tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45514802711919649262024-03-13T09:49:39.382-07:00ECOASSET SOLUTIONSPROVIDING RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS THAT PROVE THE VALUE OF SUSTAINABILITYEcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-89009183471629914702012-03-26T12:15:00.001-07:002012-03-26T12:15:26.642-07:00The 2012 Proxy Preview from <a href="http://www.asyousow.com/">http://www.asyousow.com/</a> has been published. <br />
We see shareholders increasing their pressure on public companies to report not only their own sustainable actions (carbon, water, diversity, etc) , but that of their supply chain as well. The ball is rolling, and the time to prepare for supplier sustainability surveys is now. A wisely-paced, well thought out plan to sustainability will put you in the driver's seat. Plus, sustainably-focused companies economically outperform those who are not through competitive advantage, profitability, and increased brand awareness. There simply are no excuses to wait any longer.<br />
Janet Harrison<br />
<br />
34% of shareholder proposals filed were for actions surrounding Environment/Sustainability.<br />
27% of primary filers were from Socially Responsible Investors (SRI’s).<br />
27% of primary filers were from Pension Funds.<br />
<br />
The top leading mentions within specific sustainability requests were:<br />
• Vendor Standards<br />
• GhG Goals/Disclosure<br />
•Water<br />
Some good take-aways:<br />
<br />
• Proposals that ask companies to issue broad sustainability reports that cover a range of issues advocates otherwise bring up on their own have become standard fare in proxy season. They tend to get high levels of support.<br />
<br />
• Consistent with Peter Drucker’s belief that “what gets measured gets managed,” the goal is to push sustainability reporting—which is becoming standard practice among major publicly-traded corporations—into the global supply chain.<br />
• A proposal remains pending at Dell and Motorola Solutions. It asks them to use “a phased, tiered approach” to take the necessary steps to help move the Company’s supplier(s) to begin publishing annual, independently verifiable, sustainability reports. Since October, Apple and HP have also agreed to substantially adopt the proposal. Proposal is expected to be filed at more companies in the future.<br />
<br />
• Microsoft will publicly post suppliers’ reports on its website, although suppliers can opt out of this disclosure. <br />EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-87931166450651730282012-03-12T11:10:00.001-07:002012-03-12T11:10:13.548-07:00<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Join EcoAsset Solutions as we present 'Building the Business Case for Sustainability', March 22, The Tampa Club, 11:30am-1pm. </span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recognizing the importance of sustainability as a business practice, organizations are compelled by internal and external forces to take action. Whether responding to a sustainable supply chain survey or acting on the recommendations of their Green Team, many firms struggle with identifying appropriate initiatives and measuring the true impact of their efforts. Learn how organizations are realizing true financial, social and environmental returns, while fostering employee engagement through the achievement of their sustainability performance goals. $16 members, $20 guests</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To register: call 813 229 6028 or email rsvp@thetampaclub.com</span><br />
<br />
<br />EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-65699843903221769522012-03-06T12:27:00.001-08:002012-03-06T12:28:11.239-08:00Implementing a Climate Action Plan Recommendation<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are all well aware of the increasing gas prices (27 consecutive days of increased pricing). After starting my hour long commute with
a stop at the gas station only to rush into traffic with everyone else that is
making the journey to downtown Tampa. I begin to look at all of the
vehicles around me and 99% of us are all driving solo. I have been making this
commute for over a year, and I recognize many of the same vehicles and their
bumper stickers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have looked into commuting options before, and found
one option that seemed more like a journey than a commute to work, it consisted
of me riding my bicycle to the bus stop and then taking two different buses to
finally end up ½ a mile from my office 2 hours later. A total of 4 hours a day
commuting was not feasible option for me. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However during my commute today I remembered a Climate Action Plan recommendation that EcoAsset’s made to a municipality to increase participation in their existing rideshare program that had a very low participation rate. The rideshare
program is a way to connect you with others that live and work close to you and have the
same work schedule, which would be an ideal carpool situation. Rideshare is a great way to reduce the number of vehicles on the road and greenhouse gas emissions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today I found out that the Tampa Bay area also has a rideshare program, <a href="http://www.tampabayrideshare.org/carpool.html"><span style="color: blue;">TBARTA</span></a></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://./">.</a>
I signed up today and hope you do too. Maybe next week there will be one less
car sitting in the rush hour gridlock.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Best,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mackenzie</span></div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-55492407100512806242012-02-27T08:44:00.001-08:002012-02-27T08:44:14.780-08:00PACE Presentation to Space Coast Energy SymposiumLast week I presented at the Space Coast Energy Symposium over in Cocoa, FL. Their group put on an excellent event and I enjoyed my panel on PACE and energy finance. I wanted to give a quick recap on what I discussed.<br />
<br />
EcoAsset Solutions formed a new company in Florida called Ygrene Energy Fund Florida which is headquartered in Tampa. Our company provides a turnkey third party administration service for local governments in Florida that want to design, implement, finance and administer a PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program in their commmunity.<br />
<br />
PACE is an important financing tool for critical property improvements with significant financial benefit . Our solution makes PACE affordable and convenient and it's ready to go and fully funded on Day 1. That's the Ygrene difference.<br />
<br />
If your community is interested in a Ygrene PACE program, one general action step you can take is to convene your local property owners (commercial and/or residential), contractors, and government staff and officials and engage them in a dialgoue about PACE that Ygrene facilitates in what we call a PACE workshop.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, the benefit is simple. First, FAMILIES that benefit from the JOBS that are created are the clear winners with PACE. In addition to that, there are enormous environmental benefits, energy savings benefits and the local government will generate new revenues from taxes on product and service sales as well as other revenue.<br />
<br />
Finally, if you'd like to learn more about the Miami Green Corridor PACE program that we are launching, please post a comment that I can respond to. You can also visit <a href="http://www.cleanenergymiami.com/">www.cleanenergymiami.com</a>. <br />
<br />
If you'd like to know what the best practices are for launching PACE in Florida and you need to have a plan of action on what to do next, please post a comment or contact me directly at <a href="mailto:jwakefield@ecoassetsolutions.com">jwakefield@ecoassetsolutions.com</a>.<br />
<br />
All the best,<br />
<br />
JWEcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-63210726634100370842012-02-17T14:24:00.000-08:002012-02-17T14:24:07.831-08:00Countdown to the 2012 Sustainable Business Awards<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a year of planning, my co-chair, Herb Goetschius, and I have reached the one week countdown to the <a href="http://earthcharterus.org/programs/sustainable-business-coalition/sustainable-business-awards/previous-ecus-sustainable-business-award-winners/">2012
Sustainable Business Awards</a> on February 24<sup>th</sup>. Since 2008,
Earth Charter US has teamed up with MBA students at The University of Tampa
College of Business to honor the most sustainably-focused corporations
operating in the Tampa Bay area. They range in size from global
corporations to firms with just a few employees, but their approach to
sustainability- as a business practice- is their guiding principle and common
foundation. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This year we will have a few special guests, including City
of Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn , City of Tampa Green Officer, Thom Snelling, and
our emcee, Terry Tomalin, Outdoor/Fitness Editor of The Tampa Bay Times.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I first met with Terry about the luncheon, he gave me
an interesting perspective on sustainability in our area: If you don’t
participate in activities based in our natural resources (fishing, swimming,
etc) you can’t appreciate the fragility of those resources. He is an avid
paddle boarder and founder of the <a href="http://tampabayfrogman.com/">Tampa
Bay Frogman</a>, an annual swim across Tampa Bay held in January benefitting
the Navy SEAL Foundation. While swimming and paddling in our surrounding
waters, Terry sees first-hand the effects of litter and pollutants in our
water. As economically focused as I personally tend to be, I am glad to
have Terry’s perspective and hope this leads to some cross bay paddles with our
area business leaders - just not in January!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter (@ecoassets,
@janet_harrison) and check out Terry’s new book, <i>Everyday Adventures, A
Florida Outdoors Guide</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Janet Harrison<o:p></o:p></div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-25524852348769336722012-02-06T12:07:00.000-08:002012-02-06T12:07:08.873-08:00Engage Your Employees In Sustainability With SuMo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OHZq4dzGabU/TzAGszx5waI/AAAAAAAAANw/zruzjLI7GzQ/s1600/SuMo+Logo.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="104" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OHZq4dzGabU/TzAGszx5waI/AAAAAAAAANw/zruzjLI7GzQ/s320/SuMo+Logo.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
A recent Ernst & Young survey found that <b>Employees</b> were ranked as the 2nd most important stakeholder group (customers being #1) for a company's sustainability programs and reporting efforts.Yet, we continue to hear from organizations that they struggle with effectively involving their entire employee base beyond the typical Green Team volunteers. So, we are very excited to introduce what we believe is a simple yet powerful solution - SuMo !<br />
<br />
SuMo, short for Sustainability Momentum, is a desktop application (widget) that connects your employees with your organization's sustainability goals. Sitting on every employee's desktop, SuMo allows your employees to:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>learn about your organization's sustainability vision and goals</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>see their up-to-the-minute individual and group carbon performance</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>receive practical suggestions for improvement</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>communicate their feedback via the power of "crowdsourcing" or more specifically "crowdvoting" to promote or demote ideas created by others in the organization. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LU5oyL7EiPc/TzAu-6rgivI/AAAAAAAAAOE/cMhnG3rOkSc/s1600/SuMo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LU5oyL7EiPc/TzAu-6rgivI/AAAAAAAAAOE/cMhnG3rOkSc/s320/SuMo.png" width="267" /></a></div>
<br />
Take a few minutes to watch this introductory video on SuMo and let us know if you would like to see a live demo.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/oviNLgx0qyg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
John Ferrari<br />
EcoAsset Solutions<br />
jferrari@ecoassetsolutions.com<br />
<br />
<br />EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-15696482195708356812012-01-30T09:43:00.000-08:002012-01-30T09:43:32.281-08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Each year, I attempt to gain a new skill or certification, so for this year I recently began a permaculture
design certification (PDC) course through the Permaculture Guild in Clearwater,
Florida. My passion has always been related to sustainable living and I am
fortunate to have a career that is directly related to that passion. As I sat
in my first class last weekend, I was amazed how someone so involved with and interested
in sustainability could know so little about this amazing solution. It became
clear to me rather quickly that permaculture hits on all issues such
as energy, water, waste, land use, community, food production, and
transportation (food related transportation and food miles), human health, and
more. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Permaculture means permanent agriculture or permanent
culture. It is the science and art of designing systems to be regenerative, not
just sustainable. Sustainable is not necessarily all that great. Since we as a
species are involved with so many degenerative activities, we need to become
dedicated to regenerative efforts. Designing permaculture gardens or food
forests goes beyond organic which only requires that no chemicals such as
fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides are used. Organic farming can
still be a water intensive operation of row crops. Permaculture design
integrates primarily edible plants that serve many different purposes such as
nitrogen fixation that removes the need for fertilizer, plants that attract the
right type of insects and repel the unwanted ones. The main point is to have a vertically
stacked, multipurpose, and biodiverse “forest” of food that is stable within a short time
meaning no water (besides rainfall), or chemicals need to be brought into the
system. Similarly, no energy, water or waste should leave the system, meaning
composting and rain harvesting are essential. In an established forest (about 3
years), a general rule of thumb is that if you are spending more than 3 days in
your garden, something is wrong. That time is usually spent harvesting your yield.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the average food in the grocery store traveling 1,500
miles, by the time it reaches your plate it is full of harmful chemicals and
most of its nutrients and biological enzymes dead. With permaculture,
communities can become self sufficient and produce many other benefits:</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">food security</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">chemical use</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">energy production through</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">removal of organic waste from the waste stream</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">energy production from anaerobic digestion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">hot water production from compost heat</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">rebuilding of soil</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
These are just to name a few. The best part is this solution
is scalable, applicable to any environment or location, and can be part of
other operations such as aquaculture, energy generation, and hot water
production. Although there is too much to write about in this one blog, I encourage
everyone to look beyond xeriscaping and integrate even simple parts of permaculture into
your life, even if it is just beginning to compost properly or beginning a worm
