| Sample Resolution | Intent and Progress Survey (PDF version) |
| PDF copy of this document |
How the NCLM Green Challenge will work
First Level – All municipalities receive an information packet about the challenge. A city or town board passes a resolution to participate and complete a designated number of items from a list of five options. Municipalities with populations greater than 10,000 must complete three of the five options. Those with populations under 10,000 must complete two.
Please
note: Intended dates of completion of items will suffice. For instance,
if you are a municipality with greater than 10,000 in population and you've
completed two items already, but the third will not be completed until after
September 1, 2008, then just note on the Intent & Progress Survey that
estimated date of completion.
All cities and towns sending in the resolution and confirming completion of
the required options will receive a plaque at the NCLM Annual Conference in
October. There will be a special NCLM Green Challenge booth at conference
for distribution of the plaques, as well as information about the challenge.
Intermediate Level and Advanced Level – After conference, cities and towns will receive another information packet with additional information on all levels of the challenge. Activities or steps will be outlined with points assigned for completion. Upon compilation of a specified number of points, a city or town will be able to achieve Intermediate and Advanced Level. For each level, the League would send out an addition to be placed on the original plaque. An additional option would be to award special recognition for very high achievement by a particular city or town or several (by population categories).
How your municipality can participate
1. Sign Up.
Pass the enclosed resolution indicating that your governing board wants to participate. (All information is also available online at www.nclm.org.)
2. Complete the required number of steps.
Municipalities with populations over 10,000 must complete three of the five.
Municipalities with populations under 10,000 must complete two of the five.
3. Complete the enclosed Intention
and Progress Survey and send it, along with the resolution, to
NCLM by Sept. 1, 2008. You can fax these to 919-733-9519 or complete the Intention
and Progress Survey online (see survey for details).
4. Once the League receives your municipality’s survey
form and resolution, you’re enrolled in the NCLM Green Challenge. To
mark your participation, your municipality will receive a special plaque.
Pick up your Green Challenge plaque at the NCLM 2008 Annual Conference in
Charlotte, Oct. 12–14 (the League’s centennial celebration!).
If a representative from your city or town does not attend the conference, your plaque will be mailed out after Oct. 15, 2008.
5. After Oct. 15, additional information will be sent to you about Intermediate and Advanced steps of the Green Challenge as well as resources for implementing these. A points system will be established and those accumulating enough points will be awarded the Intermediate and Advanced Level Green Challenge certification. When your municipality reaches the Intermediate or advanced level and submits the requested verification, you will receive additional recognition. Special recognition may be given to exceptional accomplishments.
Level One
GOVERNMENT POLICY ADOPTION
1. Adopt a sustainability plan, climate protection resolution or similar commitment
by the governing body
DESCRIPTION:
By adopting a sustainability plan, or a similar document to organize green initiatives, local governments can coordinate efforts that often cross departmental boundaries, gain input and buy-in from city staff and additional stakeholders, and track progress in order to ensure that goals are met. While each jurisdiction should create a plan that suits its particular situation, the development and adoption of the plan is an important exercise that can benefit municipalities of any size and lead to demonstrable results. Credit is also given for adoption of resolutions that are circulating nationally — or their equivalent — to promote responsible actions on climate protection through emissions reductions. While these resolutions are best coupled with plans for specific actions and policies, they represent a public commitment on behalf of the municipality and can be a positive first step.
EXAMPLES / LINKS OF SUSTAINABILITY PLANS:
City of Charlottesville, Va.
Arlington
County, Mass.
Minneapolis,
Minn.
EXAMPLES OF CLIMATE RESOLUTIONS:
City of Charlotte, N.C., Climate Resolution
Agreement
Chapel Hill, N.C., Carbon Reduction
Pledge
Cool Counties
POTENTIAL FUTURE SUBMITTAL:
Provide copy of resolution
2. Create an energy improvement plan (EIP)
DESCRIPTION:
All local governments engage in planning — which can include land use, transportation, open/public spaces, historic preservation, etc. Increasingly, local governments are recognizing the value in developing plans regarding energy usage. An energy-efficient plan outlines the measures a jurisdiction has and will implement to become more energy efficient and reduce its energy consumption. To determine what types of energy-efficient measures will be implemented, the jurisdiction must first assess the current energy consumption of municipal-owned and leased facilities. It generally applies to retrofitting existing buildings and sets standards for new municipal facilities to incorporate energy-efficient and sustainable building techniques in their construction.
Implementing energy-efficient and conservation measures into daily operations are essential for reducing energy consumption. An energy improvement plan provides examples of energy-efficient measures that can be applied in areas such as lighting, temperature control, infrastructure, purchasing/procurement, renewable energy and alternative fuels. Employee awareness should be a fundamental part of the plan. By educating employees about the need for resource conservation and what they can do to make a difference, municipal facilities will become more energy efficient.
