Nov 15, 2022 Resource Management

COMMISSIONER HARMON IS ABSENT.

IS HERE.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS HERE IS HERE IN THE ROOM.

COMMISSIONER STONE IS ABSENT.

COMMISSIONER BRENNAMAN IS HERE.

COMMISSIONER SHARIA HERE IS HERE.

NUMBER ONE, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION AND REGULAR MEETING ON OCTOBER 18TH, 2022.

UH, ITEM

[1. Approve the minutes of the Resource Management Commission Regular Meeting on October 18, 2022.]

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES IN THE AGENDA PACKET? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.

UH, MOVING ON TO

[2. Staff briefing regarding a quarterly update of the Water Conservation activities by Kevin Kluge, Environmental Conservation Division Manager of Austin Water.]

ITEM TWO.

UH, WE HAVE A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING A QUARTERLY UPDATE OF THE WATER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES BY KEVIN KLUGE, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION DIVISION MANAGER OF AUSTIN WATER.

KEVIN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

COULD YOU PULL THE MIC UP JUST A LITTLE BIT? IS THAT BETTER? I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ON, BUT THERE YOU GO.

YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ALL RIGHT.

YOU'RE GOOD.

WELL, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

MY NAME FOR THE RECORD IS KEVIN CLOY, WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION MANAGER.

AND WITH ME TONIGHT IS CHRISTOPHER CHARLES, UH, PROJECT MANAGER FOR OUR LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION IN ENDEAVORS.

AND JACOB JOHNSON, WHO IS THE SUPERVISOR FOR OUR CUSTOMER PROGRAMS TEAM IN THE WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION.

THIS QUARTERLY UPDATE TONIGHT WILL BE PRIMARILY BRIEFING, UH, PRIMARILY BE A BRIEFING REGARDING THE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION, UH, IN ENDEAVORS THAT UNDERTAKING.

BUT FIRST I WANTED TO MENTION JUST A FEW UPDATES REGARDING THE CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SITUATION.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, ALTHOUGH WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD RAIN OVER THE LAST WEEK OR UH, WEEK OR SO, UH, THE COMBINED STORAGE OF LAKE BUCHANAN AND LAKE TRAVIS STILL REMAINS ABOVE JUST ABOVE 50%.

UH, SECONDLY, WE'RE PROJECTED TO HAVE A, UH, WINTER OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, WITH MOST LIKELY UNDER, UM, BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION AND ABOVE NORMAL, UH, TEMPERATURES.

AND AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN OUR, UH, MONTHLY REPORT TO THE RMC, THE LCRA HAS RELEASED THEIR LATEST PROJECTIONS IN TERMS OF STORAGE LEVEL, AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH UNDER DRY OR EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS, UH, WE WILL BE HEADING TOWARDS THAT STAGE TWO DROUGHT, DROUGHT TRIGGER IN EARLY JUNE.

SO IT LOOKS TO BE, UH, SOME DRY TIMES AHEAD OF US.

AND THIS IS A GOOD BACKDROP TO DISCUSS OUR LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS.

SO TONIGHT, I WILL DESCRIBE THE POTENTIAL ACTIVITIES AND ORDINANCES THAT WE ARE PROPOSING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY.

UH, WE ARE STILL, UM, RECEIVING INPUT AND NO FINAL DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT WE WANT TO COME TO YOU TONIGHT TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING, AND TO RECEIVE ANY INPUT FROM YOU.

NEXT SLIDE, HUGO.

2,500 ACRE FEET OF WATER BY 2040.

AS BACKGROUND, THE 2018 WATER FORWARD PLAN INCLUDES A LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE STRATEGY THAT ENVISIONS TRANSFORMING THE TRADITIONAL LANDSCAPES OF NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO LANDSCAPES THAT REQUIRE LESS DRINKING WATER FOR IRRIGATION.

THE STRATEGY FOCUSES ON NEW HOMES, UH, IT MAY LIMIT TURF OR IRRIGATION, AND IS ENVISIONED TO SAVE 2,500, ROUGHLY

[00:05:01]

UH, THE WATER FORWARD PLAN INCLUDED AN IMPLEMENTATION DATE OF 2025, HOWEVER, MAY OF LAST YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL DIRECTED THE CITY MANAGER AND AUSTIN WATER TO ACCELERATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS STRATEGY.

NOW, BEYOND THE PLAN AND THE COUNCIL DIRECTIVE, THERE IS A BASIC NECESSITY OF AUSTINITES CONTINUING TO BE MORE WATER EFFICIENT.

THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN MEET OUR WATER EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY GOALS GOING FORWARD IS IF EVERY RESIDENT IN BUSINESS ON AVERAGE, USES A LITTLE BIT LESS WATER NEXT YEAR THAN THEY DID THIS YEAR, AND ON AND ON INTO THE FUTURE, ALWAYS BECOMING A LITTLE BIT MORE EFFICIENT.

EVERY NEW HOME BUILT IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN NEEDS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, USE LESS WATER THAN CURRENT HOMES.

AND THE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ORDINANCE STRATEGY IS ONE WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS.

IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE BEGAN ENGAGING THE PUBLIC AND STAKEHOLDERS REGARDING THESE IDEAS FOR LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION.

STAFF HELD FOUR PUBLIC MEETINGS AND FOUR STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, AND HELP HELD NUMEROUS MEETINGS WITH SPECIFIC STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, UH, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, AS WELL AS OTHER CITIES.

IN ADDITION, THE SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED FOR THIS ENDEAVOR HOSTED A SURVEY, UH, IN WHICH PEOPLE COULD, UH, SUBMIT THEIR, UH, RESPONSES, IDEAS ABOUT LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION.

AND WE HAD OVER 250, UH, SURVEYS SENT IN BY INDIVIDUALS.

SURVEY RESULTS GENERALLY FAVORED MORE REGULATION REGARDING BOTH TURF AND IRRIGATION.

IN ADDITION, THIS MONTH WE HELD TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS, ONE ON NOVEMBER 1ST AND ONE IN NOVEMBER 8TH.

WE'VE MET AGAIN WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND WE MOST RECENTLY MET WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS IRRIGATORS ASSOCIATION.

WE HAVEN'T UPDATED SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE WITH A NEW SURVEY THAT WE WILL BE COLLECTING INFORMATION, UH, UNTIL MONDAY DECEMBER 19TH.

SO AFTER THIS MEETING, FEEL FREE TO GO TO THAT SITE AND SUBMIT A SURVEY OR LET ANYONE YOU KNOW, UH, KNOW ABOUT THIS SURVEY.

AFTER CONSIDERING ALL THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED, UP TO THIS POINT, WE ARE PROPOSING A THREE PART PLAN THAT WILL TRANSFORM THE LANDSCAPES OF NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN A WAY THAT WILL HELP AUSTIN MEET OUR GOALS OF WATER USE AND SUSTAINABILITY.

FIRST, WE'LL WORK WITH BUILDERS TO BUILD WITH SAVINGS, SHAPING IRRIGATION LANDSCAPE THAT WILL USE LESS WATER RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.

SECOND, WE'LL SET CUSTOMERS UP FOR SUCCESS WITH THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, AGAIN, RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND THIRD, WE ENCOURAGE WATERING LANDSCAPES WITH ALTERNATIVE WATERS RATHER THAN OUR HIGHLY TREATED DRINKING WATER.

I'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE ACTIVITIES IN REGARDS TO WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY PROPOSING.

THE FIRST ACTIVITY AS PART OF THE BUILDING WITH SAVINGS IS TO ENSURE BETTER SOIL BY ENHANCING EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE SOIL AND COMPOST REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW HOMES ARE BEING MET.

BETTER SOIL WILL HOLD THE WATER AND GIVE THE TURF OR PLANTS THE NUTRIENTS THAT THEY NEED.

WE CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATE THAT THE REQUIRED SOIL AND COMPOST REQUIREMENTS COULD SAVE 10% OF THE AVERAGE NEW HOMES.

IRRIGATION WATER USE, THAT AVERAGE WATER USE IS 28,000 GALLONS PER YEAR FOR, FOR NEW HOMES.

AND WE ESTIMATE CONSERVATIVELY THAT THIS BETTER SOIL COULD SAVE 10%.

THE COST TO ENHANCE THE INSPECTION COULD, COULD BE TO, I'M SORRY, THE COST TO ENHANCE THE INSPECTION COULD RAISE THE COST OF THE INSPECTION BY $80.

IF A BUILDER NEEDS TO BRING THAT BETTER SOIL IN FROM OFFSITE, THAT COULD BE $800 TO BRING ALL THE SOIL IN FROM OFFSITE.

THE SECOND WAY TO BUILD WITH SAVINGS IS TO REQUIRE THAT NEW HOMES HAVE PLANTS FROM A LIST OF NATIVE OR ADAPTIVE PLANTS, WHICH MAY BE A COMBINATION OF THE CURRENT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT PLANT LIST AND THE GROW GREEN GUIDE, WHICH IS VERY POPULAR GUIDE, UH, FOR RESIDENTS.

UH, WE DON'T DO NOT HAVE A CALCULATED WATER SAVINGS, UH, FOR UTILIZING THIS PLANT LIST AND DO NOT ANTICIPATE A SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL COST, UH, FOR NEW HOMES.

BUT THIS PROPOSED REQUIREMENT HAS HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT IN, UH, OUR PUBLIC

[00:10:01]

OUTREACH EFFORTS.

THE THIRD DATA, THIRD WAY TO BUILD THE SAVINGS IS TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TURF IN THE LANDSCAPES OF NEW HOMES.

UH, LIMITING AREA OF TURF, WHICH IS GENERALLY IRRIGATED TO 50% OF THE LANDSCAPE AREA, COULD SAVE OVER 4,000 GALLONS PER YEAR PER HOUSE.

THIS TACTIC ENVISIONS THAT MUCH OF THE AREA NOT IN TURF WILL BE REPLACED, WHICH BEDS WITH BEDS, WHICH COULD COST, UH, THE BUILDERS AND HOMEOWNERS IN ADDITIONAL $8,700, UH, PER HOUSE.

THE EXPANDED ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION MENTIONED BEFORE FOR SOIL COULD ALSO CHECK FOR THIS MANDATORY TURF AREA.

AND FINALLY, WE CAN BUILD A SAVINGS BY LIMITING THE AREA OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN NEW HOMES TO 50% OF THE L CAPABLE AREA, MOST LIKELY IN THE FRONT YARD OR THE BACKYARD.

THE SAVINGS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE SUBSTANTIAL, APPROXIMATELY 35% OF THAT AVERAGE IRRIGATION WATER USE, OR 10,000 GALLONS PER YEAR PER HOUSE LIMITING AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM WILL HAVE ONLY A VERY LIMITED IMPACT ON THE COST OF A NEW HOME.

ONE POSSIBLE INCREASE IS FOR THE, UH, AN INCREASED IRRIGATION PERMIT OF $71.

THAT WOULD COVER THIS IRRIGATION INSPECTION, UH, THAT WILL CHECK FOR THE IRRIGATION LIMIT, AS WELL AS PERFORM OTHER BENEFITS THAT I WILL MENTION IN MY NEXT SLIDE.

SO, BEYOND BUILDING WITH SAVINGS, TO ENCOURAGE THIS LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION, WE WANNA SET UP IRRIGATING CUSTOMERS UP FOR SUCCESS RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.

TO DO THIS, WE ARE PROPOSING REQUIRING THAT PRESSURE REDUCTION DEVICES BE STANDARD EQUIPMENT ON ALL NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. HIGH WATER PRESSURE CONTRIBUTES TO SIGNIFICANT WATER WASTE IN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS THROUGH MISTING AND LARGER LEAKS, ENSURING THAT ALL NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS HAVE THE APPROPRIATE PRESSURE WILL RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS FOR HOMEOWNERS.

IN ADDITION, WE PROPOSE A POST INSTALLATION INSPECTION OF ALL NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. IRRIGATION INSPECTIONS RATHER, WILL ENSURE THAT MINIMUM STANDARDS MET ALL HOUSES, HAVE THE PROPER PRESSURE GOING THROUGH THE SYSTEM, AND THAT CONTROLLERS ARE SET TO AUSTIN'S WATER SCHEDULE.

IN ADDITION, WE PROPOSE OFFERING A FREE IRRIGATION CHECKUP FOR THESE NEW HOMEOWNERS WITH THEIR NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEM TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR TO HELP WITH ANY BASIC PROBLEMS THEY MIGHT HAVE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THEIR TIME WITH THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

BOTH OF THESE LADDER ACTIVITIES, UH, THE INSPECTION AND THE CHECKUP ARE CURRENTLY BE DONE BEING DONE BY THE CITY OF FRISCO UP IN NORTH DALLAS VERY SUCCESSFULLY, AND WE WANNA BRING THAT SUCCESS HERE TO AUSTIN.

THE FINAL PART OF OUR THREE PART, UH, LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY IS TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF NON-POTABLE WATER ON THESE LANDSCAPES IN LIEU OF USING DRINKING WATER FOR THE LANDSCAPES.

WE PROPOSE TO DO THIS IN TWO WAYS.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, REQUIRE IN ORDINANCE THAT ALL NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT HAVE A CLOTHES WASHER ADJACENT TO OR CLOSE TO AN EXTERIOR WALL, WILL BE PLUMED TO ALLOW LAUNDRY WATER TO BE USED OUTSIDE THE HOME FOR LIMITED LANDSCAPE USE.

UH, SECONDLY, OFFER A SPECIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO PRODUCTION BUILDERS, THOSE BUILDERS THAT ARE DOING THESE LARGE SUBDIVISIONS, UH, TO, TO INCENTIVIZE THEM TO INCLUDE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS AND TANKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE NEW HOMES.

UH, BOTH THESE ACTIVITIES WILL PROVIDE NON-POTABLE WATER TO BE USED IN THE LANDSCAPES.

AND 2040 COULD BE 2,400 ACRE FEET OF WATER, UH, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS IMAGINED IN THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.

SO THOSE ARE THE ACTIVITIES WE'RE PROPOSING.

WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH WATER COULD BE SAVED IF WE BUNDLED THESE DIFFERENT IDEAS TOGETHER INTO TWO SCENARIOS.

UH, ONE WILL LIMIT TURF AND THE OTHER WILL LIMIT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE.

THE FIRST EXAMPLE SCENARIO RESTRICTS THE AREA TURF TO 50%, BUT IN ASSUMES A FULL YARD IRRIGATION SYSTEM, THE ACTIVITIES WILL SAVE AN ESTIMATED 13,800 GALLONS IN IRRIGATION FOR EACH HOUSE.

UH, AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE AVERAGE IS 28,000 GALLONS OF IRRIGATION.

UH, FOR NEW HOMES, THE TOTAL SAVINGS BETWEEN 20 20, 25 AND 24, 20, 20 25

[00:15:02]

THE TOTAL ADDITIONAL COSTS COULD BE AS HIGH AS JUST OVER $10,000 PER HOUSE.

UH, THESE, THE ACTIVITIES TO ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVE NON-POTABLE WATER FOR LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SAVINGS TOTAL, UH, BUT ARE PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHART THERE, AS THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL SUPPLY RATHER THAN NECESSARILY SAVINGS.

THE SECOND EXAMPLE SCENARIO RESTRICTS THE AREA OF IRRIGATION SYSTEM TO 50% OF THE PERMEABLE AREA.

THE ACTIVITIES WILL SAVE AN ESTIMATED 14,000 FI 600 GALLONS OF IRRIGATION WATER IN EACH HOUSE.

AGAIN, OUT OF THE AVERAGE TOTAL OF 28,000 GALLONS, THE TOTAL SAVINGS BETWEEN 2025 AND 2040 COULD BE 2,700 ACRE FEET OF WATER, WHICH IS A BIT MORE THAN THE 2,500 ACRE FEET OF WATER ENVISIONED IN THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.

THE TOTAL ESTIMATED COST COULD BE AS HIGH AS FIF $1,500.

