Best Practice Recordings

Staying informed on best practices is a great way to ensure you are efficiently building upon the experiences of others, across California’s local governments and beyond, and avoiding having to reinvent the wheel. Here are a number of recordings detailing best practices.

LGSEC/CCEC Joint Event: Shaping the Future of California’s Building Performance Standards – Local Government Processes and Grid Implications
Join us for an exploration of Building Performance Standards (BPS), their future in California, and their implications for local governments, the building sector, and the climate. Hosted by the Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition (LGSEC) and the California Climate & Energy Collaborative (CCEC) on Tuesday, March 22nd from 9-11am Pacific Time, this joint event featured a panel discussion comprised of both moderated and audience Q&A on the future of grid-interactive buildings, and what they mean for new and existing buildings, the grid, and local governments. Experts included in this panel were Senator Becker from the 13th Senate District, Cliff Majersik from IMT, Barbara Locci from the City of Chula Vista, and Lynne Kiesling from the University of Colorado. This was followed by a feedback session led by Cliff Majersik on building performance standards.
In this interview with Elena Olmedo, Climate Advisor to the City of San Jose, Natural Resources Defense Council, she shares how San Jose is designing the City’s Building Electrification Plan, which outlines options to electrify the City’s existing buildings equitably. Through deep data analysis and community engagement, the City of San Jose and a broad set of partner organizations are working to ensure that its impacted communities benefit from electrification. We thank Elena for taking the time to share her work, experience, and advice. We hope this conversation provides inspiration to other local practitioners as they consider ways to equitably electrify their building stock. You can learn more about the City of San Jose’s ongoing electrification efforts here.
The California Climate & Energy Collaborative (CCEC) hosted an exclusive virtual session for California policymakers and elected officials on key energy and climate priorities as a part of the 12th Annual CCEC Forum, on Thursday, September 30th. Policymakers across California face difficult decisions about how to best rebound from the hardships of 2020 and 2021 in ways that support their broader energy, climate, and equity goals. This session provided elected officials the opportunity to hear relevant policy updates from featured experts who also facilitated deeper discussions through subsequent breakout sessions. Breakout sessions allowed attendees to ask questions directly to featured experts and forge connections with other jurisdictions by exchanging knowledge and best practices with fellow local policymakers. Featured speakers and breakout room facilitators included Erik de Kok, Deputy Director at California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Alana Mathews, Director of Policy Resources and Training at Prosecutors Alliance of California
In this recording, Angie Hacker, the CCEC Statewide Best Practices Coordinator, interviews Shayna Hirshfield-Gold, Climate Coordinator with the City of Oakland, which is doing groundbreaking work to advance equity as part of its climate action efforts. As many in the State move forward from just counting carbon and kilowatts, we invite you to listen to a timely conversation on how to thoughtfully expand local climate work to effectively engage environmental justice voices and ideas and consider impacts and opportunities for historically underserved or marginalized communities. Shayna shares personal experiences and advice on pitfalls, best practices, and successes.
Thanks to Oakland and Shayna for providing a leading example that other local governments can certainly learn from.
LGSEC organized a webinar with the City of Gonzales on their recently announced microgrid. Our guest speakers presented on the process and experience of advancing clean energy solutions by installing a microgrid powered by 80% renewable energy.
Guest speakers from the City of GonzalesOurEnergy and Concentric Power discussed the local government role in public utilities and essential services, infrastructure modernization, and California’s energy landscape. The webinar will present a case study on the City of Gonzales’ planned $70 million microgrid and wastewater treatment plant, then conclude with audience Q&A.
In addition to playing a key role in Biden’s Climate Team, David Hayes has an extensive background in State and local climate matters. In this webinar he talks with us about:
• How the new administration will roll out President Biden’s climate, clean energy, and environmental justice plans
• How Tribal, local and other community stakeholders can prepare for, influence, or support what is to come
• Ongoing ways to collaborate with the federal government on policy initiatives and best practices
This event also featured brief remarks by co-hosts Kate Wright (LGC), Shasta Gaughen (TCHP), and Beth Gibbons (ASAP).
Have any questions about carbon conscious purchasing in the public sector or are seeking to understand digital tools that your institutional buyers use? If you missed our webinar, you can view the recording and hear from a panel comprised of representatives from Energy Solutions, The Energy Coalition, and the City of Santa Barbara, facilitated by the Statewide Best Practices Coordinator, Angie Hacker.

Angie Hacker, the Statewide Best Practices Coordinator sits down with Management Analysts Alex Fung and Samantha Matthews of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG), which serves 30 member cities and other governmental agencies in the eastern Los Angeles region. Join us to hear how the COGs like the SGVCOG are serving as a key conduit for public sector energy efficiency success. Even amid the turmoil and EE funding changes of 2020, SGVCOG has grown its engagement with regional agencies through its awards program and other effective outreach efforts.

