The following goal is adopted: to provide leadership to promote a sustainable energy future that improves the environment and economy through increasing community energy efficiency by 10% by 1997. The following policies and strategies are adopted as the energy policy for the city.
(A) The role of the city.
(1) The Parks and General Services Department through the Resource Management Division, shall take the lead in developing energy saving programs and help other city agencies with energy programs and policies. Programs and activities should be coordinated through the Parks and General Services Department where possible and then integrated into budgets of the appropriate city departments with assistance and concurrence from the Department of Finance and Management. The city shall consider public and private benefits in terms of energy savings and cost savings.
(2) The Energy Conservation Council shall advise the Mayor and City Council on the city's energy policies and programs and will monitor the progress toward the goal on a regular basis in conjunction with the city's Energy Conservation Goals Committee.
(3) The energy policies will be reviewed and revised as needed, according to the advice and recommendations of the Mayor, City County, and/or Energy Conservation Council.
(4) Strategies.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Establish a community energy database to assist with implementation of Energy Strategy programs by influencing decisions made by builders, commuters, businesses, and residents.
2. Identify and implement one cost-effective demonstration project that translates to the private sector.
3. Solicit outside funding sources for energy efficiency projects to leverage City funds.
4. Participate in and report semi-annually the New Mexico Public Service Commission's efforts to induce Integrated Resource Planning to determine optimal methods of obtaining electricity supplies.
5. Review and update the Energy Policies and Strategies every two years.
6. Establish a method of converting streetlights to high pressure sodium bulbs on a larger scale than is currently being achieved.
(b) Fiscal years 1995-1997.
1. Support state of New Mexico efforts to provide energy education and energy assistance among local government, state agencies, utilities, and other public and private entities.
2. Investigate opportunities to finance municipal activities through utility franchise agreements.
3. Prepare 5-year evaluation of Energy Policies in terms of progress toward the goal of reducing per capita energy consumption by 10%.
(B) Energy efficiency in city buildings.
(1) The city shall support energy efficiency projects of municipal operations where life cycle costing supports the expenditure as cost-effective.
(2) Strategies.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Determine costs involved with participation in U.S. EPA's Greenlights program to increase lighting efficiencies in city facilities.
2. Compile comprehensive energy use data for municipal facilities and review administrative instructions to establish clear energy use guidelines in buildings.
3. Enhance the enforcement of the Life Cycle Costing Ordinance and distribute a manual to architects and engineers who design new and remodelled facilities for the city.
4. Develop an energy efficiency improvements plan for selected city facilities as part of the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Decade Plan.
5. Identify applications for co-generation, self-generation, solar absorption air conditioning, renewable energy, and energy savings/performance contracting.
6. Compile a list of the most cost-effective energy efficient construction practices, particularly natural lighting and other solar elements, that could be included in a code for municipal buildings.
7. a. Explore the feasibility of purchasing energy services and/or supplies from energy management service companies and independent power producers. This would apply to energy savings or performance contracts and projects involving co-generation and self-generation.
b. Establish appropriate payback criteria for energy efficiency projects funded by: general fund; enterprise funds (rates); general obligation bonds; and revenue bonds.
8. Establish an In-House Energy Management Committee to achieve and coordinate all energy efficiency improvements to facilities submitted to the Capital Improvement Program and to control energy consumption in operations.
(b) Fiscal years 1995-1997.
1. Obtain a 10% energy reduction in city facilities in five years.
2. Develop justification for the creation of an Energy Savings Payback Fund to support an on-going energy management program to make continual energy efficiency improvements to municipal facilities.
(C) Energy efficiency in residential/commercial buildings and land use.
(1) The city shall encourage cost-effective energy savings in residential and commercial buildings, and associated development, by helping to develop or participate in federal, state and local programs, and modifying local building codes and land use zoning regulations towards that end.
(2) Strategies.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Develop a coalition of professional, technical and environmental organizations, builders, developers, lenders and city staff to evaluate and demonstrate the effectiveness of solar and energy conservation measures in affordable housing projects and to offer an amendment to the Building Code encouraging the most cost-effective energy efficiency and solar measures.
2. Evaluate Home Energy Rating Systems (HERS), and implement a program for the Albuquerque area with cooperation from local realtors and mortgage lenders.
3. Determine and report on method(s) through franchised utilities to effect Demand Side Management, or energy efficiency programs and track their effectiveness.
4. Review sidewalk improvement/expansion requirements and ordinances to facilitate pedestrian use and allow public funding of sidewalks.
5. Demonstrate the energy and land use connection. As part of the community identity/sub-areas planning effort, designate one area as a demonstration project for energy-efficient buildings and transportation alternatives.
6. Identify infill opportunities by planning sub-areas and identify specific parcels within the sub-areas for possible rezoning or recommended energy-efficient project designs.
7. Establish requirements for bicycle, pedestrian paths, and park-and-ride criteria in new development permits.
(b) Fiscal years 1994-1997.
