Report from the Summit Group on Energy and Environment

The focus group has identified two primary priorities for action, and suggests a mechanism for pursuing these goals. The group notes that, unlike the other topic areas, many of these issues do not put direct demands on the city budget (other than staff time), but rather require strong leadership. The group envisions Newton as embracing a new vision of citizenship and as playing a greater role regionally in energy conservation.

Priorities

Mobility and Access

Redirect the City’s current automobile-centered focus into one that provides Newton residents with a variety of alternatives for achieving mobility and access to services and other life amenities. These include walking, bicycling, and public transportation. This will require a set of simultaneous and harmonized initiatives in several domains, such as changes in development planning and zoning, bicycle lanes, traffic flow and parking redesign, greater public transportation access, and various incentive programs.

Building Efficiency and Energy Conservation

Create incentives and financial mechanisms for upgrading the energy performance of the built environment, which consumes over 40% of Newton’s energy. Energy efficiency is the most cost effective solution for energy reduction. The recent adoption of the state’s Stretch Code by the City (the first community in Massachusetts) is an important step in this direction. All municipal buildings should be made as energy efficient as possible. The mayor should also leverage a variety of incentives to help residents attain greater energy efficiency in their homes. These could come in the form of public-private financing loans, tax incentives, betterment mechanisms, and others.

Other Areas of Importance

The group identified several other areas that are important to address. These are: (1) Smart Growth Development – leverage the characteristics of Newton to get more use out of existing infrastructure; (2) Waste Reduction – consider a Pay-As-You-Throw program and other waste reduction initiatives; and (3) Green Communities – strive to qualify as a Green Community under the state’s new Green Communities Act.

Concerns

Leadership and Performance Measures

There is a real need for clear vision and communication. We need to create performance metrics and use them with transparency, accountability, as well as empowering City staff.

Financial

Where applicable, it is important that City funds are effectively leveraged to maximize benefits, including using the City’s strong bond rating when beneficial. Also, the City should use life cycle costing in assessing all projects.

Execution and Implementation

The group expressed serious concerns about the City’s ability implement the priorities identified. To be more effective, the Mayor should create a committee of staff and community stakeholders to develop a realistic policy and implementation plan for the City. That committee would have operating and budgeting accountability and a commitment from the Mayor to follow up on its recommendations. The creation of this committee may lead to consolidation of a variety of existing Mayoral appointed committees that have advising roles related to energy and environment.