UH, MOST OF THIS COST WOULD BE INCURRED IF THE HOME BILLER HAD TO BRING IN DIRT FROM OFFSITE, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, TO MEET THOSE SOIL AND COMPOST REQUIREMENTS.

AND AS WITH THE PREVIOUS SCENARIO, THE ALTERNATIVE WATER, UH, INCENTIVES ARE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

SO THOSE ARE OUR BUNDLES AND OUR ACTIVITIES GOING FORWARD.

UH, THESE ARE OUR NEXT STEPS.

LAST MONTH AND THIS MONTH WE'VE HAD PUBLIC MEETINGS.

WE'VE MET WITH CITY DEPARTMENTS HERE AT THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.

NEXT MONTH WE'LL BE GOING TO THE WATER AND WASTEWATER COMMISSION, AND THEN WE'LL BE STARTING TO DRAFT OUR ORDINANCE LANGUAGE THAT WE'RE GONNA GO FORWARD WITH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

WE'LL SUBMIT THAT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE TO, UH, I'M SORRY, FOR AN AFFORDABILITY REVIEW AND FOR A LEGAL REVIEW.

AND WE'LL HOLD ONE MORE PUBLIC MEETING TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING FORWARD WITH.

AND THEN IN MARCH, AND MAY, WE ANTICIPATE GOING ALL THROUGH THE BOARDS AGAIN, THE WATER FOR TASK FORCE RMC WATER AND WASTE WATER ON THE WAY TO COUNCIL FOR THEIR APPROVAL BEFORE THE SUMMER RECESS.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

SO, IN SUMMARY, HOW CAN AUSTIN CONTINUE TO GROW AND MEET OUR WATER USE AND SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, UH, BY BUILDING WITH SAVINGS, SETTING UP CUSTOMERS FOR SUCCESS, AND ENCOURAGING ALTERNATIVE WATER USE? WITH THAT, WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR FEEDBACK REGARDING THESE ACTIVITIES.

THANK YOU, KEVIN.

I APOLOGIZE FOR MISPRONOUNCING YOUR LAST NAME.

UH, COMMISSIONERS.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN CHAIR? YES.

HI.

THANK YOU, KEVIN, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

UM, I NOTICED THAT BETWEEN THE TWO SCENARIOS, THERE'S A PRETTY LARGE COST DIFFERENTIAL FOR THE BUILDER BETWEEN LIMITING, UM, TURF TO 50% AND LIMITING IRRIGATION, UH, IS, IS IN PRACTICALITY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF, UH, IF YOU WENT WITH THE LADDER SCENARIO LIMITING THE IRRIGATION? WOULD THE WATERING OF THE TURF GRASS JUST ESSENTIALLY BE SHIFTED, THE COST OF THAT BE SHIFTED ONTO THE HOMEOWNER OR THE RESIDENT AS OPPOSED TO THE BUILDER? AND WOULD THAT IS THE SCENARIO, ASSUMING THAT THE, IT IS STILL GOING TO SAVE WATER EVEN THOUGH YOU PRESUMABLY STILL HAVE A FULL SINGLE FAMILY HOME WORTH OF TURF GRASS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I THINK SO.

LET ME, LET ME TRY ANSWER IT AND IF I MISSED IT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

CERTAINLY THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT PHASE WOULD PROBABLY BE, UH, WATERED WITH A TEMPORARY IRRIGATION SYSTEM OR HOSE IRRIGATING.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE IN COST BETWEEN SCENARIO ONE AND SCENARIO TWO.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THAT DIFFERENCE IS IN SCENARIO ONE, YOU'RE, UH, CONVERTING A, A GOOD AMOUNT OF TURF AREA TO BEDS, AND THAT IS RELATIVELY EXPENSIVE, GOING FROM TURF TO BEDS WITH PLANTS.

UM, IN REGARDS OF THAT, THE SECOND SCENARIO, I THINK YOU WERE ALLUDING TO, UH, YES, WE, IT COULD BE A YARD FULL OF TURF, UM, AND THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM WOULD ONLY BE COMPRISED OF HALF OF THAT LOT.

UM, THE OTHER HALF,

[00:20:02]

UM, BUT THEN AFTER THAT, UH, I GUESS IT WOULD BE UP TO THE HOMEOWNER TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH THEY WANTED TO WATER THAT AREA OF, OF THEIR YARD.

DID THAT, WAS THAT CLOSE? YES.

I, I'M JUST TRYING TO ENVISION, OBVIOUSLY, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, BUILDERS ARE PROBABLY NOT GONNA WANT TO INCUR AN EXTRA $9,000 PER LOT.

BUT THEN I'M JUST IMAGINING THAT IF YOU DO HAVE TURF GRASS, THAT IT, EVEN IF, IF YOU ONLY ONLY BUILD IT WITH HALF IRRIGATION, UM, YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO WANT TO BE WATERED.

AND SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH IS SAVING WATER AND HOW MUCH IS JUST SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF, OF THAT WATER ONTO THE HOMEOWNER? AND I DUNNO IF YOU HAVE SCENARIOS THAT MODEL THAT, OR WHAT ASSUMPTIONS ARE UNDERNEATH THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE, THE REASON FOR MY QUESTION.

YEAH, I MEAN, CERTAINLY THAT, THAT SECOND SCENARIO WITH ONLY 50% IRRIGATION, THAT OTHER HALF OF THE YARD, UM, WOULD NEED TO BE WATERED.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BLESSED WITH HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS IS THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO IRRIGATE YOUR LAWN FOR MUCH OF THE YEAR.

UM, SO THEY COULD BE WATERED IF NEED BE WITH HOSE WATERING.

AND THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF WATER USE FOR HOMEOWNERS WHO WATER WITH HOSES VERSUS IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ARE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY PUT OUT A LOT OF WATER.

UM, SO SOMEONE USING A HOSE, EVEN IF THEY'RE WATERING THAT OCCASIONALLY, THAT AREA OF, OF THEIR YARD WITHOUT AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS STILL GONNA USE A LOT LESS WATER.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? WHITE? YEAH.

UM, NOT, NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION.

IT'S JUST, UH, SUPPORTIVE, UH, OF ALL THIS, UH, I, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO MOVE IN AND, UM, I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED, UH, TO SEE THAT, THAT LIKE EIGHT OR TO HEAR THAT KIND OF 8,000, UM, DOLLAR NUMBER.

AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NOT A BUILDER, SO MAYBE THAT IS WHAT THEY'LL DO IS PUT IN BEDS.

BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN JUST SAY THAT LIKE WE CONVERTED OUR WHOLE FRONT YARD.

UM, WE DIDN'T REALLY TEAR UP THE GRASS, BUT WE DON'T WATER IT, AND WE JUST LIKE PLANTED A BUNCH OF NATIVE THINGS AND ARE KIND OF LIKE LETTING IT GROW AND, UM, BE MORE OF LIKE A WILD, UM, WILDFLOWER AND KIND OF NATIVE PLANT SPACE.

UM, SO IT, YEAH, I JUST, I DON'T KNOW, LIKE, I THINK AS YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD TO LIKE, UM, TRY TO GET THIS ADOPTED, I, I DON'T KNOW, I JUST, THAT NUMBER, IT, IT CERTAINLY WASN'T MY EXPERIENCE IN LIKE CONVERTING MORE THAN HALF OF OUR AREA TO, TO NOT NEED ANY IRRIGATION AND NOT BE GRASS.

SO, UM, YEAH, JUST SHARING THAT, THAT, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK IT WOULD MAYBE BE MORE, UM, REALISTIC TO LIKE, SHARE A RANGE OF LIKE WHAT IT COSTS IF YOU DO IT THE EXPENSIVE WAY OR WHAT IF YOU, WHAT IT COSTS, IF YOU DO IT A MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE AND ALSO PERFECTLY NICE WAY.

RIGHT.

SO IF WE DO GO FORWARD WITH THAT REQUIREMENT, THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE SOME LIMITATION ON THE AMOUNT OF AGGREGATE THAT COULD BE USED.

ONE THING, UH, THAT WE, UH, WE TRY TO REMIND EVERYONE, THIS IS GONNA APPLY FOR THESE IRRIGATION AND TURF LIMITS WILL APPLY TO NEW HOMES.

SO AS A NEW HOMEOWNER, THEY'LL HAVE TO A NEW HOME BUILDER OR HOME BUILDER, THEY'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE THERE WON'T BE ANY EROSION OR RUNOFFS.

SO THEY, IT WILL REQUIRE THEM TO PROBABLY PUT IN BEDS OR TURF, UM, TO PASS THOSE INSPECTIONS AND TO, TO SELL THE HOUSE.

SO YOU COULDN'T, I MEAN, LIKE, THERE'S NOT OTHER SOLUTIONS LIKE MULCHING THAT COULD BE, I MEAN, DOES THAT NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS? RIGHT.

UH, THAT'S GOOD.

I MEAN, THEY COULD BE MULCH BEDS IS, IS WHAT WE'RE ENVISIONING.

SOME OF IT COULD BE, UM, GRAVEL, UM, ALTHOUGH THE, OR AGGREGATE, ALTHOUGH WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND WHO'VE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT ALL THAT OTHER HALF WOULD BE ENTIRELY AGGREGATE AND GRAVEL, UH, WHICH CAUSES CONCERNS, UH, FOR HEAT, IT HEAT ISLAND EFFECT.

[00:25:01]

DID I GET THAT RIGHT, CHRIS? JACOB? SO THAT OTHER 50% WOULD PROBABLY BE SOME AGGREGATE, UH, AND THEN SOME, UH, BEDS, UH, WITH, WITH PLANTS IN THEM.

WELL, I'M, I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT, UH, Y'ALL ARE LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF AGGREGATE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE RAISED THAT HERE A COUPLE TIMES AND, AND I DO THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE KIND OF LIVABILITY OF OUR CITY.

AND I DON'T KNOW, I JUST, I GUESS, LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT A BUILDER, SO MAY, MAYBE THAT'S JUST HOW, HOW, HOW IT'S DONE IS SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY AND, AND I GET IT, AND I'M SURE THEY CAN RECOUP IT.

JUST SHARING THAT.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SO EXPENSIVE.

THIS IS REBECCA.

I AGREE WITH THE LIMITING OF AGGREGATE.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.

HEARING NONE.

KEVIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

THANK YOU MUCH.

[3. Presentation by Texas Gas Service regarding a quarterly update of the Central Texas Energy Efficiency Program by Jasmine King-Bush, Energy Efficiency Program Manager.]

UH, NEXT UP, ITEM NUMBER THREE, PRESENTATION BY TEXAS GAS SERVICE REGARDING A QUARTERLY UPDATE OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM BY JASMINE KING BUSH.

I BELIEVE SHE IS HIS NAME JOINING ONLINE, RIGHT? JASMINE? YES, SIR.

ICU.

YEAH, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.

PERFECT.

THANKS SO MUCH.

UM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT, UM, THE FACT THAT, UM, WE HAVE SOME NEW STAFF MEMBERS.

SO ACTUALLY WE CAN SKIP THE FIRST SLIDE AND GO TO THE SECOND ONE.

UM, UH, SORRY, SKIP THE INTRODUCTORY, GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, OR MISSED THIS SLIDE.

NOPE.

ALSO, UH, STEAM TRAPS, UH, SMART DRYERS AND WEATHER STRIPPING.

WELL, I'LL SPEAK TO IT.

SO, UH, WE'VE BEEN RUNNING ON A BIT OF A SKELETON CREW, SO THANKFULLY, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, HAVE A NEW ENERGY EFFICIENCY SUPERVISOR JOIN US.

UM, IT WAS AN INTERNAL HIRE.

UH, MICHAEL PMO HAS BEEN WITH THE COMPANY FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS.

WE'RE SUPER EXCITED.

UM, HE HAS EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND LEADING, UH, SOME OF THE, THE FIELD, UH, TEAMS, AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE HIS AREA OF EXPERTISE AND HIS EXPERIENCE JOINING THE, THE, UH, EFFICIENCY TEAM.

AND THEN WE HAVE A NEW ENERGY EFFICIENCY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR.

UM, AND HIS NAME IS, UH, ALEJANDRO BETA, AND HE, UH, JOINS US FROM BROWNSVILLE, WHERE HE WAS A COORDINATOR, UH, FOR, UH, PUBLIC UTILITIES, UH, IN THAT AREA, AND HAS, UH, EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE, UH, WITH, UH, ELECTRIC ELECTRICITY AND SOLAR AND WATER.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HE BRINGS TO THE TEAM AND ENRICHES THE, THE KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT WE HAVE.

UM, AND WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO JUST AN OVERALL UPDATE.

UM, THIS, THIS, UH, REPORTING WILL HAVE A BUNCH OF MAPS.

UM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE I WANTED TO REALLY BLEND A LITTLE MORE, UH, VISUALIZATION TO WHAT THE UTILIZATION LOOKS LIKE ACROSS THE AREAS THAT WE SERVE.

SO YOU'LL SEE ABOUT THREE MAPS TONIGHT.

UM, AND THAT'S JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME, SOME VISUAL IN ADDITION TO WHAT I SHARE.

SO, UM, OH, THERE WE GO.

THAT'S THE ONE I WAS LOOKING FOR.

UH, WE MET WITH, UH, AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE, UH, LAST MEETING, EIGHT 16 MEETING.

WE MET WITH, UH, KEVIN AND JACOB FROM AUSTIN WATER AND HAD GREAT CONVERSATION LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN DEEPEN, UM, OUR COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP AND SEE, UH, WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST.

UM, WE WALKED AWAY WITH, UH, SOME ACTION ITEMS TO DO SOME FURTHER RESEARCH AND LOOK AT WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE, AND THEN WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO RECONVENING AND SEEING WHAT WE CAN DO BEYOND, SAY, THE WATER CONSERVATION KITS THAT WE'RE ALREADY OFFERING.

AND THEN JUST THE PICTURE THAT'S BEEN IN, IN SET THERE, UM, THAT SHOWS, UH, THE USAGE OF THE COMMERCIAL FREE EQUIPMENT AND HOME BUILDER RESIDENTIAL, UH, REBATES BY AREAS.

SO YOU CAN HAVE AN IDEA OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE CONCENTRATION OF, OF USAGE LIES, UH, WITHIN THE SERVICE AREAS.

GO AHEAD AND GIVE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, COMMERCIAL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT OUR COMMERCIAL PROGRAM, UH, FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH, IT IS ADMINISTERED BY CLEAR RESULT, UH, CLEAR RESULT ADMINISTERS THE COMMERCIAL DIRECT INSTALL PROGRAM.

AND, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, PROGRAM ALLOWS BUSINESS OWNERS TO REQUEST, UM, UH, LOW FLOW SHOWER HEADS, HANDHELD, FIXED SHOWER HEADS, UM,

[00:30:01]

UH, THE COSTS ARE ALREADY A PART OF THE PROGRAM BUDGET, SO IT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL COST TO ANY OF THE COMMERCIAL, UH, CUSTOMERS THAT PARTICIPATE.

WE FIND THAT, UM, A LOT OF MOM AND POPS ARE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AS WELL AS OLDER, UM, UM, EITHER MULTIFAMILY OR, UH, HOTELS AND MOTELS THAT, UH, MAY NOT BE SEEING SAVINGS, UH, ON THEIR ENERGY BILL.

AND THIS INCLUDES WATER SAVINGS, AND SO THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

SO, UH, IN QUARTER THREE, UH, THEY WORKED WITH 13 MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES, ONE RESTAURANT, AND THEN THE SAVINGS REPORTED IS REALLY WHAT, WHAT WE EXPECT FOR AN ANNUAL SAVINGS BASED UPON THE MEASURES THAT WERE INSTALLED.

AND SO THIS EXPECTED SAVINGS HERE IS 91,200 THMS STAY EXPECTATIONS SAVED YEAR TO DATE, AND THEN 1.6 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER.

SO THAT'S BASED UPON THE LOW FLOW SHOWER HEADS, THE FAUCET AERATORS, THE FIXED SHOWER HEADS THAT WERE INSTALLED.

