23 ATTACHMENT 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

I~R.~f FT I~Rt1 TT DRr1FT energy. Conserving water is one step the City can take toward long-term sustainability. GREEN BUILDING There are many different conceptions of green building design due to the broad range of sustainable issues. Definitions range from broad concepts that incorporate all aspects of sustainability to narrow definitions that focus on one specific sustainable design feature such as recycled content materials or energy efficiency. While there is no formal definition of "green building," the term implies a structure that is friendlier to its occupants and the environment and is more resource efficient. In general, green building design entails the implementation of these related goals: energy efficiency, healthy indoor air quality, waste reduction, water efficiency, and sustainability planning. The development of a green building with improved performance and reduced environmental impact involves the integration of these design concepts, as well as building maintenance and lifetime operation. The green building design field continues to evolve as new technologies and products come into the marketplace and innovative designs improve their effectiveness. The goals of green building are consistent with Energy Element's overarching purpose of guiding Pleasanton toward a sustainable energy future. In 2002 the City Council adopted a green building ordinance which requires new civic and commercial projects over 20,000 square feet in size to incorporate green building measures from the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System. Other types of projects, such as residential projects, are currently encouraged to incorporate green building measures. COMMUNITY CHOICE AGGREGATION In 2002, the State passed AB 117 which allows local governments, cities, and counties to become Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs) by giving local governments, cities, and counties the authority to combine the electrical load of their residents, businesses, and municipal facilities in an electricity buyers' program. Under this bill, the investor-owned utility, in Pleasanton's case PG&E, would still provide transmission and distribution services. If the City chooses to become a Community Choice Aggregator, it would procure a power supply for distribution to all classes of electricity customers within the City limits and it would set the rate structure for participants in the program. There would be an opportunity for ratepayers to opt out of the program and revert to service by PG&E. Some benefits of becoming a CCA may include more local Page 5 Apri119,2005