California Friendly Landscaping Workshop: Aril 6

Landscaping Workshop

April 6

Community Services Bldg

150 N Third



RSVP:  818 . 238 . 3730

BWP



World Water Day - March 22

World Water Day – March 22

World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating March 22, 1993 as the first World Water Day.

Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year of Water Cooperation, World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water and is coordinated by UNESCO in collaboration with UNECE and UNDESA on behalf of UN-Water.

BWP
SAVE WATER AT HOME INTERACTIVE TOOL shows you simple things you can do inside and outside of your home to save water and money, while helping to protect the environment.

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day: Jan 10

National Cut Your Energy Costs Day: Jan 10

Get smart insights into your patterns of use. Sign in to find out when you use the most energy @ BWP

The Homeowner's Handbook to Energy Efficiency
John Krigger
Saturn Resource, 2008
644 2008 KRIGG

Helps homeowners set realistic personal goals for reducing their energy consumption. These methods for making homes more energy efficient will also improve comfort, safety, durability, and resale value. The book guides readers through the process of assessing current energy usage, and predicting the benefits and estimating the costs of remodeling options.

COB: Big Bill - Renewable Energy

Big bill for green power
Burbank will pay $17.8M next year for renewable energy it doesn't need.
Burbank Leader: 11.02.2012 by Alene Tchekmedyian

A state law that requires 20% of the city's average energy sales to come from renewable energy is projected to cost the city $17.8 million this fiscal year, officials reported on Tuesday.

The financial burden of complying with the state mandate — which ups the ante every few years — outraged Councilman David Gordon, particularly because Burbank was generating enough energy before the state bill was passed to meet its power needs. “Any renewables we bring in basically results in a situation where we back off our own generation in order to bring renewables in,” said Power Resources Manager Bruno Jeider.

The 20% average must be met for power output between 2011 and 2013.

This fiscal year, the city will pay $85 a megawatt for 303,579 megawatts of renewable energy, nearly three times as much as the $30 a megawatt it pays for its other energy resources, officials said.  READ MORE !

California Renewable Energy Overview and Programs
California Energy Commission

Energy Awareness Month

Top 5 Home Winterization Tips For Energy Awareness Month
Earthtechling.com: 10.20.2012 by Beth Buczynski

Don’t be fooled by the bright sun and lingering warm breezes, winter is most definitely on its way toward North America. Even though it seems like just yesterday we were talking about how to stay cool without cranking the air conditioning, it’s already time to start keeping your home warm without creating a painful heating bill.

In honor of October being National Energy Awareness Month, we decided to round up five of the best home winterization tips we could find. Home energy upgrades can be costly, but we tried to narrow it down to actions that were easy, relatively cheap, and sensible for both homeowners and renters. Meet you after the jump!

1. Replace your HVAC filters once a month to maintain an adequate and clean air flow which can help reduce energy costs.

2. Use energy efficient light bulbs like CFLs or LEDs. Light bulbs meeting new standards can result in significant energy conservation of 25%-80%. Light your home with the same amount of light for less money. Upgrading 15 of the traditional, less energy efficient incandescent light bulbs in your home could save you about $50 per year. Can’t decide between CFLs and LEDs? This post can help.

3. Add caulking or weather stripping around windows and doors. Your home may have small openings around doors and windows that cause heat loss. Caulking and weather stripping can reduce energy waste and protect your home from moisture damage. Covering large windows with affordable insulating plastic can also be a way to trap the sunlight’s heat inside your home during the day, and prevent drafts at night.

4. Close doors and central air vents in rooms that don’t see a lot of use. This prevents you from paying to heat empty rooms, and redirects the air to the parts of your house that need to be the warmest.

5. Reverse the direction on your ceiling fans. During winter, the warm air generated by your heating system naturally rises to the ceiling while cooler air sinks. By switching the direction that your fan blades turn, that cooler air is drawn upwards, which forces the warmer air near the ceiling back down into the space. How does this save energy? According to the folks at Apartment Therapy, since thermostats are typically located at human level, keeping the warm air low where it’s needed means you can turn the temperature down a few notches and still stay warm.

BWP
Green Home House Call
A complimentary service for Burbank residents provides weatherization, energy, and water efficiency products and services for your home. A trained energy and water expert will install the products plus provide expert advice on how to make your home more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Made In The Shade
BWP

Shade your home or business with FREE trees to keep air conditioning costs lower! Trees are nature’s air conditioners with the ability to reduce air conditioning use from 10% to 50%.

Residents can select up to 3 shade trees for free. Businesses up to 20 shade trees all for free.

A certified arborist will help you select the best planting sites and the best trees for those sites. BWP will also provide stakes, ties and arbor guards, also for free!

Burbank renters can also participate if they receive written authorization from the owner. Call the BWP at 818-957-8196 to schedule a consultation at your property.

