Climate Connection: Building Performance Standards
Our built environment contributes 20-30% to U.S. carbon emissions. Reducing these emissions is critical to meeting targets set to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. What can the Assembly do to contribute to global efforts to slow earth’s warming and the resulting disasters?
Carbon footprints from buildings, whether commercial, public, or residential, include those from heating, ventilation, and cooling and from appliances for hot water and cooking.
Weatherization can decrease energy losses from heating and cooling. In Sitka, half of our homes are heated with fossil fuels, which are becoming increasingly expensive. We have a cheaper and more efficient alternative, which is electric heat pumps fueled by our clean hydropower. Our heating money can stay in Sitka if we replace our fuel oil boilers and Toyo stoves with heat pumps. The President is increasing the supply of heat pumps with the Defense Production Act, and more monies may be coming through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The latter also has $9 billion for rebates for electrifying home appliances and energy efficient retrofits and $1 billion for a grant program to make affordable housing more energy efficient.
Both would lower cost of living for Sitkans.
Luckily, Sitka is a home rule community, meaning that we can determine our own building performance standards without waiting for state action. Most of our future building emissions come from existing buildings, not new construction. Their efficiency could be mandated by building performance standards, which give a “carbon budget” to every building and a requirement to meet a standard by a certain future year or pay a fee for noncompliance.
For example, buildings using fossil fuels might be required over time to electrify heating and cooking. For commercial buildings, low cost financing for retrofits could be enabled by Sitka’s developing a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program, as recently expanded by AK HB-227 in June. Green banks, proposed by Governor Dunleavy in April 2021 and hopefully spurred on by IRA funding, might be an option. Retrofit upgrades could be facilitated by development of energy-as-a-service provider businesses to coordinate benchmarking of utility/energy costs, energy audits, equipment purchase, coordination of contractors, etc. The European Union has such one-stop shops for residences. States with building performance standards for commercial buildings include Colorado, Washington and Maryland. Cities include Reno, NYC, St. Louis and Washington, DC. The benefits are lower costs in utilities, strengthening our local economy with retrofit jobs and local power, lowering greenhouse gases, and increasing occupant comfort.
New building efficiency standards also are important. Sitka’s building codes need updates to current international standards with climate protection in mind. The Assembly’s steps toward sustainability are promising with a new sustainability position and a commission. We need a whole of City and Borough of Sitka approach to the climate emergency.
Kay Kreiss, Transition Sitka
Sleep-Out Event Tonight
To bring visibility and attention to homelessness in Sitka, the Sitka Homeless Coalition is hosting a sleep-out set tonight.
Those sleeping out must set up after 4 p.m. tonight and take down before 9 a.m. Saturday. Participants will spend their Friday night in tents and tarps pitched on Totem Square.
All of Sitka is invited to gather at 6 p.m. to hear from local speakers, learn more about homelessness in Sitka, and support the ongoing efforts to build Hítx’i Sáani, a community of little houses that will offer shelter to those who live outside.
Those planning to sleep out, can sign up at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIPYzsDCNH9UUcU-NtHYd-ijN-NqDsG64y0U97SaY1h4tbQQ/viewform?usp=sf_link.
Visit the Sitka Homeless Coalition Facebook page or contact Harper Glazer at harper.glazer@sitkatribe-nsn.gov or 747-7293 for more information or to register to sleep out.
Pioneers Home
Auxiliary Meets
The Sitka Pioneers Home Auxiliary will meet 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at the Pioneers Home chapel.
All are invited to attend.
Breakfasts, Books
Offered to Youths
Sitka Public Library and Sitka Conservation Society, with the support of the Hames Corporation and First National Bank, will have a free distribution of to-go breakfasts and copies of ‘‘Berry Song’’ to 100 youths ages 0-18 at 11 a.m. on Aug. 6.
The event will include a reading of ‘‘Berry Song’’ by local author, illustrator and Caldecott-award winner Michaela Goade.
Goade’s new book is a ‘‘joyous celebration of the connections between people and the land and foods that sustains us all,’’ the library said.