AND THEN WE JUST INCLUDED A LITTLE LISTING OF WHO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH.

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT.

UH, WE, UH, FOUND THAT WE WERE NOT, UH, DOING A GREAT SERVICE TO OUR SPANISH SPEAKING CUSTOMERS, AND SO WE COMPLETELY REVAMPED, UM, OUR COLLATERAL, OUR OUTREACH COLLATERAL, AND MADE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE HAVE THAT WE TAKE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WITH US AND THAT WE SEND OUT TO OUR CONTRACTORS WAS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

IT WAS A PRETTY BIG LIFT BECAUSE WE ALSO DID SOME UPDATING AND, AND SOME REFINING OF THE LOOK.

UM, SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, AND I'LL REPORT ON THIS IN THE Q4 REPORT, BUT WE WERE JUST, UH, ABLE TO JOIN IN THE TEXAS BOOK FESTIVAL WHERE WE SAW SO MANY CUSTOMERS THAT WERE REALLY HAPPY TO SEE, UH, OUTREACH MATERIALS IN, IN SPANISH, UM, AND THEN THE WATER SAVINGS KITS.

NORMALLY WE DO A CAMPAIGN AROUND MAY, UH, TO CREATE AWARENESS OF THEM, BUT WE SAW A DEMAND FOR THEM, UM, THAT WAS INCREASED.

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, OVERALL, WE'RE SEEING MORE CUSTOMERS CALLING AND EMAILING, SAYING, WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT YOU CAN SAVE ON THE BILL? SO WE DID ANOTHER, WE DRAFTED ANOTHER CAMPAIGN THAT LAUNCHED IN, UH, IN Q4, BUT EXTENSIVE WORK WANTED TO, TO PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THAT AND LET YOU GUYS KNOW, ESPECIALLY ON THE HEELS OF HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH AUSTIN WATER.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, PER USUAL, WE PROVIDE THE QUARTERLY, UH, UH, RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM PARTICIPATION, UH, GRAPH.

AND THIS IS, UM, YEAR OVER YEAR COMPARISON.

SO THIS IS Q3, AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THE Q3 PARTICIPATION FOR 2021 AND THE Q3 PARTICIPATION FOR 2020.

UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE, AND OUR CONTRACTORS ARE CONTINUING, UH, TO CONTINUE TO REPORT TO US, AND WE'RE ALSO HEARING FROM OUR BUILDERS AS WELL, IS THAT THEY ARE BEING DEEPLY AFFECTED BY THE SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES.

SO THEY'RE EITHER NOT GETTING THE COMPONENTS THEY NEED, UM, TO INSTALL EQUIPMENT THAT WE WOULD, UM, SEE AS QUALIFYING FOR OUR PROGRAM, OR THEY'RE NOT GETTING, UM, THE EQUIPMENT PERIOD.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, LEAD TIME GOING ON.

WE ARE HOPING THAT, UM, WE SEE AN IMPROVEMENT IN THAT IN IT'S SPRING, BUT, UM, THE CONTRACTORS AND EVEN SOME OF THE DISTRIBUTORS ARE TELLING US, DON'T, DON'T HOLD OUR BREATH.

UM, A LOT OF THE BUILDERS HAVE OPTED TO START, UH, USING, UM, WHAT THEY CAN GET THEIR HANDS ON, WHICH AL DOESN'T ALWAYS, UH, QUALIFY FOR OUR PROGRAM.

AND, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE LOW INCOME FREE EQUIPMENT PROGRAM, UH, THIS SUPPORTS WHAT I, THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT I MADE.

WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR WHAT CAN, WHAT CAN WE DO TO, UH, SAVE ON OUR BILL, AND THAT IS NO, THAT'S NOT, UH, YOU KNOW, RESTRICTED TO JUST THE, THE RESIDENTIAL RETROFIT AND THE NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, BUT ALSO LOW INCOME AND FREE EQUIPMENT.

AND SO WE ACTUALLY SUSPENDED APPLICATION PROCESSING, UM, IN Q3, UH, THE, UH, PROGRAM WAS FULLY REALIZED, UM, WITH A BIT OF AN OVERAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, MEET THE FAMILIES THAT WERE ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE, MEET THEIR DEMAND.

UM, 109 APPLIANCES WERE REPLACED THROUGHOUT CENTRAL TEXAS.

UH, WE ARE SEEING A LOWER NUMBER OF APPLIANCES BEING REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED COST OF LABOR.

UM, EVERYBODY IS, IS, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN, UM, PAY THEIR, THEIR STAFF AND THEIR LABOR APPROPRIATELY.

SO WE'RE SEEING A HIGHER COST TO THE PROGRAM AS WELL.

WE WILL BE RESUMING, UH, APPLICATION PROCESSING IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND THIS MAP JUST DEMONSTRATES WHICH, UH, AREAS HAD FAMILIES OR PREMISES THAT BENEFITED FROM THE PROGRAM.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS, MR. ROBINS? I HAVE SOME, UM, I'M TRYING TO DETERMINE, UH, THE SAVINGS, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I DON'T SEE SAVINGS LISTED HERE.

THANK YOU, JASMINE.

[00:35:01]

WE HAVE THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS FOR THE, THE, UH, COMMERCIAL PROGRAM LISTED, AND THEN WE DO PROVIDE THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS ON THE ANNUAL REPORT.

THAT IS, THAT IS, UH, CALCULATED BY THE EXTERNAL, UH, CONSULTANT ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

WHEN WILL WE GET THAT TO PROVIDE? THE, THE ANNUAL REPORT IS, UH, SENT OUT THE END OF APRIL EVERY YEAR, AND IT WAS, WE DID PROVIDE A COPY TO THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, HOW YOU, UM, I'M TRYING TO PHRASE THIS RIGHT.

I NEED TO UNDERSTAND YOUR PROCEDURE ON, UH, TANKLESS WATER HEATERS, UM, AND ON, UH, CLOSED DRYERS.

ON CLOSED DRYERS.

YOU GIVE, YOU CAN, A CUSTOMER CAN GET A REBATE, UH, ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS, BUT YOUR COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS ASSUMES A 13 YEAR LIFE.

UH, WHY IS THERE THIS DISCREPANCY? WE ALLOW FOR CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE MOVED AND ARE PUTTING NEW DRYERS IN, OR HAVE PURCHASED A HOME THAT HAS A DRYER THAT'S BEEN NEWLY INSTALLED.

UM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT DRYERS THAT PERHAPS THEY HAD A, A NATURAL, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE MOISTURE SENSOR, SO WE'RE ALLOWING FOR THAT AS WELL.

WELL, I CALLED UP TEXAS GAS SERVICE, UM, AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THIS.

WHAT I RECALL THEM SAYING IS THAT IT DIDN'T MATTER IF IT WAS AN OLD HOME OR A NEW HOME, MAYBE THEY WERE MISTAKEN.

MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD IT.

BUT I HEARD THEM SAY THAT EVEN IF YOU ARE AT AN EXISTING, WELL, A HOME THAT'S GOTTEN AN EXISTING REBATE, YOU CAN GET A NEW REBATE BAIT AFTER THREE YEARS.

AM I MISTAKEN? WERE THEY MISTAKEN? NO.

IF YOU PURCHASE A HOME, UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT PURCHASING AN OLDER HOME OR ARE YOU IN A, AN OLDER HOME, YOU PURCHASED A DRYER, YOU'RE SAYING THREE YEARS LATER YOU'RE BUYING ANOTHER DRYER, CORRECT? YES.

IF YOU ARE IN A HOME AND YOU BUY A, A NATURAL GAS DRYER WITH A MOISTURE SENSOR, YOU CAN RECEIVE A REBATE.

UM, WE DO TRACK THE REBATE BY PREMISE, SO IF YOU ARE PURCHASING ANOTHER REBATE, UH, PURCHASING ANOTHER NATURAL GAS DRYER WITH A MOISTURE SENSOR IN THAT SAME HOME, IT WILL SHOW UP.

I MAY, I DO AUDIT THE REBATES.

THEY DO COME TO ME FOR APPROVAL, AND I MAY DIG A LITTLE DEEPER TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

BUT IN MOST CASES, WE DO NOT HAVE A REPEAT OF THREE YEARS, AND WE, WE DON'T TRACK IT WHERE IT'S, UM, REPORTABLE WHAT WE DO KEEP A TRACK OF IN, IN OUR SYSTEM OF WHO HAS PURCHASED THE, AND PARTICIPATED, PURCHASED THE DRYER AND PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM.

UH, HAVING SEEN THE RECEIPTS MYSELF, I BELIEVE YOU, I WENT THROUGH SEVERAL HUNDRED OF THEM MYSELF, BUT THAT REALLY ISN'T THE POINT OF MY QUESTION.

AND I'M GLAD THERE'S NOT A LOT OF REPEATS.

BUT IF YOU'RE HAVING REPEATS AT ALL, I SEE A PROBLEM.

UH, THE COST EFFICIENCY IS CALIBRATED AT 13 YEARS AND SOMEONE COULD GET ONE, UH, AFTER THREE YEARS.

THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME.

IT IS POSSIBLE.

UM, I CAN TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND LOOK INTO THAT, BUT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GO TO EVERY SINGLE CUSTOMER AND REALLY DIG INTO, MAYBE SOMEBODY PASSED AWAY, MAYBE A ROOMMATE LEFT, AND SO THEY HAD SERVICE AT THAT HOUSE, AND THEY TOOK THEIR DRYER AND SOMEONE ELSE BOUGHT A DRYER.

BUT IT'S BEEN AT THE SAME PREMISE.

THERE'S A, THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT, UM, OPPORTUNITIES AND EXAMPLES THAT WE COULD GO INTO.

[00:40:01]

UM, BUT I, I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND I THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP IN AUSTIN ENERGY.

UH, AND I MAY HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE, UH, THEY WILL NOT GIVE A SOLAR REBATE OR AN AIR CONDITIONING REBATE, BUT ONCE EVERY 10 YEARS, UM, I'M, I'M, SINCE YOU'RE NOT IN THE ROOM, UH, I AM LOOKING AT YOU IN ASNS.

I MEAN, YOU'RE, I DEFINITELY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, HVAC SYSTEMS AND SOLAR TEND TO BE A LITTLE LESS PORTABLE THAN DRYERS.

AND SO WE DO ALLOW FOR THAT AS WELL.

AND, AND, AND, AND CONSIDER THAT WITH, WITH REGARDS TO THE TIMELINE THAT WE ALLOW FOR THE, THE REBATE.

BUT I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

WE CAN, WE CAN TAKE SOME LOOK.

I'M NOT PROMISING, UH, COMMISSIONER ROBBINS THAT WILL MAKE CHANGE, BUT I, I DO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

UM, I HAVE, UH, ONE OTHER TRACK AND I WILL TRY AND BE AS EXPEDITIOUS AS POSSIBLE ON TANKLESS WATER HEATERS.

UM, YOU REQUIRE A MASTER PLUMBER, UH, TO DO THE INSTALLATION, CORRECT? CORRECT.

AND DO YOU PLUMBER UNDER THE, UNDER THE INSTRUCTION OF A MASTER PLUMBER.

UH, AND YOU, DOES TEXAS GAS SERVICE DO AN INSPECTION, UH, ON SITE AFTER THIS? WE DO NOT HAVE THIS, THE PERSONNEL TO DO AN ONSITE INSPECTION.

SO YOU USE THE RECEIPT, UH, AS THE CORROBORATION THAT IT'S BEEN DONE, THE RECEIPT AND THE APPLICATION WITH THE PLUMBER'S SIGNATURE AND THEIR LICENSE NUMBER.

UH, I'VE PUZZLED OVER THIS.

WHAT'S TO STOP A, THE, THE REBATES FOR THIS ARE PRETTY HEFTY.

I BELIEVE THEY'RE ABOUT $675, RIGHT? CORRECT.

UH, FOR THE TANK HEATER, THEY'RE, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN CHANGED.

SO THEY'RE 400, UM, AND I THINK IT'S UP TO, UH, 80 91 EFFICIENCY FACTOR, UH, FROM 82 TO 91, AND THEN BE FROM BELOW 81.

I BELIEVE IT'S NOW BEEN REDUCED TO 2 25.

IF I'M READING THE APPLICATION CORRECTLY, UH, YOU COULD GET A REBATE EVERY MONTH.

UM, AGAIN, I REALIZED THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCE I'M, UH, GOING TO SUGGEST IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN EVERY DAY, BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF A PLUMBER DECIDES, UH, TO GO INTO BUSINESS? SO THEY LIVE IN THE HOME, THEY INSTALL THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER, UH, THEY GET A SIGN OFF FOR THE REBATE.

THEY TAKE THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER OUT TO IT, UH, SELL IT.

AND SINCE THEY'VE GOT THIS REBATE, THEY PROBABLY GONNA MAKE A PROFIT, AND THEN THEY DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN, I SUGGEST THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY DAY, BUT IT COULD, WELL, THE MECHANISMS, THE MECHANISMS WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR THAT ARE CHECKING THE PREMISE.

SO WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A REBATE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT TIED TO YOUR PREMISE.

YOUR PREMISE.

YOU HAVE TO BE THE ACCOUNT HOLDER FOR THE, FOR THE, UH, ACCOUNT THAT'S APPLYING FOR THE APPLICATION.

UM, AND THEN WE LOOK AND SEE WHO'S APPLYING FOR THE APPLICATION VERSUS WHO INSTALLED THE APPLIANCE, BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE THE CASE FOR A FURNACE AS WELL.

UM, AND SO IT'S DEFINITELY, UH, GOES THROUGH SEVERAL CHECKING SYSTEMS FOR THAT, UM, FOR THAT APPLICATION.

SO WE CHECK THE PREMISE, WE CHECK THE APPLICATION, WE CHECK THE PROFESSIONAL DOING THE WORK, AND THEN WE WILL ALSO PULL PERMITS AS WELL.

AND THE RECEIPTS, UM, WE DON'T JUST TAKE A HANDWRITTEN RECEIPT.

YOU MISSED MY POINT RECEIPTS FROM BEST BUY, HOME DEPOT, LOWE'S, UM, FOR OUR NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION BUILDERS, UM, VOLUME, VOLUME DISTRIBUTORS.

AND THEY CAN'T, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT IS SAVED IN THE SYSTEM.

I, I, I KNOW THIS, I'VE SEEN THE RECEIPTS, SEVERAL HUNDRED OF THEM.

MY POINT IS THAT SOMEONE CAN GET REBATE AFTER REBATE AFTER REBATE.

IT IS NOT AGAINST YOUR RULES.

WELL, IF IT'S TIED TO APPRENTICE, THEY CAN'T CONTINUE TO GET REBATE AFTER REBATE AFTER REBATE.

WELL, THAT'S, YOU MAY BE CORRECT, BUT THAT'S NOT ON THE APPLICATION.

[00:45:01]

AM I, I MEAN, TELL ME I'M WRONG.

DO YOU HAVE THE EXPANDED PDF THAT HAS THE, THE FINE PRINT FOR THE, THE REBATE? THEY'RE, IT'S AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

UH, I DON'T HAVE IT ON ME, BUT I'VE LOOKED AT IT.

UM, YES.

SO THE, DID I, DID I MISS THIS? I'M SORRY, ONE MORE TIME.

DID I, IS THERE SOME TIME LIMITATION THAT I MISSED? UH, BUT IF THERE IS, I APOLOGIZE.

YES.

IN THE EXPANDED, UM, PDF FORMS, THERE IS A TIMEFRAME, AND I DON'T WANNA MISQUOTE, UH, THE, THE DOCUMENT, AND I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT IS OFFHAND RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE IS A TIMEFRAME THAT'S LIMITED, UM, ON THE, IT'S LISTED ON DETAILS.

, I'LL CHECK AGAIN.

UH, WE NEED TO MOVE ON.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? JASMINE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU.

THANKS SO MUCH.