bin! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Resham Shirsat</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sustainability Manager, EcoAsset Solutions</div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-76479489608624298382012-01-04T14:41:00.000-08:002012-01-04T14:41:08.243-08:00Join us in our pursuit of doing the right thing for those that have a stake in the future of how we do business today. <br />
<br />
Happy New Year everyone!<br />
<br />
Our team is really fired up for 2012 and our BLOG is going to be a big part of it. We will be posting regularly and encourage followers to post comments and help us keep the blog content fresh and cutting edge. Our team is specialized, passionate and dedicated and you will come to know that for yourself as you read blogs from all of our professionals. <br />
<br />
As you can tell from my blog title, my prediction is that 2012 will be the Year of the EcoAsset. <br />
<br />
What do I mean by that? It's rooted in the EcoAsset Solutions TradeMarked definition of SUSTAINABILITY. <br />
<br />
<strong>sus•tain•a•bil•i•ty - noun - a business management practice that generates high performance and financial returns by placing managerial priority on natural resource impact, employee well-being and the communities served.</strong><br />
<br />
In the Year of the EcoAsset, organizations (both public and private) will recognize that <a href="http://ecoassetsolutions.com/">EcoAssets</a> are an untapped source of economic benefit.<br />
<br />
BUT, it will require one very important, yet simple, action on the part of an organization's c-suite or executive management. Sustainability value starts and stops with DATA! and the implementation of a <a href="http://ecoassetsolutions.com/services-2/outsourced-sustainability-solutions/management-performance-reporting/">Sustainability Performance Management System</a>. And folks, I am here to tell you that Excel spreadsheets will not do the trick.<br />
<br />
Your Sustainability Performance Management System needs to be cloud-based so that it is dynamic enough to render valuable results. (...said another way,...your people need to be able to use the valuable data about your organization to generate value from it). I know, we think of everything.<br />
<br />
Our cloud-based Sustainability Performance Management System allows your key people such as - sales and marketing representatives, operational managers and human resource staff - to leverage your investments in sustainability and the related data to their advantage. Excel is simply too limiting if you're looking for valuable results...and I know that's what everyone is after, especially these days.<br />
<br />
Our approach is critical for achieving measurable results that make a difference for your organization, such as:<br />
<br />
• Creating financial gains through competitive differentiation<br />
• Reducing costs and increasing efficiencies<br />
• Decreasing consumption of natural resources<br />
• Accelerating stakeholder engagement<br />
• Attracting and retaining top talent<br />
<br />
Make a New Year's resolution. Move your Excel based sustainability data into the cloud. We will make it affordable, painless and convenient. All you will have to do is realize the value from sustainability. <br />
<br />
Join us in our pursuit of doing the right thing for those that have a stake in the future of how we do business today.<br />
All the best,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
John Wakefield<br />
<br />
President & COO<br />
<br />
EcoAsset Solutions<br />
<br />EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-18264405461278443532011-04-22T08:57:00.000-07:002011-05-02T06:23:07.765-07:00Bringing Sustainability to Healthcare Providers and Hospitals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X9nH6-KhsYg/TbGkcLSy0NI/AAAAAAAAAM0/1Qmlk6KFBJo/s1600/the-hallmark-main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X9nH6-KhsYg/TbGkcLSy0NI/AAAAAAAAAM0/1Qmlk6KFBJo/s320/the-hallmark-main.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The healthcare sector has significant untapped potential to realize economic, environmental and social value by investing in sustainability. <br />
<br />
<div class="bod12pt">According to the <a href="http://www.healthierhospitals.org/">Healthier Hospitals Initiative</a>, the healthcare sector uses:</div><ul><li class="bod12pt">836 trillion Btu of energy annually, costing $6.5 billion each year;</li>
<li class="bod12pt">Between 68,750 to 298,013 gallons of water annually (for hospitals with a range of 133-510 beds); and</li>
<li class="bod12pt">Generate 6,660 tons of waste per day, costing $15 billion each year for solid waste disposal alone</li>
</ul><br />
EcoAsset Solutions has adapted our <a href="http://www.ecoassetsolutions.com/sustainability_consulting.php">Sustainability Management System approach</a> to serve a variety of clients on sustainability initiatives, including local governments, small and medium sized businesses, and community colleges. We have customized our solution for hospitals and medical facilities and structured a partnership with <a href="http://www.cti-usf.com/about-us/our-team/mohamad-s-kasti/">Mohamad Kasti</a> (Chief Transformation Officer) and the <a href="http://www.cti-usf.com/">USF Health - Center for Transformation and Innovation</a> (CTI) to deliver deeper value and expertise. USF CTI helps healthcare organizations transform themselves through strategy, leadership and innovation.<br />
<br />
"This partnership is s natural offering under our innovation institute, whose mission is to help healthcare organizations translate innovative solutions from other industries to reduce cost, improve quality and increase patient satisfaction," said Mohamad Kasti, Chief Transformation Officer at USF Health-CTI. "EcoAsset Solutions is a leader in this domain and we are excited to join our efforts."<br />
<br />
Visit our <a href="http://www.ecoassetsolutions.com/healthcare_and_hospital_sustainability.php">website</a> for more information or contact us directly at <a href="mailto:info@ecoassetsolutions.com">info@ecoassetsolutions.com</a>.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-18056493214036244702011-04-15T14:51:00.000-07:002011-04-15T14:51:01.312-07:00Solar rebates are going quick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pap8UnkYyo4/Tai70arJUBI/AAAAAAAAAMs/wmoNe7p5K9A/s1600/draft_lens5690282module44193952photo_1246739944futer_of_solar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pap8UnkYyo4/Tai70arJUBI/AAAAAAAAAMs/wmoNe7p5K9A/s1600/draft_lens5690282module44193952photo_1246739944futer_of_solar.png" /></a></div><br />
Some big electric utilities in Florida (i.e., Progress Energy, TECO and FPL) started offering solar rebates to residential and commercial customers in 2010 and people are lining up. Progress Energy's 2010 rebate program sold out in the first few hours of the first day and TECO's rebate program is expected to sell out in the first hour. The programs are not advertised by the utility companies until the day of, which makes it hard for homeowners and business owners to take advantage of the great opportunity. <br />
<br />
The rebates are for $2/watt and when combined with the <a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=US02F&re=0&ee=1">30% federal tax credit</a>, 100% accelerated depreciation allowance, and annual energy savings, you can pay off your system in 1 year and cut your energy bill for the next 25 years. <br />
<br />
The best way to get ahead of the curve is to contact your local solar contractor and they will keep you informed of the next application period.<br />
<br />
If you missed your chance in 2010, don't despair. The utilities will continue to offer the program on an annual basis through 2014. <br />
<br />
More information on Florida solar rebate programs:<br />
<a href="http://progress-energy.com/aboutus/news/article.asp?id=25802">Progress Energy</a><br />
