Johnson CountySustainability Program Update

BOCC Committee of the WholeDecember 10, 2009

Goals for this Session

This session is for information only; staff is not requesting Board action.Board members will receive an update on efforts to make county government operations

more sustainable and an overview of county government and community-wide greenhouse gas inventories.

Overview

Citizen survey resultsUpdate on sustainability-related accomplishmentsSustainability priorities:what’s next?

OrganizationalCommunity-wide

Greenhouse gas inventories

Sustainability

Balancing economic, environmental and socialequity considerations in decision making

Using life-cyclecosting approach whenmaking investments

Considering how ourchoices will impact our kids, grandkids andfuture generations

Society

Why It’s a Priority

Responsibility to our childrenSustainability fundamentally is about becoming more efficient, reducing wasteTaking long view provides lower costs & better value for taxpayersNew technologies = new opportunities for efficiencyCounty residents are demanding it

Johnson County Sunset Drive Office BuildingOpened 2006; Certified LEED® Gold

2009 Citizen Survey

Mailed to random sample of 3,000 households in county1,239 responses received (41% response rate) Measured familiarity with/quality of county services, expectations regarding budget priorities, effectiveness of communication95% confidence level, +/-2.8% precision at county level

New Opportunities to Access Sustainability Information

New sustainability website!

http://sustainable.jocogov.org

Facebook presence

Sustainability tips posted daily; number of subscribers is increasing steadily

Presentations to Community Groups(partial list)

FAC StaffLeague of WomenVoters, Lenexa & Shawnee Chambers, Lakeview Village, NACO Webinars, Burns & McDonnellSust. Summit, KSAssn. of Counties

ENV staffMultiple HOAsCity councilsBoy/Girl ScoutsRotary ClubsSchoolsChurchesBusinesses

TRN StaffCity of LenexaOverland ParkShawneeNE MayorsMARC TransitCommittee

Sustainability Achievements and Ongoing

Activities

Waste ReductionPaper Reduction Campaign

Paper purchases are projected to be down over 13% from 2008The purchase of paper with recycled content (30, 50 and 100%) compared to virgin paper is up 78% from 2008

Purchasers of recycled content paper received thank-you emailsMany departments actively working to reduce paper waste & purchases

Waste Reduction

New recycling vendor contractsThree vendors:

DeffenbaughSmurfit StoneAbitibi

Many county buildings have begun recycling paper, plastic, metal and cardboardMore are coming online

Waste ReductionPromotional Events & Campaigns

Soles4Souls shoe drive collected over 1,000 pairs of shoes for reuse by victims of natural disasters and in areas of need

Go Green Save Green Event brought in more than 400 employees and community members

Clean Your Files Week in honor of America Recycles Day (November 16-20)

MARC Recycling Challenge for Local Governments: we joined 30 other local communities in a commitment to increase recycling

Waste ReductionEvents and Campaigns (cont’d)

Composting pilot at Admin Café and Juvenile Detention this springCell phone recycling receptacles available through Call2RecycleWaste evaluations offeredfor all county buildings; 16conducted so farMany departmental efforts

Wastewater Green Projects

Middle Basin cogeneration project will save county $600K/yr in utilities, reduce GHG emissions by 9700 metric tons/yr

Gravity effluent discharge system at Mill Creek will reduce utility costs & greenhouse gases

Douglas L. Smith Middle Basin Treatment PlantOverland Park, Kansas

Wastewater

System-wide energy auditStudying feasibility of cogeneration at Nelson & Mill Creek plantsExamining opportunities to integrate solar, wind and geothermalSmaller facilities, such as pump stations, may offer good opportunities to use renewables

Facilities

County Communications Center became county’s 2nd LEED Gold bldg on 12/08/09Public Works, Crime Lab on track for LEED GoldJuvenile Detention may be first LEED Platinum bldg for county; incorporating geothermal

Facilities

Jail Phase 2 – multiple sustainability features:A/C: 30% more efficient than Phase 1 systemReflective roof coatingsDrought tolerant landscaping; no irrigation system> 75% construction waste diverted from landfillNo green space/farm land was used Maintenance road uses pervious construction

Facilities

Bioretention basins at Northeast Offices to catch and filter parking lot runoffNative plants fully established at Transit & Sunset DriveRFPs include sustainability languageSustainability considerations in CIP processHand dryer pilot project

Green purchasing

Sustainability included in purchasing guidelinesRoutinely purchase green products, including

Recycled paperCleaning productsComputer equipmentOffice furnitureBuilding materials

Education & Outreach

Go Green intranet siteInternet siteEarth Day FairCreated new Education& Outreach CommitteeDepartmental Green Teams

Energy Efficiency & Conservation Block Grant ($552,500)

Energy audit process underwayGlass recycling bins have been placed around Johnson CountyComposting program startingLED street/parking lot lightingElectric vehicle recharging stationsHome weatherization assistanceEmployee energy conservation outreach