[4. Presentation by GTI Energy regarding an update on the H2@Scale Project at the University of Texas JJ Pickle Center by Brian Weeks, Sr. Director, Business Development and Michael Lewis, Research Scientist, University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics.]

INVESTED HERE IN, IN AUSTIN AT THE JJ PICKLE CENTER, AND APPLIED FOR, UM, FUNDING UNDER THE DOE H TWO F SCALE PROGRAM.

UH, MOVING ON.

NUMBER FOUR, PRESENTATION BY GTI ENERGY REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE H TWO AT SCALE PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

JJ PICKLE CENTER AT A COUPLE OF NEW FACES, WHO'S, WHO'S UP FIRST? UH, THAT'S, THAT'S ME.

UH, I'M, UH, BRIAN WEEKS.

I'M, UH, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH OPERATIONS.

THAT'S, IF YOU COULD, UH, YOU, WHERE'S, UH, THE MIC? RIGHT THERE? YEAH, YEAH.

I NEED JUST TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO THIS, IT LOOKS LIKE.

UH, THANKS AGAIN FOR HAVING ME.

I APPRECIATE THE INVITE AND, UH, SHARE A FEW, SHARE A FEW SLIDES WITH YOU, A FEW OF MY THOUGHTS ON HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, AS WELL AS THE REST OF TEXAS.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS BRIAN WEEKS.

I AM SENIOR DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH OPERATIONS FOR GTI ENERGY.

GTI ENERGY IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION.

WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 80 YEARS.

AND, UM, SO, UH, LET'S GOS MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, AGAIN, I'LL BE TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HYDROGEN AND I UNDER, I, I, I'M SURE THAT SOME OF YOU'RE PERHAPS NOT TERRIBLY FAMILIAR WITH HYDROGEN, AND I CERTAINLY WOULD BE HAPPY TO, TO PROVIDE SOME SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT SORT OF THE BASICS OF HYDROGEN, HYDROGEN.

BUT, UM, BUT THIS IS NOT A HYDROGEN 1 0 1 CLASS.

UH, I WANTED TO REALLY JUMP INTO SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ONGOING HERE IN AUSTIN, UM, AND, AND AGAIN IN, IN TEXAS.

SO, HYDROGEN, UM, WHEN WE TALKED, UH, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY FOR 20 PLUS YEARS.

AND, UM, 10 YEARS AGO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT HYDROGEN, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HYDROGEN REALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF A, OF A, OF A VEHICLE FUEL, OR AS A NICHE POWER GENERATION, UM, FUEL.

TODAY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HYDROGEN, UM, AND, AND ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THERE'S A RESURGENCE AND INTEREST OF IN THE INTEREST IN HYDROGEN IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HYDROGEN AS A GRID SCALE, LONG DURATION STORAGE SOLUTION AS WE MOVE TOWARD DECARBONIZATION.

AND THAT HAS BROUGHT IN A NUMBER OF NEW PARTICIPANTS, NEW STAKEHOLDERS, INTO THE HYDROGEN STORY, IF YOU WILL, INCLUDING, UH, GAS UTILITIES, ELECTRIC UTILITIES, UH, LARGE INTEGRATED OIL AND GAS COMPANIES, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, DEVELOPERS OF RENEWABLE WIND AND SOLAR ARE ALL BEGINNING TO CONVERGE ON HYDROGEN AS AS A TOOL FOR EVENTUAL DECARBONIZATION.

SO THAT IS A BACKGROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND I'M GONNA JUMP THROUGH SEVERAL SLIDES HERE.

I TEND NOT TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON EACH SLIDE.

SO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS YOU, YOU KNOW, UH, MARKET AND, AND ASK ME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT LATER, WHEN WE FINISH UP HERE, OR SEND ME AN EMAIL, I THINK MY EMAIL, EMAIL ADDRESS IS LISTED AS WELL.

SO, UM, DOE LET'S, LET'S GO INTO THE NEXT, UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

UH, DOE'S BEEN, UM, INVESTING IN COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY FOR HYDROGEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

AND THIS COMPONENT TECHNOLOGY IS, UH, WANNA TALK ABOUT COMPONENTS, TALKED ABOUT FUEL CELLS, UH, STORAGE DEVICES, HYDROGEN PRODUCTION DEVICES, UH, VEHICLE PLATFORMS. IT MIGHT USE HYDROGEN.

BUT ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, UH, DOE STARTED LOOKING AT, OKAY, WE, WE'VE DONE, WE'VE DONE THESE INVESTMENTS AND COMPONENT TECHNOLOGIES.

THIS BEGAN TO INTEGRATE THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND SCALE THEM UP TO COMMERCIAL SCALE.

AND, AND THEY, UH, INTRODUCED THEIR H TWO AT SCALE PROGRAM.

GTI HAD BEEN WORKING, UH, WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, UM, ONE GAS AND OTHERS HERE IN THIS AREA FOR OVER, REALLY OVER 15 YEARS ON THESE COMPONENT TECHNOLOGIES.

SO WE TOOK A LOT OF THE, THE LEARNINGS AND A LOT OF THE ASSETS THAT WE'D ALREADY

[00:50:01]

AND WE, WE, UH, WE WERE SUCCESSFUL.

AND ONCE THAT, THAT PROGRAM, UH, UM, WAS LAUNCHED, UH, WE GOT A LOT OF INTEREST BOTH FROM, UM, FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES, FROM, UH, SEVERAL COMMERCIAL PARTNERS.

AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE, THE NEXT FEW SLIDES.

BUT, UM, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN LAUNCHED AND IS HERE IN AUSTIN.

UM, WHY AUSTIN? WHY TEXAS? UM, AGAIN, I TALKED EARLIER ABOUT SORT OF THE BACKGROUND, THE IMPETUS FOR THE INTEREST IN HYDROGEN, THE NATURAL RESOURCES, THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF EXISTING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE HERE.

UM, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, UM, AND BY THE WAY, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IS ON THE, UH, ON THE PHONE HERE, UH, MIKE LEWIS, I FAILED TO MENTION HIM.

HE'S WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND HE'LL, HE'LL HELP ME OUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN'T ANSWER.

BUT, UM, ONE, ONE OF, UH, WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY, WHY, WHY HERE? ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, I THINK MADE A GOOD ANALOGY.

IF YOU WANT TO DO CORE RESEARCH, UM, ON CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, CALIFORNIA IS A GOOD, GOOD PLACE TO DO IT.

IF YOU WANNA SCALE IT UP AND TURN IT COMMERCIAL, TEXAS IS A GOOD PLACE TO DO IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE IN THE HYDROGEN INDUSTRY.

A LOT OF THE WORK, QUITE HONESTLY, THAT I'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS HAS BEEN, UH, SMALL SCALE DEMOS IN CALIFORNIA.

WE'RE BEGINNING TO SCALE THAT UP NOW INTO REAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE, UH, TEXAS IS QUICKLY BECOMING THE FOCUS FOR DECARBONIZED HYDROGEN, UH, NATIONWIDE.

UM, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, THE H TO SCALE PROJECT THAT I WANNA TALK ABOUT HAS TWO TRACKS.

THERE'S WHAT WE CALL AN INFRASTRUCTURE HARDWARE TRACK.

MOST OF THAT IS LOCATED HERE IN AUSTIN.

THE SECOND TRACK IS REALLY A STUDY TO LOOK, AND IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON THE, UH, THE PORT OF HOUSTON TO LOOK AT NEAR TERM COMMERCIAL, YOU KNOW, HIGH, UH, COMMERCIAL SCALE APPLICATIONS FOR HYDROGEN.

SO WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE HARDWARE TRACK HERE IN AUSTIN IS A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT RENEWABLE HYDROGEN GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES.

UH, WE'RE GENERATING HYDROGEN FROM, UH, RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS, LANDFILL GAS.

WE'RE GENERATING HYDROGEN FROM WIND AND SOLAR.

UH, WE'RE POOLING THAT HYDROGEN.

AND ALTHOUGH IT'S A RELATIVELY SMALL OPERATION THAT WE'RE BUILDING HERE, IT'S REALLY THE FIRST PLACE IN THE WORLD REALLY, WHERE WE HAVE A POOLED SUPPLY OF RENEWABLE HYDROGEN.

AND ALSO WITH THAT, THAT, THAT PROVIDES FUEL FOR, FOR DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS.

AND THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE ARE FOR, UH, STATIONARY POWER GENERATION FOR THE, UH, TAC, THE TEXAS ADVANCED COMPUTING CENTER, AS WELL AS FOR SMALL FLEET OF FUEL CELL VEHICLES THAT, UH, THAT WE WILL HAVE HERE, UH, IN AUSTIN, AND EVEN A FUEL CELL DRONE, UH, DEMONSTRATION SITE, UM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MOBILITY.

THAT'S THE, UH, THAT'S THE HARDWARE PIECE OF IT FOR THE, FOR THE STUDY PART OF THE, THE SECOND TRACK OF THE PROGRAM, I TALKED ABOUT THE PORT OF HOUSTON.

WHAT WE FOUND IS WE'VE GOTTEN INTO THE, UM, AGAIN, THE STUDY IS THE PORT OF HOUSTON DOESN'T JUST STOP IN HARRIS COUNTY.

UM, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE REALLY REDEFINED THE PORT OPERATIONS REALLY ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN THE TEXAS COAST IN AS FAR WEST AS PERIAN BASIN, BECAUSE THE OPERATIONS IN THE PORT ARE SO INTEGRATED WITH COMMERCIAL AND ENERGY ACTIVITY IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE STATE.

SO OUR STUDY, AND I THINK THE NEXT SLIDE GETS INTO SOME OF THE, UH, COMPONENTS OF THE STUDY, IF YOU WILL GO INTO THE NEXT SLIDE.

OH, NO, I WANTED TO LIST THE, UH, THE VARIOUS SPONSORS FIRST.

I WON'T SPEND ANY TIME ON THIS.

YOU CAN, YOU CAN READ THIS FOR YOURSELF, BUT YOU CAN SEE THIS IS A, A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE LIST OF, OF CORPORATE SPONSORS.

AND OF COURSE, ONE GAS IS RIGHT THERE IN THE MIDDLE.

AND, UH, AND HAS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE IN AUSTIN'S BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR US.

PROJECTS THAT HAVE SPRUNG OUT OF THIS H TWO AND H TWO SCALE PROGRAM, OVERALL PROGRAM.

SO THIS IS THE ONE I WAS, UH, TALKING ABOUT.

SO AS THE VARIOUS COMMERCIAL PARTNERS HAVE, HAVE COME ON BOARD TO THE PROJECT, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE DEVELOPED DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE INTERACTION OF, UH, WEST TEXAS, WIND AND SOLAR, HOW WE CAN USE HYDROGEN AGAIN TO HELP, HELP STORE ENERGY AND HELP BALANCE THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND, IF YOU WILL.

WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, BLENDED HYDROGEN IN NATURAL GAS PIPELINES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT HYDROGEN FOR FLEET VEHICLE FLEET APPLICATIONS.

UM, SO I, AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THESE DIFFERENT BLOCKS, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF

[00:55:01]

WE'VE DONE HERE, AGAIN, IN AUSTIN, PLUS THE WORK THAT WE PLAN TO DO WITH THE REGIONAL HYDROGEN HUB.

THE, THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES REALLY ARE, UM, THIS IS JUST, UH, UH, THE SITE.

THIS IS A, UH, THE SITE AT JJ PICKLE CENTER.

I, I, UH, ANY OF OF YOU WHO ARE INTERESTED I ARE, ARE WELCOME TO VISIT, UM, THE PICKLE CENTER'S, JUST, UH, JUST NORTH OF HERE.

AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO HOST YOU AND, AND SHOW YOU AROUND AND WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE.

BUT THIS IS JUST A LAYOUT OF THE SITE.

SO, UH, LET ME GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND THIS IS REALLY JUST A DESCRIPTION OF A MODEL, SOME OF THE MODELING WORK.

THIS IS PRIMARILY BEING DONE BY UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AND IF MIKE WERE, OR I'LL SPARE MIKE, GIVEN THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME, UM, UH, MIKE CAN DO A MUCH BETTER JOB DESCRIBING THE MODELING WORK.

BUT THE, THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE MODELING IS TO, AGAIN, IDENTIFY LEAST COST OPTIONS FOR HOW WE CAN ROUTE AND DISTRIBUTE HYDROGEN FOR DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS.

UM, AGAIN, WITH THE OVERALL GOAL BEING DE UH, DECARBONIZATION, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

AND ULTIMATELY, UM, WE REALLY ARE LOOKING FOR, AND THIS IS BEYOND THE WORK WE'RE DOING HERE IN TEXAS, ALTHOUGH THE WORK WE'RE DOING HERE IS IMPORTANT TO THIS, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT AN OVERALL BETTER INTEGRATION OF THE ENERGY INDU ENERGY SYSTEM OR ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE NETWORK, THE, THE POWER GRID, THE GAS GRID, OUR INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES, OUR WORKFORCE RESOURCES NEED TO BE MUCH BETTER INTEGRATED.

AND WE CAN DO THAT IN A, IN OUR JOURNEY TOWARD DECARBONIZATION.

UM, REALLY OUR, OUR THOUGHT IS WE CAN ACHIEVE DEEP, DEEP DECARBONIZATION MUCH MORE QUICKLY BY LEVERAGING ASSETS THAN TO, THAN BY STARTING ALL OVER.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO THAT BRINGS, SO WHERE IS ALL THIS GOING? UM, I'D MENTIONED THAT DOE REALLY WAS REALLY, DOE STARTED A LOT OF THIS RESEARCH.

AND SO THE NEXT PHASE IN DOE'S MIND IS TO MOVE BEYOND H TWO ATS SCALE AND MOVE TOWARD A REGION, A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF HYDROGEN HUBS.

SO WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS WITH ONE GAS AND OTHERS IS WE HAVE, UM, AND TO THE NEXT, TO THE NEXT SLIDE, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS, UM, DEVELOPED A, UH, A CONSORTIUM TO VET TO, UH, UH, HAVE THIS REGION IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF SIX TO EIGHT NATIONWIDE CLEAN HYDROGEN HUBS.

AND HOW DOES DOE DEFINE CLEAN HYDROGEN HUB? UH, LESS THAN TWO KILOGRAMS OF CO2 PER KILOGRAM OR HYDROGEN PRODUCE.

THAT COMPARES TO ABOUT 12 TO 15 FOR CONVENTIONAL PRODUCED HYDROGEN.

UH, SO A MUCH, UH, A PRETTY DRAMATIC, UH, DECREASE IN CO2 PRODUCTION.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER METRICS, UM, THAT LISTED HERE ON THE, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SLIDE, AGAIN, THEY'LL BE SIX TO 10 HUBS AND DOE WILL FUND EACH OF THOSE BETWEEN ABOUT 400 MILLION AS A MINIMUM TO 1.25 BILLION.

AND AGAIN, THAT APPLICATION AND CONSORTIUM HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER AND WE'VE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED THAT, AND I'M GONNA SHOW YOU THE WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN GO TO TO LEARN MORE HERE IN JUST A MOMENT.

UM, ANOTHER NEXT SLIDE.

I'M JUST ABOUT FINISHED.

THIS IS REALLY JUST TO, UH, ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE, UM, ECONOMIC BENEFITS, UH, BY, UH, DEPLOYING HYDROGEN IN TEXAS AND, UH, IN THIS REGION.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

SO AGAIN, I MENTIONED THAT, UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REGIONAL HUB, UH, INITIATIVE, UH, HERE'S THE WEBSITE FOR IT.

AND AGAIN, OUR GOAL HERE IS TO POSITION TO, TO USE THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE HERE IN AUSTIN AS AN ANCHOR.

WE WANNA POSITION THIS REGION IN THE TECH, THE GREATER TEXAS GULF COAST, UH, UM, INCLUDING THE TEXAS TRIANGLE, UH, AGAIN, AS A REGIONAL CLEAN HYDROGEN HUB.

