From the February 14, 2003
Energy
Matters
Texas currently holds the title of being the largest energy consumer in the country
and the sixth largest user of energy in the world. Our state also has the most
renewable energy potential in the United States. While these factors alone
should prompt energy efficient building and the use of renewable energy, the
Texas Senate has also passed Senate Bill 5 instructing Texas communities to do
just that.
The Texas Emissions Reduction Act was enacted in June 2001 and
it calls on municipal facilities to reduce energy consumption by 5 percent a
year for five years. Counties with the highest levels of air pollution -
including Bexar County - are affected. The bill also calls for compliance with
the latest energy efficient building codes for residential and commercial
construction.
New energy codes introduced following the passage of Senate Bill
5 regulate the design and selection of the building envelope as well as
mechanical, electrical and water heating systems. Code requirements apply to
all new construction as well as to many alterations to existing buildings.
There is a growing interest in and demand for green building
across our country, as evidenced by the sold out 20,000 square feet of vendor
exhibits and 4,000 attendees at the recent International Green Building
Conference in Austin. An Austin/San Antonio chapter of the U.S. Green Building
Council is in development, and the non-profit Metropolitan Partnership for
Energy (MPE) is working with the city of San Antonio to develop its own
residential green building program that will provide new homes with an
environmental ranking.
The ranking will identify the building's level of sustainability
- evaluating such features as energy and water conservation, site development,
the use of environmentally friendly materials, waste minimization, and enhanced
indoor air quality.
MPE was founded following the passage of Senate Bill 5, to
provide energy leadership for the San Antonio region. Both MPE and the state
have programs in place to guide public entities through the transition process
called for by Senate Bill 5. Also, the Energy Systems Laboratory at Texas
A&M University is on contract with the State Energy Conservation Office
(SECO) to educate homeowners, builders and code enforcers on the new energy
codes.
As the green building movement continues to develop, homeowners
will begin to see the advantages of an energy efficient home beyond the
long-term cost savings. Indeed, energy efficiency mortgages (EEM) already allow
homebuyers to borrow more for a home, based on the fact that they will pay less
in energy bills each month. The homeowner substantiates the projected energy
savings through a home energy rating or audit.
In addition to building industry initiatives, local governments
- including those in Bexar, Wilson, Guadalupe and Comal counties - must send
annual reports to SECO measuring their energy reduction progress against a 2001
baseline of electrical energy use. Under Senate Bill 5, all possible cost
effective energy efficiency measures must be implemented.
SECO has contracted with several engineering firms who will
conduct free preliminary energy audits for public entities to identify energy
excesses and potential projects, and these should be followed by
investment-grade audits. Priority should be placed on employee education to
change energy use habits; general weatherization and energy efficiency
retrofits; adoption of an energy policy with provisions for energy wise
purchasing, recycling, and commute solutions; and maintenance staff training
for maximum benefits. Efforts such as these can lower utility bills up to 90
percent, and simple calculations show that it is more cost-effective to do this
work up front rather than over time.
Greater energy efficiency may be a state requirement, but it is
also a way of life that will result in many benefits for our community.
Together we will shape a new future for our region.
Linda Stone is executive director of Metropolitan Partnership for Energy
(MPE), a non-profit, partnership group working with local government in the San
Antonio MSA to implement energy and emissions reduction policies. E-mail her at
lstone@mp4e.info.