Minutes - Environmental Advisory - June 04, 2008 CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING SUMMARY
NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION: Environmental Advisory Board
DATE OF MEETING: June 4, 2008
NAME/TELEPHONE OF PERSON PREPARING SUMMARY: Kelle Karp, 303-441-1940
NAMES OF MEMBERS, STAFF AND INVITED GUESTS PRESENT:
Environmental Advisory Board Members Present: Brian Vickers, Bill Roettker, Leah Kukowski,
and Suzanne Jones
Board Members Absent: Francoise Poinsatte
Staff Members Present: Elizabeth Vasatka, Office of Environmental Affairs
Public Present: Colm Sweeney
OUTLINE OF AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER. The meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m. by acting chair Suzanne Jones
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. May's meeting minutes were unanimously approved.
3. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. Colm Sweeny, a Climate Scientist with the National Oceanic
Atmospheric Administration (NOAH), attended the board meeting at the request of Leonard May, and
presented data and information to the board on NOAA's current Global Warming modeling and
findings. Colm began his presentation by recapping how greenhouse gases (GHG) increase the global
temperature by trapping heat inside the atmosphere. After showing slides illustrating melting glaciers
and the melting of traditionally iced areas such as Antarctica and the Tundra area of Siberia, Colm
concluded his presentation by noting that in the last year NOAA found that their modeling predictions
were off by 20 years suggesting that the global temperature increase is happening at a faster rate than
originally predicted (he also noted that NOAA scientist are getting smarter in their predictions, having
more realizations and altering their models to be more accurate). The board asked Colm for his advice
regarding the current course of the city's Climate Action Plan (CAP). Colm replied that in his opinion
what motivates people is knowledge, and since 20% of our footprint is in our cars and 22% is in our
heating and cooling that is where the individual has a lot of control. Also, he suggested having
kilowatt meters available so that people can actually see how much energy they are using.
4. UPDATE. CAP updates will be moved to next month's agenda.
5. MAIN AGENDA ITEMS. Elizabeth Vasatka with the Office of Environmental Affairs (OEA)
presented to the board the current Green Points program work plan that includes finishing the
residential sector codes with respect to remodels and additions, and moving forward with establishing
commercial green building codes. Elizabeth informed the board that OEA is working closely.with
Planning & Development Services (P&DS) on green building codes, and achieving the goals laid out
in the work plan. The board asked for clarification on why staff advised them to not put forth the
interim commercial building resolution to council as they had agreed to do at May's meeting.
Elizabeth explained that staff wanted to make sure that the interim code suggested to council by the
board would be in line with the Green Points work plan, and since CAP will be influencing the green
building codes, staff wants to make sure that parallel metrics are proposed. Elizabeth further indicated
that staff will be drafting a WIP in August letting council know what staff will be bringing to them
over the next year. Staff is also working with the Consortium of Cities stakeholder group, which plans
to wrap up discussions on a county wide commercial green building code in the fall. In parallel, city
and county staff will be hiring a consulting firm to do modeling analysis work that will also be
completed in the fall. As for going before council, staff will present the remaining residential piece on
a separate agenda from the commercial piece. When presenting the commercial piece to council staff
Yw~illlinclude information on what oin 20% or 30% above IECC will achieve as a short term code and
1
Francoise Poinsatte, Chair Date
let council know how they can ratchet up the code over time. Staff will also give council the option to
bypass a short term code and focus on a full Green Points commercial program and/or turn the focus to
energy efficiency. With respect to the work plan, the percentage above IECC code that will be adopted
in the following years will depend on council's decision for code adoption in 2009. At this point,
staff s highest priority is to complete the remodel and additions code work for the residential Green
Points program, and then begin focusing on the commercial sector. Elizabeth also requested that when
the time comes for staff to present to council that the board provide their input on whether council
should look to adopt energy efficiency codes versus green building codes. Next, the board discussed
the documents they received regarding the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). It was unclear to the
board (1) if the letter in the documents had already been sent to prospective Scientific Advisory Board
members, (2) how far along city staff is in this process, (3) whether or not SAB is already laid out in its
function, and (4) what the actual objectives and needs are for the SAB and if these objectives are
driving recruitment. Also, the board commented that (1) the SAB seems like a good idea in theory but
may be hard to manage in reality, (2) it seems the SAB would be more technical and cross over other
boards where it may provide advice to existing boards and sometimes to council, and (3) the SAB's
purpose seems unclear.
6. MATTERS FROM STAFF. None
7. MATTERS FROM THE BOARD. The board indicated that they would like to resume the mid
month meetings between Jonathan and the Board Chair to finalize upcoming agendas. The board also
wants to set aside time in July's meeting to make a 2008 agenda calendar that aligns with topics going
before council. The board also decided to move July's meeting back to the first Wednesday of the
month (July 2"d). Finally, the board discussed how to better support staff, and brainstormed ideas of
attending other board meetings and having an EAB retreat.
8. ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at 8:03 p.m.
9. TIME & LOCATION OF NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, July 2, 2008, 1300 Canyon Blvd, 6
.m.
Approved: - ~ ~ J-t---~--~
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Francoise Poinsatte, Chai Date