Join Clean Energy Action for a Special Meeting on Understanding Your Utility Bill and the Decisions Behind the Numbers

Thursday April 22, 2010

7-8:45 pm

George Reynolds Library

3595 Table Mesa Drive, Boulder, CO

Xcel has been granted three rate increases in four years to pay for investments in and operation of their fossil fuel system. The prices of coal and natural gas are starting to rise significantly. Summer tiered rates are coming. Come learn how this is reflected in your utility bill and of plans in Boulder to chart a new course that will help clean up the environment and stabilize your utility bills.

Free and Open to Everyone

For more information contact Leslie Glustrom 303-245-8637 or lglustrom@gmail.com

No action was taken by Boulder’s City Council, since the discussions occurred during a study session, but there was indication that the City is considering a short-term renewal of the franchise agreement or even letting the franchise agreement expire.  Read more at The Daily Camera.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, energy consulting and third-party verification services.  In addition, Populus provides consulting and training to municipalities to aid in the aid in the implementation of residential programs and energy codes.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

New one-time location!
Unity Church
2855 Folsom Street, Boulder, CO 80304

Time: 6:30-7:00 Social Hour
7:00-8:30pm Presentation

This presentation is a unique and timely opportunity to learn about the process and options that cities face when negotiating with large-scale energy providers. With franchise renewal set for summer of 2010, Boulder is in the process of negotiating an energy supply commitment with Xcel Energy. Come and become informed about how cities do long-term energy planning, about the time commitment considerations for Boulder’s next franchise agreement, and about options for choice in Boulder’s energy sources. Ms. Perkins will focus on the inherent responsibility of Colorado cities to provide energy as a vital service and to respond to the moral, financial and social imperatives associated with carbon emissions.

About the speaker

Susan Perkins has spent 34 years as an energy lawyer with an exclusive focus for four years on sustainable and renewable energy. Representing distributed solar and utility-scale solar and wind clients, participating in energy policy dockets at the Public Utilities Commission, and representing cities in the negotiation of their franchise agreements, Ms. Perkins is a strong advocate for systemic thinking and long-range planning for energy policy.

ATTORNEYS PLEASE NOTE: An application will be filed at the Colorado Supreme Court for 1.0 hour of Continuing Legal Education Credit (CLE) for this program.

For more information, contact Andy Lenec or visit
www.cleanenergyaction.org
Copyright© 2009 Clean Energy Action

Populus Sustainable Design Consulting is commited to meeting all of our clients’ end-of-year HERS rating needs.  If you are working on a project that will need a HERS rating before year end – please contact us as soon as possible and we will put you on the schedule so we can meet your deadlines.  Keep in mind that Populus can streamline your code compliance by performing the required ACCA Manual J and D calculations – just let us know that you would like this service in addition to a HERS Rating.

You can contact Populus Sustainable Design Consulting for a proposal at 303-325-7650.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and municipal energy code consulting.  In addition, Populus offers an Energy Code Workshop for architects and municipalities, as well as LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and municipal energy code consulting.  In addition, Populus offers an Energy Code Workshop for architects and municipalities, as well as LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

The Ordinance passed by a narrow margin, with a 4-3 vote, with the following council members voting in favor of the Ordinance: Matt Appelbaum, Macon Cowles, Crystal Gray and Lisa Morzel. Angelique Espinoza, Suzy Ageton and Ken Wilson voted against the Ordinance. Susan Osborne was absent.

The Compatible Development Ordinance applies to all residential zoning districts in the City of Boulder, affecting a total of about 13,000 houses. The final Ordinance restricts the floor-area ratio to .50 based on a 7,000 square foot lot located in zoning districts RR-1 and RL-1 and .55 for lots located in the RMX-1 zoning district.

Floor-area calculations for the purpose of the Ordinance will include basements based on the percentage of exposed perimeter walls that are more than 36 inches above grade. The Ordinance also includes a “virtual floor” component, which counts the floor area of spaces that are 16 feet or taller twice as much as the lowest level’s square footage and the floor area of spaces that are 26 feet or taller are counted three times as much as the lowest level square footage. The Ordinance exempts the first 150 square feet of stairwell from the calculations.

The Ordinance also limits building coverage on a sliding scale based on building coverage of 35% of lot area, with increased coverage allowed for smaller lots and decreased coverage for larger lots. The Ordinance exempts some porch areas from the building lot coverage calculations, including up to 300 square feet of front porch area and up to 150 square feet for back porch area. In addition, certain historic accessory structures are exempt from the calculations, through the Landmark Alteration Certificate.

The Ordinance will also place restrictions on the “bulk plane,” which is the conceptual 3-D envelope that a house could occupy.  In addition, it limits any sidewalls which are taller than 14 feet in height to 40 feet in length.

To implement the new Compatible Development Ordinance, there will be additional plan check fees to the City of Boulder, increasing the amount from 25% to 50% of the building permit fee.

Going in for permit on a project in Boulder? Populus Sustainable Design Consulting is your one-stop shop for complying with the energy efficiency requirements of Boulder’s Green Points program. In addition to home energy rating services (or “HERS rating”), Populus offers Green Points consulting and Manual D and J calculations. To learn more visit Populus Sustainable Design Consulting.

A full house of shoeless visitors learn about zero energy homes and greenbuilding at the Logan Wiggins House

The tour was hosted by homeowners Jim Logan (of Jim Logan Architects) and Sherry Wiggins.  The home was sponsored on the CRC’s Solar & Green Home Tour by Populus Sustainable Design Consulting, who provided the energy modeling and LEED for Homes Green Rater services on the home.  The all-electric home, which goes beyond net zero and beyond carbon neutral, was inspired by Logan’s effort to reduce his carbon footprint to a level that would be sustainable for the planet.  With a negative HERS Index score, the Logan Wiggins Home generates enough additional electricity to charge a plug-in electric vehicle.

David Neiger of Populus explains the energy efficient features of this zero energy home

David Neiger of Populus spent the day in the jam-packed mechanical room explaining the high-performance and green features of this net zero Boulder home.  David taught visitors about building science and the workings of heat-recovery ventilation and ground source heat pumps, while Mike Vail of Water Legacy highlighted the home’s graywater system.

Erik Warner of Namaste Solar was also on-site during the tour, answering questions about the 9.9 kw photovoltaic array on the home.  Namaste Solar provided the grid-tied PV System for the home, while Aircraft installed the Earthlinked Technologies ground source heat pump.  The home also incorporates Serious Materials’ (formerly Alpen) triple pane double Heat Mirror windows.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.

Going in for permit on a project in Boulder or Boulder County?  Populus Sustainable Design Consulting is your one-stop shop for complying with the energy efficiency requirements of Boulder’s Green Points and Boulder County’s BuildSmart programs.  In addition to home energy rating services (or “HERS rating”), Populus offers Green Points consulting and Manual D and J calculations.   We offer client-focused services that put architects and builders in the driver’s seat.  To learn more visit Populus Sustainable Design Consulting.

Want to see the amazing views from the upstairs balcony?  Zachary Epps, a Boulder Realtor, recently completed a video profile of the home.  The home is currently offered for sale, with an open house scheduled for this Sunday, September 13th.

Populus is a full service sustainable design consulting firm that focuses on high performance, net-zero and near-net-zero custom residential and multi-family projects.  Populus guides architects and builders through the requirements of mandatory green building codes and optional green home certification programs, providing HERS rating, LEED for Homes Green Rater services and LEED for Homes training.  Visit Populus at www.popboulder.com.