CITY-COUNTY ADVISORY BOARD ON CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY

200 E. Wells Street City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Meeting Minutes CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY Ald. Nik Kovac and Marcelia Nicholson, Co-Chairs Pam Fendt, Linda Frank, Julie Kerksick, Ted Kraig, Janet Meissner Pritchard, Supreme Moore Omokunde, Pamela Ritger, Erick Shambarger, and Rafael Smith Staff Assistant: Linda Elmer, lelmer@milwaukee.gov, 414-286-2231 Legislative Liason: Luke Knapp, luke.knapp@milwaukee.gov, 414-286-8637 Google documents for this body can be found at : http://bit.ly/CCTFCEE Wednesday, March 3, 2021 10:00 AM Virtual Green Buildings Work Group Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87156655349?pwd=Vi9tbStvL0ZqRGJGSFVrZUhIcXdEdz09 Meeting ID: 871 5665 5349 Passcode: 622331 One tap mobile +13126266799,,87156655349# US (Chicago) +16465588656,,87156655349# US (New York) 1. 10:00 - 10:05 a.m. Minute taker for this and future meetings. Following info to be recorded: 1. Call to order time. 2. Roll call 3. Introductions of new members 4. Actions (with votes) if appropriate (including approval of prior meeting minutes) 5. Appearances 6. Adjournment time 10:05 - 10:10 a.m. Approve meeting minutes from February 3rd meeting Present – 25 Pam Ritger (chair), Linda Frank, Jennifer Evans, Kevin Kane, Rock Ridolfi, Anne White, Elizabeth Hittman, Gordie Bennett, Jermaine Alexander, Jill McClellan, Kathleen Ellis, Korinne Haeffel, Mabel Lamb, Maithilee Kanthi, Mark Keane, Michael City of Milwaukee Page 1 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes March 3, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY Olen, Rob Zimmerman, Victor Nino, Amanda Scheinebeck, Erick Shambarger, Ted Kraig, Akira Mabon, Cara Walls, Kinya Green, Joseph Peletis Renee Clair, Johnson Controls 10:25 1, 10:05 call to order and roll call 2, Minutes of 2/18 approved on Gordie Bennett’s motion 2. 10:10 - 10:30 a.m. - Poll on ICLEI policy scenarios to request be run. - Overview of Green Buildings recs from mini-report of the State of Wisconsin Climate Change Task Force. - Review policy and project spreadsheet. TF Recommendation review, tabled 4, ICLEI modeling – Pam will seek more guidance from the consultant on what can be modeled Pam noted that Energy efficiency and weatherization is getting a lot of attention from this WG Erick gave ME2 overview - Intended to help with loans those who do not qualify for free weatherizing but do not have the resources to finance weatherization - Up to $15,000 loan through Summit CU; 15-20,000 homes per year; incentives have been offered at times up to $1,000; 70-80% of households would qualify within income guidelines; when the furnace is broken, homeowners will call for this help - Erick recommends a loan program from a funding standpoint versus government grant funding which can run dry - Focus on Energy has not offered enough money - What kind of weatherization – gut rehab versus hole in the wall - Renters and homeowner residents both to be reached - Low-income homes have a host of issues; is retrofit a sensible approach - ME2, low-income weatherization (does not cover windows), DCD TINS offers some efficiency money, Block Power - Financing is critical; incentives and outreach can also be critical - Emergency repairs; how can that be addressed with best efficiency measures as well? - Residential retrofits breakout could look at this - Kevin Kane suggests utilization of Green Mortgages - Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Erick gave an overview on Commercial Buildings - State controls the building codes; our state codes are not progressive; municipalities are not permitted to enact more aggressive ones - Requirements to disclose energy usage can be a work around - Requirements for projects that the City finances can also be instituted - City’s Eco-Design Guide; solar site assessment is the only requirement thus far LEED, private sector certification is another approach - Another example are the Sustainability Guidelines in place in the Menomonee Valley Business Park of Milwaukee. - Victor points out that WI Building Council is writing a new code; thus, state will be City of Milwaukee Page 2 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes March 3, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY updating the codes Definitions of multi-family buildings; 4 units or smaller is residential; larger is commercial 3. 