SIMPLIFYING THE COMPLEX - ENERGY AND EMISSIONS PLANNING IN COLWOOD, BC
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SIMPLIFYING THE
COMPLEX
ENERGY AND EMISSIONS PLANNING IN
COLWOOD, BC
S U M M A RY
The
City
of
Colwood
had
a
vision
to
dramatically
reduce
community
wide
energy
use
and
greenhouse
gas
(GHG)
emissions.
The
Local
Government
(Green
Communities)
Statutes
Amendment
Act
(Bill
27)
provided
the
impetus
to
assess
what
types
of
reductions
could
be
achieved
through
a
variety
strategies
and
levels
of
performance
in
different
sectors.
The
City
hired
the
consulting
firm
Jordan
Fisher
and
Associates
to
undertake
a
simple
analysis
that
would
put
their
targets
in
context
and
shed
light
on
the
key
factors
for
success.
This
simple
analysis
was
an
essential
early
step
to
inform
the
development
of
a
Community
Energy
and
Emissions
Plan
(CEEP).
B AC KG RO U N D
When
Colwood
began
their
energy
and
emissions
planning
project
they
had
the
benefit
of
learning
from
the
experiences
of
other
nearby
local
governments
that
had
undertaken
(or
were
in
the
process
of
undertaking)
their
own
initiatives.
These
included
the
Capital
Regional
District’s
Greenhouse
Gas
Emission
and
Energy
Use
Inventory1
and
Community
Energy
Plan2,
the
District
of
Saanich’s
Climate
Action
Plan3,
and
the
neighboring
City
of
Langford’s
Community
Energy
and
Emissions
Reduction
Strategy4.
After
becoming
familiar
with
the
work
these
and
other
communities
had
done
the
City
developed
a
better
sense
of
what
approach
would
give
Colwood
the
information
suited
to
their
needs.
It
was
decided
that
a
simple
analysis
informed
by
readily
available
data
and
the
knowledge
of
City
personnel
and
local
consultants
would
be
pursued.
The
goal
was
to
find
a
good
balance
between
giving
the
City
enough
information
to
guide
sound
decision
making
without
getting
bogged
down
by
excessive
technical
analysis.
This
would
allow
the
City
to
focus
its
limited
resources
on
developing
and
implementing
strategies
for
reducing
energy
use
and
GHGs.
Jordan
Fisher
and
Associates
(in
collaboration
with
Victoria
Transport
Policy
Institute)
designed
a
simple
numerical
model
tailored
to
the
City’s
needs.
1
http://www.crd.bc.ca/climatechange/documents/energy_inventory.pdf
2
http://www.crd.bc.ca/climatechange/documents/crdenergyplan.pdf
3
http://www.saanich.ca/living/climate/plan.html
4http://www.cityoflangford.ca/documents/brochures/CEERS/DRAFTCEERS_Feb%
202010.pdf
2
T H E TOOL: A SIMPLE NUMERICAL MODEL
The
model
used
on
the
project
provides
a
simple
method
for
assessing
potential
reductions
in
community
wide
energy
use
and
GHG
emissions.
It
allowed
the
project
team
to
explore
a
myriad
of
combinations
of
different
strategies
and
levels
of
performance
in
different
sectors
providing
a
simple
picture
of
what
it
will
take
to
achieve
desired
reductions.
The
model
can
be
used
with
a
“top
down”
or
“visionary”
approach
to
target
setting
(e.g.
“what
will
it
take
to
achieve
a
33%
reduction
in
community
wide
GHG
emissions
by
2020”?),
a
“bottom
up”
or
“pragmatic”
approach
(i.e.
“if
we
take
these
particular
steps,
what
type
of
reductions
can
we
achieve”?),
or
a
combination
of
the
two.
Results
are
shown
both
as
totals
for
the
whole
community
(accounting
for
growth)
as
well
as
on
a
per
capita
basis,
which
is
particularly
useful
for
communities
with
high
growth
projections
(such
as
Colwood).
