Nov 14, 2023 Resource Management

UM, BUT I PROMISED AT LEAST ONE COMMISSIONER THAT, UH, WE WOULD TAKE UP THE ITEMS FOR, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY AT THE BEGINNING.

SO, UM, I MAY HAVE TO, UH, LET THE BRIEFING, UH, UM, HAVE A, HAVE A RECESS AND THEN, UH, GO TO AUSTIN ENERGY'S SOLAR ITEMS, AND THEN GO BACK TO THE BRIEFING.

I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE A VOTE BECAUSE COMMISSIONER, UH, S SCNI CAN'T SHOW HER FACE UNTIL SHE GETS HERE.

SO IF WE COULD POSSIBLY, MAYBE TAKE, WE CAN POSSIBLY MAYBE DO THIS.

UH, MS. ROSLER, WOULD YOU, UH, UH, PLEASE, UH, UH, GIVE US YOUR BRIEFING AND ABSOLUTELY.

I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF I HAVE TO BREAK INTO THAT.

NO, NO WORRIES.

WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO THE, TO TAKE THE VOTE ON THE MINUTES AND THE RCAS, OF COURSE.

[2. Staff briefing regarding the Home Performance with Energy Star Program by Holly Prosser, Energy Efficiency Services Manager of Austin Energy. (Part 1 of 2)]

GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS.

YOU CAN HEAR ME? ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

MY NAME IS HOLLY PROSSER.

I AM THE, UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES MANAGER FOR RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES.

UM, SO IT'S NICE TO BE HERE.

OR KNOWN AS HEATING, VENTILATION, AIR CONDITIONING.

UM, LET ME GO BACK ONE HERE.

I'M HERE TO PROVIDE AN, UH, BRIEFING ABOUT THE, WHAT WAS FORMALLY CALLED THE HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR PROGRAM, WHICH IS BEING REBRANDED TO, TO HOME ENERGY SAVINGS.

SO, FIRST IS I'M GOING TO PROVIDE JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW ON WHAT A WHOLE HOME PROGRAM IS.

UH, I'M GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SAY GOODBYE TO HOME PERFORMANCE.

WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW CHANGES THAT ARE COMING UP, UH, AS WELL AS OUR LONG-TERM PROGRAM GOALS.

AND THEN WE WILL, UM, GREET OUR NEW PROGRAM.

SO WHAT IS A WHOLE HOME, UH, PROGRAM AND, AND HOW DOES IT DIFFERENTIATE ITSELF FROM OUR OTHER ENERGY EFFICIENCY OFFERINGS FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS? UH, WHOLE HOME IS ABOUT PROVIDING KIND OF A SYSTEMS APPROACH, A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MAKING SURE A HOUSE IS FULLY ENERGY EFFICIENT.

SO RATHER THAN JUST A STANDALONE REBATE, WHICH WE DO OFFER, UH, THIS ENCOURAGES CONTRACTORS AND CUSTOMERS TO, UH, INVESTIGATE AND FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS ALL ASPECTS OF THE HOME SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT IN JUST ONE APPLIANCE AND YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THE ENERGY, OTHER ENERGY EFFICIENCY NEEDS OF THE HOME, YOU MIGHT NOT GET THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT THAT YOU WOULD THINK.

SO JUST SOME, UH, EXAMPLES ARE, UH, HVAC AIR CONDITIONING,

[00:05:01]

SO THAT'S ABOUT PUTTING IN A NEW, NEW AC UNIT, UH, PROVIDING AN AC TUNEUP AND DOING DUCT SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, WE ALSO FOCUS ON SAFETY.

SO WHEN YOU TIGHTEN UP A HOUSE AND YOU KIND OF SEAL UP THE CRACKS AND GAPS, UH, THERE'S AN INCREASED RISK OF CARBON MONOXIDE IF THERE'S GAS APPLIANCES.

SO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE HOME HAS, UH, UP TO DATE CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS AND FIRE ALARMS. AND THEN WE ALSO DO JUST BASIC WEATHERIZATION LIKE INSULATION, UH, SOLAR SCREENS, AND WEATHER STRIPPING.

SO, YOU KNOW, ORIGINALLY THIS, UH, PRESENTATION WAS GONNA BE TITLED THE SUNSET OF HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR, BECAUSE THE DE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS SUNSETTING THIS PROGRAM.

BUT WE THOUGHT WE'D ADD, YOU KNOW, A SUNRISE, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AUSTIN ENERGY'S HOME ENERGY SAVINGS, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AUSTIN'S VERSION OF, UH, OUR WHOLE HOME PROGRAM.

SO WHY ARE WE CHANGING THE PROGRAM? WELL, A VARIETY OF REASONS.

FIRST, LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS SUNSETTING THEIR HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR PROGRAM.

THERE'RE SUNSETTING IT, NOT BECAUSE IT'S A PROBLEMATIC PROGRAM.

IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL ACTUALLY.

IT'S JUST THAT THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT IS GOING TO BE BRINGING OUT A LOT OF, UH, NEW AVENUES FOR PROVIDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES FOR CUSTOMERS.

SO THEY'RE SORT OF, UH, UH, CHANGING THEIR FOCUS ON THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND ALL THE, THE MONEY AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE COMING OUT FROM THERE.

