Green Projects and Energy
Sustainability in Florida Local
Governments
Jessica Terman, M.P.A.
Ph.D. Candidate
Askew School of Public Administration
Presentation to Leroy Collins Institute Executive Board
March 21, 2012
Presentation Outline
1. What is energy sustainability? To what extent is it
being done at the local level?
2. What are Florida local governments doing and
where are they falling short?
- Practices in green government
- Incentivizing green industry
3. What are best practices for green government?
4. What are practices for incentivizing green industry?
5. What can the state do to help local
governments?
The What and Why:
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
• What: Cities want to maximize current and future
conservation efforts, energy use and production.
• Why:
– Cost Reduction: Cities believe these projects will
have the potential to reduce energy costs.
– Economic Growth: Cities see these projects as a way
to stimulate the local economy.
– Manageable Goals: Cities are less focused on larger
goals of climate change and green house gas
reduction.
Local Prioritization of Energy
Efficiency
Effort to Reduce Energy
Usage
41%
How Important is
attracting green
development and
business?
Does the Economic Development Plan
Address Energy or Climate Issues?
28%
Most Important
Highly Important
10%
Somewhat Important
Not Important
4%
Yes
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
03%
(0%)
12 (12%)
a Percentages
Important
No
Totala
4 (4%)
8
24 (24%)
28
41 (46%)
45
5%
20 (20%)
20 (20%)
4%
4%
89 (88%) 1% 101
may not add up because of rounding.
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Importance of Energy Issues
Great Extent
Somewhat
Not at all
How Important is
attracting green
development and
business?
Does the Economic Development Plan
Address Energy or Climate Issues?
Green Practices in Government
Facilities
Most Important
Highly Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Yes
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
0 (0%)
12 (12%)
a Percentages
No
4 (4%)
24 (24%)
41 (46%)
20 (20%)
89 (88%)
may not add up because of rounding.
Totala
8
28
45
20 (20%)
101
Cities Engaged in Green
Government Practices
35%
32%
22%
17%
13%
Green buildings Energy efficient
building retrofits
Green
procurement
Renewable
energy use
Smart grid/net
metering
Best Practices:
Governments Using All Five Green Practices
3%
Cities Using All
Five Practices
Population
Median
Income
6%
12%
45%
Indian River Shores
Miami
3,722
399,457
$116,682 14%
Palm Bay
103,190
$44,528
Tallahassee
181,376
$37,451
City Medians
142,283
$40,990
City Averages
171,936
$57,071
18,801,310
$47,661
State of Florida
Five Practices
$29,621
20%
Four Practices
Three Practices
Two Practices
One Practice
Zero Practices
Indian River Shores
Miami
Palm Bay
Tallahassee
Commonalities Among Green
Practices Best Practices Cities
Best Practices Cities
Council-Manager Governments
Cities State-Wide
3 (75%)
128 (78%)
Contact with County Government
Metropolitan Planning Organization
3 (100%)
3 (100%)
63 (51%)
57 (46%)
Contact with Regional Planning groups
3 (100%)
35 (29%)
Contact with Council of Governments
3 (100%)
37 (32%)
City Manager
3 (75%)
98 (52%)
Chamber of Commerce
3 (100%)
69 (63%)
City Staff/Employees
4 (100%)
101 (81%)
Local Businesses
2 (67%)
41 (38%)
Knowledge Sharing
Political Support
How Important is
attracting green
development and
business?
Does the Economic Development Plan
Address Energy or Climate Issues?
Green Economic Development
Most Important
Highly Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Yes
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
0 (0%)
12 (12%)
a Percentages
No
4 (4%)
24 (24%)
41 (46%)
20 (20%)
89 (88%)
may not add up because of rounding.
Totala
8
28
45
20 (20%)
101
Cities Engaged in Green Economic
Development
How Important is Attracting Does the Economic Development Plan
Green Development and
Address Energy or Climate Issues?
How Important is
Does the Economic Development Plan
Business?
attracting green
development and
business?
Most Important
Highly Important
Most Important
SomewhatHighly
Important
Important
Somewhat Important
Not Important
Not Important
Total a
Address Energy or Climate Issues?
Yes
No
Total a
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
8 (8%)
a
Yes
No
Total
4 (4%)
24 (24%)
28 (28%)
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
8
4 (4%) 24 (24%)
41 (41%) 28 45 (45%)
4 (4%)
4 (4%)
0 (0%) 41 (46%)
20 (20%) 45 20 (20%)
0 (0%)
20 (20%)
20 (20%)
12 (12%)
89 (88%)
101 (100%)
12 (12%) 89 (88%)
101
a Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
a Percentages may not add up because of rounding.
Industry Incentives:
Green Building and Development Policy
Encouraged
Required
No policy
69%
63%
51%
51%
42%
42%
42%
37%
12%
35%
18%
13%
16%
7%
2%
Compact
development
Mixed-use
development
Transit
development
Multi-modal
mobility street
design
LEED/ green
development
certification
Industry Incentives: Cities Engaged
in Green Economic Development
24%
21%
13%
14%
Incentives for
Incentives for
Regulatory relief to Regulatory relief
energy efficiency renewable energy
develop energy
for renewable
technologies in new
development
efficient
energy development
developments
technologies
Best Practices: Cities Using All Four
Economic Development Incentives
Cities Using All
Four Incentives
Population
Median
Income
Cutler Bay
40,286
$61,370
Edgewater
18,668
$45,811
Fort Walton Beach
20,882
$46,974
Groveland
5,923
$52,822
Lakeland
91,623
$40,988
Mangonia Park
2,539
$27,590
Minneola
9,440
$55,503
Palm Bay
79,413
$44,528
City Medians
19,775
$46,393
City Averages
33,597
$46,948
18,801,310
$47,661
State of Florida
Four Practices
Two Practices
Zero Practices
Three Practices
One Practice
5% 3%
14%
10%
68%
Cutler Bay
Edgewater
Fort Walton Beach
Groveland
Lakeland
Mangonia Park
Minneola
Palm Bay
Commonalities Among Economic
Development Best Practices Cities
Best Practices Cities
Cities State-Wide
8 (100%)
128 (78%)
Contact with Medium, Large Cities
Contact with State Agencies
7 (88%)
7 (88%)
40 (33%)
72 (59%)
Contact with Regional Planning groups
5 (71%)
69 (57%)
Contact with Council of Governments
6 (86%)
37 (32%)
City Manager
6 (75%)
98 (52%)
Real Estate Developers
4 (50%)
34 (29%)
Homeowner Associations
4 (50%)
43 (38%)
Local Businesses
6 (75%)
45 (38%)
Council-Manager Governments
Knowledge Sharing
Political Support
What is the State Doing?
2008 Florida Energy Bill
1. Efficient land use: Redevelopment, Mixed-use
2. GHG reduction: Transportation strategies
3. Energy conservation: Addressing conservation in
planning documents
4. Housing design/construction standards: LEED
59% of cities reported changing their
comprehensive plans in response to HB 697
Enhancing Sustainability:
What Else can the State Do?
Encourage Collaboration:
− Coastal Partnership Initiative
Green Purchasing:
− State of Florida “Climate Friendly Preferred
Product List”
− Joint purchasing across municipalities
Mitigating Other Obstacles:
− Identify/analysis cost-benefit of different projects
− Educate local planners on sustainable planning
and design
Questions