<a href="http://www.tampaelectric.com/environmental/renewableenergy/">TECO </a>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-46825378431985038572010-10-30T04:37:00.000-07:002010-10-30T04:37:05.385-07:00St. Lucie County's Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) Becoming a RealityDespite the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/business/energy-environment/01solar.html">national halt</a> of energy finance programs, St. Lucie County is forging ahead with the <a href="http://www.stlucieco.gov/ed/empower.htm">Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF)</a>. The program has $18-20 million in funding, most of which are being delivered by local banks. Unlike most private-backed Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs being proposed across the nation, the SELF will be administered by a non-profit organization known as a <a href="http://www.cdfifund.gov/what_we_do/programs_id.asp?programid=7">Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)</a>. The benefit of this approach is that energy finance loans can be offered at a very low interest rate and will target low and moderate income residents. Commissioner <a href="http://www.stlucieco.gov/bocc_district_2.htm">Doug Coward</a> has been the visionary behind the St. Lucie "<a href="http://www.stlucieco.gov/pdfs/Green_CDFI-Coward.pdf">Green CDFI</a>" model that is the first of its kind in the nation. <br />
<br />
Many other cities and counties are considering energy finance programs in Florida. Leon County is currently in the pilot testing stage of the <a href="http://www.leoncountyfl.gov/growinggreen/docs/NR_Modified10-21-10_LEAPkickoff_final.pdf">Leon Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)</a>. This program will provide energy audits and low interest loans to 100 residents and assess the demand for a full-scale energy finance program.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-6252449562298824292010-06-14T13:32:00.000-07:002010-06-15T08:09:45.077-07:00Colorado: The New Model for Second Generation PACE programsFinally someone recognizes the inefficiency of each county or city implementing and administering its own clean energy finance program. Last Friday, the State of Colorado passed <a href="http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2010a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/CFC9C14941AD7A8E872576BF005A7C63?open&file=1328_enr.pdf">House Bill 1328</a> to establish a New Energy Improvement District that will promote and finance county PACE programs across the state. A county just needs to opt in to join the district.<br />
<br />
The legislation was developed to prevent the current inefficient model of PACE programs, in which individual counties and cities are responsible for each going through the steps to establish their own special districts and financing. The process of reinventing the wheel is no longer necessary after multiple states launched the first generation of energy financing programs in Berkeley, CA, Sonoma County, CA, Palm Desert, CA and Boulder County, CO. California, the birthplace of the PACE financing concept and the state that has the most aggressive in turning PACE legislation into action, has been moving toward this model after a number of counties and cities piloted their own programs. <br />
<br />
The Colorado legislation will allow for up to $800 million in bonds to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The main limitation is that the program will only cover residential energy improvements. Colorado's previous clean energy financing legislation still allows for counties to establish special districts to finance both energy projects for residential and commercial properties.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-90649346120138268502010-06-03T06:09:00.000-07:002010-06-03T06:10:27.420-07:00Floridians Are Demanding Renewable Energy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/TAemj7ccdiI/AAAAAAAAALs/5VvqNe9r0Q8/s1600/solar-roof-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/TAemj7ccdiI/AAAAAAAAALs/5VvqNe9r0Q8/s320/solar-roof-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) released <a href="http://www.psc.state.fl.us/home/news/index.aspx?id=664">statistics</a> early last week showing that 1,590 customers owned renewable energy systems in 2009, a three fold increase from 2008. A majority of the systems were solar photovoltaic panels though notably there were eight customers with wind turbines and one with an anaerobic digester. For an example of anaerobic digestion being used in FL, check out Sigarca's <a href="http://www.sigarca.com/Applications.html">project </a>in Ocala, FL. In total, FL customers contributed 13 MW of renewable energy to the state in 2009, a small number at first but a relatively large jump from 2008. The PSC cites policy as the main reason why more customers are buying into renewable power, including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_metering">net metering programs</a> and expedited interconnection agreements with Florida utilities. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/TAepufI3HVI/AAAAAAAAAL4/MYioip5mjUY/s1600/renewablechart1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="98" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/TAepufI3HVI/AAAAAAAAAL4/MYioip5mjUY/s400/renewablechart1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The study didn't cite which cities and counties most of the projects are based. This would be valuable information to understand which local policies are more effective at encouraging renewable energy system installation. Another factor the PSC failed to mention was the influence of state subsidies on the purchase of solar panels. We will have to wait for 2010 statistics to see if numbers change without solar incentives. The recent <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_623153640">PACE legislation (HB 7179</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_623153640">)</a><a href="http://ecoassetsolutions.blogspot.com/2010/06/dawn-of-energy-efficient-florida.html"> </a>passed by Florida in late May will not have any effect on renewable energy systems this year. While many cities and counties are interested in establishing energy loan programs, many are not likely to launch until late 2010 or early 2011.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-61415677836079385682010-06-01T16:27:00.000-07:002010-06-03T06:14:58.448-07:00The Dawn of an Energy Efficient Florida<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/TAWYCUmmaSI/AAAAAAAAALQ/daRWEv16f3g/s1600/moneyhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/TAWYCUmmaSI/AAAAAAAAALQ/daRWEv16f3g/s320/moneyhouse.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Are your energy bills off the charts? Can't afford those new solar panels for your home? Florida's newest law will give you the tools to do something about it.<br />
<br />
Last week, Florida Governor Charlie Crist signed <a href="http://myfloridahouse.com/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7179er.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7179&Session=2010">HB 7179 </a>into law, making Florida the latest state to authorize Property Assessed Clean Energy or PACE. Under HB 7179, property owners can apply for funding and enter into financing agreements with local governments to finance energy and hurricane hardening improvements. The local government has permission to collect the borrowed funds from property owners through non-ad valorem assessments. The financing mechanism removes the upfront costs for property owners to invest in improvements that can reduce energy and insurance costs.<br />
<br />
These improvements fall into three categories and apply to residential, commercial and industrial properties:<br />
<ol><li>Energy Efficiency Improvements</li>
<li>Renewable Energy Systems</li>
<li>Wind Resistance Improvements </li>
</ol><br />
The bill passed through the House and Senate with little opposition and opens up the potential for many Florida cities and counties to launch energy finance programs. A program offers benefits across many diverse groups:<br />
<br />
1) <b>Local government</b>: Mechanism to create jobs in the construction industry and meet sustainability objectives without commiting general fund dollars on an ongoing basis.<br />
<br />
2) <b>Property Owners</b>: Potential increase in cash flow as a result of energy savings and lowers risk by hedging against rising energy prices.<br />