UH, PRIOR TO US EVEN KNOWING THAT THE PROGRAM WAS GONNA BE SUNSET, WE HAD, WE HAD BEEN LOOKING, EYEING THIS PROGRAM FOR A REFRESH OURSELVES.

UH, SO WE HAD DONE SOME FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS, UH, IN 2022, UH, WHICH I'LL GO OVER IN THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND THAT KIND OF GAVE US SOME IDEAS ON WHAT A NEW PROGRAM OR KIND OF A REFRESH PROGRAM WOULD LOOK LIKE.

AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAPPENING AT ACCIDENTALLY AT THE SAME TIME REALLY GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REBRAND AND TO, UH, CREATE A CUSTOMIZED WHOLE HOME PROGRAM THAT WOULD REALLY, UH, SUIT AUSTIN'S NEEDS.

SO, UH, JUST A QUICK OVERVIEW OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE FOUND OUT IN OUR FOCUS GROUP.

UM, WE TALKED TO CUSTOMERS WHO HAD GONE THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

WE TALKED TO CUSTOMERS WHO DID NOT GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

WE TALKED TO CONTRACTORS AND WE TALKED TO INSPECTORS, AND WE GOT A, UH, SOME REALLY GREAT INFORMATION FROM THEM.

UH, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR CUSTOMERS.

THERE'S A LACK OF AWARENESS OF THE PROGRAM, UH, AND, UH, A LOT OF CONFUSION.

WHEN THEY WERE BROUGHT INTO THE, THE PROGRAM BY THEIR CONTRACTOR, THEY OFTEN WERE CONFUSED ABOUT THE PROCESS AND, AND CONFUSED ABOUT THE SCOPE OF WORK THEY WOULD RECEIVE FROM THE CONTRACTOR.

UH, THE CONTRACTORS TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY HAD DIFFICULTY NAVIGATING THE PROGRAM.

THEY FOUND THAT THE TRAINING THEY WERE RECEIVING FROM AUSTIN ENERGY COULD BE INCONSISTENT, AND THAT, UH, THE, THE REBATE PLATFORM THAT WE USED WAS CUMBERSOME AND DIFFICULT TO USE.

AND OUR INSPECTORS FELT LIKE THEY WANTED TO SEE A MORE COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH THE CONTRACTORS SO THEY COULD WORK CLOSE MORE CLOSELY WITH THEM AND PROVIDE, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL, UM, UH, ADVICE OR INSTRUCTIONS OR, YOU KNOW, UH, UM, EXPERTISE.

UH, ESPECIALLY AT THE INSTALLATION STEP.

OUR INSPECTORS, UH, HAVE ALL WORKED IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY FIELD FOR, YOU KNOW, YEARS, UH, DECADES EVEN.

UH, AND WE CONSIDERED THEM TRUSTED ENERGY ADVISORS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THOSE THAT SAME ROLE FOR OUR CONTRACTOR COMMUNITY.

UM, AND THEY ALSO CITED OUR REBATE PLATFORM AS, UH, NEEDING A REFRESH AS WELL.

SO WHAT ARE THE NEW PROGRAM CHANGES THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO, UH, UH, WORK ON OR WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW BASED ON WHAT WE FOUND? UH, WELL, WE WANNA BOOST CUSTOMER INTEREST THROUGH SOME NEW TOOLS, UM, SO THAT CUSTOMERS ARE AWARE OF THE PROGRAM AND THEIR, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF CALLING THE, UH, CONTRACTOR, YOU KNOW, EXPRESSING INTEREST SPECIFICALLY IN THIS PROGRAM.

UH, WE WANT TO IMPROVE THE CONTRACTOR EXPERIENCE, PROVIDE AVENUES TO BE MORE COLLABORATIVE.

UH, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS COME OUT OF THIS PROCESS IS THAT A NEW, UH, QUALITY CONTROL CHECKLIST SO THAT THE CONTRACTORS IN OUR INSPECTION TEAM ARE USING THE SAME CHECKLIST WHEN THEY'RE AT A FINAL INSPECTION, WHICH REALLY HELPS MAKE EVERYONE LITERALLY ON THE SAME PAGE BECAUSE WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, FIN UH, FOLLOWING THE SAME CHECKLIST.

UH, WE ALSO ARE WORKING ON SOME CONTRACTOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

SO WE JUST LAUNCHED A NEW, UM, TRAINING INITIATIVE, WHICH WE CALL BACK TO BASICS.

UH, WE JUST HAD OUR SECOND ONE LAST WEEK.

UM, AND IT'S A FREE,

[00:10:01]

UH, TRAINING FOR CONTRACTORS TO BRING IN THEIR STAFF, UM, THAT, AND WE GO OVER THE BASICS.

IT'S LIKE, HOW TO PASS A, A FINAL INSPECTION THE FIRST TIME, YOU KNOW, HERE'S THE TOOL.

HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE, THE MOST COMMON ISSUES WE SEE IN THE FIELD.

YOU KNOW, HERE'S, UH, HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF, YOU KNOW, UH, THE WORK DONE CORRECTLY.

LET'S HAVE A DISCUSSION, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

UM, AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

WE, WE, THIS IS GOING TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, WHEN A CONTRACTOR HIRES NEW STAFF, THEY HAVE A TRAINING THEY CAN JUST SEND THAT NEW STAFF TO, THAT WILL HELP GET THAT, UH, UH, NEW STAFF MEMBER UP TO SPEED QUICKLY.

