Green Needham - The Water is Rising: Boston's Climate Change
1. Brian R. Swett, Chief of Environment and Energy, City of Boston
email EnvironmentalEnergy@cityofboston.gov web www.cityofboston.gov/environmentalandenergy/ &
www.greenovateboston.org
2. 2012: Warmest Year on Record
in the U.S. by one full degree
-8 Difference from the average temperature (oF) +8
11. • First plan in 2007,
followed by Sparking
Boston’s Climate
Revolution in 2010, plan
updated in 2011, next
update 2014
• Plan addresses
mitigation, adaptation,
community
engagement and social
equity
13. • Advise the City on the implementation of its
Climate Action Plan
• Engage sector leadership in aligning their
assets and initiatives to support the plan
outcomes
• Highlight and promote best practice
examples within and across sectors that
advance The Climate Action Plan’s goals
13
15. 15
Solar Powered Fueling
Stations for Emergency
Vehicles at 400 Frontage
Road 120 kW
Deer Island Constructed to Withstand 2 Feet of Sea
Level Rise
Solar Powered Traffic
Signals Along Evacuation
Route
16. 16
Climate Ready Boston 2.5.13
#ClimateReadyBos
Planning
Existing Buildings
New Buildings
Emergency
Response
17. • Cabinet-level Task Force
• GRC climate adaptation
working group will
recommend climate
preparedness actions for:
– Institutions and businesses
– The City of Boston to support
institutions and businesses
– The City and public sector to
work together to address
actions outside the scope of
institutions and business
17
Production
Grid
Buildings
21. 21
Mechanical, electrical
and emergency
services on roof out of
harm’s way
Operable windows
keyed open in event of
systems failure
Critical patient programs
above ground floor
Key floors above 2085
High Estimate 100-
year Flood
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
23. Green Collar Job Growth
2011: 6.7%increase in jobs
2012: 11.2%increase in jobs
2013: 12.4%projected increase
Boston clean energy
industry more than
64,000 jobs
28. By 2020, assuming the utility programs continue as
expected and the Boston community fully
participates, Renew Boston and the utilities will make
dramatic changes.
150,000 households (65% of total)
30,000 businesses (70% of total)Goal:
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1,000
Jan-Mar 2010Apr-Jun 2010Jul-Sep 2010Oct-Dec 2010Jan-Mar 2011Apr-Jun 2011Jul-Sep 2011Oct-Dec 2011Jan-Mar 2012Apr-Jun 2012Jul-Sep 2012
HousingUnits
Renew Boston Home Weatherization Projects in Boston
Home Insulation Improvements
29. Green & Healthy
Buildings
Article 37 - Green Building
Zoning based on LEED, 2007
- Private Construction 1st in
nation
Stretch Energy Code, 2010
20% BETTER energy
performance
Climate Change Adaptation
Questionnaire
Building Energy Reporting
and Disclosure Ordinance
Allston Green District – LEED Silver
The Homes at Old Colony – LEED PlatinumE Positive Program
Castle Square – LEED Platinum
Atlantic Wharf – LEED Platinum
30. Energy Disclosure Ordinance
2013
City of
Boston
discloses
energy and
water use
2014
Non-
Residential
buildings
greater
than 50,000
sq. ft.
2015
Residential
buildings
with 50+
units
2016
Non-
Residential
buildings
greater
than 35,000
sq. ft.
2017
Residential
buildings
with 35+
units
37. 37
10% by 2020
#16 in the U.S.
Installed 60 miles of bike lanes
Between 2007 - 2012
Bikes = 1.4% commuter trips
During 2010,
Among top 70 largest cities
38. Launched July 2011,
105stations system wide
with 72 in Boston & over
1,000 bikes, 142,000
rides in 1st 4 months and
675,000since the
launch, Mitigated 230
tons of carbon, 2,400rides
per
day in Oct 2012,
7,885 Active Annual
BIKESHARE
Greenovate Boston 38
40. Between 2010 and 2012, the City reduced its energy load by 21
million kWh through conservation measures
Between 2010-2012 the City installed new gas street light
controllers and new boilers that will result in annual natural gas
savings equal to 68,708 therms
In FY2012 the City budgeted $57.7 million for energy; in the
current fiscal year 2013 the City budgeted $55.5 million.