<br />
3) <b> Utilities</b>: Tool to achieve demand side management goals and reduce emissions.<br />
<br />
4) <b>Contractors</b>: Increased market demand for services, increase in revenue and ensures a reliable payment source.<br />
<br />
<span class="status">3HHYP3656R8F </span>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-74775318547562410652010-05-26T06:59:00.000-07:002010-06-15T08:10:38.768-07:00Georgia passes Energy Finance legislation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S_0nJBA768I/AAAAAAAAALE/lsH1CWeT8Ng/s1600/georgia2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S_0nJBA768I/AAAAAAAAALE/lsH1CWeT8Ng/s320/georgia2.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Another Southeastern State jumped on the <a href="http://www.pacenow.org/">PACE </a>train last week. On May 20, 2010, Georgia Governor <a href="http://gov.georgia.gov/00/channel_modifieddate/0,2096,78006749_98067483,00.html">Sonny Perdue</a> signed bill <a href="http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/fulltext/hb1388.htm">HB 1388</a> into law. <br />
<br />
The bill authorizes "The provision of financing to property owners for the purpose of installing or modifying improvements to their property in order to reduce the energy or water consumption on such property or to install an improvement to such property that produces energy from renewable resources." The financing will come through local development authorities and can be applied to industrial, commercial, business, office, parking, and public facilities.<br />
<br />
There has been little press coverage so far on the bill (see <a href="http://mygreenatl.com/2010/05/24/perdue-signs-pace-energy-financing-bill/">here</a>). We will be following the details in the upcoming months and will be sure to provide any updates on our blog.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-45811697606226521492010-05-26T06:12:00.000-07:002010-05-26T07:13:33.109-07:00Video: PACE Explained SimplyGreat simple explanation of how Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) works.<br />
<br />
<object height="240" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qqg9wYkjNAM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&hd=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qqg9wYkjNAM&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x006699&color2=0x54abd6&hd=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="300" height="240"></embed></object>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-60158977175932491092010-05-19T09:09:00.000-07:002010-05-19T09:23:51.328-07:00Video: Lee County PACE News StoryThe video is a little misleading since it only focuses on solar energy technology projects. PACE will also allow loans for energy efficiency and wind resistance improvement projects. Property owners would be far more likely to participate in these programs if Florida allocates more money to the <a href="http://www.myfloridaclimate.com/climate_quick_links/florida_energy_climate_commission/state_energy_initiatives/solar_rebate_program">solar rebate program</a> that is currently oversubscribed. For the latest copy of the PACE bill HB 7179, go <a href="http://www.flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/view_page.pl?Tab=session&Submenu=1&FT=D&File=hb717905er.html&Directory=session/2010/House/bills/billtext/html/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.abc-7.com/global/video/videoplayer.js?rnd=524875;hostDomain=www.abc-7.com;playerWidth=300;playerHeight=240;isShowIcon=true;clipId=4793739;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=null;enableAds=false;landingPage=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.abc-7.com%252Fglobal%252Fcategory.asp%253Fc%253D170963;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript" type="text/javascript">
A
</script>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-83532342682358695452010-03-02T15:08:00.000-08:002010-03-19T14:55:12.345-07:00San Francisco launches nation's largest PACE programSan Francisco is following Berkeley's lead and will launch the biggest PACE program in the nation (<a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/02/10/san-francisco-launches-nations-largest-pace-program">article</a>). Beginning on March 1, 2010, a total of $150 million in loans will be made available to the city's property owners for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation improvements. This program expands upon the <a href="http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/berkeley-to-launch-solar-financing-program-1465/">Berkeley PACE program</a>, a pilot study in 2008 that dedicated $1.5 million in loans for solar panel installations.<br />
<br />
For the program to really work in San Francisco, it will have to prioritize energy efficiency improvements before renewable energy projects. What's the benefit of generating renewable energy when your HVAC system is old and inefficient, your windows have leaks, and your house lacks insulation? The energy produced and the cost savings generated will be quickly lost.<br />
<br />
Ultimately, these energy efficiency retrofits are more economical and have a far quicker payback than renewable energy technologies. Dr. Jones really hit on this critical point in his last post when he said <i>municipalities need to focus on those high impact retrofits that pay dividends quickly</i>. Setting up a system that focuses on the quick paybacks has the added bonus of encouraging more property owners to participate in the program, which results in more energy reduction. The way I look at it is...every kilowatt we can save is a step in the right direction.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-30489729493738892582010-03-01T10:14:00.001-08:002010-03-03T05:44:25.302-08:00It seems so straight forwardBy <a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/staff/jones_pierce.shtml">Pierce Jones</a><br />
<br />
Energy Finance District (EFD) and Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs facilitate low interest loans for residential energy efficiency retrofits and renewable energy systems that decrease a homeowner’s utility bills. But the loan has to be repaid. Paul D’Arelli made an excellent point in his <a href="http://ecoassetsolutions.blogspot.com/2010/02/florida-opportunity-for-new-paradigm-in.html">posting </a>last week. He said that to ensure the long-term success of their EFD (or PACE) programs, local governments should develop those programs such that property owners are likely to realize energy savings sufficient to offset the cost of their new assessments. I think it’s critically important that homeowners not find themselves upside down in their EFD loans.<br />
<br />
Like many utility-operated <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_demand_management">demand side management (DSM) programs</a>, a basic residential energy efficiency retrofit loan program could cover a range of upgrades including: weather-stripping, caulking, duct leakage repair, attic insulation, hot water system upgrade, some windows and some HVAC upgrades. Using <a href="http://www.energygauge.com/usares/">Energy Gauge® software</a>, we calculate that for a somewhat energy inefficient house, the energy savings from these type upgrades should be from 30-40%. For a somewhat energy inefficient 2,000 ft2 Florida home that uses ~25,000 kWh/yr the total annual electric bill would be ~$3,000/yr (@ $.12/kWh). So, a 30-40% savings would range from about $900 to $1,200 per year. For a given home, a suite of upgrades could cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. So, what’s the payback? <br />
<br />