AS WELL AS, UH, WE CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL COMFORT INSTITUTE.

WE JUST HAD A TRAINING TODAY HERE AT AUSTIN ENERGY ON DUCK SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION.

UH, WE OFFER 30% OFF FOR, UH, CONTRACTORS TO PARTICIPATE.

UM, WE'VE HAD RECORD ATTENDANCE SO MUCH THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER, UH, SLATE OF CLASSES THIS WINTER AND SPRING.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE, THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS IF, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON HOW THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TURNS OUT FOR OUR CITY, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF PRE HELPING OUR CONTRACTORS TO ALREADY BE ABLE TO WORK IN THAT SPACE.

SO IT'S GOING TO, IT HAS MORE OF AN IMPACT THAN JUST OUR, UH, REBATE PROGRAMS. IT HELPS ALL CONTRACTORS, YOU KNOW, BY KIND OF BRINGING UP THE, THE, THE CONTRACTOR SPACE, UH, WITH MORE EDUCATION.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE NEW PROGRAM NAME AND OUR REBRANDING.

UH, SO KIND OF THE, THE BIG HIGHLIGHT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TODAY WAS OUR NEW CUSTOMER PARTICIPATION PATH.

SO WE HAVE A CURRENT CUSTOMER PARTICIPATION PATH, AND THAT PATH IS NOT GOING AWAY.

IT'S STILL GONNA BE AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS TO, UH, FOLLOW IF THAT'S THE WAY THEY COME INTO THE PROGRAM.

AND THE CURRENT PATH IS AS FOLLOWS.

THEY BASICALLY GO TO OUR WEBSITE.

THEY SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY SEE OUR PARTICIPATING CONTRACTOR LIST, THEY CALL CONTRACTOR.

THE CONTRACTOR COMES OUT, UH, EVENTUALLY, UH, THE, THE, WE WILL SEND AN INSPECTOR OUT TO CONFIRM SORT OF THE SCOPE THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAS PLANNED.

THE CONTRACTOR PERFORMS THE INSTALLATION.

WE DO AN INSPECTION, OR A THIRD PARTY DOES AN INSPECTION, AND THEN FINAL PAPERWORK.

AND AUSTIN ENERGY PAYS THE REBATE.

THE ADDITIONAL PATH WE WANNA OFFER IS BASICALLY SOMETHING THAT MORE ED PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO EDUCATE THE CUSTOMER.

UM, IT WOULD START WITH A ENERGY QUIZ, UH, THAT THE CUSTOMER CAN TAKE, AND IT KIND OF HELPS THEM POINT IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

YOU KNOW, ARE THEY A RIGHT CANDIDATE FOR A STANDALONE APPLIANCE REBATE OR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, OR THE HOME ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM? IF THEY'RE THE RIGHT FIT FOR THE HOME ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM, UH, THEY WOULD THEN BE, UM, UH, DIRECTED TO AN INTEREST FORM, WHICH THEY COULD FILL OUT.

AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE AN INSPECTOR VISIT THE HOME AND SET A SCOPE FOR THEM.

UH, THIS WOULD PURELY BE A VISUAL ASSESSMENT, BUT IT, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TALK TO THE CUSTOMER, HELP EDUCATE THEM SO THAT WHEN THEY'RE IN THE MARKETPLACE LOOKING FOR, UH, REBATES OR UPGRADES FOR THEIR HOUSE, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATED, UM, TO, AS TO WHAT TO LOOK LIKE.

AGAIN, OUR INSPECTORS ARE TRUSTED ENERGY ADVISORS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO THAT'S GONNA BE A, A, A ROLE FOR THEM TO KIND OF HELP THE CUSTOMER BETTER UNDERSTAND AND TALK TO THE CONTRACTOR, AS WELL AS HAVE A PHYSICAL, YOU KNOW, SCOPE THEY CAN TAKE TO THE CONTRACTOR TO KIND OF BEGIN THAT CONVERSATION OF THE, THE UPGRADES FOR THEIR HOUSE.

AND THEN WE ALWAYS SUGGEST THAT A, UH, CUSTOMER SOLICIT AT LEAST THREE CONTRACTOR BIDS.

UM, AND THEN ONCE THEY CHOOSE THE CONTRACTOR, IT, IT BASICALLY FOLLOWS THE SAME PATH FROM THERE.

LONG TERM.

UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA SEE IF THERE'S MORE, UH, HOMES THAT WE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS SUCH AS, UH, THE HOME NEEDS TO BE 10 YEARS OR OLDER, ITEMS LIKE THAT WE WANNA LOOK AT, WE WANNA UNDERSTAND WHETHER THERE'S OTHER HOUSES THAT WOULD REALLY BENEFIT FROM THIS WHOLE HOME APPROACH.

AND WE WANNA DRIVE THAT, UH, CONVERSATION THROUGH A LOOK AT DATA.

SO THAT'S GOING TO BE OUR FIRST LONG-TERM GOAL.

WE WANNA LOOK AT UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, PARTICULAR MIDDLE INCOME, AND APPLY AN EQUITY LENS.

UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH OFFERS THESE SAME SERVICES, 100% FREE FOR THE CUSTOMER, BUT WE'RE WORRIED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A, A KIND OF A MIDDLE GAP THAT MIGHT BE BEING MISSED.

UH, SO WE WANNA SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THROUGH DATA, LOOK AT THE, THE, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO SERVE THE THOSE CUSTOMERS.

UH, WE WANNA LOOK AT, UH, NEW KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND USE THAT TO KIND OF SCREEN THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM AND ANY ADDITIONAL MEASURES THAT WE

[00:15:01]

MIGHT WANNA ADD BY LOOKING AT, UH, CARBON REDUCTION EQUITY AND AIR QUALITY.

AND THEN WE WANNA CONTINUE OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR CONTRACTORS AND SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN ADD, UH, TO, TO HELP THE CONTRACTORS, UH, AND, AND INCREASE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

SO, UH, A FINAL NOTE.

UH, HELLO TO HOME ENERGY SAVINGS.

GOODBYE TO HOME PERFORMANCE, BUT HELLO TO HOME ENERGY SAVINGS.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEW PROGRAM BASED ON THE NATION'S BEST ENERGY EFFICIENCY PRACTICES, BUT CUSTOMIZED TO MEET AUSTIN EAT AUSTIN'S NEEDS.

BASICALLY TAKING, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING WE LEARNED ABOUT HOME PERFORMANCE, BUT MAKING IT, UH, SPECIAL FOR AUSTIN.

AND BEFORE I TAKE QUESTIONS, I JUST WANNA THANK, UH, THE, MY TEAM, UH, JOANIE AND SALLY, UH, REALLY ARE THE, THE GENIUSES BEHIND ALL OF THIS.

I'M JUST THE FACE AND SARAH, OF COURSE, FOR HER SUPPORT.

SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

HI, I HAVE A QUESTION.

SURE.

THIS IS MELISSA.

UH, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS? THERE WE GO.

SO ON HERE, YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT ROUTES, RIGHT? RIGHT.

COMING THROUGH.

UM, SO ONE IS, CAN YOU KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT, THE TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AGAIN? SURE.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO RIGHT NOW, THE CURRENT PATH IS THAT A CUSTOMER WILL REACH OUT TO A CONTRACTOR AND, YOU KNOW, BE I'M IN NEED OF A NEW HVAC UNIT.

AND IF THAT'S A PARTICIPATING CONTRACTOR, THEY WILL, YOU KNOW, TELL THEM ABOUT OUR REBATES AND, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF GOING THROUGH, UH, WHAT WE'RE FORMALLY, FORMALLY CALLED HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR NOW GOING TO BE CALLED HOME ENERGY SAVINGS.

UM, AND BASICALLY THAT IS THEIR KIND OF ENTRY POINT INTO THE PROGRAM IS THROUGH THE CONTRACTOR.

AND WE WANNA CREATE ANOTHER ENTRY ROUTE, UH, WHICH BASICALLY GIVES THE CUSTOMER MORE TO DO ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO RIGHT NOW, THEY GO TO OUR WEBSITE, THEY CAN READ ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR PROGRAM, BUT THEY'RE STILL GOING HAVE TO JUST CALL A CONTRACTOR.

AND THAT'S HOW THEY GET INTO THE PROGRAM.

THE WEBSITE, THE, THE ONLINE ENERGY QUIZ KIND OF HELPS THEM DECIDE THEIR, UM, THE BEST, UH, PROGRAM FOR THEM.

AGAIN, MAYBE IT'S A STANDALONE REBATE, MAYBE IT'S NOT HOME ENERGY SAVINGS, MAYBE IT'S THE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM, BUT KIND OF ASK A FEW QUESTIONS AND THEN DIRECT THEM TO AN INTEREST FORM SPECIFICALLY FOR HOME ENERGY SAVINGS, THAT ONCE THEY COMPLETE, WE WOULD THEN SEND OUT AN INSPECTOR TO COMPLETE A SCOPE FOR THEM.

UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA TO HAVE THEM FILL OUT A SURVEY OR A QUIZ.

UM, I GUESS WHEN YOU PUT THAT OTHER ENTRY IN THERE, IT KIND OF TOOK ME BACK FOR A SECOND, BUT I GUESS DO THE CONTRACTOR, THEY CAN ALSO REACH, UM, THE SERVICES.

I GUESS ALSO, UM, I'M GETTING TO A POINT THAT I REALLY DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT YET.

UM, ULTIMATELY I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL REBATES ON ONE PAGE SO THAT CUSTOMERS ARE NOT CONFUSED ABOUT ALL THE REBATES THAT THE CITY HAS TO OFFER.

SO I THINK SO TOO.

THAT'D BE A GREAT IDEA.

UM, UM, YEAH.

UM, WE HAVE A QUORUM NOW AND, UM, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET TO OUR, UM, REQUEST FOR COUNSEL, UM, OR THE ITEMS TO COUNSEL BEFORE, UM, ONE OF OUR MEMBERS LEAVES.

UM, CAN I PREVAIL ON YOU TO HOLD YOUR SURE.

QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY.

UM, AND I WILL INVITE YOU BACK SHORTLY.

RECOMMEND APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF A CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE TO PUBLIC STORAGE ORCO, I HOPE I HAVE THAT RIGHT.