Fleets & Fuels

44 hybrid vehicles in fleetHave met with fleet managers to discuss expanded use of alternative fuelsCurrent options include CNG, propane, gas electric hybridsPlug-in electrics will be available in 1-2 yearsNo one-size-fits-all solution

Organizational and Community-wide

Sustainability Priorities

Sustainability Priorities(Organizational)

Continue to build to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standardsBuild, operate and maintain county infrastructure in a sustainable mannerConduct/implement recommendations of energy auditsExpand use of alternative fuels in county motor fleet

Organizational Priorities (cont’d)

Fund Johnson County Transit five-year planPromote behaviors that reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)Achieve zero wasteConvert turf grass areas to native grasses/ flowers and community gardensDevelop and launch sustainability website

Sustainability Priorities(Community-wide)

Collaborate with cities to implement sustainable, multi-modal transportation systemBuild public understanding of sustainability and support for sustainable programsPromote initiatives and behaviors that reduce vehicle miles traveledPreserve green space

Community Priorities (cont’d)

Implement the county’s Solid Waste Management PlanFind "sustainability champions” in the development community and promote sustainable building practicesModify codes to promote energy efficiency & green building Create economic development incentives to promote/ attract sustainable businesses & industries

Greenhouse GasInventories and

Goals

BOCC Greenhouse Gas Resolution

In December 2007, BOCC approved a resolution establishing four goals:1. Conduct a greenhouse gas (GHG)

inventory of county operations and reduce emissions 1/3 by 2020

2. Make new and substantially renovated county buildings carbon neutral by 2030

3. Conduct a community-wide GHG inventory; develop & implement a plan to reduce GHG emissions 80 percent by 2050

4. Provide leadership to encourage reduction of GHG emissions in county and regionally through education, dialogue and partnerships

Kansas City Power & LightLa Cygne Generating Station

GHG Inventories

Organizational and community-wide inventories completed in 20092005 baselineInventory reports do not include climate protection strategies, although county is actively working to reduce building and wastewater energy consumption

GHG Emissions

Scope/Category Metric tons CO2e

2005 % of total

Purchased Wastewater Electricity + Wastewater Ops 57,382 44.49%

Purchased Building Electricity + Building Comfort Heating 45,595 35.35%

Employee Commute to Work 10,435 8.09%

Fleet Vehicles (Fuel and Refrigerant) 4,830 3.75%

Exported Wastewater Treatment (Kansas City, Mo) 3,925 3.04%

Transit Vehicles (Fuel and Refrigerant) 3,575 2.77%

Comfort Heating ‐Wastewater (Natural Gas Combustion) 1,216 0.94%

Employee Business Travel 990 0.77%

Solid Waste Decomposition 827 0.64%

Other (Stationary Combustion, Fertilizer Application, Refrigerant Fugitive Emissions) 194 0.15%

TOTAL EMISSIONS 128,969

2005 Organizational GHG EmissionsLargest to Smallest

Achieving Organizational GHG Goals

Wastewater, Facilities already working aggressively to reduce GHGs from two largest sourcesFlextime, telecommuting could significantly reduce employee commute GHGsIn the next year, will assess impact of current and planned actions and create a road map for achieving 1/3 reduction by 2020Reductions will need to occur even as population & demand for services increase

2005 Community-wideGHG Emissions

Purchased Electricity  5,942,382 53.39%Motor Vehicles (Fuel Combustion) 2,671,511 24.00%Residential/Commercial/Industrial Fuel Use 1,587,436 14.26%Industrial Processes 308,049 2.77%Off‐Road Fuel 289,892 2.60%Landfill Emissions 147,577 1.33%Agriculture 79,770 0.72%Rail  66,913 0.60%Wastewater Treatment 22,326 0.20%Aircraft & marine 14,786 0.13%TOTAL EMISSIONS 11,130,642

Percent of totalEmissions SourceGHG Emissions 

(Metric tons CO2e)

Achieving Community-WideGHG Goals

County only one of many players who will need to engage Public-private partnerships will be essentialNeed to create incentives to promote energy-efficiency on a county-wide scaleTransit and transit-supportive redevelopment will be critical to reducing VMTBOCC Visioning Committee, Sustainability Task Force can play a role in building community capacity to work on goals

“The significant problems we face

cannot be solved by the same level of

thinking thatcreated them.”

- Albert Einstein

Contacts:

James Joerke james.joerke@jocogov.org (913) 715-1120

Sustainability Steering Committee Members:

Alice Amrein, Johnson County TransitTom Franzen, Office of Financial Management

Cindy Kemper, Environmental DepartmentJohn O’Neil, Johnson County Wastewater

Ed Peterson, Board of County CommissionersSarah Plinsky, County Manager’s Office

Joe Waters, Facilities Management Department