If you get a 40% savings and only spend $5,000, an EFD loan could be paid off in as few as five years (even at interest rates as high as 8%). However, if you only get 30% savings and the retrofits cost $10,000 then it could take more than 15 years to pay off the loan even at very low interest rates (5%). An efficiently run EFD loan program that is focused on high impact energy conservation retrofits can pay dividends to homeowners very quickly as long as we keep our eye on the ball. As long as the programs stay focused on measurably decreasing household energy use, I’m confident that residential energy efficient retrofit loans can provide tremendous benefits to Florida communities - including job creation.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-75331341336135031182010-02-22T12:38:00.000-08:002010-03-04T14:35:50.812-08:00Florida: The Opportunity for a New Paradigm in Energy Finance DistrictsBy <a href="http://greencities.com/usa/florida/orlando/2009/speakers/paul-darelli">Paul D'Arelli </a><br />
<br />
It has been very exciting to see the concept of an energy finance district (EFD) start to get traction here in Florida. These EFD financing arrangements are referred to in different circles by a variety of names, including, “Property Assessed Clean Energy” (PACE) programs; “Voluntary Environmental Improvement Bonds” (VEIBS), and “Energy Loan Tax Assessment Programs” (ELTAPs). Under these EFD financing arrangements, the local government raises capital from public and/or private financing sources that is loaned to property owners who voluntarily enter into loan/contractual assessment agreements to finance a renewable energy system (e.g., solar) and/or energy efficiency improvements to the property (e.g., insulation, HVAC, windows, etc.). The loan is repaid by the property owner over a long term (e.g., 10-20 years) as an item on the property owner's ad valorem tax bill.<br />
<br />
After working hands-on on these financing initiatives in California, I had the pleasure of presenting the concept around Florida in several venues, including the Florida Green Cities Conference in Orlando and then at the Florida Association of Counties meeting recently in St. Pete. As I understand it, there were 2 bills that were put into formal bill drafting by Legislators for potential consideration in the 2010 Session, including the one we presented with our white paper to the Florida Association of Counties. If Florida adopts implementing legislation for EFDs in one form or another, then I believe local governments will need to focus their efforts on quality control as they set up their local finance programs. Prescribing appropriate eligible improvements for finance, effective deployment processes (education and training of property owners, auditors, contractors and vendors), collection and disbursement mechanisms, and other program criteria will be key. The end game for a local government should be to develop a program that best ensures that property owners are likely to realize energy savings sufficient to off set the cost of the assessments in order to set the predicate for long term success of the local program. Let's not just imitate what is being done in other states in this area, but let's develop a paradigm here in Florida for best practices that result in measurable and verifiable success.EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-80168173266148332302010-02-22T10:06:00.000-08:002010-05-11T10:17:24.426-07:00ECOllaborate Dialogue #1: Energy Finance Programs<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">EcoAsset Solutions is launching the first ECOllaborate dialogue this week. The purpose of ECOllaborate is to use the power of the internet to promote an interdisciplinary discussion on a sustainability topic or theme. After we provide some background on the topic, we invite professionals from different backgrounds to be guest bloggers and add their insights and participate in the discussion. Along the way, we encourage everyone who visits the site to add to the dialogue. The idea is to have government, academia, the business world, etc. all in the same room and educating each other.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The blog will turn its focus to Energy Finance Programs, a financing mechanism that is providing property owners with an affordable way to invest in energy efficiency retrofits and renewable energy. The idea is simple. Local government offers property owners a loan and the property owner pays the loan back over 10-20 years through their property tax or utility bill. Another name for this concept is called Property Assessed Clean Energy or <a href="http://www.pacenow.org/">PACE</a>. To date, legislation to implement PACE bond programs has been passed in 16 states including Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and New York. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>OUR GUEST BLOGGERS</b></span> </div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S4KrLQPad3I/AAAAAAAAAJI/AuJJLNoT5k8/s1600-h/Paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S4KrLQPad3I/AAAAAAAAAJI/AuJJLNoT5k8/s200/Paul.jpg" width="140" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Florida just introduced legislation for a PACE financing program (<a href="http://www.flaseia.org/Documents/Precourt%20Hasner%20PACE%20PR.pdf">see here</a>). One of the guest bloggers <a href="http://greencities.com/usa/florida/orlando/2009/speakers/paul-darelli">Paul D’Arelli</a>, an attorney at <a href="http://www.bergersingerman.com/">Berger Singerman</a>, has been involved in drafting the bill. He will be sharing what he has learned from helping other states implement energy finance districts and the short and long term benefits that a program brings to the local economy.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S4LVUmIyqQI/AAAAAAAAAJc/s3W_anXwnMY/s1600-h/Pierce2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S4LVUmIyqQI/AAAAAAAAAJc/s3W_anXwnMY/s320/Pierce2.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://extadmin.ifas.ufl.edu/staff/jones_pierce.shtml">Dr. Pierce Jones</a>, the Extension Program Leader for Energy Programs at the University of Florida, will blog about the importance of education and training to ensure that the local community reaps the benefits of energy finance districts (i.e. green jobs, energy and greenhouse gas reductions, etc.). Dr. Jones established the <a href="http://buildgreen.ufl.edu/">Program for Resource Efficient Communities (PREC)</a>, which promotes the adoption of best design, construction, and management practices to measurably reduce energy, water consumption and environmental degradation in new residential community developments.</span></div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-12365870747127348912010-02-08T18:31:00.000-08:002010-02-18T13:59:56.892-08:00Higher Education Institutions Lead the Sustainability Charge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1_8XRQJlJE8/S3DE5A800OI/AAAAAAAAAAM/SMeZEgh0j_s/s1600/VCC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_1_8XRQJlJE8/S3DE5A800OI/AAAAAAAAAAM/SMeZEgh0j_s/s320/VCC.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">EcoAsset Solutions was recently hired by <a href="http://valenciacc.edu/">Valencia Community College</a> in Orlando, Florida to lead the higher education institution on a path towards climate neutrality. EcoAsset Solutions will be developing a baseline greenhouse gas inventory of campus facilities and operations, a geospatial database that will manage Valencia’s data, and a Climate Action Plan that will incorporate stakeholder input from college staff, faculty and students, set emissions reduction targets, and provide a detailed strategy for Valencia to meet its targets. See <a href="http://www.madduxpress.com/environmental/2009/11/06/ecoasset-solutions-wins-pinellas-county-energy-efficiency-and-conservation-contract-2435">press release</a>. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Valencia Community College is one of 667 signatories of the <a href="http://www.madduxpress.com/education/2010/01/22/ecoasset-solutions-wins-valencia-community-college-climate-action-plan-contract-3368">American College and University Presidential Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)</a>. These 667 institutions have made a commitment to inventory their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and develop a Climate Action Plan that will guide them to climate neutrality. ACUPCC has concrete deadlines to execute the GHG inventory and Climate Action Plan and all of the reports are made <a href="http://acupcc.aashe.org/">available </a>online. This system not only provides transparency, but also permits higher education institutions to easily share best practices. <a href="http://www.aashe.org/">The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Eductation (AASHE)</a> is another great resource and plays a valuable role in getting the word out about different institutions' sustainability efforts.