UM, I'D LIKE TO TAKE UP, UH, FOUR, UH, ITEMS THAT, UM, ARE RECOMMENDED FOR COUNCIL ACTION.

THE FIRST, UH, ARE ITEM FOUR

[4. Recommend approving the issuance of a capacity-based incentive to Public Storage Orangeco Inc., in an amount not to exceed $388,776 and approve issuance of a 5-year performance-based incentive to Public Storage Orangeco Inc., an in amount not to exceed $1,024,185.28, for the installation of solar electric systems on 20 of its facilities in the Austin Energy service territory.]

INCORPORATED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $388,776 AND PROVE ISSUANCE OF A FIVE YEAR PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVE TO PUBLIC STORAGE ORCO INC.

UH, AN AMOUNT IN, IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,024,185 28 CENTS FOR THE INSTALLATION

[00:20:01]

OF SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS ON 20 OF ITS FACILITIES IN THE AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE TERRITORY.

UH, COMMISSIONERS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THIS IN ADVANCE.

UH, YOU ALL MAY HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DIRECTED TO STAFF.

UH, ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.

UH, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

UM, UH, DO WE NEED TO CALL THE ROLL ON THIS, UH, MS. GOODWIN? UH, OKAY.

UM, THE COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE IN ATTENDANCE REMOTELY, WOULD YOU PLEASE SHOW YOURSELF ON CAMERA SO THAT YOU CAN VOTE? UH, COMMISSIONERS FARMER AND SILVERS DEAN APPROVED, UH, IS ON, THEY'RE ON.

I'M SORRY.

THEY'RE ON.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? YES.

UH, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

COMMISSIONER SCAFF AND COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN APPROVE.

OUR ITEM NUMBER FIVE, RECOMMEND APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF A FIVE-YEAR PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVE TO STARWOOD CAPITAL LLC FOR INSTALLATION OF SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS ON THEIR FACILITIES.

UH, MOVING ON.

UH,

[5. Recommend approving the issuance of a 5-year performance-based incentive to Starwood Capital Group LLC, for the installation of solar electric systems on their facilities located at 8310 N Capital of Texas Hwy SB 2, Austin, TX 78759 and 5707 Southwest Pkwy 1, Austin, TX 78735, in an amount not to exceed $770,089.]

LOCATED AT 83 10 NORTH CAPITAL OF TEXAS HIGHWAY, UH, SSB TWO, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 5 9, AND 57 0 5 SOUTHWEST PARKWAY, ONE AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 3 5 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $770,089.

COMMISSIONERS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS TO STAFF ON THIS ITEM? QUESTION, WHAT ARE THE AGES OF THESE FACILITIES PLEASE, UH, STAFF.

AND WHAT IS THE RELEVANT SIZE OF THE PV RELATIVE TO SYSTEM LOAD RE I'M SORRY, RELATIVE TO FACILITY LOAD? UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

RICHARD GENESEE, VICE PRESIDENT OF CUSTOMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS.

AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE THE AGES OF THE FACILITIES.

I WILL SAY THAT, UH, THE SYSTEMS ARE DESIGNED TO BE PRODUCING ENERGY FOR 20 YEARS.

AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE SYSTEMS, BUT THE FACILITIES THEMSELVES, I DO NOT HAVE THE INFORMATION, UH, CURRENT.

WE COULD GET THAT BACK TO YOU IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE AGE OF EACH OF THESE FACILITIES THAT THE SOLAR INSTALLATIONS ARE GOING ON TOP OF.

THANK YOU, MR. GENESEE.

AS A HEADS UP TO MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS AND TO, UM, UTILITY STAFF, I AM GOING TO BE ASKING YOU ALL TO DIG INTO THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS THE RELATIVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND, AND OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE ARE PAYING A BUNCH OF MONEY TO PUT SOLAR ONTO.

AND SHOULD WE BE CHANGING THE LEVEL OF SOLAR SUBSIDIES IN ORDER TO INCREASE, TO GET ENERGY EFFICIENCY PACKAGED INTO PRIOR TO SOLAR SIZING SO THAT THEY'RE DOING A COMPLETE FACILITY UPGRADE, NOT JUST A SOLAR ADD-ON TO POTENTIALLY INEFFICIENT FACILITY.

WITH THAT SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO HOLD UP APPROVAL OF THIS OR THE OTHER IMMEDIATE PV SUBSIDIES BEFORE US NOW, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO ASK US ALL TO WORK ON IN THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.

I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL OF ITEM FIVE.

IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

UH,

[00:25:01]

MS. GOODWIN.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? YES.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? YES.

COMMISSIONER SCAFF? YES.

MOVING ON.

[6. Recommend approving the issuance of a capacity-based incentive to Westminster Presbyterian for the installation of solar electric systems on their facility located at 3208 Exposition Blvd., Austin, TX 78703, in an amount not to exceed $82,215.]

ITEM SIX, RECOMMEND APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF A CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE TO WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS ON THEIR FACILITY LOCATED AT 32 0 8 EXPOSITION BOULEVARD, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 0 3 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $82,215.

COMMISSIONERS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, ON THIS ITEM? I CAN HEAR A PIN DROP.

HEARING NONE.

UH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL.

UM, IS THERE A SECOND END AND SECOND.

