Utilities' Environmental Projects is a collaboration of the following workgroups: Project Development, Water-use Efficiency, Storm Water & Creeks, Environmental Compliance, and Natural Resource Management. Our goal is to provide environmentally friendly and economical solutions to the delivery, use, and treatment of water.
reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and helping facilitate the reduction of community-wide GHG emissions. The City's objective to reduce its emissions is being accomplished by encouraging the use of renewable energy through implementing solar, biomass, wind, and alternative fuels into their every day operations.
As well as encouraging the use of renewable energy the City has reduced its energy demands and water consumption through various conservation projects. Beneficial reuse of recycled wastewater and biosolids. The City is also in the process of educating staff about Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, and encouraging municipalities and residents to build green.
The Project Development team recently established a Clean Energy Advocate (CEA) pilot program within Santa Rosa and Sonoma County which will provide an independent, unbiased advocate to assist homeowners in navigating the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water-use efficiency upgrade process. The City is in partnership with Solar Sonoma County and is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar America Cities Special Projects grant through December 2011.
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The City of Santa Rosa continues to take bold actions towards bettering itself as a sustainable community. The City has been innovative in its pursuit of public-private relationships. These relationships are what has changed the culture in Santa Rosa and allowed us to be placed on the top 10 list of Green Cities in the U.S. for 2006.
Currently, the City has installed 3 photovoltaic (PV) systems totaling 81.5 kilowatts (kW) which together are estimated to be producing approximately 153,000 kWh of green energy each year. Additionally, three new photovoltaic (PV) systems are being installed totaling 176 kW. Construction is currently under way at the West College location(see below).
The Utilities Project Development section designed and implemented the voluntary Santa Rosa Build It Green (SR BIG) in 2004. After 3 years of success, the Santa Rosa City Council commissioned a special Green Building Task Force to evaluate making SR BIG a mandatory requirement for new construction. In 2007, the City accepted the Task Force recommendation and established mandatory green requirements for all new buildings. To learn more about the advantages of green building and the current requirements, follow this link: Santa Rosa Build It Green