December 2, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

SMa.r.t-Net Zero… an Ideal or Necessity?

Thane Roberts AIA for SM a.r.t. Santa Monica Architects for a Responsible Tomorrow Ron Goldman FAIA, Thane Roberts AIA, Bob Taylor AIA, Dan Jansenson Architect, Santa Monica Building & Safety Commissioner, Mario Fonda-Bonardi AIA, Santa Monica Planning Commissioner, Sam Tolkin Architect, Phil Brock Santa Monica Arts Commission. SMa.r.t. is a group of Santa Monica Architects concerned about the city’s future. For previous articles, please see santamonicaarch.wordpress.com/writing.

“Net Zero” is a term that has just recently entered the nomenclature, but it will be one that we will be hearing more often. It’s a “buzz word” that describes buildings that produce as much energy as they use. Until now, this ambitious target seemed out of reach, an ideal. It is now a necessity and about to become law. Most scientists agree that the production of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is heating the earth with potentially disastrous consequences. The levels of atmospheric CO2 have increased by over 30 percent since the Industrial Revolution whose success was made possible by the burning of fossil fuels.

The resultant CO2 in our atmosphere acts like a “blanket” around the earth that traps the sun’s heat, warming our continents and oceans. The result has been the melting of the polar ice caps and the disruption our planet’s normal, climatic cycles (e.g. Irma, Harvey, and their offspring). If left unchecked, it could eventually make the earth uninhabitable. In the interim, it will continue to take its toll on our health, safety and even our economy.

A conference to address this issue was recently sponsored by Southern California Edison (SCE). SCE has been a longtime supporter of energy efficiency to enable their customers save energy while lowering their utility costs. These policies have also helped to slow climate change by reducing CO2 production. In 2016, 28 percent of SCE’s energy came from sustainable sources, 40 percent if rooftop solar and hydroelectric sources are included. Their sustainable practices and conservation efforts are continuing. By 2030 they anticipate that 50 percent, of their electricity will derive solely from renewable sources.

SCE is also experimenting with new technologies such as micro-girds for a more efficient energy distribution and storage. These “grids” can reduce the need for additional power plants as well as store energy in battery banks, potentially solar powered, to serve remote areas or provide power to the grid during peak periods.

In the public realm, they are sponsoring symposiums, like the recent Net Zero Energy (NZE) Conference, to raise public awareness and hasten the realization of a Net Zero future.

In California, we have some of the nation’s leaders in the quest for sustainability. The pro-tem president of California’s Senate, keynote speaker Kevin De Leon, is one of them. At the Net Zero symposium, he talked about recent legislation that would mandate that all residential construction in California be Net Zero by 2020, Commercial development by 2030. With the 6th largest economy in the world, we have an obligation, and can play an important role, in our country’s progress towards the NZE goal. De Leon’s belief is that a better environment and a strong economy can go “hand in hand”. Based on this conviction, his goal is to make clean energy the pillar of our State’s economy.

Perhaps one of the most interesting stories to come out of the Symposium was that of another keynote speaker – Lancaster’s mayor, Rex Paris. In 2005 when Paris became Mayor of Lancaster, it had high crime, high unemployment and a faltering economy. Fast forward to 2013 when the city’s crime rate had dropped by 40 percent and Lancaster had become the first in the nation to require that solar panels be installed on all new homes. It is currently on track to become our nation’s first Net Zero city. Early in this process, it partnered with KB Homes to design and build their first net zero energy homes. Today, they have a NZE model 2.0 that not only produces more electricity than it uses but also uses 33 percent less gas and 40 percent less water. These homes are both less expensive to build and operate. Paris was also able to lure a manufacturer of electric city buses to the city who is now providing both new jobs as well as a non-polluting, public transit system.

