Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) was named Vice Chair. Neither of these state legislators were even members of this committee during the last session. The complete roster of the membership of the House Committees has not been released yet.
A big CONGRATULATIONS to both Rep. Moses and Rep. Pierce. Also a big THANK YOU to House Speaker Bauer for having appointed these two visionary state legislators to lead the energy discussion in the Indiana House during the upcoming session of the Indiana General Assembly.
Earlier this month Senate Pro Tem David Long (R-Fort Wayne) appointed State Senator Jim Merritt, Jr. (R-Indianapolis) to chair the Senate Utilities and Technology Committee. The members of the Senate Utilities and Technology Committee for 2009 will be as follows:
Sen. James Merrit, Chair (District 31)
Sen. Ed Charbonneau (District 5)
Sen. Beverly Gard (District 28)
Sen. Dennis Kruse (District 14)
Sen. Jean Leising (District 42)
Sen. Marlin Stutzman (District 13)
Sen. Carlin Yoder (District 12)
Sen. Jean Breaux (District 34)
Sen. Bob Deig (District 49)
Sen. Sue Errington (District 26)
Sen. Lonnie Randolph (District 2)
We would also like to CONGRATULATE Sen. Merritt on his new chairmanship and to thank Sen. Long for appointing Sen. Merritt to head this important committee in the State Senate.
If your state legislator serves on these committees, we encourage you to talk to them about your interest and support for renewable energy. More information will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.
Solar Energy Poised to Put Americans Back to Work
Solar Energy Industries Association Announces Policy Priorities
for Obama Administration, 111th Congress
WASHINGTON, DC – The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today (12/03/08) outlined the key policies that President-elect Obama and the Congressional leadership must address to expand the use of solar energy and help put over 1 million Americans back to work by 2011.
SEIA released “Solar Energy: A Blueprint for Job Creation and Economic Security,” which recommends that the new Administration and Congress embrace the following policies and programs to expand the creation of clean energy jobs in the United States:
· Improve solar tax credits
· Increase government procurement of solar power
· Create tax incentives for manufacturing
· Pass a national renewable portfolio standard with solar provisions
· Expand and update transmission infrastructure
· Improve access to federal lands to harness our vast solar resources
· Create a federal clean energy bank
· Create the office of Renewable Energy Development
· Establish national standards for interconnection and net metering
· Increase DOE Solar Appropriations
· Enact climate legislation to reduce carbon emissions, stimulate solar generation
SEIA President Rhone Resch said, “President-elect Obama and the new Congress have expressed their commitment to addressing our current economic crisis. Increasing the use of solar energy will create millions of new jobs and put billions of dollars into the U.S. economy, providing a clean, reliable and domestic source of energy while providing a clean, reliable and domestic source of energy,.
“The growth of solar energy will not happen quickly enough without the right federal policies to stimulate the market and remove fundamental barriers that prevent solar from competing in the electricity marketplace.
“To stimulate this growth, the Solar Energy Industries Association is recommending to the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress a number of immediate and near-term policies to stimulate the growth of solar energy, including: improving the solar investment tax credits to ensure that they can be utilized as Congress originally intended, creating a government procurement program that deploys solar on federal buildings and lands, and establishing a national renewable portfolio standard that requires a specific amount of energy come from solar.
“We look forward to working with the new Administration and the 111th Congress to achieve these important goals for growing our economy, improving our energy independence and reducing global warming.”
SEIA Board Chairman Roger Efird of Suntech America said, “For solar energy to reach its potential as an economic engine and become an important part of our national energy portfolio, we need government leaders to continue to enact the right policies. These policies, especially in the current economic crisis, will allow companies like mine to grow and create green jobs that will reverse the trend of sending American jobs overseas. Instead, the U.S. can become a destination for international companies to find the skilled professionals they need to compete in the global renewable energy economy.”
SEIA’s will deliver the “Solar Energy: A Blueprint for Job Creation and Economic Security” to each member of President-elect Obama’s energy and economic transition teams and Congressional leadership.
SEIA is comprised of over 800 member companies that manufacture, distribute, sell, design, own, install and finance solar power plants and systems.
Background Materials
“Solar Energy: A Blueprint for Job Creation and Economic Security"
RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRIES READY TO LEAD U.S. ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Trade Association Leaders Outline Key Policies Required
The leaders of the American Wind Energy Association, Geothermal Energy Association, National Hydropower Association and Solar Energy Industries Association today (11/13/08) released the following statement:
The fast-growing renewable energy sector is poised to help lead the U.S. economic recovery with millions of new jobs and billions of private investment dollars. However, the new Administration and Congress need to take action to ensure that the renewable industries’ growth continues, given the current economic realities.
President-elect Obama has made a commitment to key policies that will spur substantial growth in America’s clean renewable energy industries and create millions of new jobs.