THIS WE BELIEVE WILL POSITION OUR REGION FOR ADDITIONAL DOE SUPPORT AND DOE FUNDING FOR AGAIN, UH, CLEAN, UH, ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES.

I, I ACTUALLY GOT ONE MORE SLIDE.

SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE AGAIN, I, WHAT I'VE REALLY TALKED ABOUT IS MOVING FROM REALLY A RESEARCH PROGRAM INTO A COMMERCIAL PROGRAM BECAUSE THE, THE HUB INITIATIVE DOE'S FOCUS IS THEY WANT, THEY WANT TO FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES.

DOE WANTS TO MOVE BEYOND JUST R AND D, AND WE REALLY COVER THE WHOLE GAMUT WITH THE WORK THAT

[01:00:01]

A LOT OF EXCITING THINGS ARE GOING ON, UH, IN THE HYDROGEN WORLD RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS SOMETHING I COULD NEVER REALLY SAY IN MY PREVIOUS 20 YEARS IN HYDROGEN.

UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED AND WE, WE THINK WE'RE OFFERING SOME GOOD SOLUTIONS TO, UH, AGAIN, TO THE GREATER DECARBONIZATION, UH, STORY.

WITH THAT, UM, I'M GOING TO, UH, UM, STOP AND, UH, ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE? YEAH, I'VE, I'VE GOT A COUPLE FOR YOU.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THIS IS, THIS IS REALLY GOOD.

A LOT OF, LOT OF INFORMATION.

I, YOU KNOW, THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO GET YOUR COMMENT ON, UH, THAT, THAT'S REALLY RELEVANT TO THIS COMMISSION.

UM, SO WE, WE DO A LOT OF WORK AS YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH TEXAS GAS, UH, YOU KNOW, UTILITY DISTRIBUTING GAS TO, UM, CONSUMERS AND TO COMMERCIAL FACILITIES AROUND THE STATE.

AND HERE IN AUSTIN, UH, IN PARTICULAR, UM, I GUESS THE, THE CHALLENGE THAT, THAT WE'VE TRIED TO WORK WITH THE, WITH, UH, WITH LARRY AND HIS TEAM ON IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT GAS, WHEN IT'S USED DOES HAVE A, A CARBON FOOTPRINT, RIGHT? THERE IS A CARBON ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

AND AS YOU KNOW, WE DECARBONIZE OTHER, UM, SOURCES OF OUR ENERGY, THE ELECTRICITY SECTOR, FOR EXAMPLE.

UM, THE, THAT BECOMES A, A LARGER PERCENT OF, OF, OF THE CARBON INTENSITY FOR THE CITY.

UH, IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, UH, THERE, THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE BEEN A VERY CLEAR SOLUTION FOR HOW DO WE, UH, DECARBONIZE, UH, THE THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL GAS SECTOR.

UM, AND I'M CURIOUS, UH, TO, TO HEAR, YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S, UH, IMPORTANT TO YOU IS, IS LEVERAGING EXISTING ASSETS.

AND IN, IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UM, EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN BUILT, UH, THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS YOU MENTIONED WOULD BE A, A SHAME TO, TO, TO JUST DISCARD, RIGHT? SO HOW, WHAT IN YOUR OPINION WOULD YOU DO, DO YOU SEE AS THE MOST, UM, ECONOMIC PATHWAYS FOR, FOR UTILITIES LIKE TEXAS GAS AND, AND DECARBONIZING? ONE OF THE, WELL, THERE TWO OF THE LARGEST FUNDED PROGRAMS WE HAVE CURRENTLY ARE.

AND I THINK THAT THE EASY, THE EASIEST ONE PROBABLY IS ONE, PROBABLY IS, UH, METHANE EMISSIONS MITIGATION, UM, ATTACKING LEAKS AND, UH, BETTER USE OF SENSORS AND, AND OPERATIONS AND SO ON.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S WELL UNDERWAY AND HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SOME TIME.

THE NEXT STEP IS DECARBONIZING THE GAS THAT'S IN THE PIPELINE.

HOW DO WE, UM, AGAIN, THE FIRST TIP OF THAT REALLY WAS TO, AND IT'S STILL ONGOING, IS TO LOOK AT RENEWABLE SOURCES OF NATURAL GAS SUCH AS, SUCH AS LANDFILL GAS, SUCH AS DE DIGESTS.

AND, UM, THERE'S SURPRISING AMOUNT, UH, OF VOLUME OF THAT TYPE OF GAS.

UM, GASIFICATION OF BIO WOODY BIOMASS IS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL.

I KNOW THERE'S PROS AND CONS THERE.

UM, BUT THE NEXT STEP THAT WE'RE JUST NOW REALLY GETTING TOWARD IS, AGAIN, INTRODUCING HYDROGEN IN THAT MIX.

UM, MY ORGANIZATION AND, AND THE IN IN CONCERT WITH THE NATIONAL LABS WITH, UH, AND ACTUALLY THIS IS ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT ONE GAS IS SUPPORTING.

UM, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE MATERIAL COMPATIBILITY WITH DIFFERENT BLENDS OF HYDROGEN, UH, IN THE, IN THE NATURAL GAS, IN THE EXISTING NATURAL GAS PIPELINE SYSTEM.

UM, THE SAFETY ISSUES, LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE CARBON FOOTPRINT, UH, AGAIN, OF THE LIFE CYCLE.

THAT'S AN INCREMENTAL PROCESS AS WE INTRODUCE HYDROGEN AT SOME POINT.

UM, MAYBE A HUNDRED PERCENT HYDROGEN IS, IS, IS A SOLUTION.

UH, MAYBE IT'S A SOLUTION IN, IN, UH, CONCERT WITH THESE OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING ELECTRIFICATION.

UM, ELECTRIFICATION GOES, UH, IS, IS GOOD FOR SOME APPLICATIONS, NOT NECESSARILY GREAT FOR ALL APPLICATIONS.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S A, THAT'S A LONGER DISCUSSION WE CAN GET INTO PERHAPS WHEN WE HAVE MORE TIME.

BUT, UM, I, I, I KNOW I DIDN'T JUST, I DON'T HAVE A SUCCINCT, UH, THREE LINE ANSWER FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR QUESTION, BUT AS AN R AND D GUY, MY EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT WE IMPROVE INCREMENTALLY OVER TIME.

WE RARELY HAVE THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, EUREKA, THE WORLD'S GONNA CHANGE TOMORROW.

MOMENTS, UM, ARE IMPROVEMENTS ARE ACHIEVED INCREMENTALLY OVER.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE WERE 10 YEARS AGO COMPARED TO TODAY, YOU'LL SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE.

BUT IT HAPPENED IN, IN VERY, IN, IN A LARGE NUMBER OF SMALL STEPS.

GAS? IS THAT A, A TOPIC YOU GUYS ALSO COVER? WELL, THE H STEWART SCALE PROGRAM IS, IT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT RENEWABLE.

DID, DOES, SO AT THE HQ AT SCALE, THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING THERE, IS THERE ANY OVERLAP WITH, WITH RENEWABLE NATURAL

[01:05:01]

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY USING RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS FOR THAT, UM, FOR THE FEED STOCK, FOR THE HYDROGEN, FOR, FOR A PORTION OF THE HYDROGEN, UH, FOR THAT.

AND THAT'S BEING PROVIDED BY ONE GAS.

GOTCHA.

UH, I'LL PAUSE QUESTIONS FROM, FROM ANYONE ELSE.

MR. ROBBINS, YOU HAVE A QUESTION, SEVERAL, AND I'LL MAKE THEM BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.

UM, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IS ENTIRELY WITH, UH, RENEWABLE GAS.

IT'S NOT WITH ELECTROLYSIS.

UH, IT'S JUST A COMBINATION.

WE HAVE BOTH.

UH, WE'RE DOING, UH, THAT AGAIN, AUSTIN'S UNIQUE IN THE SITE THAT WE'RE, WE HAVE HERE, WE'RE USING HYDROGEN FROM BOTH RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS AND FROM ELECTROLYSIS, UH, WHICH IS SOURCE FROM BOTH WIND AND SOLAR.

CHEAPEST THING IS TO DO NOTHING IN, IN TERMS OF DOLLARS.

UM, I'VE LOOKED, I DON'T KNOW NEARLY AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD ABOUT THE, UH, TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THIS, BUT I HAVE LOOKED AT THE POLICY ASPECTS AND THE COST ASPECTS.

UH, I DO NOT WANT MY COMMENTS AND CONCERNS TO SOUND LIKE I DO NOT FAVOR R AND D AND DO NOT FAVOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

BUT I GUESS THIS IS KIND OF A QUESTION.

EVERY ANALYSIS I'VE DONE OF ELECTROLYSIS SHOWS IT TO BE REALLY, REALLY EXPENSIVE.

UH, EVERY TIME I HAVE LOOKED AT RENEWABLE GAS, I HAVE SEEN HIGH COSTS AND LIMITED RESOURCES.

UM, TELL ME WHY I'M WRONG.

I, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION, AND I, AND I'M NOT, UM, I'M NOT ADVOCATING ELECTROLYSIS OVER OTHER GAS PRODUCTION OR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES, BUT I DO BELIEVE THERE'S, THERE'S ROOM FOR BOTH.

BUT ELECTROLYSIS, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COST, AND, AND AGAIN, KEEPING IN MIND, WE'RE, WE'RE BEGINNING TO LOOK AT HYDROGEN AS AN ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTION, I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE COST OF ELECTROLYSIS, NOT JUST THE, YOU KNOW, DOLLARS PER KILOGRAM, BUT WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT IN TERMS OF GRID STABILITY.

I MEAN, WE KNOW FROM STUDIES ERCOT DOING THAT.

WE'RE HA WE'RE, WE'RE FACING MORE CAPACITY FOR WIND AND SOLAR THAN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO TAKE OUT OF THE, THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE, INTO THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE, WHICH IS WHERE THE DEMAND LOAD IS.

ONE WAY TO INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO, TO BUILD MORE WIND AND SOLAR IS TO, AGAIN, PROVIDE A, UM, ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTION.

I THINK THE, SO THE COST OF ELECTROLYSIS COULD BE CONSIDERED, OH, I, I THINK THE LIGHTS, I THINK THAT'S MY CUE TO, TO SIT DOWN, RIGHT? UM, THE COST OF ELECTROLYSIS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED NOT JUST, AGAIN, THE COST PER KILOGRAM, BUT LET'S, LET'S ALSO FACTOR IN THE ADDED STABILITY OF THE GRID THAT THAT COULD COME WITH THAT.

WELL, TRUE.

BUT IF YOU'VE GOT HIGH COST STORAGE MERGED WITH LOW COST, UH, SOLAR AND WIND, UH, IT, IT'S GONNA BE AN AVERAGE IN, I MEAN, IN ONE NUMBERS CRUNCH, I DID, I CAME UP WITH $28 PER MILLION BTUS, UH, I, THAT WOULD BE A, A VERY EXPENSIVE STORAGE FUEL TO MERGE WITH LOW COST WIND AND, AND SOLAR.

UM, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS, YOU MM-HMM.

, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN ME.

BUT THIS IS WHAT I'VE SEEN.

I, I, I CAN'T COMMENT ON THE $28 PER N B T U, BUT, UM, CAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ASSUMPTIONS WENT INTO THAT, BUT OUR, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA BE COSTS.

UH, I, I, I'M NOT GONNA STAND UP HERE AND SAY THAT THIS IS GONNA BE CHEAP OR PAINLESS, BUT IF OUR GOALS, IF OUR POLICY MAKERS ARE TELLING US THAT WE NEED TO ACHIEVE DECARBONIZATION GOALS, IT'S, IT'S A JOB FOR ENGINEERS LIKE ME TO FIND THE MOST PRACTICAL, COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO GET THERE.

AND WE STRONGLY BELIEVE HYDROGEN IS PART OF THAT SOLUTION.

UM, THE

[01:10:01]

UH, BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, DOLLARS DON'T, THEY'RE JUST PART OF THE STORY.

ANYWAY, THANKS EVERYONE.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, UH, IN YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME.

ALL RIGHT, UH, NEXT UP ITEM NUMBER FIVE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE YOU HAVING, HAVING YOU.

GOOD LUCK.

[5. Discussion and possible action on the community feedback on Electric Ready and EV Ready code amendments, incentives, and next steps. (Sponsors: White, Davis, Johnson and Chavarria)]

FEEDBACK ON ELECTRIC READY AND EV READY CODE AMENDMENTS, INCENTIVES, AND NEXT STEPS.

I BELIEVE KURT.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

I'M KURT STOCKDALE.

I'M THE INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES FOR AUSTIN ENERGY.

AND, UH, AS COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN POINTED OUT, I'M HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT SOME FUTURE ACTIONS THAT WE PLAN TO TAKE, UH, BASED ON SURVEY FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT LOOKING INTO ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND ELECTRIC READY INITIATIVES, UH, OR DISCUSSIONS.

SERVICES SOMETIMES IN THE PAST.

SO WE REALLY LOOKED AT THREE AREAS OR THREE LEVERS FOR MOVING FORWARD WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND ELECTRIC READY, UH, ONE BEING POLICY, AND THAT COULD TAKE THE FORM OF CODES OR CITY ORDINANCES OR BROADER CITYWIDE INCENTIVES.

WE ALSO LOOKED AT EDUCATION, AND IN THIS CASE, LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT AUSTIN ENERGY PROGRAMS AND HOW WE COULD FURTHER THE UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THESE CONCEPTS THROUGH, THROUGH BROADER EDUCATION INITIATIVES.

AND THEN WE LOOKED AT INCENTIVES AND REBATES REGARDING, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY PROGRAMS AS THE THE THIRD LEVER.

UH, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO, LOOKING AT THE POLICY LEVER, OVERWHELMINGLY, THE, THE FEEDBACK WE GOT FROM THESE DISCUSSIONS WAS THAT THEY WANTED TO LOOK AT CODE AS A, A PRIMARY MOVER TOWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND, AND ELECTRIC READINESS, UH, LOOKING KIND OF COMPREHENSIVELY ACROSS THE CITY AT HOW THEY HANDLE CODE, UH, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IS THE GROUP WITHIN THE CITY THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADOPTION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE ENTIRE BODY OF BUILDING CODES.

THE CITY ADOPTS THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PLUMBING CODE, BUT ALL THE REST OF THE CODES, THEY, THEY ADOPT, UH, THE MECHANICAL CODE, FIRE CODE, ENERGY CODE ARE ALL PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL BODY OF CODES, WHICH IS DEVELOPED BY A GROUP CALLED THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL.

THEY DO THAT ON THREE YEAR CYCLES.

THE LAST BODY OF CODES WAS, UH, PUT FORWARD FOR 21, AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN ADOPTED THE COMPREHENSIVE BODY OF INTERNATIONAL CODES IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

UH, WHEN WE ADOPTED THAT CODE, AT THE TIME, ELECTRIC VEHICLE READY AND EV, OR ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND ELECTRIC READY HAD BEEN DISCUSSED AND ADDED INITIALLY INTO THE ENERGY CODE, AND WERE TAKEN OUT AT THE LAST MOMENT THROUGH THE APPEALS PROCESS.

SO THERE WAS NO LANGUAGE IN THE CODE THAT SPOKE TO, SPECIFICALLY TO EV AND ELECTRIC READY.

WE OPTED AT THE TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CODE, THE 21 ENERGY CODE.

ABSENT EV AND ELECTRIC READY PROVISIONS, WE HAVE THE OPTION TO INTRODUCE AMENDMENTS TO CODES TO MEET LOCAL OBJECTIVES AND GOALS.

UH, BUT WE OPTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE 21 CODE, LARGELY AS IT WAS, AND AGREED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BROADER COMMUNITY DISCUSSION AROUND THESE TOPICS, AND THEN TO COME BACK WITH PROPOSED, UH, DIRECTION FORWARD AFTER THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

WHICH BRINGS US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

UH, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THESE CODES ARE ADOPTED EVERY THREE YEARS.