Quantities will be distributed on a first-come, first-served, basis. For more information call the library at 747-4022 or e-mail Maite at maite.lorente@cityofsitka.org
Basketball Court
Art Unveiling Set
The public is invited to join the City and Borough of Sitka, the Project Backboard team and artist Crystal Worl for the unveiling of the Crescent Harbor Park basketball court resurfacing and artwork.
It will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, with a ribbon-cutting, dance performance, games and prizes.
ANS Nominations
Slated Saturday
Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4 will hold its first round of nominations for officers for the 2022-23 year 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at the ANB Founders Hall.
In order to vote, members must be paid up and in good standing.
Dues can be paid at the meeting. They are $12 for 16 years and older; and junior dues are $2 for newborn through 16 years.
For more information call 907-738-0712.
Reading Program
Slated to End
The Summer Reading Program at Sitka Public Library will end Saturday, Aug. 6.
Participants can claim their final reading prizes by that day. The name of the tween/teen winners of the summer program drawing will be announced through the library’s social media that same day.
For information, call the library at 747-4020.
Tackle, Flag Football
Registration on Tap
Sitka Youth Football registration is open for Tackle and Flag Football, as well as the free flag football Punt, Pass & Kick Clinic, at www.sitkayouthfootball.com.
Tackle football registration is now open for sixth through 12th grade players. Practices begin the week of Aug. 10. Registration will remain open through Aug. 27.
The free Flag Football Punt, Pass & Kick Clinic will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Lower Moller Field. Registration is open to those in first through fifth grades.
Flag football skills assessments will be 10 a.m.-noon Aug. 27 at Upper Moller Field. Registration is open to first- through fifth-grade players.
Coaches, volunteers and board members are needed.
Players and volunteers can register at www.sitkayouthfootball.com. E-mail sitkastorm@gmail.com with any questions.
ANS Nominations
Slated Saturday
Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 4 will hold its first round of nominations for officers for the 2022-23 year 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at the ANB Founders Hall.
In order to vote, members must be paid up and in good standing.
Dues can be paid at the meeting. They are $12 for 16 years and older; and junior dues are $2 for newborn through 16 years.
For more information call 907-738-0712.
Lutheran Volunteers
Visiting From Texas
Bob and LaVerne Reid, Lutherans from Round Rock, Texas, returned this month as volunteers at Sitka Lutheran Church. In past years they volunteered at both the church and Sitka Fine Arts Camp.
For more than 40 years LaVerne worked in the federal service with FAA and the Department of the Interior. Her work in property management took her to all regions of the United States including Alaska. Her career with FAA included work on the Sitka airport.
In his work with Wien and Alaska Airlines, Bob was a board member of the Worldwide Airlines Customer Relations Association, a position that took him around the world from Singapore to Budapest and points in between. He also helped to participate in the inception of Stellar Secondary School and radio station KSKA-FM in Anchorage.
Both are lifetime volunteers with service in many parts of the nation and are eager bring these gifts of hospitality to Sitka, the church said.
The two made their home in Anchorage for many years.
At Sitka Lutheran Church they arerunning the popcorn machine, greet visitors and preach the Gospel.
Regular Sunday morning worship services are held at 10:30 a.m. For information call the church office at 747-3338, visit the church’s website at: http://www.sitkalutheranchurch.org/ or e-mail the office at slc.admin@acsalaska.net.
Uncommon Music
Festival On Tap
The Uncommon Music Festival has released its schedule for the weekend event in Sitka.
At 7 p.m. tonight, organist Jacob Reed will perform a solo recital called “A Pleasant Thought” on the historical organ at Sitka Lutheran Church.
The Uncommon Music Festival quartet will sing music selected for Sitka 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church.
Also on Saturday, at 7 p.m., the public is invited to meet the Uncommon Music Festival at the visitor center of the Sitka National Historical Park for a walk through the woods with music along the way.
The Uncommon Music Festival celebrates women, sacred music, and community, with readings selected by the Reverend Julie Platson 1 p.m. Sunday at St. Peter’s. All are welcome.
Visit bit.ly/UMF2022 on the web for more information.