The
scope
of
the
model
generally
follows
that
of
the
provincial
Community
Energy
and
Emissions
Inventory
(CEEI),
though
it
can
incorporate
other
local
considerations.
It
can
be
adapted
to
communities
at
any
scale
and
expanded
to
include
more
detailed
technical
analysis
and
spatial
modeling
(using
GIS)
where
appropriate.
The
modeling
process
starts
with
a
preliminary
analysis
to
create
a
baseline
profile
of
the
community’s
energy
use
and
emissions
and
a
“simple
growth”
projection.
This
projection
shows
what
total
energy
use
and
emissions
will
be
in
the
future
if
per
capita
figures
remain
as
they
are
and
the
community
grows
at
a
given
rate.
The
preliminary
inputs
include:
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N
A N D
L A N D
U S E
On
road
energy
use
(from
CEEI)
On
road
emissions
(from
CEEI)
B U IL D IN G S
Current
energy
usage
(from
CEEI
and
other
local
data
such
as
heating
oil
usage)
Current
emissions
(from
CEEI
and
other
local
data
such
as
heating
oil
usage)
W A S T E
Solid
waste
emissions
(from
regional
data
using
the
“waste
commitment”
method)
G R O W T H
R A T E
Informed
by
census
data,
the
regional
growth
strategy,
and
general
staff
knowledge.
3
Once
the
baseline
profile
and
“simple
growth”
projections
have
been
created,
internal
and
external
stakeholders
are
engaged
and
the
community’s
goals
and
priorities,
as
well
as
potential
strategies,
are
identified.
Next,
a
“target
analysis”
is
performed
by
experimenting
with
variables
that
relate
to
both
physical
and
behavioral
changes.
Examples
from
each
sector
are
given
below:
TRANSPORTATION
AND
LAND
USE
D RIVING
L ESS :
Smart
Growth
Land
Use
and
Infrastructure
The
analysis
accounts
for
e.g.
the
portion
of
residents
living
in
the
role
each
variable
compact,
mixed-‐use
neighborhoods;
quality
plays
in
reducing
driving,
of
transit,
cycling,
and
pedestrian
based
on
research
done
infrastructure
by
the
Victoria
Transport
Trip
Reduction
and
Mobility
Management
Policy
Institute.
E.g.,
it
is
Marketing
Programs
assumed
that
(all
else
e.g.
prevalence
of
school
transportation
being
equal)
residents
management
programs,
ride
sharing
who
live
in
compact,
Note:
shifts
in
transportation
mode
split
mixed-use
neighborhoods
associated
with
the
above
are
provided
as
will
drive
20%
less
than
secondary
indicators
those
who
don’t.
V EHICLE
F UEL
E FFICIENCY
I MPROVEMENTS
S HIFTS
TO
C LEANER
F UEL
S OURCES
BUILDINGS
I MPROVEMENTS
TO
E XISTING
B UILDINGS
Significant
retrofits
(degree
of
improvement
and
retrofit
rate
based
on
age
of
building
stock
from
census
data
and
ecoENERGY
statistics)
Minor
retrofits
and
simple
energy
management
N EW
B UILDINGS
B UILT
FOR
H IGHER
P ERFORMANCE
Residential:
• Unit
mix
(i.e.
detached,
attached,
5
stories;
informed
by
permit
records)
• Unit
size
(informed
by
trends
in
local
development
and
building
practices)
4
Commercial
and
Residential:
• Energy
intensity
• Emissions
intensity
of
energy
sources
Note:
industrial
buildings
were
not
included
as
data
was
not
available
SOLID
WASTE
Reductions
in
the
volume
of
waste
sent
to
the
landfill
Figure
1,
below,
outlines
variables
from
each
sector
that
are
used
to
develop
the
sector
specific
and
overall
community
targets
for
energy
use
and
GHG
emissions.
