SC 06-18-2020 CITY OF CUPERTINO SUSTAINABILITY COMMISSION
Teleconference meeting without a physical location.
Thursday,June 18,2020 4:00 p.m.
MINUTES
At 4:03 p.m. Chair Latshaw called the meeting to order.
ROLL CALL
Commissioners Present:Chair Gary Latshaw,Vice Chair Vignesh Swaminathan, and Commissioners Anna
Weber and Ram Mohan.Absent:Commissioner Meera Ramanathan.
Staff:Andre Duurvoort,Sustaulability Manager;Ursula Syrova, Environmental Programs Manager;Gilee
Corral, Climate and Utilities Analyst.
Guests:Members of the public.
Chair Latshaw read a statement regarding provisions of the Brown Act and a recent Executive Order issued by
the Governor to facilitate teleconferencing to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transnussion at public meetings.
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Draft minutes of May 21,2020 meeting were reviewed.Vice Chair Swann nathan moved and Commissioner
Weber seconded to approve the minutes.The motion carried unanimously with Commissioner Ramanathan
absent.
POSTPONEMENTS—None.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS—None.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS—None.
OLD BUSINESS—None.
NEW BUSINESS
2. Subject: Subcommittee report and staff presentation on study of Green Building Codes and
consideration of CALGreen Tier 1 and 2 options
On behalf of the Green Building Ordinance Subcommittee,Vice Chair Swaminathan noted there was nothing
new to report.
Sustainability Manager Andre Duurvoort presented a staff report on the item.Topics covered included:
- Summary of discussion with the Green Building Ordinance Subcommittee.
- High level overview of CALGreen Tiers 1 and 2; comparison with elements of Cupertino's all electric
reach code;comparison of policy approaches of neighboring cities.Highlighted features of policies
from other cities,i.e. deconstruction ordinance, all electric and solar, adoption of Tier 2.
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- Cupertino's existing Green Building Ordinance(GBO)and comparison to CALGreen Tiers,noting that
many elements of the voluntary tiers are incorporated into Cupertino's existing ordinance.Reviewed
an example of a LEED certified project in Cupertino.
- Highlighted benefit of current GBO is that it achieves higher environmental performance with an
industry-standard certification process(LEED&Green Point Rated).
- Staff recommends maintaining the current Green Building Ordinance and monitoring efforts on model
code,i.e. County of Marin's low carbon concrete code and Palo Alto's deconstruction ordinance.
Duurvoort answered clarifying questions from the Commission,including:
- How fuel cells/refueling stations are covered or addressed in CALGreen and LEED, distinguish
between fuel cell and battery electric vehicles(Mohan).
o Duurvoort:fuel cells encompassed in the Climate Action Plan(CAP)measures addressing
alternative fuel policy.Cleaner air vehicle parking would apply to fuel cell EVs. GBO adopts
high level of EV charging port requirements in new construction,effectively matched the ports
in CALGreen Tier 2.LEED gives"innovation" credits which could cover fuel cells.
- Efforts to quantify emissions in Tier 1 vs 2 building(Latshaw).
o Duurvoort:all electric reach code achieved essentially zero carbon buildings operationally.
Other emissions sources,i.e.embedded carbon,off road vehicles,construction emissions, are
addressed in development agreements.
- How CNG/natural gas fueled cars relate to electric building/electric code(Latshaw).
o Duurvoort:A hydrogen fuel cell currently in permit process in Cupertino.Have not banned gas
infrastructure in reach code,does not address activities outside the building.
- How the electric reach code is applied to projects, i.e.Vallco and The Oaks(Latshaw).
o Duurvoort:unsure how much of Vallco will be covered in all-electric code;he believes The
Oaks may be one of the first developments in which all-electric code is applied but deferred to
Building/Planning Divisions for questions specific to entitlement and permitting.Will confirm
with Building/Planning Divisions and report back when that information is available.
- Support for the staff recommendation. Interested in learning more re fuel cells vehicles(Swaminathan).