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">There are many incentives for higher education institutions to sign onto ACUPCC and begin to develop a sustainability plan. I have highlighted four below:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> 1) Cost Savings:</b> The GHG inventory and Climate Action Plan are an efficient manner to identify projects that have a high ROI and can save your institution money.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> 2) Education</b>: Education is the priority of all higher education institutions. The ACUPCC process offers a great opportunity to educate students and staff and participate in the process. Ultimately, the lessons that are learned can be transferred to the greater community.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> 3) Competitive Advantage</b>: A commitment to sustainability is becoming part of the reputation of universities and colleges. If your goal is attract the best students and professors to your university or college, addressing sustainability should be on your mind. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b> 4) Grant funding</b>: There are a growing number of grant opportunities for sustainability projects and research. Demonstrating your campus' commitment to sustainability will likely enhance your chance of securing more funds.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All of these benefits really can apply to any organization. So whether you are a nonprofit, business, college or government institution, you can have a good reason to start down the path to sustainability.</span></div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-75188017947298468732010-02-06T14:44:00.000-08:002010-02-17T05:43:32.851-08:00Educating Municipalities on the Carbon Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S2yIWRr9A3I/AAAAAAAAAFg/cKQ7XZMdbJI/s1600-h/pggp_head.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S2yIWRr9A3I/AAAAAAAAAFg/cKQ7XZMdbJI/s400/pggp_head.gif" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://ecoassetsolutions.com/">EcoAsset Solutions</a> was invited to speak at the <a href="http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/sustainability/greengov/intro.shtml">Pinellas Green Government Partnership</a><a href="http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/sustainability/index.shtml">University of Florida/IFAS</a> Pinellas County Extension, local municipalities, and the <a href="http://www.floridagreenbuilding.org/">Florida Green Building Coalition</a> to promote sustainability within local governments, share best practices, and provide resources. meeting this week. The Pinellas Green Government Partnership was formed last year between </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sandra Kling, our Chief Environmental Scientist, and I provided the attendees with an overview of the voluntary carbon market in the United States. Most importantly, however, we wanted to leave them with concrete examples of carbon offset projects that could benefit their local government and how they can begin to take advantage of these opportunities. <i>Carbon offset projects are stand alone projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions to offset greenhouse gas emissions from another entity or activity</i>. For every metric ton of <a href="http://www.ieta.org/ieta/www/pages/index.php?IdSitePage=123">CO2-equivalent</a> reduced, a project generates one carbon credit. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We highlighted four categories of carbon offset project types that municipalities should consider developing: </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23ismG2x6I/AAAAAAAAAFs/cAX7xw8-kDQ/s1600-h/dcbusnatgas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23ismG2x6I/AAAAAAAAAFs/cAX7xw8-kDQ/s200/dcbusnatgas.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1) <b>Fuel switching</b>: Most municipalities have sizable vehicle fleets and transportation systems that currently run on gasoline or diesel. Depending on the size of the fleet, converting a portion of the fleet to a lower-carbon fuel such as natural gas or biodiesel can qualify for a carbon offset project.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23jFK7cNYI/AAAAAAAAAF4/b-QEnNGEOgY/s1600-h/buildings-nyc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23jFK7cNYI/AAAAAAAAAF4/b-QEnNGEOgY/s200/buildings-nyc.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 2) <b>Energy Efficiency</b>: Every year, municipalities spend a lot of money lighting, heating and cooling old inefficient buildings. Energy retrofits can yield significant energy savings and can be subsidized with the development and sale of carbon credits. Another great example is a carbon offset project that was developed in the State of Texas by distributing 1,000,000 compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) to low income residents. The project resulted in millions of carbon credits and was estimated to reduce electricity consumption by over 400 GWh. </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23jX-HR4OI/AAAAAAAAAGA/0ca9-PUPti4/s1600-h/solar-energy_7071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23jX-HR4OI/AAAAAAAAAGA/0ca9-PUPti4/s200/solar-energy_7071.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3) <b>Renewable Energy</b>: There are many renewable energy options that local government can consider including solar, wind, geothermal and biomass. The upfront capital costs of these systems can be partially offset through the sale of carbon credits.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23j0g4ALsI/AAAAAAAAAGM/SL1DgEqK8xI/s1600-h/urbanforest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S23j0g4ALsI/AAAAAAAAAGM/SL1DgEqK8xI/s200/urbanforest.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4) <b>Capture and Storage</b>: Many local governments own and operate parks, preserves and conservation lands. Planting more trees and changing forest management to increase the amount of <a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/ecosystemservices/carbon.shtml">carbon sequestration</a> can generate carbon credits and a new source of revenue for cities and counties. Likewise, <a href="http://epa.gov/methane/">methane</a>, a greenhouse gas 25x more potent than carbon dioxide, can be turned from a liability into an asset. The gas rising from many municipal landfills can be captured and converted into electricity. The greenhouse gas emission reductions from the process can be turned into carbon credits and the municipality now feeds electricity into the grid.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">So what are the next steps? Local government can scan their operations and lands for potential projects. This process is called <b>Carbon Offset Project Scoping</b>. EcoAsset Solutions has a six-step scoping process to help its clients narrow down the projects that are going to give them the best return on investment:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1) Scan operations and lands for projects</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2) Estimate carbon reduction potential of projects</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3) Estimate economic value of projects</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">4) Determine feasibility of projects</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">5) Prioritize carbon offset projects</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">6) Develop a strategic plan for participation</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">After the initial scoping and prioritization, we also help our clients develop the project design documents required to register the projects and commercialize the carbon credits.