THE 2024, UH, BODY OF CODES IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT SPECIFIC TO THE ENERGY CODE.

IT'S ANTICIPATED THAT IT WILL BE FINALIZED, UH, EITHER LATE SUMMER, EARLY FALL, PROBABLY LATE SUMMER OF THIS YEAR.

IT IS SLATED RIGHT NOW AS IT STANDS TO INCLUDE EV AND ELECTRIC READY.

ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THOSE THINGS WILL CONTINUE AS IS, AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE REMOVED THIS TIME.

THEY SEEM TO HAVE BROAD SUPPORT.

SO OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT THE 24 I E C C WILL INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR, FOR EV AND ELECTRIC READY.

WE'VE ALSO HEARD FROM DEVELOPMENT

[01:15:01]

THEY'VE SKIPPED CODE CYCLES AS THEY HAVE ADOPTED CODES.

UH, WE WENT FROM THE 2015 CODE TO THE 21 CODE, SO WE SKIPPED THE 2018 BODY OF CODES.

UH, WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM DSD IS THAT THEY'VE UNDERGONE ISO CERTIFICATION AND THAT ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF ISO CERTIFICATION IS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP CODES ON A THREE YEAR BASIS MOVING FORWARD.

SO THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE CITY WILL ADOPT THE ENTIRE BODY OF 24 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODES THROUGH THIS NEXT CYCLE.

GIVEN THIS, OUR, OUR PROPOSED PATH FORWARD IS NOT TO DO AN INTERIM AMENDMENT, AND I CAN SPEAK TO THOSE, THOSE REASONS, UH, LATER IF YOU WANT, BUT TO PROCEED FORWARD WITH THE 24 CODE, WHICH HAS PREDEFINED, UH, DEFINITIONS FOR BOTH EV AND ELECTRIC READY BUILD INTO THE CODE AND TO GO FORWARD WITH THE ENTIRE, WITH, WITH THE ELECTRO OR THE ENERGY CODE AS PART OF THAT ENTIRE BODY OF CODES AND CONCURRENT WITH THOSE CODES.

SO BASICALLY, DSD WOULD MOVE ALL OF THOSE CODES FORWARD, UH, CONCURRENTLY WITH ONE ANOTHER, INCLUDING VETTING WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND TAKING FORWARD TO COUNCIL, AND THEN MAKING THEM ALL EFFECTIVE AT THE SAME TIME.

UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO, LOOKING AT EDUCATION, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT MORE WE CAN DO TO, TO EDUCATE OUR CONSUMERS, OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY ON AN EV AND ELECTRIC READY, UH, CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED DURING THE, THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS INCLUDED LACK OF STANDARDIZED DEFINITIONS, UH, OF EV AND ELECTRIC READY, AS WELL AS AWARENESS OF THE BENEFITS AND COSTS RELATED TO THEM.

UH, LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS HERE, IT'S NOT THE SAME, SAME DECISIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING, UH, WITH REGARDS TO ENERGY CHOICES.

UH, WE REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION OUT THERE.

GENERALLY, A LOT OF THESE OPTIONS RIGHT NOW HAVE A HIGHER UPFRONT COST AND HAVE SOME LONGER TERM PAYOUTS, AND PEOPLE REALLY DON'T HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND WE NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO PEOPLE AS TO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

THERE ARE ALSO DIFFERENCES FOR EXISTING CONSTRUCTION VERSUS NEW CONSTRUCTION AND THE BENEFITS AND, AND PAYBACKS RELATED TO THOSE.

SO WHAT WE PROPOSE TO DO WITH THAT IS TO PROMOTE FURTHER EDUCATION THROUGH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, UH, THROUGH CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS, LOOKING TO PROVIDE BETTER DEPTH OF INFORMATION FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WITH REGARDS TO EV AND ELECTRIC READY, AND REALLY USE THIS TO HELP PROMOTE ADOPTION MOVING FORWARD.

SO, PROGRAMS IS AN AREA WHERE WE GOT SIGNIFICANT INDICATION FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF PEN OF DEMAND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ACT UPON THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO, UH, CURRENTLY.

AND A LOT OF THAT IS REALLY DUE TO TWO ISSUES.

ONE IS AVAILABILITY OF, OF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO BE ABLE TO MOVE TO, AND THE OTHER IS UPFRONT AFFORDABILITY IN THE SHORT TERM COSTS.

UH, SO WHAT THEY'VE ASKED US TO DO IS TO LOOK AT OPTIONS THAT WE CAN DO AROUND MAKING THE PRODUCTS MORE AVAILABLE AND ALSO THEN REDUCING THE UPFRONT COSTS OF THOSE, THOSE RESOURCES.

THEY'VE ALSO IN INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE A BROADER SELECTION OF TECHNOLOGIES TO LOOK AT, UH, IN ADDITION TO THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING IN THE AREAS OF HEAT PUMP, WATER HEATERS AND HEAT PUMPS FOR, FOR SPACE CONDITIONING.

ALSO LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE SMART ELECTRIC OR SMART ELECTRIC PANELS.

UH, ALSO LOOKING AT, AT HYBRID FUEL CHOICES AS A, AS A TRANSITIONAL OPTION.

UH, THIS IDEA THAT WHILE THEY MAY HAVE A GAS FURNACE, AND IT MAY BE REALLY EXPENSIVE TO, UH, TO REPLACE IT, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO USE A, A HEAT PUMP FOR THEIR AIR CONDITIONING NEEDS, WHICH PROVIDES A LOT HIGHER, UH, ENERGY BENEFIT AT A LOWER UPFRONT COST, AND STILL COVERS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE AIR ENERGY COST RELATED TO SPACE CONDITIONING FOR THE, FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.

SO WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO THERE IS LOOKING AT EXPANDING OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS, UH, AND BUDGET IN SUPPORT OF THESE, THESE ELECTRIC CREDIT TECHNOLOGIES.

AND THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE A LOT OF PILOTING OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW PROGRAMS LOOKING TO PROVIDE A, A BROADER DEPTH OF, OF PRODUCT OFFERINGS MOVING FORWARD.

UH, GONNA LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THERE, 160 BILLION LOOKING AT CLEAN ENERGY CREDITS.

SO THERE ARE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WE CAN DO, AND WE REALLY ANTICIPATE DEDICATING A LOT OF WORK IN THIS.

YOU'VE GOT THE, UH, THE INFLATION RECOVERY ACT, UH, SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION.

OVER 386 BILLION IS GONNA BE DEDICATED TO ENERGY AND CLIMATE THROUGH THAT ACT NATIONWIDE.

[01:20:02]

UH, OVER 37 BILLION DEDICATED TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND 36 BILLION FOR CLEAN FUEL AND, AND VEHICLE CREDITS.

UH, THIS MON MONEY'S GONNA COME FROM A VARIETY OF CHANNELS.

UH, WE ANTICIPATED SOME OF IT COMING THROUGH THE STATE.

WE'VE ALREADY HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH CCO, THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE.

UH, THEY ANTICIPATE THAT A LOT OF THE, UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, UH, OPPORTUNITIES WILL COME DIRECTLY THROUGH THEM.

UH, WE'VE ALSO GOT THE US DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ANTICIPATE HAVING A LOT OF, OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING THROUGH DOE.

UH, SO WE'LL LOOK TO THOSE AS WELL.

WE'VE ALSO GOT NEI, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE.

UH, BILL, IT IS LOOKING FOR TEXAS PRIMARILY THOSE FUNDS BEING DEDICATED TO CORRIDOR TRAVEL, BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY LOOK TO, TO, UH, PURSUE THOSE FUNDS AS WELL.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO THERE IS GET UP TO SPEED WITH WHAT'S COMING OUT, WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE TO AUSTIN ENERGY AND THE COMMUNITY, AND BEING ABLE TO APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS AND THEN PUTTING FORTH OUR BEST EFFORT IN APPLICATIONS FOR THOSE.

UH, TO THAT END, AUSTIN ENERGY IS PUTTING TOGETHER, IS PUT TOGETHER TEAMS THAT ARE LOOKING INTO THE RAMIFICATION OF THESE.

THE IRA IS WELL OVER A THOUSAND PAGES.

IT'S A LOT TO GO THROUGH.

UH, IT'S ALSO DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN IT'S DONE IN THE PAST.

TRADITIONALLY, A LOT OF THE INCENTIVES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT OUT FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND, AND SOME OF THESE BROADER INITIATIVES AROUND CLEAN ENERGY HAVE HAD TAX-BASED INCENTIVES.

WELL, WE AS A MUNICIPALITY CAN'T TAKE THOSE INCENTIVES DIRECTLY, SO WE'VE HAD TO CONTRACT WITH THIRD PARTIES TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT BENEFIT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PROVISIONS IN THE NEW ACT, WHICH ALLOW TAX EXEMPT ENTITIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE UP FRONT.

SO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE OF THAT, BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STRUCTURING ANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE, OF THOSE BENEFITS AS WELL.

BUT WE ANTICIPATE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME WILL BE SPENT IN THE COMING MONTHS IN APPLYING FOR PREPARING APPLICATIONS FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY COME OUT.

AND THEN MOVING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS, ANTICIPATE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME FOR STAFF IN ADMINISTERING THE RESULTING AWARDS THAT COME OUT OF THOSE.

SO WE HAVE HIGH, HIGH HOPES OF, OF BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS AND REALLY THINK THAT THIS WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT MOVER FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THE SHORT TERM FOR EV AND ELECTRIC READY EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD.

SO, IN SUMMARY, FOR OUR PATH FORWARD, WE LOOK TO ADOPT EV AND ELECTRIC READY PROVISIONS IN CODE THROUGH ADOPTION OF THE 24 I E C C.

WE LOOK TO HAVE ADDITIONAL OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF EV AND ELECTRIC READY THROUGH CES PROGRAMS. WE LOOK TO EXPAND PRODUCT OFFERINGS AND INCENTIVES FOR, FOR EV AND ELECTRIC READY.

THIS INCLUDES BOTH THROUGH EXISTING PROGRAMS AS WELL AS R AND D EFFORTS, LOOKING AT EXPANDING OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS.

AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK TO AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE OUTSIDE FUNDING.

SOME OF THIS WILL BE LEVERAGED WITH OUR PROGRAMS, AND SOME OF THIS WILL BE NEW PROGRAMS AS WELL.

BUT AGAIN, WE LOOK AT HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF HAVING SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN TIME AND EFFORT, AS WELL AS FEDERAL DOLLARS IN SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS MOVING FORWARD.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE GOT FOR THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU, KURT.

UH, SO THE DRAFT RESOLUTION WE'LL DEAL WITH IN A MINUTE, BUT FOR NOW, UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR KURT ON THIS PRESENTATION? I HAVE A A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

UM, IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING INITIATIVES, UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WOULD THAT BE FUNDS THAT ARE USED TO RETROFIT HOMES OR WOULD THAT BE FUNDS USED TO MAKE NEW BILLS EV READY? I THINK WE'LL SEE BOTH.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT'S LOOKING AT THE EXISTING HOUSING STOCK.

THAT WAS WHAT WE TALKED WITH A LOT ABOUT CCO AND WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY JUST STARTING TO GET OUR, OUR, OUR ARMS AROUND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE.

SO I, I'LL HAVE BETTER INFORMATION PROBABLY IN THE COMING MONTH OR MONTH OR TWO.

THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE ADOPTED.

UM, I GUESS THE, THE, THE PIECE THAT I'M MOST INTERESTED IN IS, UM, THE CERTAINTY THAT THE 2024 I E C C WILL, WILL BE ADOPTED.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY

[01:25:01]

AND I'M, I GUESS I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, YOUR CONFIDENCE LEVEL THAT THAT IN FACT WILL BE ADOPTED.

THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY THERE.

UH, I HAVE A MUCH HIGHER DEGREE OF CERTAINTY THAN I DID IN THE PAST.

THERE, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO BEING PULLED OUT OF THE, UH, DURING THE APPEALS PROCESS THE LAST TIME.

ONE OF WHICH WAS THAT THERE WAS NOT CLEAR DEFINITION WITHIN THE, THE PURPOSE OF THE I E C C THAT EV READY AND ELECTRIC READY PROVISION SPECIFICALLY FIT THERE.

AND THEY CHANGED, THEY, THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL CHANGED THE CODE ADOPTION PROCESS FOR THE ENERGY CODE, AND AT THE SAME TIME CHANGE THE MISSION SO THAT IT EXPLICITLY MAKES IT CLEAR THAT EV READY AND ELECTRIC READY BELONG THERE, WHICH WAS THE BIGGEST OBJECTION IT WAS POINTED TO IN NOT INCLUDING IT.

AND POINTED OUT DURING THE APPEALS PROCESS, UH, AS WELL, THEY'VE HAD SIGNIFICANT FEEDBACK AND, AND IT'S, IT'S IN THE FEEDBACK PERIOD NOW FOR OPEN COMMENTS, BUT THEY'VE HAD, HAD VERY GOOD COOPERATION WITH INDUSTRY IN INCLUDING THESE DEFINITIONS AND HAVE BEEN A LOT CLEARER IN WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR.

AND I THINK ALL OF THESE THINGS REALLY REDUCE THE RISK.

SO I WOULD SAY IN GENERAL, IF I, IF I DIDN'T SAY, I WOULD SAY I HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF, OF CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL, WILL MOVE FORWARD AS DRAFTED.

I GUESS MY QUESTION WASN'T REALLY WHETHER THOSE PROVISIONS WILL BE EXTRACTED FROM THE CODE.

I GUESS WHEN I'M ASKING, AND I'M ASKING THIS BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WITH, UM, DEPARTMENT SERVICES STAFF, UM, THAT I THOUGHT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT, THAT YOU ALL WOULD NOT ADOPT THE 2024 CODE.

IS THAT NOT CORRECT? I DON'T KNOW.

WHEN YOU HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS, HAVE YOU HAD THEM RECENTLY? I, YEAH.

SO LISA AND I MET WITH KELLY STILLWELL AND LISA, WAS IT MARTINEZ? I FORGET HER NAME.

UM, IT WAS ANOTHER LISA I KNOW, RIGHT.

UM, AND, AND ACTUALLY WHAT I HEARD WAS, UM, A LITTLE MORE DEFINITIVE THAT DSD IS NOT GOING TO MOVE THE 2024 CODES FORWARD.

AND HE DID MENTION THAT.

I THINK HE HAD TOLD YOU OTHERWISE.

UM, WE MET, WAS IT FRIDAY? IT WAS FRIDAY, YES.

ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE.

UM, BUT, BUT IT, IT WAS IN PRETTY, I FELT LIKE, UM, CERTAIN TERMS THAT GSD ISN'T GONNA DO IT.

THEY SUPPORT Y'ALL DOING IT IF YOU WANT TO, BUT, UM, Y'ALL BE IN AUSTIN ENERGY, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO IT AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO THE OTHER 20, 24 CODES.

SO IT WOULD JUST BE THE ELECTRIC, UH, CONSERV, THE ELECTRIC CODE, ELECTRIC CONSERVATION CODE.

SORRY.

WELL, MY APOLOGIES.

I'M ALWAYS GOOD AS THE INFORMATION I WAS GIVEN, AND THIS WAS LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AGO.

UH, IF, IF THAT'S INDEED THE CASE, I'LL HAVE TO TALK WITH KELLY.

UH, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL REITERATE THE, THAT THAT OCELOT ENERGY DOES IS NOT THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING FORWARD CODES.

IT IS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

AND WE WOULD CERTAINLY NEED TO WORK WITH THEM ON THAT.

UH, THAT WOULD CHANGE THE CALCULUS ON WHAT WE DO.

UH, I WOULD STILL THINK THAT I WOULD FEEL BETTER ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE 24 CODE ADOPTION BEING THE I E C C AS OPPOSED TO A STANDALONE AMENDMENT.

