Fall 2011 OakGreen Update

UPDATE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, BUSINESSES SCHOOLS & RESIDENTS

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FALL 2011

OakGreen Challenge

Sign-up Now Live!

The OakGreen Challenge  is a commitment to reducing the energy consumption in your home, business, municipal or school facility by 10% by the end of 2012. Your efforts will benefit the environment, your community, and your financial bottom line. Residents are eligible to win reimbursement of utility bills for one year (up to $1500) .
To take the challenge, click below on the appropriate link:

Residents

Businesses

Schools

Local Governments

Thanks to our OakGreen Award Sponsors and Endorsers for making the residential award possible:
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Host an OakGreen Workshop in Your Community!

Oakland County is seeking community partners to co-sponsor FREE public education workshops on energy efficiency for small businesses and residents during Fall 2011. These workshops will be funded through the County’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The workshops will be taught by seasoned energy efficiency educators from WARM Training Center.
 The following workshops are available:
Energy Efficiency for Residents – A two-hour workshop to provide residents with simple and cost-effective measures to reduce their energy consumption
 Energy Efficiency for Small Businesses –A two-hour workshop to provide small businesses with cost-effective measures to improve their bottom lines by saving money on energy
If you are interested in co-sponsoring an OakGreen workshop in your community, please contact Nina Ignaczak at 248-858-2470 or misuracan@oakgov.com.
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Oakland County Green News

Oakland County Takes the Michigan Green Communities Challenge

The Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted on Thursday, September 22, 2011  to approve the County's participation in the Michigan Green Communities Challenge, a program of the Michigan Municipal League (MML).  
All Michigan counties and municipalities are eleigible to take the challenge, which is "a program designed to reflect the governing body's commitment to adopt policies and programs of energy efficiency and conservation," according to MML's website. The program includes a self-evaluation checklist to document existing green programs and identify opportunities for improvement.
Oakland County Communities who have already taken the Michigan Green Community Challenge include Birmingham,  Farmington Hills,  Ferndale, Highland Charter Township,  Huntington Woods,  Lathrup Village,  Madison  Heights,  Milford, Milford Charter Township,  Oak Park,  Orion  Charter Township,  and Troy.

Oakland County Launches Interactive Campus Energy Map

Oakland County Facilities Management Department has launched an online Interactive Campus Energy Map to help County residents better understand the County’s energy consumption profile. The County has set a goal to reduce total consumption by 15% from 2008 levels by the end of 2015, equivalent to cost savings of several hundred thousand dollars.  The County has saved or avoided over $4 million in costs since adopting energy efficiency measures in 2005.
Oakland County’s Energy Management Procedures are also available online.

Oakland County Green Airport Terminal Opens

Michigan's first "green" airport terminal opened on August 23, 2011 at Oakland County International Airport following a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. More than 200 guests were among the first to check out the "green" features of the $7.5 million, 15,000 square foot terminal building.
"This terminal is the gateway to Oakland County," said Patterson. "There's a 'wow' factor about the terminal that will give travelers a positive impression of our region."
The new terminal will be Michigan's first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified airport terminal and the nation's first LEED-certified general aviation airport terminal.
Among the terminal's leading-edge green technologies are:
  • A living wall of tropical rain forest plants that clean the air inside the building
  • Wind and solar generation of electricity
  • A solar hot water heater
  • Geothermal heating and cooling
  • Highly efficient fluorescent and LED lighting
  • Electric car charging stations
  • Commuter offices
  • Recycled construction materials

Qualifications for Energy Measurement Services Now Online at OakGreen Website 

Need help organizing, tracking and managing your municipal energy consumption data?  Oakland County issued a Request for Qualifications and selected four firms to recommend to local units of government and school districts to provide these services.  The selected firms are qualified to help public agencies track their energy consumption, interpret results from Energy Star Portfolio Manager, and implement solutions. The proposals can be viewed online at the OakGreen website.
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Local Community Success Stories