Building upon these key policies, the renewable energy industries’ top priorities for the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress include:
• Immediate Action:
- Adjust renewable energy tax credit policies so incentives work as intended given current economic conditions.
- 111th Congress:
- Adopt a national renewable electricity (portfolio) standard to ensure that at least 10 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from renewable energy sources by 2012, and at least 25 percent by 2025;
- Approve a minimum five-year extension of the federal renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) and additional funding for the Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) program;
- Issue an Executive Order expanding federal procurement of renewable energy generation to meet the government’s substantial energy supply needs;
- Launch a major initiative to support investment in our nation’s interstate electrical grid infrastructure and smart-grid technology to deliver green energy from areas with renewable resources to population centers and to support distributed power generation;
- Invest $30 billion in 2009 for financing options that support new project development and installations for all renewable energy technologies as part of the Administration’s commitment to investment of $150 billion over the next ten years in clean energy technologies;
- Adopt a cap-and-trade regime to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that rewards production of clean renewable energy.
If the Administration and Congress can quickly implement these policies, renewable energy growth will help turn around the economic decline while at the same time addressing some of our most pressing national security and environmental problems. Expansion of renewable energy production will mean billions of dollars in economic growth, millions of new jobs, enhanced energy security as we increase domestic energy production, and critically important progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Randall Swisher, Executive Director, American Wind Energy Association, www.awea.org, 202.383.2508
Karl Gawell, Executive Director, Geothermal Energy Association, www.geo-energy.org, 202.454.5261
Linda Church Ciocci, Executive Director, National Hydropower Association, www.hydro.org, 202.682.1700
Rhone Resch, President, Solar Energy Industries Association, www.seia.org, 202.682.0556
EQSC Hears Testimony on Green Buildings
Members of the Environmental Quality Service Council (EQSC) heard testimony on a variety of topics including including green buildings, the Indiana Energy Code and geothermal energy. 
Please find below testimony presented by Bill Brown on behalf of the Indiana Chapter of AIA and the Indiana Chapter of the US Green Building Council. Others testifying included Fred Gray with Green Way Supply, Tim Maloney with the Hoosier Environmental Council, Tony Cooper with Water Furnace as well as several students with the DePauw University Environmental Policy Project. Testimony was also presented by the Indiana Association of Counties, the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, the Indiana Builders Asociation as well as Hoosier Energy and Randy Stair with Stair Associates.
Rep. Dave Wolkins also distributed a report from the National Center for Policy Analysis by Todd Myers entitled, "Green Schools Don't Make the Grade". See http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba/ba622/
Testimony before the Environmental Quality Service Council (EQSC)
September 16, 2008
William M. Brown, AIA, LEED AP
September 16, 2008
William M. Brown, AIA, LEED AP
Mr. Chairman, Members of the Council, my name is Bill Brown and I am an architect representing the American Institute of Architects, Indiana Chapter and U.S. Green Building Council, Indiana Chapter. Both organizations support the Governor’s Executive Order No. 08-14, entitled "Energy Efficient State Building Initiative” and we are prepared to support legislation that moves the state towards more sustainable buildings and communities.
Sustainable building initiatives using the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED benchmark, including legislation, executive orders, resolutions, ordinances, policies, and incentives are found in 44 states, including 159 localities (105 cities, 29 counties, and 25 towns), 31 state governments, 12 federal agencies or departments, 15 public school jurisdictions and 38 institutions of higher education across the United States.
Since Indiana has not updated its energy code, new public buildings may be built to the lowest energy standards in the country and all Hoosier taxpayers pay for that mistake as long as those buildings stand. Any initial savings are erased after a year or two of paying the utility bills and then it is all downhill from there. With energy costs predicted to rise significantly in coming years, this mistake will be become increasingly more apparent.
What the Governor’s executive order mandates that we turn that around and make a sound investment up front that pays increasing dividends for the life of the building. Green buildings have an average return on investment of 25 to 40 percent and the typical payback for the extra initial investment is 3-5 years and falling rapidly (Kats Group). Compare that dividend to other investments the state might make on behalf of taxpayers today. A major cost study by The Langdon Group, Cost of Green Revisited: Reexamining the Feasibility and Cost Impact of Sustainable Design in the Light of Increased Market Adoption showed that there is now “no significant difference in average cost for green buildings as compared to non-green buildings.“
Another study by New Buildings Institute of 1,300 LEED certified and Energy Star buildings showed that new buildings certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification system are, on average, performing 25 to 30% better than non-LEED certified buildings in terms of energy use. Gold and Platinum LEED certified buildings have average energy savings approaching 50%.