UH, IF D S D HAS HAS SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT LOOKING TO, TO BRING FORWARD THE ENTIRE BODY OF CODES, I'M CERTAINLY UP OPEN FOR THE DISCUSSION ABOUT, ABOUT INITIATING TALKS WITH THEM TO BRING FORWARD THE ENERGY CODE.

I GUESS.

UM, I'M NOT INITIATING TALKS WITH THEM.

I MEAN, WHAT ARE YOU ENVISIONING? CUZ THEY, I MEAN, THEY'VE SAID THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO THE WORK.

THEY SAID THAT Y'ALL CAN DO THE WORK AND THEY'LL, THEY'LL IMPLEMENT IT.

UM, WELL, I GUESS IT'S MORE WHAT, WHAT'S THE CONVERSATION? DO, DO THE WORK IS A, AN INTERESTING CHOICE.

UH, SO AUSTIN ENERGY'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE, IN ADOPTION, THE ENERGY CODE IS, IS, IS HEAVY.

UH, WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY FACILITATED ALL THE, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE ENERGY CODE ITSELF.

SO IT'S AUSTIN ENERGY STAKEHOLDER, UH, ROLODEX TO USE AN OLD TERM, UH, THAT IS CALLED UPON FOR, FOR ENGAGEMENT.

AND WE HAVE FACILITATED THAT IN THE PAST.

WE HAVE REPRESENTED CHANGES THROUGH,

[01:30:02]

UH, OR, OR BOTH CHANGES IN, IN CODE AS WELL AS ANY POTENTIAL LOCAL AMENDMENTS THROUGH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PROCESS UP UNTIL THE POINT THAT IT GETS TO A COUPLE OF BOARDS THAT DSD REPORTS DO DIRECTLY.

UH, ONE OF THEM IS, UH, PLUMBING AND FIRE BOARD CODE OF APPEALS, I BELIEVE.

UH, THEN ALSO TAKING IT TO COUNCIL, UH, DSD WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WOULD TAKE IT TO COUNCIL.

WE ALSO WORK WITH DSD ON TRAINING STAFF, UH, FOR INSPECTION.

SO DSDS LIFT ON THIS IS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN OURS IS.

UH, AND I WOULDN'T ANTICIPATE THAT THE DELINEATION OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD BE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT FOR THIS.

SO ON THIS SAME TOPIC, UH, THAT THE SPONSORS OF, OF THIS ITEM HAVE ALSO DISTRIBUTED A DRAFT, UH, RESOLUTION FOR DISCUSSION THAT, UH, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, I, I, I THINK SHOULD BE IN SUPPORT AND, AND ALIGNED WITH, WITH WHAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS, IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE HERE.

UM,

[6. Discussion and possible action on the Austin Energy proposed reduction in Energy Efficiency Services fees Resolution. (Sponsors: Robbins, White, and Brenneman)]

UM, CAN WE, NATASHA, CAN YOU PULL THAT UP OR, UH, THE ONE THAT WAS YEAH, THE LATEST ONE.

SO WHAT, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TONIGHT, UH, IF THE SPONSORS OF THIS CAN KIND OF TALK US THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, AND, UH, WE'VE GOT KURT HERE AS WELL TO GET AUSTIN ENERGY'S FEEDBACK, UH, AS WELL AS FEEDBACK FROM ANY OF THE NON-SPONSORED COMMISSIONERS ON, ON THIS RESOLUTION THAT YOU GUYS CAN, CAN TAKE IT BACK AND HOPEFULLY CRAFT SOMETHING THAT, UH, AT THE NEXT MEETING WE CAN, WE CAN VOTE ON.

SO WHICH ONE OF Y'ALL WANTS TO GO? I, I CAN PICK IT OFF AND JUST, UM, KIND OF, UH, ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT, , I HAVE TO STEP AWAY FOR A SECOND.

I HAVE TO SAY GOODNIGHT TO MY SON.

SO SOMEBODY ELSE CAN SPEAK.

LE LISA, CAN I CALL ON YOU? SURE.

UH, JUST GIVE US, GIVE US AN OVERVIEW.

I DON'T PLAN ON SUMMARIZING THE ENTIRE RESOLUTION.

I'LL JUST TELL YOU ALL SORT OF OUR THINKING, UM, AND SORT OF MY THOUGHT PROCESS IN, IN COMING TO, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THIS FORWARD.

I THINK THE IDEA OF DOING THIS, UM, YOU KNOW, DOING THE EV READY, UM, RESOLUTION AND DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT MIGHT BE IN THAT 2024 CODE CHANGE, I LIKE THE IDEA OF DOING IT IN 2024, BUT IT SOUNDS TO ME, BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD LEADING UP TO THIS MEETING AND PREPARING THAT, THAT ADOPTION WILL NOT OCCUR IN 2024.

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION SINCE 2021, THAT'S HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS.

UM, AND SO IT SEEMS TO, TO ME THAT WITHOUT A ADOPTION ON THESE ITEMS, THAT WE WILL BE LOOKING AT 2027 BEFORE, UM, THIS CODE LANGUAGE COULD BE ADOPTED.

YEAH, I GUESS I'M, I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR ON THAT THEN KURT.

LIKE, IF, IF THEY'VE SAID THAT THEY WANT YOU TO DO THE WORK.

I, I MEAN, DOES THAT, IS, IS THAT SAYING THAT YES, WE WILL NOT BE ADOPTING THE 2024 ? SO I, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO KELLY SINCE I HAD MY INITIAL CONVERSATIONS, SO THIS WOULD BE MY INTERPRETATION, BUT SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION WITH HIM, I'M ASSUMING THAT HE SAYS, I AM OKAY WITH YOU AUSTIN ENERGY GO GOING FORWARD AND PUTTING IN THE LEGWORK TO PUT FORWARD THE 24 I E C C.

WE WON'T BE DOING THE REST OF THE BODY OF CODES, AND WE WOULD EXPECT YOU AUSTIN ENERGY TO DO THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND VETTING, UH, AS WELL AS ANY KIND OF TECHNICAL ANALYSIS THAT'S REQUIRED, WHICH WE ALREADY DO.

SO, YOU KNOW, I I'M ASSUMING THAT IF IT WAS REQUESTED, THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO TAKE IT FORWARD THROUGH, THROUGH COUNSEL, UH, WHICH IT WOULD BE THEIR, THEIR WORKLOAD FOR THAT ANYWAY.

IS THERE A POTENTIAL FOR THE 2024 CODE TO BE ADOPTED? SURE, THERE IS.

I, IT IT IS UN YEAH, UNFORTUNATE THAT WE DON'T, IT'S KIND OF A LOT OF HEARSAY HERE.

UH, LISA, I MEAN, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE MAYBE ONE QUESTION, OR, OR ASK I GUESS OF KURT IS CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT WITH THEM? WHAT, WHAT IS THE POSITION HERE AND WHAT EXACTLY THAT MEANS? I MEAN, IS

[01:35:01]

I THINK IF, I THINK WE NEED TO CONFIRM IT, BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD, I WOULD THINK SO.

I MEAN, JUST TO, I THINK REITERATE WHAT, WHAT LISA SAID, UM, AND, AND WHAT I SAID BEFORE, KELLY WAS NOT OPPOSED TO AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKING THAT ON.

THEY JUST ARE NOT GONNA TAKE FORWARD THE OTHER, THE OTHER CODES.

SO THAT THAT WHOLE IDEA OF IT ALL BEING BUNDLED AND, AND MOVING AS, AS A SINGLE KIND OF, UM, WHATEVER PROCESS BUNDLE IS NOT WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.

UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF THE 20, WHETHER OR NOT, WHETHER OR NOT THE 2024, UH, CODE DOES GET ADOPTED IN AUSTIN, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HEARING THAT IT IS MAYBE STILL LIKELY, BUT NOT A CERTAINTY, AND IT'S ALSO NOT A CERTAINTY, ALTHOUGH, HOPEFULLY, LIKELY, UM, THAT THESE PROVISIONS ARE INCLUDED IN THAT.

UM, SO WE HAVE A COUPLE QUESTION MARKS THERE, AND THEN THERE'S JUST THE ELEMENT OF TIME AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL COMMENTS THAT WENT IN TO GET THESE, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THESE ITEMS BEING INCLUDED WHEN THE 2021 CODE WAS ADOPTED.

AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE HEARD THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.

AND YOU KNOW, NOW WE ARE HERE AT THE END OF 2022 AND TALKING ABOUT WAITING FOR A 2024 CODE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE TIMING OF EVERYTHING, MAYBE GETS ADOPTED IN 24, MAYBE GETS ADOPTED IN 25.

YOU KNOW, THAT PROCESS HAS OFTEN BEEN MORE LENGTHY.

LAST TIME IT WAS QUICKER.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF THINGS AND LIKE THERE WAS A WAITING PERIOD, UH, BECAUSE THERE WAS THAT, UM, CHALLENGE WITHIN THE PROCESS.

SO THAT GAVE FOLKS TIME TO, TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE AND BE PREPARED TO ADOPT ONCE IT WAS FINALIZED.

UM, SO THAT'S JUST STARTING TO ADD UP TO A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF, UM, HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE BASIC PROVISIONS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO CHOOSE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES AND INSTALL IT AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGER WITHOUT INCURRING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS JUST IN ELECTRICIAN FEES.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM AND WANTING TO MOVE THESE FORWARD NOW SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, START HAVING AN ON THE GROUND IMPACT SOONER.

YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULD JUST ADD THAT OBVIOUSLY EACH YEAR, EACH MONTH REALLY THAT PASSES THAT WE AREN'T DOING SOMETHING, HOUSES ARE BEING BUILT AND PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION FOR, YOU KNOW, GAS VERSUS ELECTRIC.

THIS GIVES THEM THAT OPTION.

I THINK WE'VE TALKED AS A COMMISSION BEFORE ABOUT OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF THE COST INVOLVED IN CONVERTING A HOUSE THAT'S OLDER OR HAS OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS MINE.

I HAVE NO AT SPACE, SO I, I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC, I THINK, TO THIS ISSUE IN TERMS OF PROVIDING PEOPLE WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE OUTSET RATHER THAN HAVING TO GO BACK AND, AND DO THE WORK.

YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE NORMAL CODE ADOPTION PROCESS, UH, WE WOULDN'T BEGIN, UH, ANY KIND OF AMENDMENTS TO THE CURRENT CODE BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS.

SO BASICALLY TWO THINGS THAT ARE BEING ASKED FOR IN THIS RESOLUTION.

ONE, THE 2024 CODE, UH, ADOPTION THAT WE PREVIOUSLY TALKED ABOUT, AND THEN REALLY WHAT, WHAT YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT NOW, WHICH IS A KIND OF AN, AN INTERIM AMENDMENT, UH, PRIOR TO THAT, UM, KURT JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR TAKE ON THAT PARTICULAR TOPIC.

SURE.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO DESIRE FOR US TO DO BOTH.

IT'S REPETITIVE AND RIGHT ON TOP OF ONE ANOTHER IS, IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE BEST USE OF, OF TIME AND RESOURCES.

UH, I, YOU KNOW, GIVEN A CHOICE OR ONE OR THE OTHER, I WOULD FAR, FAR PREFER TO GO FORWARD WITH A NEW CODE THAT HAS BEEN SANCTIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL AND HAS THAT KIND OF VETTING AND HAS THAT LANGUAGE ESTABLISHED IN THE CODE.

UH, IF THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ADOPTING IT AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT, AT, AND,

[01:40:01]

THERE'S JUST, PEOPLE WON'T PAY ATTENTION TO IT.

UH, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT FIVE MONTHS IN TIME, AND I THINK THAT THERE'S JUST AN AWFUL LOT OF BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY IN ALIGNING WITH SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S CODIFIED AS FAR AS THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL CODES.

GOTCHA.

SO JUST SO I'M CLEAR ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YEAH, YOU WOULD SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION IN TERMS OF ADOPTING THE 2024 CODE, BUT REMOVING THE, THE BIT ON THE INTERIM YEP.

AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN ENERGY CAN SUPPORT.

YEP.

YEAH, AND JUST TO CLARIFY THIS, THIS RESOLUTION IS NOT, DOES NOT SPEAK TO ADOPTING THE 2024, UM, CODE.

THE, THE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, UM, IS, IS REALLY JUST TO, UM, CAPTURE THE MORE CURRENT LANGUAGE.

UM, YOU KNOW, AS, AS YOU'VE HEARD THESE, THESE PROVISIONS WERE DRAFTED UP FOR THE 2021 CODE AND, UM, THEY'VE BEEN MODIFIED A BIT, UH, IN THE 2024 CODE DRAFT AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THAT DRAFT.

UM, AND YEAH, SO WE'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTING THAT IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH AN INTERIM PROCESS, THAT WE STILL UTILIZE THAT MORE CURRENT LANGUAGE, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN THROUGH THE CONSENSUS COMMITTEE PROCESS, UM, AT THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN THROUGH TOTALLY THROUGH THE, THE, UH, STAKEHOLDER COMMENT PERIOD.

AND I, I WOULD FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE HAVING, HAVING LANGUAGE FINALIZED AND ADOPTED IN THE CODE AND ADOPTING THAT, PLUS YOU GET OTHER BENEFITS THAT, THAT ACCRUE FROM ADOPTING THE NEWER CODE.

UH, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO MY, MY CODE PEOPLE TO FIND OUT WHAT ELSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT BEYOND THAT.

UH, ABOUT, WELL, I, I CAN'T EVEN GIVE YOU A PERCENTAGE.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF, OF CODE CHANGES THAT HAPPEN AT ANY GIVEN YEAR ARE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES TO CODE THAT HELP WITH CLARIFICATION IN COMPLIANCE AND ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF LANGUAGE CLARIFICATIONS THAT COME FORWARD.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF BENEFITS IN, IN ADOPTING A NEW CODE AS FAR AS HAVING IT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND, EASIER TO COMPLY WITH.

SO, UH, IF WE'RE GOING THROUGH ALL THE WORK OF DOING LOCAL AMENDMENTS AND WE'RE RIGHT ON THE CUSP OF A NEW CODE COMING OUT, I, I THINK IT'S FAR BETTER FOR THE COMMUNITY TO WAIT FOR THE NEW CODE TO COME OUT.

UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE SPONSORS OF THIS DRAFT RESOLUTION? I THINK THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS OPEN, RIGHT? ABOUT WHETHER THERE WOULD BE THE ADOPTION 2024 OR ACCORDING TO MY NOTES, IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL 2027, UM, CUZ YOU ALL WOULD SKIP THIS ROUND.

I MEAN, THAT SEEMS LIKE A IMPORTANT DATA POINT FOR, FOR US TO KNOW.

I I, I'M COMMITTED TO MOVING THE 24 IEC C FORWARD ONCE IT'S, ONCE THE LANGUAGE IS APPROVED, I'M FINE WITH GOING FORWARD WITH IT INDEPENDENTLY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COMMUNITY IS CERTAINLY FOR AND, AND YOU AS A BODY ARE CERTAINLY FOR, UH, SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I'LL COMMIT TO MOVING FORWARD ON THE 24, UH, THROUGH THE CITY PROCESS AND, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE ELECTRIC READY AND EV READY AMENDMENTS.

IF, IF FOR SOME REASON IT, IT WOULD FALL OUT, WE'D HAVE TO RECONSIDER WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO MOVE IT FORWARD IN ANOTHER WAY.

BUT, WE'LL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A HIGH LIKELIHOOD.

UH, WELL, JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, YEAH, MAYBE IF YOU COULD KIND OF CIRCLE UP WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES AND MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE AS TO PROCEDURALLY WHAT YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE THINKING THERE.

UM, AND, YOU KNOW, SEND A NOTE TO NATASHA, SHE CAN DISTRIBUTE IT TO THE COMMISSION.

TIME TO, I HAVE ASKED FOR COMMENTS FROM THE NONS SPONSORING COMMISSIONERS TO THE SPONSORS.

UM, I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR, OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.

