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San Diego Pilot Project to Track Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Energy Use in City Buildings

The pilot project, which could eventually be expanded to all city facilities, will help San Diego plan future efficiency upgrade projects to help meet the goals in its ambitious climate action plan.

(TNS) -- San Diego will get a boost in its efforts to fight climate change with a $1.9 million state grant to pay for tracking greenhouse gas emissions and energy use at some city buildings and other facilities.

The pilot project, which could eventually be expanded to all city facilities, will help San Diego plan future efficiency upgrade projects to help meet the goals in its ambitious climate action plan.

“We’re leading by example when it comes to creating a more energy-efficient city,” said Mayor Kevin Faulconer. “What gets measured gets managed and this new, cutting-edge platform will help us better track energy use in our public buildings so city government can be as innovative as the people it represents.”

The data collected will help determine whether the city is keeping pace with the targets set in the climate action plan, which aims to slash San Diego’s greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2035.

The California Energy Commission awarded the grant to San Diego in response to a proposal from the city’s Environmental Services Department.

As part of the project, city officials must share the lessons they learn with local governments, elected officials and residents across the state.

“Fundamentally, the priority with this type of project is for the city to update and mature its own tool kit to manage and track energy use across multiple facilities and buildings,” said Jack Clark, deputy director of Environmental Services. “The secondary component is that the city can share its progress on reducing energy consumption and increasing clean energy generation. The results will provide examples and resources that communicate to San Diegans that we are in this together.”

The project fits San Diego’s participation in the “Smart City” initiative because it involves leveraging data and technology in innovative ways to improve decision-making and outcomes in a key area, such as energy use.

The pilot project is scheduled for launch this fall.

The climate action plan’s municipal energy plan calls for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 15 percent by 2020 and an additional 25 percent by 2035. And San Diego was among the first cities in the nation to target 100 percent renewable energy usage citywide by 2035.

The project will also track and report sustainability opportunities in under served parts of San Diego, such as a 6.4-square-mile federally designated “promise zone” in southeastern San Diego.

Potential opportunities include renewable energy system installation and energy and water conservation.

©2017 The San Diego Union-Tribune Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.