10:30 – 11:05 a.m. - Discuss existing and add policy/project ideas in Break-Out Rooms. Breakout Rooms 10:43 Commercial Buildings Break Out Group – March 3, 2021 Attendees: Jill McClellan, Elizabeth Hittman, Victor Nino, Kathleen Ellis, Anne White, Rock Ridolfi, Korinne Haeffel, Renee Clair 1. Update Building Codes: a. Victor (ASHRAE) commented that there is a State group working on updating the IECC; it’s currently 2013 and they are working on updating it to 2021; this would be a huge improvement but we have to be careful that certain things don’t get watered down b. How can we support that adoption? Pam said that Clean Wisconsin is working on this; the City of Milwaukee has a representative on this committee as well c. Can Victor give us an update on what the major changes will be? d. Can we have flexibility so that cities can require energy requirements that go further than the State code? e. Korinne put in the chat WI Building Code Council member list https://dsps.wi.gov/Pages/BoardsCouncils/CommercialBuilding/Default.aspx i. Richard Paur works for the City of Milwaukee f. Victor shared an ASHRAE 90.1 slide to show the path to net zero energy buildings g. We can advocate our support that the code doesn’t get watered down h. Anne White noted that there could be pushback from developers on construction costs related to new code requirements; it all comes down to construction costs; 95% of the utility costs are paid by the tenants so the building owners are less invested in efficiency i. Is there demand from tenants for this? ii. Korinne thinks there needs to be more education on this so tenants start to demand this 2. Kathleen commented that we need to talk about total cost of building ownership and the health impacts of buildings 3. Victor said that at the end of the day if we show the ROI for buildings owners for the operation of the building a. Kathleen noted that owners will need to pass along the added costs to tenants b. Issues to consider: Sub-metering; restructuring leases, taking readings on sub-meters, equity in billing for tenants, multifamily properties c. Can we talk to Dominion Properties about their condo projects? i. Tenants are not submetered and buildings have renewable energy ii. See if they’d be willing to talk at a future meeting d. Get feedback from property managers and real estate brokers 4. Jill asked if there were things that are not palatable to building developers and owners a. Milwaukee needs to play catch up with cities like Minneapolis and Chicago that consistently have very sustainable projects b. Jill wanted to know if we can leap frog Chicago and Minneapolis? c. Korinne thinks WI has a strong aversion of things that are mandatory 5. USGBC offers a free benchmarking tool – Arc 6. Jill asked Korinne to put together a quick summary of what is working in other locations 7. Victor suggested making a road map? City of Milwaukee Page 3 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes March 3, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY a. Looking at Minneapolis and Chicago b. How can we reach our goals? c. How did we go from 2010 code to 2019 and are there lessons learned from that To Do: Everyone should come to the next meeting with their goals and wish lists for changes in Wisconsin Residential Retrofits: - Ted suggested adding a “Power to influence” column as a criteria for policy/project evaluation. - Kevin and Jennifer brought up the issue of an intended timeline for each policy or project action. - Kevin Kane explained the various options for home weatherization: - (1) The government spends a lot of money; - (2) People work with banks to pay for weatherization or energy efficiency work, by refinancing or using a green mortgage; or - (3) Energy efficiency work or weatherization is completed through on-bill financing or a tariff, whereby the utility pay for the upgrade and that upgrade is paid off over time through the utility bill. The upgrade is tied to the home. o We Energies was asked to provide such a tariff in 2008 and did not; they have declined again to offer such a program. o However, this can be routed through the Milwaukee Water Works. The Public Service Commission is okay with this arrangement and Kevin is working with the City of La Crosse to create such a program there. o Jermaine mentioned that this makes a lot of sense, as completing energy efficiency upgrades will always depend upon whether residents have the funding. Jermaine also mentioned that it would be beneficial to have weatherization programs provide new windows, as well. o Mabel suggested creating a focused program – possibly