Figure
1:
Variables
used
in
target
setting
Note:
quantitative
target
analysis
is
supplemented
by
qualitative
analysis
where
appropriate.
For
example,
a
comparison
of
the
broader
community
benefits
of
mobility
management
strategies
vs.
vehicle
fuel
efficiency
improvements
was
undertaken,
providing
additional
context
to
planning
priorities.
5
The “target analysis” is an iterative process and stakeholders are engaged throughout. This process leads to the creation of a scenario that includes primary and secondary targets associated with desired levels of performance. Strategies and key projects that will help achieve these levels of performance are outlined along with a monitoring protocol to help the City track it’s performance over time. These are then refined and developed into a comprehensive CEEP. Figure 2, below, outlines this process. Figure 2: Energy and Emissions Modeling and Planning Process 6
P RO C E S S , E N G AG E M E N T AND G OV E R N A N C E The project was initiated by staff that saw the need for a plan that would help them understand the role that various strategies and levels of performance in each sector could play in reducing community wide energy use and GHG emissions. The City Engineer provided a report to Council, who approved the allocation of a portion of the City’s gas tax funds to create a CEEP and directed staff to propose the specific terms of reference for the project. Staff worked with Jordan Fisher and Associates to develop the terms of reference, which were submitted to and approved by Council. The project later received support from BC Hydro, who provided both funding and significant guidance throughout the project. The project was overseen by a “core team” of City personnel that included representatives from the Planning, Engineering, and Building departments as well as a member of Council. The core team met with the consultant periodically and sought input from other City personnel as needed. They reported to the recently established Mayor’s Task Force on Energy and Economic Development, which is made up of staff, elected officials, and a broad range of community leaders. These include representatives from the building and development sector, community non-‐profits, Royal Roads University, and the other members of the business community. The project team also sought to engage the broader community through workshops for key stakeholders and the general public. The modeling results gave City personnel a much clearer understanding of what energy use and emissions reduction targets could be realized if particular levels of performance in different sectors were achieved. This was a critical early step in developing the CEEP and the strategies that will help the City realize those levels of performance. The City used the results of this work to inform their Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment, passed by Council in May 2010, which met the requirements of Bill 27 and set a target of reducing community wide GHG emissions by 33% from 2007 levels by 2020. Figure 3, below, shows how different strategies can contribute to this reduction: 7
Figure 3: Targeted GHG Emission Reductions from Key Strategies The timeline for the project included a few months of discussions between the City and the consultant to define the project scope and receive Council direction. That was followed by about 4 months of engagement, analysis, and strategy development, leading to the first draft of the CEEP. The draft is currently undergoing review and revisions and, after a public open house, will be put before Council for adoption. P O L IC Y F R A M E WO R K While Bill 27 provided the impetus to undertake an OCP amendment that incorporates targets, policies, and actions with respect to reducing GHG emissions, the City was already working towards these goals. The City’s 2008 award winning OCP already incorporated numerous policies geared towards developing complete, compact, and efficient communities and reducing GHG emissions. The existence of the gas tax fund enabled the City to dedicate the financial resources required to undertake the project and BC Hydro’s Sustainable Communities program provided additional funds and support. While further policy and program development will follow the completion of the CEEP, the City has already initiated a number of programs to help achieve their goals. For example, a partnership with Royal Roads University has been established. This has led to a variety of collaborative efforts, which started with members of the project team making presentations to students so they could learn how these types of initiatives are undertaken and become involved in making positive change in the community. A group of students is now engaged directly with the City, one of whom 8
has
become
the
volunteer
community
energy
engagement
coordinator.
The
group
is
already
collaborating
with
the
City
and
BC
Hydro
to
implement
simple
home
energy
retrofits
for
low-‐income
households.
