[EQAB-list] in re: Madeleine Weil

[Robert G Kennedy III, PE]

Well, we'll see. I think a champion is not so dispensible.

***

here's the story from April 19:

Knoxville's energy task force gaining momentum
By Hayes Hickman (Contact)
Monday, April 20, 2009

The city of Knoxville's focus on energy efficiency has only gained  
steam in the year since its Energy & Sustainability Task Force last met.

The panel's latest meeting April 9 included updates on a recently  
completed six-month energy audit of all city-owned facilities, ongoing  
efforts related to Knoxville's national designation as one of 25 Solar  
America Cities and opportunities afforded by a flurry of new  
stimulus-funded federal and state grants aimed at energy savings.

In the midst of it all, Madeleine Weil, who has been given much of the  
credit for the city's energy-conscious push, announced that she has  
accepted a new job in Chicago and will be leaving at the end of the  
month.

"I think the city is moving in a new direction, and it's not often  
that you can point to one person for making that difference," said  
Weil's supervisor, Bill Lyons, senior director of policy and  
communications, who said the city will not lose any momentum moving  
forward.

Energy consultants with Ameresco Inc. said they have finished the  
tedious survey of energy usage among the city's 97 buildings, 47 parks  
and other facilities, amassing utility data for 645 accounts. A draft  
list of recommendations based on their findings offers everything from  
simple fixes such as tinted windows and swimming pool covers to larger  
capital investments, including boiler and HVAC replacements, solar  
power panels and a bio-gas generator plant to help fuel the city's  
transit bus fleet.

Ameresco's John Plack said his team is developing a more detailed  
scope of construction work, with pricing estimates, for a long-term  
city contract.

The contract could run as long as 18 years, with the goal of reducing  
the city's energy usage by 15 to 25 percent. The city spends about $7  
million per year in utility bills.

The agreement, which will require Knoxville City Council approval,  
would guarantee annual savings while paying Ameresco a negotiated  
portion of it.

"It has to fund itself in a certain amount of time," said Plack, who  
added that the work would give priority to local contractors. "We  
understand that these are local taxpayers' dollars."

Weil said Ameresco's draft report should be formally released on Earth  
Day, which is Wednesday, with public meetings to follow.

The city also recently was allocated $2.012 million under the federal  
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. The  
formula-based grants, calculated by population and energy use, include  
$2.1 million to Knox County. Detailed spending plans for the grants  
are due to the U.S. Department of Energy by June 25.

"The problem has never been, 'How do you spend a bunch of money?' "  
Weil said. "So this is a very interesting change of circumstances."

Knoxville and Knox County are considering pooling their resources to  
better leverage the funds, she added.

Outside the April 9 meeting, Knox County Community Development  
Director Erik Hoglund said any such plans would give priority to  
ongoing initiatives, such as home weatherization loan programs, rather  
than "one-off" projects.

"The concept is we could stretch $4.1 million a lot further," Hoglund said.

Another $62 million in state grants is available to local governments,  
as well as $456 million nationally in competitive federal grants, said  
Weil, who asked task force members for their help in coming months  
with writing grant applications.

"There's a lot of work to be done in a couple of months to make sure  
we seize these opportunities," she said.

Meanwhile, city officials, in partnership with the Tennessee Valley  
Authority, Knoxville Utilities Board and others, are advancing plans  
for a $200,000 Solar Cities grant from DOE, along with $250,000 worth  
of technical assistance. Projects include a 4.8-kilowatt solar power  
generator for the coming downtown transit center, installation courses  
for local contractors and an incentive program for businesses and  
individuals.

The city's goals are to increase local solar power usage tenfold by  
2010 and hundredfold - to 3 megawatts - by 2015.

Hayes Hickman may be reached at 865-342-6323.


-- 
Robert G Kennedy III, PE
www.ultimax.com