tied to the Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) in Sherman Park – that could provide furnace upgrades along with energy efficiency upgrades. New Housing Break Out Room notes: • On Green Building workgroup notes: o “off site construction development, bloomberg challenge” (line 39) o “SARUP's Arch 650/350 has entered the national solar decathlon (sponsored by the department of energy) the past 6 years. The entry level home designs by UWM SARUP students are zero net energy and engineered by students from UW Madison College of Engineering. This semester the team is working on sites at Josey Heights, Walnut Circle, Appleton and Brodhead WI for clients who will bid out the construction documents and build the homes 2021. These schemes can be used on multiple sites of vacant lots with 3B 2Ba homes from 1200-1800sqft.” (line 49) o Prior discussion with the realtors of City of Milwaukee housing stock led to a potential of UWM SARUP students working on existing homes on the city list of properties to evaluate and design schemes to flip the homes back onto the market. (line 50) • Erick proposed a project that is most likely to be the main project for this working group – a combination of UW Solar Decathlon challenge (US Dept. of Energy) students work on developing single, replicable housing models and the Bloomberg challenge. o Political feasibility: yes - city government already on board. City invested a lot in deconstruction. Challenge is getting consistent buyer. o Funding: Bloomberg challenge. Backup - city has a pipeline of subsidized housing (housing authority, city development). Shift some existing funds. City wants a City of Milwaukee Page 4 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes March 3, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY manufacturing commitment to do it in the city (as opposed to shipping modular homes from out-of-state). Redirect existing streams of housing support to help w/ housing and employment. Some private funders might be interested too. • Potential to use reclaimed materials. • 3 wings of this project to flesh out – home design, building factory & partnering with contractor, policy (DNS, housing authority, etc). • Jobs – ideas: train taskforce and partner w/ large contractor for post-project employment incentive. • Education - start early, basic skill education. Also, build in pipeline for future workers through education outreach. • Modular over panelized designs. • Dr. Keane - rehabilitation homes (plug that gap while we're building new). • Want to interview future homeowners - do you even want to own a home, what style, etc - Zoom interview. Basically, see if homebuyers actually want this program in the long-term. Akira taking lead on this. • Funding: Bloomberg prize money, but also Mayor has committed to this plan. • Solar Decathlon info - starts over every year. Goal: single, replicable home design. Homes built by students specific to their communities. Could get architects later for professional designs, but Joe (?) and Cara could continue developing design for their Masters. Policy/project spreadsheets will be used in each breakout 4. 11:05 – 11:20 a.m. - Report-out from Break-Out room discussions. Main Room, Reports on Breakout Sessions, 11:17 Commercial Jill reported that Victor in knowledgeable on new WI building code process; commercial group wants to see a strong code come out of this; the industry is expected to put in amendments aimed at keeping down costs; Dominion as model for energy neutral developer; build for long-term building quality, invest today; creating a roadmap towards identified goals New housing Erick reported that modular housing was discussed; use of deconstructed material; job creation and education; concept to reality process Residential Pam reported that long-term versus short-term time frames were discussed; focus was on weatherization; SDC will be approached for overview of programs and barriers; Kevin had given overview of funding sources with on bill financing being the best method, such as the La Crosse water utility is considering; new windows should be included; Mabel had suggested that NIDs like Sherman Park could be localities for a pilot; Lindsey Heights may start a NID 5. 11:20 – 11:30 a.m. - Future meeting agenda items. - Adjourn. Send any agenda items to Pam Adjourned 11:28 Minutes provided by Pam Ritger. City of Milwaukee Page 5 CITY-COUNTY TASK FORCE ON Meeting Minutes March 3, 2021 CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC EQUITY City of Milwaukee Page 6