At the end of the day, Lancaster’s mayor points out that while many of the problems we face are global, “a large percentage can be resolved at the local level”. Might Santa Monica be one of those? Lancaster is taking concrete steps to build their economy around sustainable industries while providing NZE housing options for their residents. While Santa Monica has good intentions, their regulations for a NZE future will be futile if they lack the necessary steps to get there. For example, Santa Monica’s proposed new administration building incorporates sustainable technology but is neither an economical solution nor a viable alternative. It employs technologies that are unapproved and is being built at a cost of $1,720/SF. SMa.r.t. believes that Santa Monica’s residents deserve better NZE models, strategies and leadership if we are to meet the coming State mandated NZE requirements.

Net Zero cities are more than a fancy building.

 

<>Related Posts

SM.a.r.t Column: It’s Time To Inspect Balconies

November 24, 2024

November 24, 2024

About nine years ago, a fifth-floor balcony in a Berkeley apartment building collapsed, tragically killing several students gathered on it...

S.M.a.r.t Column: Your City is Broke

November 18, 2024

November 18, 2024

On December 10, the new City council will be seated fresh from their dominant win in the recent elections. There...

SM.a.r.t Column: Moving Ahead to the Future

November 10, 2024

November 10, 2024

As we write this, the election results are still trickling in. We’ll leave the deep analysis to others, but the...

Opinion: Fact Check: Why Vote Yes on Measure QS

November 1, 2024

November 1, 2024

Despite living in a famously progressive region, Santa Monicans are not immune from the same political misinformation and disinformation that...

SM.a.r.t Column: Lack of Oversight and No Accountability

October 31, 2024

October 31, 2024

S.M.a.r.t. periodically invites guest columnists to write opinion articles on topics of particular interests to our readers. Below is an...

SM.a.r.t Column: “Help! I’ve Fallen, and I …!!”, Cries Santa Monica!

October 25, 2024

October 25, 2024

Maybe fallen, but slipping for sure from being a desirable beachfront community that served all equally, the local residents who...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Vote

October 13, 2024

October 13, 2024

In a polarized country or City every vote counts. Regardless of which side of any issue or candidate you support,...

SM.a.r.t Column: Fact-Checking Election-Season Windbaggery

October 6, 2024

October 6, 2024

Claim: The state is requiring Santa Monica to build 9,000 apartments.Answer: Partially true, partially false. Santa Monica has a pretty...

SM.a.r.t. Column: Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Can Help Save Lives and Revitalize Santa Monica’s Economy

September 29, 2024

September 29, 2024

We wholeheartedly endorse the candidates below for Santa Monica City Council. Their leading campaign platform is for increased safety in...

SM.a.r.t Column: Crime in Santa Monica: A Growing Concern and the Need for Prioritizing Public Safety

September 22, 2024

September 22, 2024

By Michael Jolly Over the past six months, Santa Monica has experienced a concerning rise in crime, sparking heated discussions...

SM.a.r.t Column: Ten New Commandments

September 15, 2024

September 15, 2024

Starting last week,  the elementary school students of Louisiana will all face mandatory postings of the biblical Ten Commandments in...

SM.a.r.t Column: Santa Monica’s Next City Council

September 8, 2024

September 8, 2024

In the next general election, this November 5th, Santa Monica residents will be asked to vote their choices among an...

SM.a.r.t Column: Part II: The Affordability Crisis: Unmasking California’s RHNA Process and Its Role in Gentrification

September 2, 2024

September 2, 2024

Affordability: An Income and Available Asset Gap Issue, Not a Supply Issue (Last week’s article revealed how state mandates became...

SM.a.r.t Column: Part 1: The Affordability Crisis: Unmasking California’s RHNA Process and Its Role in Gentrification

August 26, 2024

August 26, 2024

In the world of economic policy, good intentions often pave the way to unintended consequences. Nowhere is this more evident...

SM.a.r.t Column: They Want to Build a Wall

August 18, 2024

August 18, 2024

Every once in a while, a topic arises that we had previously written about but doesn’t seem to go away....