GREEN LIST: All Network Call, Homegrown Savannah, SolSmart Webinar

A photo of a tranquil verdant forest signifying Southeast Sustainbility Directors Network (SSDN) team
  • All Network Member Call: Utility 101 with SEEA: Please join us on March 18th from 2:30-3:30pm EST to learn from the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance about utility regulation and specifically how energy efficiency is regulated. Please email Vanessa if you would like to be invited to join this webinar.
  • 2019 Annual Meeting Registration: 
    We have now opened registration for both Primary and Secondary Members. Membership includes one free registration for Primary Members and this year we can accommodate up to one secondary member from each community at a fee. Registration for both member types will include all accommodations and food.  Please note, SSDN staff will make your hotel reservations after we receive your meeting registration.  We have booked both our accommodations and event space at the Aloft Sarasota, where we will be just a short walk from the water and the beautiful Bayfront Park where you can walk/run the trails and enjoy the sunset.  Please note that the meeting attire is casual and don’t forget your sandals and swim suits! There is a rooftop pool at the hotel!  To stay updated and to learn more about travel to and from the Sarasota Airport to the hotel and event venue, please visit our website here.
  • Homegrown Green Infrastructure in Savannah, GA Savannah, Georgia’s trees provide a cornerstone of the city’s green infrastructure, playing a key part in managing the water that inundates the area during coastal storms. But as Savannah has grown, its trees have been sacrificed. To rebuild critical green infrastructure, Savannah’s Office of Sustainability and partners launched a new initiative that combines job training and landscape certification for low-income job-seekers with the creation of new urban tree nurseries for the city. The initiative also concentrates on engaging and including residents of the lower-income neighborhoods that are home to the tree nurseries, giving them a sense of ownership and a say in the future of their neighborhood. You can read the full story “Savannah’s Homegrown Green Infrastructure,” produced by the Southeastern Sustainability Directors Network here.  You can also view the ribbon cutting event here!
  • Due to the expectation of having a increased in flooding issues in Charleston, SC, the city is taking proactive measures to protect their city and have created a 2019 Sea Level Rise Strategy for their community.  Initiatives that will improve their ability to withstand flooding and sea level rise challenges are outlined in the 2019 Flooding and Sea Level Rise Strategy PDF that you can download by visiting their website here.
  • Urban Green Infrastructure Labs:
    Earth Economics has announced an new training opportunity for municipalities who want to set up with GI game! Starting this summer, Earth Economics will be putting the Blueprint for Increased Investment in Green Infrastructure into action through a series of urban GI Labs. These interactive training workshops are designed to grow the capacity of municipal and local leaders to effectively scale investment and adoption of green infrastructure assets in their communities, through hands-on exercises and facilitated sessions. Please visit their website here to learn more!
  • SolSmart Webinar: Developing and Promoting Solar at the Regional Level
    Join this webinar to learn about solar best practices at the regional level and how SolSmart is supporting regional organizations dedicated to advancing solar. Panelists will discuss how to promote and implement effective local solar policies and the benefits of regional harmonization of solar permitting and planning efforts. Hear from Twin Cities Metropolitan Council staff about how they encourage and support solar efforts within their communities and counties. Finally, the webinar will provide a brief overview of SolSmart, a national designation and no-cost technical assistance program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to make it faster, easier, and more affordable for residents and businesses to go solar.  You can register for this webinar here.
  • LEED for Cities and Communities Grant:
    USGBC and the Bank of America Charitable Foundation have created the LEED for Cities and Communities Grant Program to provide support to a cohort of local governments pursuing certification under the LEED for Cities and Communities rating system.  At least 14 U.S. cities and counties will be selected to receive award packages valued at approximately $25,000 each.  Applications will be evaluated on demonstrated need, leadership support, commitment to data-driven decision-making, staff capacity and coordination with other local initiatives.  All recipients will receive an award package including:
    • One annual USGBC Silver membership;
    • LEED for Cities and Communities registration and certification;
    • Access to the Arc reporting platform to encourage city/county continuous improvement and ability to explore opportunities for managed/owned affordable housing units;
    • A two-day, in-person orientation workshop with other selected communities for two local government officials/staff;
    • One registration to attend the Greenbuild Conference and Expo and the Communities and Affordable Homes Summit in Atlanta in November 2019; and
    • Access to online education resources, USGBC technical assistance and monthly conference calls. You can register for the webinar and learn more about this opportunity here.
  • Home Energy Labeling Program: Rocky Mountain Institute and Earth Advantage
    Scores, labels, and ratings are a regular part of how consumers communicate information. We consult miles-per-gallon ratings on cars, nutrition labels on food, star ratings for products and services on Google/Yelp/Amazon, and Energy Guide labels on appliances to make informed consumer decisions. Energy labeling for homes is beginning to gain traction and best practices are developing to facilitate adoption nationwide. Home energy labeling policies, if done right, are proving to be an effective lever for socializing the benefits of energy efficiency to a broad cross-section of the public, as well as helping to integrate energy performance information into the real estate and lending markets to ultimately inform and benefit consumers. This program will help local governments overcome the barriers listed above in the planning of a mandatory home energy labeling policy by facilitating the sharing of best practices, providing tools and template procedures, and advising on the development of supporting infrastructure. Read more here. Overview Webinar: March 14th 2:30-3:30pm EST. To register please email Greg Hopkins at ghopkins@rmi.org.
  • Job Opportunities:
    Executive Assistant- Race Forward
  • National Energy Code Engagement: Deadline to register March 29th
    SSDN members who have been participating in a green building code workgroup over the past year invite members to help shape the national building energy code this year. The International Energy Conservation Code is updated every three years, and members can influence how the energy codes can help achieve greenhouse gas emission reductions. ICC By-Laws state that any “governmental unit, department or agency engaged in the administration, formulation or enforcement of laws, ordinances, rules or regulations relating to the public health, safety and welfare” is eligible to become a Governmental Member of the ICC.  Members and other municipal departments can register with the International Code Council to be a part of voting on national energy code amendments, which takes place in Fall 2019. To vote, you must first register here (deadline to register is March 29). The more departments that register, the more votes your city will receive, but votes will be more impactful if they are coordinated with sustainability efforts. Please keep an eye out for updates from us in March!
    1. Learn more by reviewing a fact sheet developed by the Energy Efficient Codes Coalition.
    2. Learn more by attending a webinar hosted by NBI and EECC on March 5, 2019