Vice Chair Swaminathan moved and Commissioner Mohan seconded to recommend maintaining the existing
Green Building Ordinance as staff presented.The motion passed unanimously with Commissioner j
Ramanathan absent.
3. Subject: Staff update on planning for resilient energy systems for critical Cupertino facilities
Duurvoort reviewed opportunities available via Silicon Valley Clean Energy(SVCE).Topics covered included: I
- (Swaminathan left for a few minutes at 4:49 p.m.)Duurvoort reviewed an SVCE program flier and
noted COVID-19 customer relief fund, small business relief,workforce development funds.
- (Mohan left for a few minutes @ 4:51 p.m. and a lack of quorum was announced.Quorum reestablished
at 4:52 p.m.when Swaminathan returned.)
- Sustainability Division is reviewing SVCE's community resiliency grant for opportunities to support
resiliency in municipal buildings through the Capital Improvements Program budget. (Mohan
returned @ 4:53 p.m.).
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- Focus on Quinlan Community Center as the largest user of natural gas.Project intent is HVAC system
replacement and integrated planning&design for decarbonization and cleaner emergency support
power technology.Plan will also consider other facilities and potential energy efficiency
improvements.
Duurvoort answered clarifying questions from the Commission,including:
- Library expansion(Latshaw).
o Duurvoort:could explore further,especially if equipment replacement is part of the expansion.
- Timeline for Quinlan improvements(Weber).
o Duurvoort:Two grants: California Office of Emergency Services(CAL OES)$470,000 and SVCE.
Can use funds from SVCE and CAL OES through 2022.Would like to have something in place
by wildfire season.
- Highlighting GHG savings in the projects(Weber).Staff would like to use the projects to educate/
demonstrate value of decarbonization.
- Consideration of reducing spread of COVID-19 in selecting HVAC systems(Swaminathan).Staff noted
this for consideration.
4. Subject:Discuss methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions inventories
Gilee Corral reviewed the greenhouse gas(GHG)/CAP metrics Work Program item and presented details on
calculation of citywide GHG emissions.Topics covered included:
- The City has reduced citywide emissions by 24%since 2010,meeting our 2020 goal ahead of schedule.
- City reports emissions publicly via the Global Covenant of Mayors,will align with updated frequency
of updating inventories every 2 years.
- Noted gaps in data for multiple years due to the"15/15 rule"of the California Public Utilities
Commission(CPUC), as applied by PG&E.Reviewed how staff and SVCE are addressing the data
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issues.
- Known issue in data gap in baseline year of 2010;staff will address this in CAP update GHG inventory
process.Answered questions on how 15/15 Rule is applied across various sectors.
- Direct Access electricity emissions,how emissions factors affect calculations,and how staff addresses
data gaps.
Clarifying questions and comments:
- Emissions reductions reflected in the charts may have remote impact vs local impact on pollution
(Mohan).
- How to address and what to do about data gaps,i.e. go through legislature or CPUC(Latshaw).
- Were cities not aware of the missing data, and will emissions totals change(Weber).
o Corral:there was lack of clarity/confusion among cities on what data was missing.Data is
adjusted for accuracy as the gaps are discovered where possible.SVCE working on this issue on
behalf of cities.
The Commission discussed how to address the 15/15 Rule and give input.Duurvoort noted that staff are
participating on an SVCE-led working group on this topic.SVCE works with a coalition of community choice
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aggregation agencies to advocate on this and other issues via the CPUC.Duurvoort noted Councilmember
Sinks sits on the SVCE Board and could field comments.Chair Latshaw indicated he would be willing to write
a letter on this topic.
5. Subject:Proactive legislative advocacy on climate and sustainability issues in line with Council
adopted legislative priorities
Corral reviewed FY20 legislative items discussed by the Commission:Green New Deal discussion,Buy Clean
California implementation.She answered clarifying questions from Vice Chair Swaminathan and on how to
include policy discussions in the next fiscal year.She answered other Commissioners'questions on the Work
Program process and upcoming meetings.