Losing our cool: uncomfortable truths about our air-conditioned world (and finding new ways to get through the summer)
Stan Cox
New Press, 2010
306.46 COX
Losing our Cool shows how indoor climate control is colliding with an out-of-control outdoor climate. In America, energy consumed by home air-conditioning, and the resulting greenhouse emissions, have doubled in just over a decade, and energy to cool retail stores has risen by two-thirds.

Smart frames to track utility costs for Burbank residents
The devices display water and power usage for Burbank Water &; Power customers.
Burbank Leader: 7.08.2012 by Kelly Corrigan

A small group of Burbank residents soon will be equipped with digital picture frames that display not just family snapshots, but also how much energy and water they are using — and how much money it's costing them.

The year-long project piloted by Burbank Water and Power follows the lead of the utility's counterpart in Glendale, which launched a similar project earlier this year

Officials hope awareness among customers of their personal energy and water consumption could spur more people to conserve, helping utilities meet statewide energy goals.

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Made by Burbank-based Ceiva Logic, the frames communicate with smart meters to display graphs showing how many gallons of water are used each day of the week. Energy can be tabulated on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. READ MORE !

Electric Cars Are The Buzz

Electric cars are the buzz
Institutional customers are pitched the alternative technology at an event at Burbank's airport.
Burbank Leader: 6.08.2012 by Maria Hsin

Movie studios, car rental companies, government agencies — all were wooed by proponents of electric cars, test drives and all, at Bob Hope Airport this week in an effort to increase the use of the zero- and low-emissions vehicles.

“An airport and a studio can serve as living laboratories of these technologies,” California Energy Commissioner Carla Peterman said after addressing the audience at a hangar at the airport, where several models were on display Thursday. “I would encourage airports and studios to not only adopt electric cars [and] alternative vehicles, but also alternative energy: solar panels, fuel cells.

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Michael Walbrecht, vice president of public affairs for Warner Bros., said the studio has installed five electric charging stations in two parking structures that are available to employees and visitors.

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The California Energy Commission manages a fund of $100 million annually for investments in alternative fuels, vehicles and infrastructure, and electric vehicles are a part of that, she said.

So far, the commission has invested $65.6 million in electric-vehicle-related projects, and of that, $21 million has been in the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena area, Peterman added. READ MORE !

BWP - Smart Meters & Facebook

Smart meters join Facebook
Burbank customers can compare their energy usage via the social networking site.
Burbank Leader: 4.03.2012 by Jason Wells

A Facebook application that allows smart-meter customers to gauge how much energy they're using compared to others went live Tuesday, Burbank officials announced.

Burbank Water and Power customers can connect their utility accounts to the Opower app via Facebook and see how they stack up to others in terms of energy consumption.

The app plays into what city officials have said is a key element of the smart meters — the ability of customers to track their consumption in near real time to better control costs.

Burbank Water and Power is one of the first utility companies to join the pilot program featuring Opower, which will allow roughly 4 million energy users from California to Chicago to create competitions and share insight. READ MORE !

High-tech charging stations are set to keep electric cars rolling
Eleven stations have opened in Burbank and are free of cost until July 1.  Burbank Leader: 3.27.2012 by Mark Kellam

Eleven charging stations for electric cars now are up and running in downtown Burbank. City officials hope they will spark interest among drivers of the high-tech cars to patronize the business district. Drivers can even be sent a text message when the cars are fully charged.

Use of the stations is free until July 1. After that, the cost will be $2 an hour, but the texts will remain a free perk.

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On average, five cars are charged a day, with each session lasting about two hours, said, Bruce Hamer, smart grid program manager for Burbank Water and Power, which installed the stations.

The first two stations were unveiled in December, Hamer said, adding that the last two stations went online on Valentine’s Day.

Two stations are operating at each of the following locations: 201 E. Magnolia Blvd., 327 N. Pass Ave. and 120, 133 and 240 E. Orange Grove Ave.

One station is in the parking lot of the city’s Community Services Building, 150 N. Third St.

The utility installed the stations with help from a portion of a $20-million, four-year smart grid grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, Hamer said. READ MORE !

BWP - Eco Campus

Burbank unveils a $40M-overhaul of a 'greener' utility campus
Burbank Leader: 1.30.2012 by Maria Hsin

Burbank Water and Power unveiled its $40-million “eco campus” to the public this past weekend, showing off the culmination of a 13-year transformation of an aging utility site into a showcase of sustainability.

At the open house event on Saturday, visitors toured energy-frugal water fountains and drought-tolerant landscaping. Rooftop gardens that help filter storm water and help cool the building, reducing the use of air conditioning, were also on display.

Three buildings on the campus in the 100 block of West Magnolia Boulevard are certified platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council — a top designation that takes construction materials, energy use, landscaping and other factors in determining just how “green” a building is.