11th Annual Statewide Energy Efficiency Virtual Forum

Promising Solutions for a Clean Energy Future
June – November 2020

The Local Government Commission (LGC) has hosted the annual Statewide Energy Efficiency Forum since 2010 to feature updates from key state agencies, highlight innovative local energy and climate change programs and resources, and provide opportunities for networking and collaboration. Visit the SEEC Forum website to view all resources from the forum. To watch past webinar recordings, visit LGC’s Youtube Playlist.

Hosted by the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, SGV Connect is a podcast that features Southern California and San Gabriel Valley leaders on their unique stories and insights on handling emerging issues. Each episode provides an opportunity for residents, city staff, elected officials, and stakeholders to learn about cities, programs, and issues impacting the quality of life in the San Gabriel Valley region.

Energy efficiency projects play an important role in reducing a community’s electricity and natural gas consumption. Tune in for this episode of the SGV Connect as we discuss energy efficiency planning with Los Angeles County Internal Services Department Environmental Initiatives Manager, Lujuana Medina, and Statewide Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator, Angie Hacker.

The State of California has dedicated significant investment in energy and climate opportunities for “disadvantaged communities” (DACs), which suffer from economic, health, and environmental burdens. However, local governments representing DACs may lack the internal capacity to track and pursue these opportunities. This session will provide an overview of guiding DAC policies, definitions, and funding and technical assistance opportunities. If you’re a local government practitioner working in a community with DAC census tracts, please join a conversation with State and local speakers, facilitated by the Statewide Best Practices Coordinator, aimed at helping you better navigate the big dollar world of DACs to meet your energy and climate goals.

Confirmed Speakers:

Moderator: Angie Hacker | Statewide Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator | Local Government Commission

Angie Hacker has nearly 20 years of public, private and non-profit experience serving communities in the areas of sustainability, energy, and climate change, primarily in California. Prior to becoming CEO and Principal Consultant of Prosper Sustainably, she served as Energy and Sustainability Division Chief for the County of Santa Barbara. In that role, she oversaw local, state, federal, and IOU-funded energy and climate initiatives and participated in state regulatory efforts. Her areas of expertise include designing innovative local/regional solutions, communicating a strategic vision, pursuing policy and regulatory opportunities, obtaining resources, building local capacity, leveraging cross-sector partnerships, and engaging stakeholders. She enjoys managing complex projects and datasets to achieve results within multi-agency, political and bureaucratic environments. She earned a Master of Public Administration from New York University.

 

 

Noemí O. Gallardo |  Public Advisor | California Energy Commission

Noemí O. Gallardo joined the California Energy Commission (CEC) as the Public Advisor in September 2019 after being appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom. She oversees the Public Advisor’s Office, which advises the public and the CEC to ensure the full and effective participation by all interested groups and the public at large in the CEC’s proceedings.

Before joining the CEC, she was senior manager of public policy at Sunrun Inc. Her professional experiences include serving as a program fellow at the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund, a consultant at Gallardo Law and Policy Consulting, an energy and telecommunications legal fellow at the Greenlining Institute, and a principal investigator at the Public Law Research Institute at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Gallardo is also a state-certified interpreter in Spanish who established and ran a translation and interpretation services business in her native Ventura County.

She is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants and is a first-generation college graduate who earned a juris doctor degree from UC Hastings, a master of public policy degree from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor of arts degree from Pepperdine University.

 

 

Ena Lupine | Community Assistance Program Manager | California Strategic Growth Council

Ena leads SGC’s California Climate Investments Technical Assistance Program, which helps create a more equitable playing field for under-resourced applicants looking to access the funds to transition to climate-smart communities. In this role, she manages a broad range of capacity building activities for applicants to cap-and-trade grant funded programs, including workshops, trainings, and direct application assistance. Prior to her appointment at the Strategic Growth Council, Ena completed her Master’s degree at UC Davis, where she focused her research on equitable and inclusive policies for investment in under-resourced communities. Ena also has varied experiences working in education and communications for organizations in France, India and the US.

Ena holds a Master of Science in Community Development from UC Davis and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, French, and Environmental Studies from Colby College in Maine

 

 

Peter Pallesen | Senior Project Coordinator| City of Ontario Housing Department

Peter Pallesen is a Senior Project Coordinator at the City of Ontario Housing Department. Peter leads the implementation and manages the City’s $35 million Transformative Climate Communities Grant Program, Ontario Together. Additionally, Peter is responsible for conducting analytical reports on topics such as affordable housing and homelessness. Peter also assists in overseeing the implementation of the City’s CARES Act Short-Term Rental and Homeowner Utility Assistance Programs.

Prior to working for the City of Ontario’s Housing Department, Peter spent two years overseeing the City’s Business License Department where he was responsible for managing the City’s 10,000+ annual business license renewals as well as implementing the City’s first online business license system and listing. Along with this role, Peter also managed the City’s cashiers and processed all City deposits and wire transfers. Peter has a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Speech Communications from the University La Verne and has since completed additional professional services certificates such as Fundamentals of Project Management and Business Fundamentals from UCLA. Peter is currently enrolled in Cal Poly Pomona’s Southern California Local Government Leadership Academy and is seeking to obtain his Master in Public Administration.