EXAMPLES/LINKS:
www.energync.net/efficiency/government.html
POTENTIAL FUTURE SUBMITTAL:
Executive Summary and Table of Contents pages of EIP
3. Register with the EPA’s Energy Star Challenge and use their tools, or an equivalent system, to conduct a baseline emissions inventory of your government facilites. See background materials
DESCRIPTION:
Local government agencies spend more than $10 billion a year on energy to provide public services and meet constituent needs — while grappling with tightening budgets. Yet nearly one-third of the energy used to run typical government buildings goes to waste. EPA provides local and state governments, as well as federal agencies, a proven energy management strategy and no-cost tools to save energy and money and demonstrate their environmental leadership. (From the Energy Star website below).
EXAMPLES / LINKS:
Information on EPA's Energy Star Challenge
(Track energy use and benchmark facilities using Portfolio Manager)
International Council for Local Environmental
Initiative
Arlington's
commitment to the Energy Star Challenge
POTENTIAL FUTURE SUBMITTAL:
Copy of baseline emissions inventory findings
4. Conduct an energy audit of two or more of your government facilities and implement at least one recommendation
DESCRIPTION:
An energy audit gives a snapshot look at government facility energy use trends, consumption and potential opportunities to help better manage facilities. Such an audit evaluates energy consumption practices and provides an analysis that can be the foundation for continued business planning, especially in identifying areas for energy and cost savings within existing facilities.
The use of energy-saving performance contracting is becoming increasingly attractive to local governments. This is when a government or organization contracts with a private firm to assess and correct energy deficiencies — often with little or no actual cost to the locality as the long term energy savings offset the costs.
The State Energy Office is North Carolina's lead agency for energy programs and services and serves as the official source for energy information and assistance for consumers, businesses, government agencies, community colleges and schools and the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. This office has considerable information on performance contracting.
EXAMPLES / LINKS:
U.S. Department of Energy
N.C. State Energy Office
POTENTIAL FUTURE SUBMITTAL:
Provide percentage of buildings audited and a brief narrative of follow-up plans (1 paragraph)
5. Create a water conservation education program
DESCRIPTION:
Water is essential for municipalities and cannot be taken for granted. Education establishes a foundation for working together to secure and protect this vital natural resource. Understanding water’s flow through our daily lives informs the debate about the cost and value of public investments in municipal water supplies. Individuals learn ways to conserve. Communities cooperate given the knowledge of their interdependence.
EXAMPLES / LINKS:
American Water Works Association
U.S. EPA Water Site
N.C. Governor’s
Water Conservation Resources
POTENTIAL FUTURE SUBMITTAL:
Provide copy of plan
Possible steps for Intermediate and Advanced Levels
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Purchase electric power from renewable sources or install renewable energy technology (solar, wind or geothermal) for use in government facilities. The total of purchased renewable energy and onsite-produced renewable energy must equal at least 2.5% of the energy use of all government facilities.
Create a separate real estate classification and lower tax rate for buildings that are 30% more efficient than required by building code.
Develop a policy to utilize energy-efficient and dark sky-compliant outdoor light fixtures.
Establish an energy manager position/responsibility or management team within the government.
GREEN BUILDING
Establish a policy of LEED certification for all new government facilities.
Approve or build a LEED-certified government building or renovate an existing building to the LEED-certified level.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Implement an internal government program that reduces, reuses and recycles paper, plastic and other materials.
Establish a procurement policy of a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled content for everyday office paper use (consistent with the current federal government policy).
Establish a community-wide recycling collection program.
VEHICLES
Adopt a “green fleet” policy that incorporates, at a minimum, the purchase of low-emitting, fuel-efficient vehicles for vehicle fleet replacement and the use of alternative fuels (biodiesel, natural gas, ethanol) in fleet operations.
LAND USE/TRANSPORTATION
Adopt land-use plans that allow higher-density development either near public transit nodes or in areas with existing infrastructure and encourage mixed-use communities.
Promote the use of permanent conservation easements on private property within your community and/or implement a permanent conservation easement on public land.
WATER/AIR QUALITY
Develop and implement a plan for tree preservation and planting.
Adopt an anti-idling policy for school/government fleet vehicles.
EMPLOYEE INCENTIVES
Provide employee benefits for ride sharing, walking, biking or taking transit to work.
Adopt a policy that a minimum of 20% of the eligible workforce should participate in alternative work schedules or telework by 2010.
EDUCATION/COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Develop an employee education program on policies/practices relating to the environment and energy conservation.
Establish an advisory commission composed of local residents and business representatives to advise and assist the local governing board on policies and practices dealing with the environment and energy conservation.
Develop and implement and education program for the local community dealing with the environment and energy.
INNOVATION
For questions or concerns, contact Matt Lail at mlail@nclm.org or 919-715-3929.
| Sample Resolution | Intent and Progress Survey (PDF version) |
| PDF copy of this document |
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