Project Advertised To Exceed Gold Standard, Now Dropped To State Minimum
The city council voted tonight to reduce the energy efficiency and green building standards for the Center of Community Life to the minimum allowable by State law but lower than the city's own minimum requirements. In a 3-2 vote (West and Asher dissenting) the council signed off on the proposed schools and community center known as the Center of Community Life, to drop a previously touted LEED gold standard.
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a voluntary consensus-based market-driven program that provides third party verification of green buildings. With the council vote, the Center of Community Life, a project the City proudly calls "State of the Art", will now flout the City's own official goal to make all new major development LEED certified.
 |
| The LEED chart: The Center of Community Life will be off the chart. |
Emery School District architect Roy Miller told the council members that keeping to the LEED gold standard would cost more money and school programs would suffer as a result.
The School District has not released the total amount of money Emeryville taxpayers will spend on the Center of Community Life but more than $5 million has been spent so far on "community engagement" and consultants it should be noted.
Dissenting council member Jac Asher expressed concerns that the broken promise of green building standards for the Center of Community Life represents "another compromise" and she lamented that there has been an overall erosion in the project, a "chipping away" she said. She expressed worry that the project ultimately will not meet its vision, a sentiment shared by councilwoman Jennifer West.
 |
| Council member West expressed concern energy savings won't be realized over the next 34 years of the project, the length of the bond term. |
Council members Ruth Atkin, Nora Davis and Kurt Brinkman, the majority vote tonight, have been vocal in their support for LEED certified projects in Emeryville.
City Hall has long touted its green bone fides. A 'Green Business Program' has been initiated, giving certified green Emeryville businesses marketing support, helping them "communicate their dedication to the environment, their customers and the communities they serve" according to the city's website.
I predict the State will once again be taking over this School District due to mismanagement of overacheivment. What a train wreck. This is not what was promised to the City and here we are making compromises at every turn. We haven't even started talking about how County, City, and School District agancies are all going to coexist under one roof (that also houses the school). Who is going to pay for the lights for the Senior center,Public Library and County Free Clinic? The City? County? Our little school District? It's clear from what I've heard discussed at the meetings that this was not thought through either but that's okay, we'll hire another cabal of consultants for millions of dollars to show us how to run it. I hope they realize that all of these compromises and scale backs have drained the confidence of the constituency. It's gone. You better hire some more consultants to figure out how to get it back. And where is our CITIZEN's OVERSIGHT Committee in all of this? Is there any oversight? Aren;t they supposed to make sure the best interests of this community of citizens is being represented and remains the top priority? I would like to see their report on how this is all working out for the best interests of the community. What an expensive SHAM! Some things in this City never change do they? J.L. Handy is laughing at you.
ReplyDeleteOnly the Emery Unified School District staff could stand up and argue that energy efficiency will cost them more than the energy-hogging appliances and design they prefer.
ReplyDeleteThey should be worried about the District's long-term operating budget, where energy savings would help them. Instead, they are so committed to this particular building design that they're willing to cheap out on efficiency now to get the buildings they want, and later when they lack the funds to operate this monstrosity they'll shrug and wonder how they got in this predicament.
This comment is true; the School District architect, Roy Miller responded to councilwoman Jennifer West's question about long term fiscal savings by building to LEED standards now. He said that energy efficient buildings actually cost MORE. He said the are "sophisticated" and cost a lot in labor time to run the energy "systems". The District would wind up spending more money over time he said. Look to the Tattler for a follow up on this in the future.
DeleteYeah Roy. That's why it's called energy EFFICIENCY! Christ can the man even read a definition?
DeleteRoy Miller needs to be fired immediately! He has overseen the utter deterioration of this project and now stoops to being disingenous about the benefits of an energy efficient building. I guess we can all go back to incandecent lights and screw the whole energy efficiency campaign. According to Roy it costs us more in the long run. Seriously. This is a mess.
DeleteI think an investigation into the validity of the Citizen's Oversight Committee is warranted. This is oversight that is required by law as stated in the text of Measure J. Has anyone outside of those few who attend meetings know what they are doing? It would be nice to know what oversight they are providing since this IS the committee that is supposed to police this process on the Citizen's behalf. They should have an idea what the economics of this are and know if Roy is speaking the truth. I guess we can tell all of the Solar energy guys trying to convert us to EFFICIENT solar energy that it's not worth it on Roy's Calculator so forget it. What a Joke!
DeleteCan we please hire an Architect who understands the value of an energy efficient building?
Deletehttp://www.awarenessintoaction.com/whitepapers/getting-the-true-assessment-of-a-leed-certified-buildings-value.html
Deletehttp://www.lundygroup.com/about/historical-projects/green-projects-leed-certified/leed-benefits-and-disadvantages/
Benefits of LEED certified buildings.
"LEED certified buildings are supposed to use resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings which are simply built to code. LEED certified buildings often provide healthier work and living environments, which contributes to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. The USGBC has compiled a long list of benefits of implementing a LEED strategy which ranges from improving air and water quality to reducing solid waste, benefiting owners, occupiers, and society as a whole."
I took some time to dig through the City's and the School's websites. I cannot find any operating cost information for this school. How much is the school estimating it is going to cost to run a joint campus? This is a shared campus, how much is the City planning to pay for its space on the campus? Brian, do you know? Where is the transparency that the Council loves to talk about? Why did the City wait until the plans were almost complete before asking to be allowed to waive LEED? That seems very sneaky and disingenuous.
ReplyDeleteThe School District so far has resisted all inquiries as to information on operating costs after the Center of Community Life is built. In fact, this lack of transparency regarding operating costs helped drive the 70 letter writers in their campaign to try to get the School Board to allow public debate about closing Anna Yates Elementary School last summer. If you read the Tattler, you'll know the Board ignored the 70 letter writers.
DeleteI suspect information on operating costs won't become clear until after the Center of Community Life is built.
Why does Ruth Atkin get repeatedly re-elected? She is an embarrassment to the Progressive movement, the Gay community and the Jewish religion. Next election, let's take out the trash.
ReplyDeleteMs Atkin's religion and her sexual orientation have nothing to do with her work on the city council. Let's keep the comments clear of this kind of politics please.
DeleteI encourage everyone to check out this review of the Clif Bar HQ, and the related survey on employment satisfaction. Part of the reason Clif Bar relocated to Emeryville was to have the opportunity to invest in this kind of LEED center. Ironically, industry is leading social welfare efforts in Emeryville, while the public is obstructing them.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbe.berkeley.edu/livablebuildings/2012winners.htm
Did anyone else find it interesting that the school district was the one who answered the questions regarding LEED? Don't we have an environmental programs department? I know they are always hounding me and my business. Why didn't that department talk about LEED? I would think they know more than the school district.
ReplyDeleteNext you will see them remove the library, then they will say that they don't really need a new science lab, and actually the wireing is still ok. They will leave the old highschool as-is, put all the schools together (because of the lack of enrollment) and build sucky condos at Anna Yates and Ralph Harley. This will be done at a final cost of ?. Why doesn't Emeryville have a real leader?
ReplyDelete