ENCINITAS: Council to pursue environmental certification

Energy-efficient project proposed for Civic Center

By RUTH MARVIN WEBSTER - Staff Writer | Wednesday, April 16, 2008 10:25 PM PDT ∞

ENCINITAS ---- The Encinitas City Council decided to go for the gold Wednesday night.

Stating that it wanted to lead by example, the council voted 4-1 to hire a consultant to pursue a top-rated national certification for energy-efficient improvements proposed for the city's Civic Center. Councilman Dan Dalager voiced the lone opposition to the motion.

In December, the council approved the expenditure of $3.5 million for a new roof on the Civic Center as well as other improvements including a thermal energy storage system, chiller and solar tubes. It's estimated that the project will save more than $3.9 million in energy costs over its life.

The certification, known as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED, is a national rating system in which facilities are awarded points based on such factors as water efficiency and indoor environmental quality. As designed by Xnergy, the company with the contract to design and build the project, city staffers estimated that the project may be eligible for a LEED gold rating.

Encinitas environmental activist Robert Nanninga said that $40,000 might be better spent on another solar panel or other eco-friendly improvements rather than to "go for a sticker in the window â€- like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, which doesn't mean anything anymore except to the magazine."

Still, Nanninga said after the council vote he was not disappointed with the council's decision. "This is a good thing," he said. "It's a win-win, and the fact that we're even having this discussion is progress."

Encinitas resident Dadla Ponizil and his wife bicycled over to City Hall to speak before the council Wednesday night. Ponizil, who sits on the newly founded environmental committee, said he spoke in his personal capacity and not as a committee member.

"I know of no better system than LEED," he said, "It's national, and it's not just a plaque on the wall but a comprehensive design system," he said, adding that the review committee for the certification will thoroughly and independently review the entire design for energy efficiency and sustainability.

City staffer Larry Watt, who presented the report, said he was pleased with the council's decision, adding that with the certification, Encinitas would be the first city hall in Southern California, and possibly statewide, to achieve this status.

Also at Wednesday's meeting, Detective Lauren McAllister of the Encinitas Sheriff's Station reported on graffiti. She said the city averages 100 reported cases of graffiti per month, and that last year the city spent more than $30,000 removing graffiti from private property.

McAllister stressed the importance of reporting incidents of graffiti and removing it quickly. The city's hotline number is: (760) 633-2751 and offers free graffiti removal.

Contact Staff Writer Ruth Marvin Webster at (760) 901-4074 or at rwebster@nctimes.com.

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