Under construction now in Indiana are over 125 projects seeking LEED certification totaling over $1 billion in construction cost. These projects range from affordable housing to the new Midfield Terminal. They include new construction, interior remodels, major renovations, factories, warehouses, office buildings and taxpayer-funded public facilities.
Ten buildings have been certified in Indiana at all levels from Certified to Platinum, including five state-funded projects. Leading architects, engineers, contractors and suppliers have learned how to use the system in a manner that is cost effective and economical.
Buildings account for 39% of the total energy use and nearly 70% of the electricity in the United States. Buildings also account for 12% of water use, 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 65% of waste output.
Certified green buildings go beyond energy savings, however. A study of certified green buildings by Capital E revealed average energy savings of 30%, carbon savings of 35%, water savings of 30 to 50% and waste cost savings of 50 to 90%.
Sustainable building design incorporates features that reduce overall infrastructure costs for cities, counties and the state by encouraging smarter site selection, reduced water, storm water and sewer needs and less landfill space. Sustainable building rating systems encourage preservation of open space for local agriculture.
Examples:
Five blocks from where you sit is the first LEED certified building in Indianapolis, the headquarters of i.d.o. Incorporated, at 601 North Capitol Avenue. This remodel of an existing building cost a total of $325,000. According to the owner’s records, their additional investment for high performance LEED Silver elements of the building cost an extra $5,850 or 1.8% of the total cost. Their annual return on that investment was 9% for the first year for electricity cost savings alone and that savings is expected to grow as energy costs grow, for the life of the building.
Five blocks from where you sit is the first LEED certified building in Indianapolis, the headquarters of i.d.o. Incorporated, at 601 North Capitol Avenue. This remodel of an existing building cost a total of $325,000. According to the owner’s records, their additional investment for high performance LEED Silver elements of the building cost an extra $5,850 or 1.8% of the total cost. Their annual return on that investment was 9% for the first year for electricity cost savings alone and that savings is expected to grow as energy costs grow, for the life of the building.
Their return on investment for energy savings are just the beginning. The improvements in comfort, indoor air quality, daylight and view in a certified green building have demonstrated employee productivity gains of 5% to 15% in various studies. Other documented dividends from the investment in green buildings include lower absenteeism, higher employee retention, faster student learning, lower health insurance costs and easier recruiting of new hires.
Improved employee health and productivity are primary reasons why 12 Federal agencies require a LEED Silver or equivalent certification for all major building projects. In the private sector, developers of office buildings have found gains in employee productivity, health and retention to be a driving factor in the exponential growth in the number of LEED certified commercial buildings. McGraw Hill Construction Research predicted that by 2009, 82% of the nation’s 500 largest corporations will have certified at least 16% of their real estate portfolios. It’s time for the state of Indiana to catch this wave.
Chrisney Branch Library, under construction in Spencer County, will be the state’s first net-zero-energy public building. It bid under budget for $140 per square foot. Using a highly efficient building envelope, daylighting, geothermal heating and cooling and an 8.9kW solar photovoltaic array, this public building is designed to have virtually no operating costs and it will be immune to future energy cost increases for the next thirty years. Why aren’t all public buildings built that way?
Existing buildings can also be renovated green with outstanding financial and environmental benefits. Adobe software’s massive office complex recently achieved the highest level LEED Platinum certification for existing buildings. They spent $1.4 million on improvements and received $389,000 in rebates and incentives from their local utility company. They realize $1.2 million in annual savings, a 9.5 month payback and a 121% return on their investment. What if the State of Indiana did that with some of their existing buildings?
I think we can all agree that Indiana public buildings could use some improvement with respect to energy efficiency and sustainability. With any successful improvement process, there is a need for benchmarks, for clear indicators of success. The Governor’s Executive Order and HB1280 contain benchmarks for success. Energy Star is an almost universally accepted benchmark for energy efficiency created by the Department of Energy. USGBC’s LEED rating system incorporates Energy Star and is a more comprehensive benchmark that includes site, water, materials and indoor air quality measures as well. We urge you to tie any legislation for change to a specific benchmark to measure success and avoid charges of greenwashing. The most widely accepted and most comprehensive such benchmark is the LEED rating system, but we also support giving implementers a range of other recognized third-party verification systems.
In closing, on behalf of the American Institute of Architects Indiana Chapter and the U.S. Green Building Council Indiana Chapter, I ask for your support of this important legislation to invest in sustainable buildings for the benefit of all current and future Indiana taxpayers and all those people who will live, learn and work in state buildings. The two organizations I represent will be happy to offer their member’s expertise in further refining legislation that is simple, effective, fair and affordable. I appreciate the opportunity to address you and I will be happy to respond to any questions.
Additional resources:
http://www.aia.org/
http://www.usgbc.org/
Others testifying in favor of Green Buildings.
Fred Gray with Green Way Supply.