 

 

Walker Weiland | Research Scientist | Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)

Walker Wieland is a Research Scientist with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). He is also OEHHA’s Environmental Justice Liaison. His work is focused on CalEnviroScreen, which he has been working on for nine years. Walker researches pollution and population-based information to characterize burdens to communities across California. He conducts virtual and in-person trainings on CalEnviroScreen, and also creates and maintains web mapping tools for several projects at OEHHA. He is also a representative of Cal EPA’s Open Data Steering Committee.

Climate-Smart Ways to Save and Thrive in Tough Times – Interview with Howard Choy

Statewide Energy Efficiency Best Practices Coordinator, Angie Hacker, recently invited local energy expert, Howard Choy for a remote interview on “Climate-Smart Ways to Save and Thrive in Tough Times.” We had a chance to discuss parallels between challenges local governments are facing due to the economic fallout from COVID-19 and our experiences building lasting local energy programs during the last economic downturn in 2009 with help from stimulus dollars. As we look ahead to future budget uncertainties and potential silver linings, Howard shares advice and cost-neutral strategies for local energy sustainability professionals to provide value both through operating savings and through external funding opportunities. Watch the interview.

Local energy and climate practitioners interested in learning about reach code and other approaches to lowering natural gas emissions were invited to participate in a discussion-driven learning opportunity hosted by Statewide Best Practices Coordinator, Angie Hacker, and featured local leaders and topical experts. The event occurred on April 23, 2020 @10am-noon. Please contact ahacker@lgc.org for more information. View more information and additional resources. 

TRC for the Rest of Us: Breaking Down Cost-Effectiveness

You may know that cost-effectiveness, and specifically Total Resource Cost (TRC), guides energy efficiency (EE) portfolio decisions, but do you understand how the TRC calculation actually works and why EE programs and projects that benefit your community may not make the cut? In a repeat performance from the 2019 SEEC Forum breakout session on the topic, this webinar will review the history and components of TRC, discuss why understanding TRC is important to successfully leveraging Third Party programs, and explore best practices and alternatives for accurately valuing efficiency, protecting customer funds, and aligning with state policies.

Local Energy Codes: Tools for Reaching Your Climate Action Goals

Reach codes (local energy ordinances) are one of the tools local governments can use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as save energy and money. This session will discuss the local goals that can be addressed with reach codes, including decarbonization, and will provide an overview of various reach code strategies and options local governments can consider. The issue of treatment and drug delivery will not be addressed. Attendees will also hear about experiences and lessons learned from local governments who have adopted reach codes in the past, and will leave with information about resources available to assist with reach code efforts.

Sean Armstrong of Redwood Energy in a webinar on Decarbonization 101. In this webinar, we define decarbonization, explore why we should decarbonize locally, and share practical solutions for decarbonizing our communities now.

Michael McCormick, Senior Planner with the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research present on the General Plan Guidelines Update, summarizing the changes made in 2017 and the new guidance for 2018.

UC Irvine’s Advanced Power and Energy Program partnered with the City of Huntington Beach, Altura Associates, Southern California Edison, and Southern California Gas, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to develop tools to optimally design and operate an Advanced Energy Community in Oak View community.

Maria Fields of JouleSmart, discusses the applicability of performance contracting issues faced by California municipalities including:

  • Changing California energy policy
  • The performance contracting model
  • How the model can solve problems and what to look for
  • Migration of California incentives towards Pay-for-Performance in 2018 and beyond

Learn more about the benefits of the Advanced Energy Community Projects and hear from other local governments who share best practices they have implemented in communities across California.

Rick Brown, President and founder of TerreVerde Energy, will describe changing energy policy, market conditions, and evolving technologies to prepare local governments for a modernized grid.

Part 2: Energy Efficiency, Electrification, Microgrids, and Prop 39.

Rick Brown, President of TerreVerde Energy, will describe changing energy policy, market conditions, and evolving technologies to prepare local governments for a modernized grid.

Part 1: Solar, Battery Storage, and Choice Aggregation

Learn more about the benefits of the Building Operator Certification Program and hear from other local governments who have implemented this valuable resources for their local building officials.

Misti Bruceri has worked in energy efficiency, sustainability for more than 20 years.  As principal of Misti Bruceri and Associates, LLC since 2007, she provides technical consulting services to private firms, non-profit organizations, and utilities.  Ms. Bruceri serves as a developer and subject matter expert for the Codes and Standards reach codes and compliance improvement teams.

In the video below Ms. Bruceri will describe the California Energy Codes and Standards Program, the “reach” codes subprogram, and resources that are available to local governments to support going beyond the statewide minimum code.

Dr. Tiffany Wise-West from Ecoshift Consulting provides best practices for establishing a carbon fund in your local jurisdiction.

The webinar focuses on:

  • Different revenue models and which might suit their municipality or organization
  • Details on how to set up a Carbon Fund including the steps to do so and typical challenges to implementation.
  • Details on operational experience, successes, and challenges of various approaches from funds designed and/or implemented within the past 3 years.