White Lake Township Unveils New Sustainable Development Incentive Program

If your community is looking for ways to encourage green development, you may want to take a look at White Lake Township’s new Master Plan, which outlines a Sustainable Development Incentives Program.  The program will include incentives such as expedited/streamlined approvals, density bonuses, height bonuses, reduction or waiver of application fees, and reduced water and sewer connection charges in exchange for including green project elements such as low-flow toilets, bike racks, motion controlled lighting, pedestrian accessibility, recycling, permeable pavement, rainwater harvesting, mixed-use developments, LED lighting, and more. 
 “White Lake Township realizes the importance of encouraging sustainable development and land use practices for the benefit of those who live and work in our community today, and for those who will live and work here for generations to come,” says Sean O’Neil, Planning Director for the Township.  "We have established a wide range of features and incentives that are attainable for virtually every new project.  We hope that existing developments would want to incorporate some of these features into their sites as well,” he adds.
The Master Plan, which was prepared with the assistance of Bircher Arroyo Associates, was adopted by the White Lake Planning Commission on September 15th, 2011 and is pending final adoption by the White Lake Township Board.

Auburn Hills Adopts Plug-In Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Ordinance

Plug-In electric vehicles are here, and the City of Auburn Hills is responding by adopting a city ordinance to establish standards and guidelines for constructing charging stations within the City.  The intent of the ordinance is to “facilitate and encourage the use of electric vehicles and expedite the establishment of convenient, cost-effective electric vehicle infrastructure that such use necessitates.”
The ordinance covers permitted locations, readiness recommendations for new development, and requirements for parking, accessibility, lighting, equipment standards, usage fees, signage and maintenance.It can be viewed online here.
The City of Auburn Hills, Clean Energy Coalition and OakGreen are partnering to host a workshop on September 29, 2011, titled “Are you Plugged-In? Preparing your Community for Electric Drive Vehicles”  More information and registration here: http://www.oakgov.com/oakgreen/events/

Oakland County Communities Receive LED Lighting Grants

Hazel Park and Farmington Hills are among fourteen communities receiving federal grants for advanced lighting technology.  Hazel Park received $50,150 and Farmington Hills received $81,405 to retrofit lighting fixtures with LED (Light-emitting Diode) or HEP (High Efficient Plasma) lighting technology in their facilities. The grants are funded through the Energy Efficiency Block Grant (EECBG) program as part of the Recovery Act.

City of Farmington Hills Recognized by SEMCOG for Sustainability Efforts

The City of Farmington Hills received SEMCOG’s Sustainable Community Recognition Program Award on September 12, 2011. Through its Sustainable Community Recognition Program, SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, recognizes member communities that have taken initiative to incorporate sustainable activities into their practices.

Clean Energy Coalition Receives Federal Grant for Plug-In Vehicle Readiness Planning for Michigan

The Clean Energy Coalition of Ann Arbor was one of 16 organizations nationwide who were awarded grants from the United States Department of Energy to develop readiness plans for electric vehicle infrastructure. CEC will be developing a plan for the State of Michigan. Representatived from Oakland County will advise the project.
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Upcoming Events 

10/6/11 Oakland County Green Infrastructure Celebration-Contact Jim Keglovitz, Senior Planner at Oakland County Planning at keglovitz@oakgov.com
10/17/11 Commissioner Jim Nash’s Oakland County Green Building Conference- Contact Oakland County Commissioner Jim Nash at nashj@oakgov.com
More events at GreeningDetroit.com

IN THIS MESSAGE

  1. OakGreen Challenge Sign-up Now Live !
  2. Host an OakGreen Workshop in your Community
  3. Oakland County Green News
  4. Local Community Success Stories
  5. Upcoming Events

 

L. Brooks Patterson
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L. Brooks Patterson,
Oakland County Executive
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UPCOMING EVENTS

10/6/11 Oakland County Green Infrastructure Celebration-Contact Jim Keglovitz, Senior Planner at Oakland County Planning at keglovitz@oakgov.com
10/17/11 Commissioner Jim Nash’s Oakland County Green Building Conference- Contact Oakland County Commissioner Jim Nash at nashj@oakgov.com
More events at GreeningDetroit.com
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