Joan Fitzgerald’s Emerald Cities takes a look at how cities
are leading the way toward more sustainable economic development. As the book
was published at the start of the recession, many of the optimistic programs
described have surely not fulfilled their goals. But the plans, policies, and organizations
illustrated throughout Fitzgerald’s book are a good road map for urban
planners, policy makers, and entrepreneurs alike.
America seems to have dropped the proverbial ball when it
comes to global environmental leadership, action, and production. While our
most progressive state (environmentally, anyway), California, has a 2020 goal
of reducing greenhouse gases by 25%, Sweden will be oil-independent by then.
Additionally, manufacturing of solar panel and wind turbine components has been
spearheaded largely by European countries, and now China; so much for our own rust-belt
revitalization.
Even still, many of the international examples of
appropriate environmental policy are achieving mixed results. For instance,
Germany produces 14% of its energy from renewables; however, Germany’s energy
import dependence is at 62% and growing. As of 2010, 26 new coal-fired plants
were being built in Germany, which would offset any carbon dioxide savings from
solar and wind expansion.
Currently, it is illegal for utility companies to buy back
power from customers in most municipalities. By changing these laws, homeowners
are incentivized to make “green” upgrades, and RPS’s become easier to attain. Presently,
“green” upgrades are not given credit through traditional appraisals.
California has passed a law that forces sellers to disclose energy efficiency, providing
a means to compare and reward efficiency.
Nearly 40% of greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings
(twice the amount from the transportation sector) and 50% of building energy
comes from coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. The
Cambridge Energy Alliance, a
non-profit organization, and
Berkley FIRST, a local government initiative, are
two possible means to the same end: energy efficient buildings.
The Cambridge Energy Alliance is a non-profit created to
implement an initiative seeking to retrofit half of all existing buildings in
5-7 years. (This would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10%, according
to 2010 statistics.) With $500k in seed money, from local foundations and
institutional investors, Cambridge Energy Alliance works through local
utilities to hire auditors that make recommendations and complete the work.
The audits are “free” to customers, through a system-wide
charge to all consumers. The revolving fund would offer low interest loans for
retrofits, to be paid back through lower utility bills. Unfortunately, the
Cambridge Alliance had much difficulty maintaining the revolving fund through
the recent economic downturn.
Berkley FIRST is a program designed to encourage the use of
solar with a self-financing system. The city sends an approved solar installer
to evaluate and install the appropriate solar system, for which homeowner pays
no money up-front. When the owner signs the contract, the city pays for the
system and adds the cost to the property tax bill, which is repaid over time.
The Berkley FIRST special tax is a lien on the property that ranks above the
first mortgage.
The increase in property tax is roughly netted out by energy
bill savings. In addition, there are rebates and federal tax credits available.
The homeowner will break even until the cost of installation is amortized over
20 years, at which point the homeowner will reap permanent savings on their
energy bill. This approach does not require tapping into home equity for credit,
and the city’s initial costs were financed by the sale of bonds.
Job growth potential is great in renewable energy component
manufacturing and in the skilled labor required to install “green” retrofits. The
mutually dependent relationship between sustainability and the business
community cannot be ignored; also important are government policies to
encourage “green” action. According to Fitzgerald, the three E’s (Economy,
Ecology, and Equity) are essential to societal sustainability:
This book is rich with examples of how cities and
organizations are tackling a multitude of environmental issues (too many to
discuss in this blog) such as transportation, recycling, waste disposal, and
social justice (as related to the environment.) Emerald Cities connects the dots
between environment, industry, policy, and business in a way that is personally
inspiring. Environmental solutions that are based in business-growth policies
will be more appealing to all involved.
In conclusion, two quotes from the text: “Renewable energy,
energy efficiency, green building, recycling, waste reduction, fewer cars, more
trains, walking, biking are not individual policies but parts of the whole of
how cities must be transformed.” And, “A considerable amount of policy,
investment, and planning will have to take place to realize a vision that links
transportation, sustainability, economic development, and social justice.”
Amen.
