Number
150366
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. WITKOWSKI AND MURPHY
Title
Substitute resolution relating to the acceptance and funding of a cooperative agreement between the US Department of Energy and the Office of Environmental Sustainability for energy-efficiency projects in commercial buildings.
Analysis
This resolution authorizes the Office of Environmental Sustainability to enter into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement an energy-efficiency program for commercial buildings in Milwaukee. This program will be funded by a $750,000 contribution from DOE and a matching contribution of $750,000 of in-kind staff time from the City and its partners.
Body
Whereas, On December 17, 2013, the Common Council adopted File Number 1311035, a resolution adopting “ReFresh Milwaukee: City of Milwaukee Sustainability Plan 2013-2023” as the City’s first sustainability plan and directing its implementation; and
Whereas, The energy chapter of the ReFresh Milwaukee plan contains the goal: “Improve residential and commercial energy efficiency in Milwaukee”; and
Whereas, Energy-efficiency projects can help building owners reduce operating expenses, improve the building stock, create local jobs, and improve the environment; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee participates in the national Better Buildings Challenge for its own facilities and encourages commercial building owners and managers in Milwaukee to track and reduce their energy usage; and
Whereas, The U.S. Department of Energy issued funding announcement DE-FOA-0001168 entitled “Advancing Solutions to Improve the Energy Efficiency of U.S. Commercial Buildings” with the intent to “fund the scale-up of promising solutions to the market barriers that hinder the growth of energy efficiency in the commercial building sector. The objective of this funding is to build a path for market-ready solutions to be used at scale across the United States to improve building efficiency”; and
Whereas, The funding announcement also indicated that “successful proposals will deploy one or more of these [Department of Energy-developed] resources, tools and solutions through successful existing programs or innovative new ones, to increase program impact and increase energy savings in commercial buildings. Coalitions of organizations are encouraged to apply”; and
Whereas, The funding announcement also indicated that funding could neither be used to fund building equipment for demonstration or retrofits nor fund incentives or rebates that are not sustainable after the grant period; and
Whereas, The Office of Environmental Sustainability developed the successful Milwaukee Energy Efficiency (Me2) program for commercial building owners and administers the City’s commercial PACE financing program; and
Whereas, The Office of Environmental Sustainability assembled a strong team of Wisconsin’s energy-efficiency implementers, including Focus on Energy and its contracted companies (Franklin Energy and Staples Energy), Milwaukee Area Technical College, Midwest Energy Research Consortium, Transwestern Sustainability Services, Wisconsin Green Building Alliance, Milwaukee Downtown (BID 21), Building Owners and Managers of Wisconsin, and the State Energy Office, to participate in this project and contribute matching resources; and
Whereas, The project team proposed to create a comprehensive energy-efficiency program for commercial buildings, with a focus on Class B and C offices, but including other commercial building types; and
Whereas, Elements of a comprehensive energy-efficiency program can include: 1) outreach to building owners and helping them review and track energy bills; 2), identifying potential energy saving projects (energy audits); 3) connecting building owners with incentives from the Statewide Focus on Energy program; 4) providing financing for projects; 5) providing ongoing training and engagement to building operators and tenants; 6) bestowing awards and recognition; and
Whereas, The project team will use data management tools developed by the U.S. Department of Energy, such as Asset Score and Standard Energy Efficiency Data (SEED) Platform™; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee was one of eight applicants nationally to be selected by the Department of Energy for award negotiations; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee anticipates receiving up to $750,000 from the Department of Energy for City staff time and partner efforts over the three year term of the cooperative agreement with the Department of Energy; and
Whereas, The City of Milwaukee and its partners have pledged in-kind staff time of $750,000, for a total project value of $1,500,000; now therefore be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Department of Administration - Office of Environmental Sustainability is authorized to enter into a $1,500,000 cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy to develop and implement an energy-efficiency program for commercial building, unless the terms of the agreement change, as indicated in s. 304-81 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Office of Environmental Sustainability is authorized to accept and allocate funding awards as shown in Attachment A, unless otherwise dictated by U.S. Department of Energy; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City of Milwaukee assures and certifies that it will comply with the regulations, policies, guidelines and requirements with respect to the acceptance and use of the this Department of Energy cooperative agreement; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the City Comptroller is authorized to:
1. Commit funds within the Project/Grant Parent of the 2015 Special Revenue - Grant and Aid Projects Fund, the following amount for the project titled “Location, Location, Efficiency”:
Project/Grant GR0001500000
Fund 0150
Org 9990
Program 0001
Budget Year 0000
Subclass R999
Account 000600
Project Grantor Share
Amount $750,000
2. Create the necessary Grant and Aid Project/Grant and Project/Grant levels and budget against these Project/Grant values the amount required under the cooperative agreement.
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That these funds are budgeted for the Department of Administration-Office of Environmental Sustainability, which is authorized to:
1. Expend from the amount budgeted for specified purposes as indicated in the grant budget and incur costs consistent with the award date;
2. Expend from the grant budget funds for training and out-of-town travel by departmental staff as required by U.S. Department of Energy;
3. Establish the necessary city share project values.
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the partner organizations shall submit budget and activity reports to the Office of Environmental Sustainability; and be it
Further Resolved, That the Office of Environmental Sustainability and its partners will comply with the federal regulations associated with the cooperative agreement.
Requestor
Department of Administration- Office of Environmental Sustainability
Drafter
Office of Environmental Sustainability
Erick Shambarger
LRB 159372
John Ledvina
7/15/2015