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Palange</span></div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-12697257580558285282010-02-04T15:16:00.000-08:002010-02-17T05:42:45.494-08:00When Walmart Speaks, Everyone Listens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S2tP-5PV7TI/AAAAAAAAAE4/PWf2AntY4og/s1600-h/walmart-green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g0UdtaxQPV8/S2tP-5PV7TI/AAAAAAAAAE4/PWf2AntY4og/s320/walmart-green.jpg" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Back in November, <a href="http://www.growingproduce.com/floridagrower/">Florida Grower Magazine</a> asked <a href="http://ecoassetsolutions.com/">EcoAsset Solutions</a> to write an article on how Florida's agricultural community can prepare for Walmart's sustainability initiatives. EcoAsset Solutions, a subsidiary of the Lykes Brothers, has been following <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Walmart </a>closely and know they are serious when it comes to <a href="http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=1458">greening their supply chain</a>. As a company that specializes in sustainability management, we are a resource for corporations and landowners that are being asked by Walmart and the other giant retailers of the world to begin tracking and setting goals to reduce their carbon footprint, water use, and waste. Ultimately, the answer comes down to data management, analysis, education and planning, our four areas of expertise. The lessons of article not only apply to the agricultural community, but any business that ultimately supplies Walmart. See the full text of the article below:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>THE RIPPLE EFFECT </b>by David Palange</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Whether or not you supply to Walmart, Florida growers need to begin preparing for the giant retailer’s latest move.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">As one of the largest corporations in the world, Walmart buys more U.S. agricultural products than any other retailer. Its size puts it in a position to change the way not only its 100,000 suppliers do business, but the rest of the world as well. In July, Walmart announced that it has plans to create a worldwide sustainable product index. Developed by Walmart in conjunction with various stakeholder groups, the index will be rolled out in three steps:</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Sustainability Assessment: Send out a 15-question survey that asks all of its suppliers to evaluate their sustainability and set targets to reduce their impacts on the environment.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2. Life Cycle Analysis Database: Develop a database to collect and store information on products’ life cycles.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">3. Sustainability Tool for Consumers: Create a tool that will give consumers the ability to compare the sustainability of different products based on a scoring system.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By asking its suppliers to measure the life cycle of its products, Walmart hopes to spur innovation, promote a more sustainable supply chain, and bring a new level of transparency to consumers. <b>Measuring the life cycle of a product, also known as life cycle analysis (LCA), consists of evaluating the environmental impacts at all the stages of its production, beginning with the raw materials and ending with its disposal.</b> For example, the life cycle of orange juice would include the impacts of all the energy, water, and materials used to grow the oranges and trees, harvest the fruit, process the juice, and package, transport, refrigerate, and dispose of the product.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A good way for a Florida grower to start preparing for Walmart’s Sustainability Index and similar initiatives would be to take an inventory of all the materials, energy, water, and waste that you use in your business on a monthly basis. Collecting the data now will allow you to quickly supply your buyers with information when they ask for it. It will also give you the opportunity to look at your own practices and find ways to become more efficient and improve your bottom line. This process has helped Walmart save millions of dollars and make significant cuts in its own energy use and waste. If growers can find innovative ways to grow, harvest, package, and deliver the same quality product by using less packaging, gasoline, and fertilizer, then they can save money, reduce ecological impacts, and potentially increase revenue by demonstrating that their practices are more sustainable than competitors’.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">One of the greatest misconceptions is that becoming sustainable will drive up costs. As a business that provides sustainability management and advisory, EcoAsset Solutions knows that there are a wide variety of strategies available to improve operations, but the most successful ones must help your bottom line. Growers that take the initiative to be proactive, re-evaluate their practices, and adapt will ultimately come out on top.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">David Palange</span></div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4551480271191964926.post-5333642508757051132009-12-21T08:31:00.000-08:002010-02-17T05:44:37.771-08:00EcoAsset Solutions: Responsible Solutions that Prove the Value of Enterprise Sustainability<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My name is John Wakefield and I lead the EcoAsset Solutions division for Lykes Bros. If you are involved with a government entity; a corporation that manufactures and sells consumer food or beverage products, for example; a large landowner; or a local college or university, I hope you'll participate in this blog and recognize EcoAsset Solutions as your best available resource for any sustainability analysis, advisory or management need.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In a nutshell, EcoAsset Solutions provides responsible solutions that prove the value of enterprise sustainability. We understand that any investment must demonstrate economic value and a sustainabiliy investment is no different. With that as a guiding principle, our environmental science and project teams aim to prove that value to your organization--because your success is our success.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">So what makes us different? We are an enterprise sustainability solution provider; not a point solution provider. A point solution provider tries to solve a single problem... often without regard to other related issues. EcoAsset Solutions provides an integrated solution that establishes the sustainability infrastructure that your enterprise must have to manage and achieve your organizational sustainabiliy goals more effectviely over a longer period of time. This sustainability infrastructure that we refer to at EcoAsset Solutions has four crucial components.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><ol style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Technical Analysis Using the Best Available Science</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Innovative and Practical Action Plans</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Vital Education and Training for Stakeholders</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: x-small;">Essential Sustainability Data Resource Management</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></li>
</ol><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I hope you find our blog insightful and useful. We have a very bright and capable team that continues to grow. Please contact anyone on our team if you would like to discuss responsible sustainability solutions for your organization. And happy holidays to you and your family.</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">JW</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.ecoassetsolutions.com/">http://www.ecoassetsolutions.com/</a></span></div>EcoAsset Solutionshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05291479842797837739noreply@blogger.com0