UM, I, I, I, I DO APPRECIATE YOU YOUR PRESENTATION AND SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS, CAROL, I JUST, YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO MAKE SPACE AND

[01:45:01]

UH, THAT'S THE THIRD TIME.

I'M FINE WITH IT.

THANKS, PAUL.

UM, I, I GUESS IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, UH, FLOATING AROUND.

I MEAN, I DEFINITELY, UH, YOU KNOW, SEE THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WANT TO UNDERSCORE THE ISSUES THAT HAVE IT BECOME ABOUT FROM DELAYING SO LONG, UM, WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE, WHEN IT SEEMED LIKE WE WOULD HAVE ALREADY HAD THE, THIS, UM, 2021 CODES APPROVED BY NOW, UH, FROM CONVERSATIONS EARLIER LAST YEAR AND THOSE DISCUSSIONS, UM, MY THOUGHTS ARE A LITTLE SCATTERED.

EXCUSE ME.

UM, THANKS.

UM, REBECCA, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS? I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE, UM, THE OPTION AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT IN THE FUTURE ANYONE WHO BUYS A HOME CAN HAVE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE EV READY, UM, AND NOT HAVE TO HAVE GAS.

IS THAT WHAT IT, LIKE THEY COULD CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE ANY GAS AT ALL.

YEAH, SO, WELL, THESE PROVISIONS AS THEY'RE DRAFTED, UM, BOTH IN 2021 CODE AND IN THE PROPOSED 24, UM, REQUIRE PROPER WIRING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, CAPACITY, UH, TO, TO ELECTRIC CAPACITY TO THE HOME AND IN THE ELECTRIC PANEL IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS.

AND THEN IN TERMS OF ELECTRIC READY OR ELECTRIC READINESS IS ACTUALLY WHAT THEY CALL IT.

UM, IT, IT APPLIES TO, UM, HOT WATER HEATERS, UH, DRYERS AND STOVES.

SO IT DOESN'T COVER THE HVAC SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, SO IT DOESN'T COVER THE NATURAL GAS HEATER, UM, KIND OF CONVERSION SCENARIO, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS MUCH OF A BARRIER CUZ YOU ALREADY HAVE ELECTRIC SERVICE UP THERE TO, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR AIR CONDITIONER.

SO THAT MIGHT BE WHY THAT'S NOT INCLUDED, MIGHT NOT REALLY BE NECESSARY.

BUT BASICALLY THE, THE APPLIANCES THAT ARE SOMETIMES INSTALLED NATURAL COWS, THE HOMEOWNER WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO JUST A NEW APPLIANCE AND PLUG IT IN AS OPPOSED TO GET A NEW APPLIANCE, HIRE AN ELECTRICIAN, HAVE THAT WORK DONE, AND THEN BE ABLE TO SWITCH IT OUT.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, I THINK IT, I I WANTED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SO YEAH, I FULLY SUPPORT BECK.

UM, COULD, IF I COULD MAKE A COMMENT, UM, I, IF THIS COULD HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER, I WOULD BE HAPPIER.

UH, I MIGHT ALSO NOTE THAT, UH, I GUESS, UH, THE SUMMER BEFORE LAST SUMMER, UH, THERE WAS DISCUSSION COUNCIL ABOUT, UH, REQUIRING HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS IN APARTMENTS AND WHY THAT SHOULDN'T BE CODE.

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO COME UP, UH, MUCH QUICKER THAN IT HAS.

SO, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO AMEND THIS RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE THAT, BUT AT SOME POINT I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO COME UP.

UM, UM, I'LL, UH, DEFER TO THE SPONSOR'S JUDGMENT, BUT IF IT WERE UP TO ME, THINGS WOULD GO FASTER.

THANKS, PAUL.

CAN YOU SAY THE PIECE ABOUT, UM, APARTMENTS AGAIN? UH, I'M, I'M TRYING TO

[01:50:01]

DO MATH IN MY HEAD, BUT I THINK IN JUNE OR JULY OF 2021, UH, THERE WAS DISCUSSION AT COUNCIL ABOUT, I THINK THIS ITEM, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, REQUIRING HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS IN, IN APARTMENTS.

UM, I, UM, WHEN THE LAST ENERGY CODE WAS PASSED, I HAD GREAT CONCERN THAT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, UH, A HOME COULD USE MORE, UH, ENERGY THAN BEFORE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD ASSUAGE THAT CONCERN WOULD BE TO REQUIRE HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS IN APARTMENTS AND MAYBE NEW HOUSES.

UM, AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THAT WAS GOING TO COME UP FAIRLY QUICKLY AND IT HASN'T.

SO I AM REGISTERING, OFFICIALLY REGISTERING MY CONCERN THAT THIS BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

IT, AGAIN, THE RESOLUTION THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW MAY NOT BE, MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THAT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

THANKS.

UM, I, I DO SEE THAT AS AN ADJACENT BUT SEPARATE TOPIC, I, I'M DEFINITELY A BIG SUPPORTER OF HEAT PUMPS.

UM, AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, NEW MONEY AT, UH, THROUGH THE IRA FOR THEM.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BECOME, UM, EASIER FOR FOLKS TO IMPLEMENT.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THE KURT'S POINT, I THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY WITHIN AUSTIN ENERGY INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO, UM, YEAH, TO, TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD WITH HEAT PUMPS.

UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE WE CAN TAKE THAT UP IN A, I I WOULD THINK MAYBE A SEPARATE RESOLUTION.

CUZ WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVE NOT, WE DID DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON WHAT'S HERE, BUT WE DID NOT DIG INTO TO THAT ISSUE THAT YOU'RE BRINGING UP.

SO, UM, YEAH, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS IS HOT WATER HEAT PUMPS AND THEIR REBATE PROGRAM.

THE LAST TIME I CHECKED DID NOT GIVE THAT MANY OF THEM, BUT YEAH, WE'LL DO THIS IN ANOTHER WAY.

I, I'M JUST, I BELIEVE THIS CAME UP DURING THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, SO I HAVE THEM CO-RELATED.

THANKS, PAUL.

ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS? ALL RIGHT.

I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION, UM, AS WRITTEN UNLESS ANYBODY SEES SOMETHING THAT THEY, TO BE CLEAR, UH, THIS IS POSTED FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.

UH, IF YOU WANT TO VOTE ON IT, WE'LL BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING.

APOLOGIES IF, UH, THAT WASN'T CLEAR, BUT FIRST TIME WE SEE A RESOLUTION IS FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES.

WELL, I, I MEAN, RESPECTFULLY, I RE I REQUESTED BACK BEFORE OUR LAST MEETING THAT THIS BE PUT ON FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION THAT YOU'RE JUST TELLING ME THAT NOW I FIND REALLY FRUSTRATING, BUT, OKAY.

I BELIEVE YOU WERE REFERRING TO THE ONES WE ADDRESSED, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT NO, THIS, THIS ONE WILL BE, UH, IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING IT BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING FOR, FOR ACTION, THEN THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE.

YEAH, I'M, I'M RIGHT NOW REQUESTING THAT IT BE POSTED FOR ACTION IN JANUARY.

NOTED.

THE, ON THIS ITEM ON NUMBER FIVE, RIGHT.

UH, MOVING ON TO ITEM SIX, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE AUSTIN ENERGY PRO.

PROPOSED REDUCTION IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES, FEES, UH, RESOLUTION.

THIS WAS A RESOLUTION WHICH WAS TABLED AT OUR LAST MEETING, UH, AND IS ON THE AGENDA AGAIN.

IT IS.

AND, UH, JUST, UH, I'M SORRY, I'M, I'M SORRY.

I, I AM JUST SEEING RIGHT HERE THAT WE'RE UNDER DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS, AND IT EVEN SAYS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON

[01:55:01]

UH, THE ACTION WILL BE TO BRING THE RESOLUTION BACK NEXT MEETING, IF YOU WOULD.

SO CHOOSE, THERE IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM ON THE RESOLUTION ITSELF.

UH, CAN WE MOVE ON, PLEASE? WHAT DO YOU I'M SORRY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

THIS ITEM IS ITEM FIVE, WHICH WE REQUESTED AND SPONSORED AND DRAFTED, AND IT SAYS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION, NOT ON A RESOLUTION.

UH, THERE IS A DISCUSSION ON THE RESOLUTION.

UH, THE POSSIBLE ACTION IS IF YOU'RE GONNA REQUEST TO BRING IT BACK, UH, WE WILL, UH, BRING IT BACK FOR POSSIBLY A VOTE AT THE NEXT MEETING.

UM, THAT'S SUCH AS THIS.

ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, I'VE, I'VE MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR THE POLICY IS YOU WANT A RESOLUTION.

WE WILL DISCUSS IT AT THE FIRST MEETING AND WE WILL TAKE ACTION ON IT AT THE SECOND MEETING.

THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING FOR THIS RESOLUTION.

WE DON'T WE'LL DISCUSS OF THIS COMMISSION.

IT, IT ISN'T IN OUR BYLAWS, IS IT, FOLKS? IT'S NOT, THIS IS NOT POSTED AS A RESOLUTION FOR ACTION.

THERE IS NO WORDING ON THIS.

IT WAS LITERAL ABOUT REALLY POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.

THE RESOLUTION WAS POSTED ON THE WEBSITE ITEM AS ITEM FIVE.

THE ITEM READS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE COMMUNITY, FEEDBACK ON ELECTRIC READY AND EV READY CODE AMENDMENTS, INCENTIVES, AND NEXT STEPS.

THAT'S MY CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTION.

AND THIS IS NEXT STEPS.

ON THE NEXT STEPS, NOT ON THE RESOLUTION.

CAN I MAKE A POS A CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTION? UH, PERSONALLY, I AGREE WITH, UM, COMMISSIONER WHITE, BUT, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD THING TO HAVE DISCUSSION ON RESOLUTIONS AND THEN TAKE THEM UP AT THE NEXT MEETING, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD BE REQUIRED EITHER.

UH, SO I THINK GOING FORWARD, IT, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD THAT IF SOMETHING IS TECHNICALLY POSTED FOR ACTION, THEN IT CAN BE POSTED FOR A VOTE.

AND, UH, CHAIR BLACKBURN, IF YOU DON'T AGREE WITH ME, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD CHANGE THE BYLAWS TO REFLECT YOUR OPINION.

SURE.

AND SO WE, WE MADE AN EXCEPTION TO THAT POLICY LAST MONTH BECAUSE OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING WAS CANCELED.

SO THE RESOLUTIONS THAT WERE SCHEDULED FOR DISCUSSION IN SEPTEMBER WERE TAKEN UP FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION IN OCTOBER DUE TO THAT MEETING CANCELLATION.

IN THIS CASE, THAT SCENARIO IS NOT IN PLAY.

SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX.

ON ITEM SIX.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS, I BELIEVE YOU WERE INTRODUCING THIS RESOLUTION, AND I WILL, BUT I'LL JUST SAY AGAIN, I THINK WE NEED TO CLARIFY PROCEDURE GOING FORWARD.

SO THIS MISUNDERSTANDING DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

WELL, THEY GOT THEIR EXEMPTION.

UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, REINTRODUCE THIS RESOLUTION.

UH, ONE OF THE, UH, INTERVENERS IN THE AUSTIN ENERGY RATE CASE IS GETTING A NEW RATE, AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR NEW RATE OR A BIG ONE ANYWAY.

WHAT I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IS THAT THEY ARE EXEMPTED FROM THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES FEE.

AT THE LAST MEETING, THERE WAS, UH, CONFUSION AS TO WHAT THAT MEANT IN THE BUDGET THAT HAS NOW BEEN CLARIFIED, AND I SENT IT TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS VIA, UH, EMAIL.

UM, AND THAT IS THAT IF ALL THE PARTICIPANTS THAT MIGHT GET THIS NEW RATE, UH, WERE TO GET THIS NEW RIGHT, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY WOULD LOSE ABOUT 1.4 MILLION IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES FEES.

UH, THAT WHERE I COME FROM, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

WE COULD DO A LOT OF GOOD WITH THAT.

UM, I, AND IT ALSO SHOWS A CONTINUING BAD EXAMPLE BECAUSE CERTAIN LARGER CUSTOMERS THAN THIS PARTICULAR, UH, RATE REFLECTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXEMPTED.

AND THEN YOU ADD 1.4 MILLION AND, AND THEN SOME OTHER RATE CLASS MAY WANT TO GET AN EXEMPTION SAYING,

[02:00:01]

UH, I, I JUST THINK IT'S BAD POLICY IF WE WANT TO HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM.

SO, UM, ALL THESE WHEREAS IS, UH, BUILD UP TO WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED IN THEIR, THE CULMINATION IS NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN ADVISED CITY COUNCIL, THAT IF THIS NEW RATE CLASS IS CREATED, CUSTOMERS IN THIS NEW RATE CLASS SHOULD BE CHARGED THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES FEE.

UM, I SAW MOVE.

UH, NATASHA, COULD YOU GRANT ME SCREEN SHARING A SECOND? PAUL, THIS IS REBECCA.

UM, THANK YOU.

I ALSO WANTED TO ADD THAT I, I SAW THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS LOOKING TO INCREASE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER RATES BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE LOSING MONEY.

IS THAT CORRECT? YOU MEAN RE YOU MEAN RESIDENTIAL RATES? YES, THEY ARE.

AND WE, UH, AS YOU'LL RECALL, WE DID COMMENT ON THE RESIDENTIAL RATE STRUCTURE SINCE THAT INFLUENCES CONSERVATION, THAT WE DID APPROVE THAT.

AND I, KIBA AND I ARE BOTH HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THIS RATE CASE AS INTRAVENOUS.

IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE COULD DO BESIDES THAT AND THE VALUE OF SOLAR RESOLUTION AND THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES FEES, I WOULD SURELY PROPOSE IT.

BUT OUR PURVIEW AS RMC IS LIMITED.

I, I REALLY DON'T THINK WE CAN GO BEYOND THIS.

I WISH WE COULD.

MY POINT IS JUST THAT IF, IF AUSTIN ENERGY IS LOSING MONEY, WHY SHOULD THEY JUST BE GIVING IT AWAY IN THIS? SO I THINK THAT THIS RESOLUTION IS A GOOD, IS A GOOD THING.

VERY GOOD.

SO THERE'S MOTION ON THE TABLE TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION AS, UH, DRAFTED ON THE SCREEN.

UH, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS RESOLUTION.

IF SOMEONE HAS AN AMENDMENT, YOU ARE WELCOME TO MAKE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT.

UH, OTHERWISE WE CAN EITHER TAKE ACTION OR TABLE THIS ONE AGAIN, COULD I MAKE A MOVE TO ADOPT OR RECOMMEND OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED.

UH, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY, ANY COMMENTS OR FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE CAN GO STRAIGHT TO VOTE.

HEARING NONE, UH, WE CAN TAKE A VOTE, UH, TO ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION AS, UH, WRITTEN, UH, WITH NO AMENDMENTS.

COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? YES.

IF YOU COULD PLEASE TURN THE CAMERA ON.

WE WILL TAKE A VOTE.

UH, COMMISSIONER BLACKBURN VOTES? NO.

COMMISSIONER WHITE? YES.

COMMISSIONER DAVIS? YES.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? YES.

COMMISSIONER REMAN? YES.

COMMISSIONER SHARIA? NO.

UH, DO WE HAVE, DID I MISS ANYONE? ALL RIGHT.

UH, THIS RESOLUTION FAILS ON A FIVE TO TWO VOTE, UH, DUE TO LACK OF GETTING, UH, QUORUM, WHICH IS SIX.

IS THAT YOU AGREE? OKAY.

UH, SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO AGENDA ITEM SEVEN, UPDATE FROM THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION HEALTHY BUILDING WORKING GROUP, UH, WITH SOMEONE FROM THAT WORKING GROUP, LIKE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE.

[7. Update from the Resource Management Commission Healthy Building Working Group.]

UM, I TRULY HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE A RECOMMENDATION, UH, FOR YOU THAT IS UNANIMOUS, UH, IN JANUARY.