BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement A188626 with Overlay Consulting to develop and implement a regional Building Energy Benchmarking Program for the period March 1, 2018 through December 31, 2023 with the not to exceed amount of $105,000 be approved; that that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the county authorizes the County Administrator to approve and sign future amendments associated Agreement A188626 including contract extensions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval by the County Attorney's Office, the County Administrator be authorized to sign all Joint Purchasing Agreements between the county and any city wanting to utilize the services provided by Overlay Consulting through Agreement A188626 for implementation of a Building Energy Benchmarking program in their city; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Agreement CON000000000639 with the McKnight Foundation accepting funding for a portion of the first year consulting fees for the period January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 in the receivable amount of $50,000 be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to accept and disburse funds as directed.

History:

Building energy use comprises about 40 percent of regional greenhouse gas emissions, making buildings an excellent target for energy-efficiency measures. National statistics show that of the buildings that have benchmarked their energy use for 3-years save on average 7% in annual energy use. 50% of energy reduction opportunities are low to no-cost to the building owner. Awareness of building energy use is the first step.

Energy benchmarking helps building owners evaluate energy performance and identify conservation opportunities. Energy use and associated greenhouse gas emissions are important to Hennepin County as they affect the quality of the environment and the health of county residents.  

Hennepin County is looking to establish a consistent regional building energy benchmarking program that will streamline the process and be cost effective for cities to implement. Building owners across jurisdictions will encounter the same processes and support as a result of this program. Cities will have access to resources to implement a Building Energy Benchmarking ordinance as part of the county’s efforts to support cities in the region.

The county will hire a consultant to develop a program for cities to utilize, making implementation of a Building Energy Benchmarking program in their city easier and more cost effective. Once the initial program is developed, each city will enter into a contract with Overlay Consulting for the scope of work they need at the cost defined in the contract. Ongoing annual costs to the county for software access and helpline are $5,000. In order to utilize this contract each city will have to enter into a Joint Purchasing Agreement with the county. Development of the program will be supported with funding from the McKnight Foundation. The remaining portion and annual county cost will be funded through the department's operating budget.  

The Building Energy Benchmarking program will comprise the following scope of work:

• Outreach and education
• Building data gathering
• Building owner notification, training and technical support
• Energy data gathering and compliance monitoring
• Energy reporting and disclosure
• Energy conservation program communication

Current Request: 

The current request is to approve  Agreement A188626 with Overlay Consulting in the not to exceed amount of $105,000 and Agreement CON000000000639 with the McKnight Foundation in the receivable amount of  $50,000.  The two agreements will be used to implement a regional Building Energy Benchmarking program.

Impacts/Outcomes:

By establishing a standardized Building Energy Benchmarking program for mid- to small-sized buildings in Hennepin County and the region, the county hopes to make buildings more energy efficient and thereby help preserve the environment.