1. Construct at least ten miles per year of additional commuter bicycle/pedestrian paths with associated parking and bicycle lockers.
2. Establish an economic development infrastructure plan to promote energy efficiency in commercial, industrial, and residential developments.
3. Develop criteria for adopting a mandatory energy retrofit program on resale and rental properties.
(D) Energy efficient transportation.
(1) The city shall develop incentives for more energy efficient transportation modes and support activities to reduce gasoline and diesel fuel consumption throughout the community. The city shall do this primarily through promotion of alternatives to the private vehicle; where necessary, the city will also make the use of streets by private vehicles more energy-efficient.
(2) Strategies - High occupancy mobility.
(a) Fiscal year 1993-1994.
1. Expand transit service by providing a variety of transit user inducements including new routes, reduced headways, additional express service, fare reductions, free-fare zones, increased service hours, etc.
2. Promote greater transit ridership through an aggressive, on-going marketing and advertising campaign.
3. Promote increased ridership through enhanced service reliability, quality, and convenience through bus shelters, benches, and on-board rider amenities.
4. Expand efforts to support carpooling, ride sharing, and other high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) programs through various inducements such as employer subsidized parking fees, auto insurance, or auto maintenance allowances.
5. Develop a Downtown Core Parking Policy to balance redevelopment and parking requirements.
(b) Fiscal year 1995-1997.
1. Develop high capacity corridors by constructing and converting arterials to provide for priority HOV lanes and other such improvements.
(3) Strategies - Alternate mobility.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Expand efforts to develop facilities designated on the Bikeways Master Plan, such as bike lanes, trails, and crossings.
2. Provide bicycle user incentives, such as lockers, bus carrier racks, and the elimination of barriers, including policy barriers to bicycle users.
3. Expand efforts to develop pedestrian facilities, such as sidewalks and pedestrian trails and crossings.
(4) Strategies - Trip reduction.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Develop a city-wide policy for telecommuting for internal applications and promote the concept throughout the community. Demonstrate through a pilot project.
2. Work with employers on trip reduction strategies for employees and customers, and to establish day-care services within or in proximity to places of employment.
(b) Fiscal years 1995-1997.
1. Study auto facility pricing methods to reduce rush-hour travel, as well as the number of single occupant autos using street facilities, methods such as increased gas taxes, tolls, parking fees, and other congestion management measures.
2. Continue to support efforts to establish a rail link between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
(5) Strategies - Vehicle efficiency.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Support efforts to offer tax or purchase rebate incentives for vehicles having an EPA, city-average fuel economy of 20 miles per gallon or better.
2. Expand, where appropriate, efforts to convert the municipal fleet from gasoline and diesel to compressed natural gas, electricity, and other alternative fuels.
3. Develop criteria for replacing municipal vehicles with those designed to consume alternative fuels.
(b) Fiscal years 1995-1997.
1. Support state and national efforts to increase vehicle efficiencies and provide inducements for the production of vehicle engines designed to consume alternative fuels.
(6) Strategies - Roadway efficiency.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Improve the system efficiency of the urban street network by reducing vehicle delay and out-of-direction travel. The types of projects involved include major intersection reconstruction, lane additions to arterials, and construction of new arterial roadways. Coordinate this through the Transportation Improvement Program to achieve a balance between high occupancy/alternate mobility and expansion projects. Priority will be given to road projects which support the city's goal of alternate modes of transportation and/or which are in high air pollution locations.
(b) Fiscal years 1995-1997.
1. Provide a smoother, more fuel-efficient surface for arterial and collector streets. Make this a high priority to the Transportation Improvement Program.
2. Implement a variety of roadway efficiency measures, such as the addition of left-turn lanes, signal coordination upgrades, bus bays and other congestion mitigation.
3. Consider the feasibility of making expressway/access management improvements such as upgrading existing arterials, within existing rights-of-way, and through measures such as limiting access to connecting cross-streets, including grade-separating facilities.
4. Promote and provide the opportunity for greater use of flextime, staggered work hours, and compressed work-week programs on a community-wide basis.
(E) Energy consumer education.
(1) The City shall encourage energy conservation and efficiency in the community through assertive, specifically targeted, education programs to develop a broad based energy awareness.
(2) Strategies.
(a) Fiscal years 1993-1994.
1. Determine consumer priorities and the level of public awareness of energy conservation measures through a needs survey or from existing state or regional information.
2. Increase public awareness on energy conservation and efficiency and renewable energy uses through displays, workshops and media publicity.
3. Develop and distribute an energy consumer guide listing the most cost-effective energy actions and energy-efficient appliances and where and how to obtain the products and/or services. Coordinate with utilities as a measured demand side management activity.
4. Conduct targeted workshops for citizens, realtors, buildings and designers on cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies and proposed city initiatives such as the community identity program promoting infill development.
(b) Fiscal year 1995-1997.
1. Develop a coalition and infrastructure to promote Albuquerque as an energy-efficient and environmentally clean city in order to increase economic development.
(Res. 14-1994, approved 1-26-94)