For each $1 that has been spent on the new energy managers
positions over the last two years, the City has received more than
$23 in combined utility incentive payments and operational savings
41. 41
LED Street Lighting
Long life & high reliability
LEDs offer 50-80% energy
savings
LEDs are designed to last over 12 years
This project pays for itself in 1.5 years
Streetlights = 18% of municipal GHG emissions
42. LED Street Lighting
LEDs are designed to last over 12 years
Annual savings
= $2.8
million per
year
-or-
¼of the total
Streetlight budget
47. 47
Community Gardens:
3000 plots, 500,000 lbs. of
produce/year valued at $1.2M
Boston Bounty Bucks: Accessing
healthy, fresh foods in Boston’s
neighborhoods
Community Servings Farm:
BPHC’s organic farm in Boston
offers homeless adults experience
and job training, while providing
organic food to the Long Island
Homeless Shelter.
Urban Agriculture Zoning
Urban Agriculture & Community Gardens
48. Greenovate Boston
Drive Bostonians to GreenovateBoston.org
Raise awareness about climate change
Raise awareness about climate actions
Motivate action
52. 52
Like us on Facebook –
Greenovate Boston
Follow us on Twitter -
@GreenovateBos
Brian R. Swett
Chief of Environment and Energy
EnvironmentalEnergy@cityofboston.gov
Notes de l'éditeur
The year consisted of the fourth warmest winter, a record warm spring, the second warmest summer, and a warmer-than-average autumn.July was the warmest month ever recorded, 3.3°F above the 20th-century U.S. averageTop map shows the average temperature across the US, bottom map shows the difference from the average temp
These measures will help ensure that we have one of the most resilient waterfronts in the world. We are not retreating, we have opportunity to build a climate ready harbor front, and that is what we are doingGreen tech has been a huge component to this development. Greentown LabsFraunhoferNext Step LivingConnection between sustainability and economic developmentOur sustainability planning and policies not only attract these businesses to the area, they also attract and retain fresh, educated talent to the city.
Percentages are across the state, source Mass Clean Energy Center
Overview of strategies to reach 2020 goalEmphasis on alternative transportation, green buildings and renewable energy, all of which improve public health by encouraging people to walk and bike more, improving both indoor and outdoor air quality and, more generally create a strong, healthy and resilient community.
The most important step that Boston can take is to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings. This will enable us to achieve about half of our GHG reduction goals. In the past few years, all levels of government have been establishing programs and policies to reduce energy use and GHG emissions from buildings. These include:MA’s Renewable Portfolio Standard requiring more electricity from solar, wind, and other renewable sourcesHigher energy standards in the MA building codeFederal efficiency requirements for major appliancesProposed regional standard to lower the carbon content of heating fuels
Have already reached 15,000 households and 7,000 businesses
City of Boston will start by disclosing energy and water useAll large and medium buildings would be required to report annual energy and water use through Portfolio Manager 2013 Non-residential buildings greater than 50,000 square feet2015 residential buildings with more than 40 units 2016 Non-residential buildings greater than 25,000 square feet 2017 Residential buildings with more than 20 unitsEnergy use per SqFt, Energy Star ratings will be publically availableBuildings with ratings below the 75th percentile in their group would be required to have ASHRAE Level 2 energy audits every 5 years Failure to comply could lead to finesThe development of regulations and implementation of the ordinance would be overseen by the Air Pollution Control Commission
10.4 as of May 2013
Map update May 2013
Purchase of REQs, and biodiesel adjustment
Later today, I will be joining Mayor Menino to recognize 18 sustainability leaders including businesses, institutions and residents at the 2013 Greenovate Awards ceremony. This year, we are also officially launching Greenovate Boston, a collective movement to help the city reach Mayor Menino’s GHG goals.Greenovate is an umbrella sustainability brand, shared by all initiatives and programs in City Hall, as well as Boston residents, businesses, and institutions.It is a resource hub, for streamlining and delivering green resources to all Bostonians through both existing outreach outlets and new tools.And lastly and most importantly, it is a citizen-driven movement, for shifting citywide environmental consciousness in order to reach long-term greenhouse gas reduction goals. There is so much activity around sustainability in Boston, making it ripe for a collective movement that can capture the great work already going on in Bostonand amplifying it across the entire City.Greenovate Boston will include enhanced City program engagement, grassroots outreach, innovative programming, a new robust website, and an advertising campaign to kick things off.Picture here is the home page of the new website which officially went/will go live at XX.
In the simplest description, it is a one-stop-shop for all sustainability-related resource in the City; but it is also much more than that. It will be an inspirational and informative experience for Bostonians looking to share their stories and learn from others and the City on what actions they can take to be more sustainable. This site belongs to all of Boston and we want the community to have ownership over it and shape it as we continue to develop and expand it. Please check it out and share the site and all of its resources with your network. Join the movement by helping us get the word out.