WE HAVE, UM, I THINK, UH, TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE SECONDED THIS.

COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? YES.

COMMISSIONER FARMER ? YES.

COMMISSIONER S SCAFF? YES.

RECOMMEND APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF A CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE ON WESTMINSTER MANOR.

FINALLY,

[7. Recommend approving the issuance of a capacity-based incentive to Westminster Manor for the installation of solar electric systems on their facility located at 4300 Bull Creek Rd. Austin, TX 78731, in an amount not to exceed $144,936.]

UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT'S, UH, UH, HOME FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

UM, RECOMMEND APPROVING THE ISSUANCE OF THE CAPACITY BASED INCENTIVE TO WESTMINSTER MANOR FOR THE INSTALLATION OF SOLAR ELECTRIC SYSTEMS ON THEIR FACILITY AT 4,300 BULL CREEK ROAD, AUSTIN, TEXAS 7 8 7 3 1 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $144,936.

UH, COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE APPROVAL.

UH, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

PLEASE, UH, CALL, UH, BEFORE, SO I'M, I'M FOLLOWING PROCEDURE CORRECTLY.

UH, THERE, THERE IS ONE COMMENT THAT I WOULD BRIEFLY LIKE TO MAKE, WHEREAS, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, UH, TALKED ABOUT SOMETHING THAT SHE WAS INTERESTED IN.

UM, SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE, AND THAT I THINK STAFF IS KIND OF ALREADY LOOKING AT IS, UH, GIVING, UH, REBATES FOR, UH, DISPATCHABILITY.

IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, NEARLY AS MUCH IF A SOLAR ARRAY IS GENERATING AT HIGH NOON, UH, AS IF IT'S GOING TO BE GENERATING AT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON ON A HOT SUMMER DAY.

AND IT'S EVEN GOING TO BE BETTER IF THIS WERE MORE FLEXIBLE AND GOING FROM FIVE TO EIGHT IN THE EVENING.

SO I AM HOPING THAT SOME POINT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, UH, STAFF WILL COME UP WITH A PROPOSAL THAT WILL, UH, MODIFY THE, UH, PERFORMANCE BASED INCENTIVE SO THAT IT DEALS WITH, UH, PEAK AND EXTENDED PEAK DEMAND.

UM, THAT SAID, UH, COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLE MS. GOODWIN? COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? YES.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? YES.

COMMISSIONER SCAFF? YES.

AND MS. GOODWIN, DO WE NEED TO ALSO VOTE ON THE MINUTES APPROVAL? THANK YOU

THESE ARE OUR MUST DO ITEMS FOR TONIGHT.

UH, MR. VICE CHAIR, EXCUSE ME.

[1. Approve the minutes of the Resource Management Commission Regular Meeting on October 17, 2023. (Part 2 of 2)]

[00:30:01]

FOR YOUR KEEN ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

YES, WE DO.

HERE TO HELP.

UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UH, MINUTES? SO MOVED.

COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE WRONG I SECOND.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS? YES.

COMMISSIONER KARA GOTTI.

APPROVE.

COMMISSIONER SINI? YEP.

APPROVED.

I WISH I HAD MY HEAD ON SOMETIMES.

CAROTTI, I AM, UM, UM, INSPIRED BY YOUR, UH, WILLINGNESS TO DIG INTO THESE MATTERS.

UH, UH, COMMISSIONER

[2. Staff briefing regarding the Home Performance with Energy Star Program by Holly Prosser, Energy Efficiency Services Manager of Austin Energy. (Part 2 of 2)]

AND I THINK YOU WOULD PROBABLY LIKE TO, UH, RESUME, UH, YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS ON, UH, OUR STAFF BRIEFING ON, UH, THE PROGRAM TO SUCCEED, HOME PERFORMANCE AND ENERGY STAR.

SO PLEASE PROCEED.

UM, SO NOW I FORGOT MY QUESTION.

UM, I THINK YOU WERE ASKING ABOUT REBATES ON THE WEBSITE.

YEAH, SO, SO I GUESS THE CUSTOMER COMING IN AND UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE REBATES ARE AND HOW TO GET TO THEM, I GUESS THAT'S KIND OF MY MAIN CONCERN RIGHT NOW.

AND HOW YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW CUSTOMERS AREN'T REALLY SURE AND HOW TO GET THERE AND HOW THEY'RE CONFUSED AND WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ARE THERE.

SO I THINK A CLEANUP OF WEBSITE IS ONE.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE DOING THAT OR NOT.

UM, WE ARE, YES.

THAT, THAT WILL BE PART OF THE LAUNCH OF OUR HOME ENERGY SAVINGS PROGRAM.

ALRIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

ABSOLUTELY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THIS IS ALLISON SILVERSTEIN.

I, I HAVE A QUESTION WITH RESPECT TO THE, UM, WEBSITE AND THE NEW PATH WITH THE QUIZ.

MM-HMM.

, I WANT OBSERVE THAT AUSTIN HAS A LOT OF OLD PEOPLE AND OLD PEOPLE AREN'T ALL UNIFORMLY GOOD AT DOING ONLINE STUFF.

IT'S NOT A CONSISTENTLY EFFECTIVE PATH TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH A PROCESS AND MIGHT BE.