Another
project
has
been
undertaken
by
the
local
non-‐profit
Climate
Action
West
Shore
(CAWS)
in
collaboration
with
the
City
and
the
West
Shore
Chamber
of
Commerce,
which
led
to
the
creation
of
Colwood
Community
Place,
“a
local
living
network
intended
to
help
you
discover
ways
you
can
go
green,
go
local,
grow
local
veggies
and
our
local
economy
while
building
a
thriving
city”5
CHALLENGES AND B R E A K T H RO U G H S
The
intention
behind
the
modeling
efforts
employed
was
to
simplify
the
complexities
of
community
energy
use
and
emissions
to
inform
decision-‐making.
Given
the
large
number
of
potential
considerations
in
community
energy
and
emissions
planning
it
was
a
challenge
to
create
a
model
of
the
community
that
captured
the
major
drivers
while
still
being
simple
enough
to
be
useful.
By
simultaneously
engaging
people
with
a
range
of
expertise,
collaboratively
distilling
the
most
important
factors,
and
identifying
the
best
available
data
to
represent
them,
the
team
was
able
to
meet
this
challenge.
The
analysis
that
was
undertaken
struck
a
good
balance,
giving
City
personnel
the
key
information
they
needed
without
leading
to
“paralysis
by
analysis”.
The
other
major
challenge
inside
the
local
government
was
The analysis that
(and
is)
the
fact
that
staff
have
an
abundance
of
other
high
was undertaken
priority
work
on
their
plates.
Given
that
much
of
this
work
struck a good
relates
to
immediate
issues
it
can
be
challenging
to
find
the
time
to
address
long
term
planning
issues
and
influence
balance, giving
broader
community
change.
The
City
is
continually
working
to
City personnel
address
this
challenge,
in
part
by
leveraging
relationships
the key
with
numerous
community
organizations
like
Royal
Roads
information they
University,
Climate
Action
West
Shore,
and
the
Chamber
of
needed without
Commerce.
This
has
helped
the
City
of
Colwood
accomplish
leading to
much
more
than
they
could
have
on
their
own
and
fosters
a
“paralysis by
more
collaborative
spirit
in
the
community.
analysis”.
5
http://www.colwoodcommunityplace.ca/
9
R E S U LT S The results of the project’s modeling efforts gave Colwood personnel a much better understanding of what will be required to achieve significant reductions in community wide energy use and GHG emissions. In addition to showing what overall reductions could be achieved it also showed the corresponding per capita reductions, which are often easier to understand. The analysis highlighted the role that key factors in each sector could play and identified additional indicators to help monitor progress. For example, reducing the amount of driving in the community (an important component of the Transportation and Land Use sector) is influenced by variables like the portion of residents living in compact, mixed-‐use neighborhoods. These and other variables combine to give us the potential reductions and additional indicators (such as transportation mode split) are developed into a monitoring protocol to help the City track its performance over time. Similarly, in the Building Sector, key factors like efficiency improvements in new buildings are influenced by variables such as the size of units, the unit mix, and energy intensity. While the model itself is quantitative in nature, qualitative assessments of key strategies were included in the project where appropriate. For example, while the model showed that improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency would achieve the largest reductions in energy use and GHG emissions, a qualitative assessment highlighted the importance of mobility management (e.g. through better community design, active transportation and transit infrastructure) in meeting broader community goals. Another useful component of the project was the creation of a CEEP Concept Map (Appendix 1), which visually illustrates the main community energy and GHG considerations. The modeling results provided the basis for the development of policies and strategies that support more sustainable practices in land use, transportation, buildings, and waste management. They also reinforce the importance of existing policies aimed at improving community sustainability, such as those contained in Colwood’s OCP. The model was tailored to the needs of the City of Colwood but can easily be adapted or expanded to address the priorities of other communities. By starting the analytical process by identifying the information that will be most useful to local government personnel, and building the model around that, local governments can ensure that their efforts give them results that are easy to understand and inform better decision-‐making. 10
Appendix 1: City of Colwood, CEEP Concept Map 11
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