LIHU‘E — The County of Kaua‘i signed on to take the Better Buildings Challenge, pledging to reduce energy use by 20 percent at its facilities by 2020. Kaua‘i joins more than 40 states and municipalities along with corporate, industrial and
LIHU‘E — The County of Kaua‘i signed on to take the Better Buildings Challenge, pledging to reduce energy use by 20 percent at its facilities by 2020.
Kaua‘i joins more than 40 states and municipalities along with corporate, industrial and educational partners in the challenge since the U.S. Department of Energy launched it last year, according to a recent press release.
Program benefits include receiving free technical assistance and education about energy efficiency measures and approaches that have been successful for participating organizations.
“We welcome the opportunity to participate in the Better Buildings Challenge, which aims to improve energy efficiency in buildings and reduce carbon emissions across the country,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. “This program will enhance our efforts to improve energy usage within the county, and hopefully, inspire the business community to move forward on their own energy efficiency measures.”
Other energy saving initiatives implemented at county facilities in recent years include:
• Establishment of a Staff-Level Green Team to improve the county’s resource management, resulting in cost-savings and reducing the county’s carbon footprint. The team has rolled out five projects including refrigerator replacement; thermostat settings; disposables to reusables; ride sharing; and paper reduction.
• Buying five electric vehicles and installation of five EV changing stations for county use and five for public use through an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant.
• Use of energy savings performance contracts involving retrofits and capital improvements while focusing on energy savings.
• Installation of renewable energy systems at the Lihu‘e Civic Center, Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Kaiakea fire station.
“All of these energy-saving and sustainable initiatives, combined with thoughtful land use planning, improved transit systems, along with Smart Growth principles, help us to move toward our long-term goal of becoming less oil dependent,” County Energy Coordinator Ben Sullivan said, adding that all of the projects have the potential to boost economic activity.
Above and beyond the county’s internal efforts, the community developed the Kaua‘i Energy Sustainability Plan for the entire island under the guidance of SENTECH Hawai‘i LLC, Maurice Kaya LLC, and Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance.
One of the goals of the plan is to achieve 100 percent energy sustainability by 2030 with strategies for both the electricity and transportation sectors.