AND, AND, AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAVE THOUGHT OF WAYS TO, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR WHOM THIS PATH WILL WORK, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR WHOM IT WILL NOT.

AND PARTICULARLY AS AN EQUITY ISSUE, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE US TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY IN RECRUITING FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NOT FOR WHOM ONLINE QUIZZES ARE NOT THEIR, THEIR LOVE LANGUAGE.

AND IF THINK I JUST ADD TO THAT, UH, CUSTOMERS WHO ARE ON A FIXED INCOME, UM, THAT IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING OF HIGH CONCERN FOR OUR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM.

UH, WE'VE MADE SURE TO OFFER APPLICATIONS FOR OUR WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AT OUR BILLING CENTERS.

SO IT'S FOR OUR LESS TECH SAVVY, UM, CUSTOMERS OUT THERE IF THEY ARE IN A BILLING CENTER.

UH, WE'VE TALKED TO THE, OUR BILLING CENTER REPS AND THEY WILL DIRECT A CUSTOMER TO THAT.

AND I THINK PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF ONCE WE GET THROUGH THIS FIRST ITERATION, WE MIGHT FIND A WAY TO, UM, BRING SOMETHING LIKE AN ONLINE QUIZ OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT OF YET TO A BILLING CENTER THAT WOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, AGAIN, LESS TECH SAVVY CUSTOMERS TO ACCESS, UH, HOME ENERGY SAVINGS.

SO, EXCELLENT POINT.

SORRY, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.

DO YOU, IS THERE ANYONE ONLINE? YES.

GO AHEAD.

HEY, UH, TREY FARMER, UM, YOU MENTIONED THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT AND I WAS WONDERING IF, UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'RE COLLECTING INFORMATION THROUGH A QUIZ, IF THERE'S ANY THOUGHT ABOUT, UH, THE OUTCOME OF THE QUIZ ALSO POINTING TOWARDS REBATES THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE THROUGH FEDERAL, UH, MONEY.

EDUCATION TO CUSTOMERS AND ASSISTANCE.

UM, SHOULD THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, DECIDE TO ACCESS THOSE REBATES? I THINK WE'RE KIND OF SETTING US OURSELVES UP FOR A SUCCESS WHERE WE COULD EASILY ADD SOMETHING LIKE THAT FEATURE INTO AN ONLINE QUIZ AND PROVIDE THAT EXTRA

[00:35:01]

IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

SO, UM, AS FAR AS THE TRIGGERS THAT HOW YOU CAN GET A REBATE FOR THIS, ARE THOSE LISTED CLEARLY OR WILL THEY BE LISTED CLEARLY? 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WHENEVER YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT IT, UM, IT'S LIKE, SO HOW CAN YOU GET A REBATE FOR THIS? IS IT JUST WEATHERIZATION? LIKE YEAH, AND I TOTALLY SEE AND HEAR YOU ON THE WEBSITE.

IT HAS ALSO BEEN SOMETHING WE HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS OUR STAFF TALKING ABOUT HOW TO, HOW TO, UH, HAVE A BETTER, MORE ACCESSIBLE WEBSITE BECAUSE I A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE.

UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF OVERHAULING IT.

SO I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

UH, WE'RE, UH, USING, UM, OUR COMPANY CALLED ESOURCE TO KIND OF HELP US UNDERSTAND THE BEST WAY TO, UM, DRAW ATTENTION AND INTEREST AND CLEARLY PRESENT THAT INFORMATION.

UM, I DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THAT IN A FINAL FORMAT YET, AND WE'RE STILL KIND OF IDEATING RIGHT NOW.

UM, BUT I 100% AGREE THAT, UH, IT'S TIME TO KIND OF CLEAN THINGS UP AND, AND MAKE IT CLEANER AND EASIER FOR OUR CUSTOMER TO UNDERSTAND.

AND THE ADD-ON WITH, UH, WHAT COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN SAID, YOU KNOW, ALSO ANNOUNCING THIS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU, WHEN YOU DO THE BILLS PAPER BILLING, YOU KNOW, IT CAN SEND OUT TO THE FOLKS WHO AREN'T AS COMPUTER SAVVY AS WELL, JUST TO INFORM THEM.

THERE'S A, THERE'S ONE OF THE WEBSITES, AUSTIN ENERGY.COM/GO/TIPS, KIND OF THE BEST WEBSITE THAT HAS LIKE ALL OF THE REBATES LISTED IN ONE PLACE.

THAT'S FREQUENTLY WHERE I DIRECT CUSTOMERS.

AND I THINK THAT CAN BE A FORMAT THAT WE USE TO KIND OF, UM, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

YOU'RE SAYINGS, THERE IS A WEBSITE THAT HAS THE CITY OF AUSTIN REBATES IN ONE PLACE? JUST THE AUSTIN ENERGY, NOT, OH, JUST AUSTIN.

IF I MAY, ANOTHER QUESTION PLEASE, HOLLY? SURE.

I PO THIS IS ALLISON SILVERSTEIN.

I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT KNOWING THE ANSWER TO THIS ALREADY.

TWO, TWO RELATED QUESTIONS.