Centennial Park, a new green area in the center of the Burbank Water and Power campus where one old electric substation still stands, also acts as a water filtration system, and is among the many energy-efficient aspects of the site, General Manager Ron Davis said. READ MORE !

BurbankH2OPower
Did you miss #Burbank's #EcoCampus Event?
Experience #EcoCampus with this short video http://t.co/aafdCPWJ

BWP - EcoCampus Dedication: January 28

Burbank Water & Power
EcoCampus Dedication
January 28
164 W Magnolia
10:00 am – 1:00 pm

EcoCampus: Powered by Innovation

A Community Fair and Dedication Ceremony to Celebrate California’s First Sustainable Utility Campus

Special Guests Senator Carol Liu, Burbank Mayor Jess Talamantes and representatives of the US Department of Energy. The day’s program will be hosted by Discovery Planet Green’s Planet 100 Host, and green media maven, Sarah Backhouse.

Join us for exhibits, tours, music, food trucks, children’s activities and much more! Burbank residents attending the event will receive a highest-efficiency LED bulb, so bring your Drivers License showing your Burbank address.

Free Parking at Metro Parking Lot on Olive Street. Shuttles will be provided. For more info, please call BWP at 818-238-3730.

BUR: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

December 1: Plug-In Ribbon Cutting
Town Center Mall (near Sport Chalet)
10 am

Electric vehicles can charge for no charge

Stations opening this week will be free to EV drivers until July 1, when the rate will become $2 an hour.
Burbank Leader: 11.26.2011 by Maria Hsin

Eleven new electric vehicle charging stations will debut in Burbank this week, and until July 1, motorists will get to plug in for free.

After the “holiday rate” — approved by the Burbank City Council this week — the price to charge a vehicle will be $2 per hour. But any other charging stations that come online after January will also feature a six-month grace period, according to the city.

The purpose of the grant is to promote and facilitate the use of electric vehicles by encouraging the development of EV charging infrastructure across the country, Xavier Baldwin, assistant general manager at Burbank Water and Power, said in an email.

The three-year demonstration project will also help set pricing. READ MORE !

BWP - Burbank Charging Stations:
Bob Hope Airport Economy Lot A
Bob Hope Airport Lot D
Burbank Town Center Mall (near Sport Chalet)
Burbank Public Works/CDD – 333 E Olive
Costco – 1051 Burbank Blvd
Fry’s – 2311 N Hollywood Way

All Charging Locations in Los Angeles County

Weatherization Day: October 30

October 30
Weatherization Day

Burbank Water & Power
Green Home House Call

FREE
Now offering A/C Tune-up and Duct Sealing
Weatherization services for qualified homes*, including attic insulation
Water efficient showerheads & faucet aerators installed
Indoor & outdoor energy-saving light bulbs installed
Landscape sprinkler system check & irrigation controller programming
Personalized report to help you manage electricity, water and natural gas consumption in the future

*Single family homes with central air conditioning and heating will be assessed for possible insulation services.

BWP: Sierra Club Water Conservation Scorecard

Water Conservation Measures Scorecard
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter: July 2011

The Water Conservation Measures Scorecard rated 122 cities in Los Angeles and Orange counties by the number of mandatory water conservation measures enacted. Cities are ranked for measures in their ordinances that address appropriate water use, avoid water waste, improve building standards, and prescribe water-efficient business practices. Five cities were rated “Best” and five cities were rated “Worst.” The scorecard provides cities with a roadmap to update and expand existing water conservation measures in order to meet federal and state water efficiency standards and to work together to better manage use of the region’s limited water resources.

The 5 cities that scored “Best” with water-efficient building standards and best practices for commercial and outdoor water use:
Burbank, La Palma, La Verne, Los Angeles and Mission Viejo

The Report Includes a City Summary and City Scorecards. READ MORE !

Burbank - Smart Grid System

Some Glendale and Burbank residents resist new smart-grid system
L A Times: 5.17.11 by Melanie Hicken

Glendale and Burbank officials are touting their new "smart meters" project as an exciting technological advancement that will help the utilities and customers track real-time water and electrical use.

But a small group of residents is resisting, saying they're worried about the health effects of the radio waves emitted by the meters. They also say the utilities' ability to view electricity and water usage as it occurs is intrusive and could change the rate structure.

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Utility officials say residents have no reason to be concerned, citing studies that say the wireless smart meters fall within federal guidelines for radiofrequency emissions and expose residents to far less electromagnetic radiation than other common appliances.

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Officials at both utilities say they will postpone installing the meters for concerned residents while they await a ruling from the California Public Utilities Commission, which has ordered Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to create ways for customers to opt out of the new wireless meters.

Although the state commission does not regulate municipal utilities, Glendale and Burbank officials said they would probably follow the agency's direction for a potential opt-out provision.