Vice Chair Swaminathan moved and Weber seconded to close out the legislative advocacy item for the year
and work on the Work Program at the next meeting.The motion passed unanimously with Commissioner
Ramanathan absent.
6. Subject:Staff update on Buy Clean California Act policy development and Bay Area low carbon
concrete codes initiatives
Corral reviewed progress on the Buy Clean Work Program item and noted there were no new developments
on the state level on the implementation of the Buy Clean Act.She flagged a webinar that covered this topic
via the West Coast Climate and Materials Forum website from February 4,2020.The County of Marin's new
low carbon concrete code went into effect in January.
Clarifying questions and comments:
- Trade-offs on carbon impact of steel rebar in relation to minimizing concrete(Latshaw).Vice Chair
Swaminathan noted a trend in the industry to use more steel and less concrete but no trending design
recommendations that addresses this balance specifically outside of existing codes.
- Desire to continue monitoring concrete(Swaminathan,Latshaw).
o Corral:staff will continue to monitor,Commission can consider this issue in a meeting or in the
Work Program discussion
- Consider use of concrete might affect the quarry,if monitoring developers'purchases(Swaminathan).
o Staff do not monitor concrete purchases by individual entities.
- Continue discussion to next meeting(Latshaw,Swaminathan).
7. Subject: Staff update on single use plastics outreach and FY 2020-21 City Work Program item on single
use plastics policy
Environmental Programs Manager Ursula Syrova gave a brief update on single use plastics. City is addressing
the topic in its FY21 Work Program and actively working in a regional working group on engagement and
draft policy language.Focus currently on outreach to restaurants is to provide information and guidance on
the safety of reusables for outdoor dining.Staff exploring options for reusable takeout containers.
Clarifying questions:
- How these models for takeout reusables might evolve,unintended consequences(Swaminathan).
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o Syrova:noted Berkeley pilot, acknowledged difficulties during shutdown situation.
- Specific materials questions:compostable cutlery(Latshaw),proliferation of plastic gloves and masks
due to COVID-19 concerns(Swaminathan).
o Syrova: these are all disposed in landfill bin.No channel currently for gloves to be recycled.
Could look to laboratories to recover gloves/masks.Although model ordinance is based on
food ware, the working group is moving to the term"non reusables"and not limit to single use
plastics along.
- Concern that"non reusables"may not be a term used by regular public(Weber).
o Syrova: language in outreach would be more relatable than in a model ordinance or policy.
STAFF AND COMMISSION REPORTS
Staff updates:
Council approved CAP update project and funding.Scope next fiscal year(FY)was reduced by staff to reduce
budget request for the project: a broad engagement process planned for next FY with strategy options to be
developed in next six months.Technical analyses and Council adoption process anticipated for next FY.
FUTURE AGENDA SETTING
Corral projected notes on the screen to track the agenda setting suggestions. Staff added volunteer program
discussion for the next meeting:Sustainability and Environmental Divisions are considering engaging a couple
of volunteer student interns for the summer.After a brief discussion on when to schedule the Buy Clean
discussion,Chair Latshaw offered to bring an update from an Air District meeting to the July meeting.
Commission agreed to the following topics and meeting cancelations on the screen,wording reflected below: I
{
"FUTURE AGENDA SETTING
July 16 (Special Meeting)
• Buy clean/quarry discussion-with update from Chair Latshaw
• SC Work Program FY21 Adoption
• CivicSpark AmeriCorps Fellow presentation
• Volunteer program discussion
August 20(Special Meeting)
CANCEL
September 17(REGULAR Meeting)
POSTPONE to October 15th
After recess (following July meeting)"
Commissioner Weber moved and Commissioner Mohan seconded to add the items as reflected on the screen
to the July 161"Special Meeting agenda,to cancel the August 206,Special Meeting,and to postpone the
September 171h Regular Meeting to October 1511,.The motion carried unanimously with Commissioner
Ramanathan absent.
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ADJOURNMENT
A motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Weber and seconded by Commissioner Mohan. The motion
carried unanimously with Commissioner Ramanathan absent.Meeting adjourned at 6:37 p.m.
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