SR-10-14-1980-11DTo:
From:
Subject:
Introduction
Santa Monica, California October 1, 1980
Mayor and City Council
City Staff
Request for funds for a pilot energy - efficient project in
Santa Monica
M
OCT 1 4 INN
OCT 2 B 1980
City staff received a request from the Santa Monica Energy Project (see
attached letter) for funds in the amount of $500.00 from the City to help
provide energy saving devices for their project.
Background
The Santa Monica Energy Project is a partnership between Catherine Tyrrell,
John Hagelberg and Heather Ball. The Energy Project operates under a federal
grant made by the California Energy Extension Service. Their project is
designed to test various approaches to educating Santa Monica owners, managers and
renters on energy use in their apartments and buildings. The funds requested
from the City would be used to provide incentives in the form of a low -cost
energy saving device to renters who hosted a "group" audit held by the Santa Monica
Energy Project.
Precise documentation of each audit will be maintained to determine the energy
saving actions resulting from the audit. The results of the program will provide
input to the City as it prepares its own energy conservation program. In addition,
staff believes this program will provide tangible benefits to the citizens through
knowledge gained regarding energy efficiency.
Recommendation WT 2 & 1980
It is recommended the City Council appropriate $500.00 from the General Fund Reserves
and authorize the City Manager to negotiate a contract.
Prepared by: Stan Scholl
Attachment
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CT 1 41980
California
Energy
Extension
Service &>
Santa Monica Energy Project
1505 4th Street ® Suite 209 a Santa Monica, CA 90401 a 213/395 -7242
T0: Stan Scholl
Director of General Services
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
FROM: Santa Monica Energy Project
RE: Request for $500 for pilot energy- efficiency project in Santa Monica
The Santa Monica Energy Project, operating under a grant from the
California Energy Extension Service, is currently testing several approaches
to educating Santa Monica owners, managers, and renters on energy use in their
apartments and buildings. Within apartment buildings along the Wilshire
corridor, we are specifically comparing the cost - effectiveness of two approaches- -
workshops and on -site audits. We have established careful control groups for
both outreach mechanisms and will provide thorough evaluation of both.
In the "renter" component of our program, we would like to test an inno-
vative approach - -a "group" audit, where three or more tenants in a building
are invited to an audit at the apartment of a fellow resident. We feel this
approach offers two major benefits:
1) It is more cost - effective than the traditional single -unit audit
since the information provided is applicable to all of the units
in the building; and
2) a positive group process is created where tenants compare notes on
their energy- saving progress and aid each other in purchasing and
installing low- and no -cost measures.
However, to make this approach work, we feel it is very important to offer
an incentive to the renter "host" who invites building neighbors to the audit.
As the success of Tupperware parties has proven, a tangible incentive - -in this
case a low -cost energy- saving device - -will help to insure maximum participation
by building residents. In addition, the installed device provides ongoing proof
that the measures do work.
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Santa Monica Energy Project
Page 2
Because our CEES funding does not include nor allow the purchase of
additional hardware, we are asking the City for $500 to buy the "incentive"
energy conserving devices. We will offer each of about 50 "host" renters
a choice of three devices, all valued from $10 - $20 (with a specially
arranged discount). The devices, low -flow showerheads, water heater
insulation jacket and Circleline Fluorescent lights, are each highly
cost - effective in the appropriate situations.
Funding assistance from the City of Santa Monica would, in turn,
provide first hand information on how best to help Santa Monica residents
save energy dollars. Since the City Council will soon be debating the
issue of the formation of a Municipal Solar Utility, possibly with a
similar audit component, experience gained and shared by the Santa Monica
Energy Project would be a wise investment in Santa Monica's energy future.
Reference:
Contract No. 3573
(CCS)