Glendale has installed 76,000 smart meters so far, and only a dozen residents have asked to have their installation put on hold, said Ned Bassin, assistant general manager for Glendale Water & Power.

And in Burbank, where crews will begin installing the smart meters next month, even fewer concerns have been expressed, officials said. READ MORE !

Power up the 'smart meters'
The devices have sparked an irrational fear of electromagnetic radiation in the Bay Area.
L A Times: 6.05.11 - Editorial

You don't have to be a tinfoil-hat-wearing paranoiac to be worried that the electromagnetic radiation from modern wireless devices may be harmful to your health. But are the "smart meters" being installed by utilities throughout the state frying homeowners' brains, as many consumers and even municipal governments fear? The risks are vanishingly small, while the economic and environmental benefits of smart meters are wide and obvious. In fact, we wish L.A.'s municipal utility would get busy installing the devices, though that isn't likely to happen any time soon. READ MORE !

COB: Urban Water Management Plan

Urban Water Management Plan
Public Hearing
June 7 - 6:00pm

The City of Burbank has prepared a Draft version of its Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP). California law requires the Burbank City Council to adopt an updated UWMP by June 30, 2011.

Public involvement and comment are encouraged.
A public hearing regarding updating Burbank's UWMP in the Council Chambers, Burbank City Hall, 275 East Olive Avenue, Burbank, California.

The Plan includes the following:
Assessment of past and future water supplies and demands
Evaluation of the future reliability of our water supplies
Information regarding water conservation and water management activities
Discussion of water recycling activities
Contingency planning for water shortages

Follow the link below to review the 2010 Draft version of the Plan.
Draft: Burbank Urban Water Management Plan 2010

For more information, contact Matt Elsner, Principal Civil Engineer at (818) 238-3500

SB 2X: 33% Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard

What Stands in the Way of California's 33 Percent Renewables Goal?
Renewable Energy World: 4.13.11 by Lindsay Morris

On April 12, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 2X into law, requiring that 33 percent of the state’s electric generation come from renewable sources by 2020.

Under S.B. 2X, all load-serving entities must meet a 20 percent renewables target by Dec. 31, 2013, a 25 percent target by the end of 2016, and achieve the 33 percent criterion by the end of 2020.

S.B. 2X applies to all electricity retailers in the state – investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities and independent sellers. The current 20 percent renewable energy requirement applies only to investor-owned utilities and independent power producers.

One municipal utility, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, has already reached the 2013 goal of generating 20 percent of its power from renewables. Smaller municipal utilities like Glendale, Anaheim, Pasadena and Burbank, are behind at this stage in terms of how much renewable power they have in their portfolios, said Dario Frommer, partner at Mayer Brown law firm.

Most investor-owned utilities in California are hovering just under 20 percent renewables now. While it may seem that investor-owned utilities are close to meeting the 2013 goal, many of these projects are in litigation over siting issues and may not be completed in time to meet the 2013 target, Frommer said.

“It’s incumbent on the political leaders to address the siting issues that are creating problems for financing,” Frommer said. “Those issues are an impediment to realizing the 33 percent goal.”

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Since it was passed during a special legislative session, S.B. 2X is not expected to take effect until early July. READ MORE !

Smart Grid Meeting: March 23

Burbank's Smart Grid Program Meeting
March 23
5:30 pm – 7 pm
Buena Vista Library

Planning and engineering for the Smart Grid has been underway for several years. BWP staff will be on hand to share information about the City's smart grid program, and answer questions.

To address questions and concerns about what this project means to Burbank, BWP has compiled a list of FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SMART GRID.

BWP: Smart Grid

Burbank Water and Power Selects Trilliant for Smart Grid Advanced Metering Infrastructure
PRWeb: January 7, 2011

Trilliant Incorporated, a Smart Grid communications provider and leader in delivering solutions that enhance energy efficiency, utility operations, and renewable resource integration, today announced that it has successfully completed its pilot and has now been selected to implement the smart metering communications infrastructure at Burbank Water and Power in Burbank, CA. Burbank Water and Power (BWP) is a community-owned utility that has served the business and residents of Burbank with water and power since 1913.

BWP, a recipient of an American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) Grant, deployed approximately 1,000 commercial and residential meters during Phase I of its Smart Grid pilot program. As part of the initial deployment, all of BWP’s customers using 250 kW and above were converted to time-of-use rates. BWP relied on Trilliant’s SecureMesh™ communications infrastructure and UnitySuite™ head-end software to automate meter reading and deliver daily reports on late meters, outages, meter tampering, and more.

The next phase of BWP's Smart Grid program will deploy smart meters to all remaining business and residences in the utility area by year end 2011 amounting to more than 50,000 meters. BWP will utilize Trilliant’s solution to help manage service requests, customer inquiries, meter reading and service interruptions. READ MORE !