ONE OF THEM IS, WAS AUSTIN ENERGY ONE OF THE UTILITIES THAT MOVED TO VIRTUAL AUDITS DURING COVID? AND DO YOU OFFER THOSE TODAY? WE LOOKED INTO VIRTUAL PRODUCTS, UM, NO AUDITS, HOME ENERGY AUDITS, VIRTUAL AUDITS.

UH, WE NEVER MOVED FULLY INTO A VIRTUAL HOME AUDIT.

I THINK FOR THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AUSTIN ENERGY WANTS TO PROVIDE OUR CUSTOMERS, IT'S HARD TO, UM, REPLACE KIND OF THAT FACE-TO-FACE ENGAGEMENT OF HAVING SOMEONE PHYSICALLY IN YOUR HOUSE, UM, TAKING A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, UH, ALL THE, THE POSSIBILITIES FOR A HOME.

BUT I, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANNA EVER, UM, NOT CONSIDER.

AND IF WE KIND OF GET HOME ENERGY SAVINGS LAUNCHED, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CONSIDER IF THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL WAY TO OFFER A VIRTUAL PRODUCT SERVICE.

UM, SO IT'S WORTH THINKING ABOUT AND ENGAGING WITH THAT IDEA.

THERE WERE A BUNCH OF ANALYSES AND EXPERIENCES REPORTED ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VIRTUAL HOME ENERGY AUDITS AT LAST YEAR'S AC EEE SUMMER STUDY PROGRAM.

SO YOU MIGHT WANNA LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE.

THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE A NICE COMPLIMENT TO WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE WITH HOME ENERGY SAVINGS.

THE OTHER THING THAT I'M WONDERING ABOUT IS, GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY OF HOME ENERGY USES AND DECISIONS AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S RIDING ON THEM AND THE LACK OF OTHER, OF MOST CITIZENS' FAMILIARITY, I'M THINKING BACK TO WHAT FOUNDATION COMMUNITIES AND THE HEALTH ALLIANCE AUSTIN MUSICIANS DOES EVERY YEAR DURING, UM, HEALTH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT, WHICH IS WE USE TRAIN NAVIGATORS TO WORK TO INTERVIEW CUSTOMERS AND LIKE HAND MEMBERS OR OTHER LOW INCOME FOLKS AND, AND WORK WITH THEM SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT ARE YOUR CONDITIONS, WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS, WHAT IS YOUR INCOME? LET'S HELP YOU FIND THE PROGRAM THAT WORKS FOR YOU.

AND TRAINED NAVIGATORS ARE NOT LOW COST, BUT THEY ARE EXTRAORDINARILY EFFECTIVE AT SAVING TIME AND HELPING THE CUSTOMER FIND A SOLUTION THAT WORKS.

AND SO I'M WONDERING TO WHAT DEGREE WE COULD MOVE TOWARD THAT KIND OF OFFERING, PARTICULARLY FOR, UM, CUSTOMERS WITH LESS ENERGY LITERACY AND LIMITED CASH.

YEAH, I

[00:40:01]

WE HAVE, I HAVE PRESENTED TO, UM, I THINK IT'S THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY'S, UH, CLIMATE NAVIGATORS, UM, WHO ARE THERE TO HELP EXACTLY AS YOU SAID, GUIDE LOW INCOME AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS TO RESOURCES, UM, AS THEY KIND OF FACE THESE TUMULTUOUS, UH, TIMES.

UM, AND SO WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY KIND OF STEPPED OUR TOE A LITTLE BIT INTO THAT SPACE, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST HERE AT THAT, HERE AT AUSTIN ENERGY AND, UH, WHAT WE CAN DO FURTHER.

SO YES, I WOULD AGREE.

COMMISSIONERS.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER, THERE, THERE MUST BE OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.

I I HAVE ANOTHER ONE.

SORRY.

GO FOR IT.

UM, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RENTING THEIR HOMES THAT PROBABLY NEED MORE WEATHERIZATION AND EFFICIENCY THAN ANY OTHER HOME, HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH THAT? SO RENTERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR BOTH PROGRAMS. IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN HOW THEY WOULD ACCESS, UH, A RENTER, UH, CAN APPLY DIRECTLY FOR THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPATE AT NO COST TO THEM SO LONG AS THEY GET, UH, PERMISSION FROM THE LANDLORD AND, UH, FOR HOME ENERGY SAVINGS, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY CAN GO THROUGH HOME ENERGY SAVINGS, UM, AND, AND RETROFIT AND RENOVATE, UH, OR RETROFIT THE, THE HOME.

UM, SO THERE, THERE ARE AVENUES FOR RENTERS BOTH THROUGH OUR, UH, LOW INCOME OFFERINGS AND OUR, UH, MARKET BASED SOLUTION.

OH, CAN I DO ONE MORE? SURE.

TWO ARE, ARE, ARE YOU ALL USING PROGRAMS LIKE WHAT OPOWER, I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE TODAY, BUT OPOWER USED TO DO, UM, AI ANALYSES OF CUSTOMERS ENERGY USAGE PATTERNS, AND THEN SEND THEM, UM, STATISTICALLY BASED RECOMMENDATIONS ON HERE'S HOW YOU CAN SAVE ENERGY AND IF YOU WANNA SPEND CASH HERE ARE BEHI BEYOND BEHAVIORAL MEASURES.

THAT BY LOOKING AT YOUR ENERGY USE, WE SHOULD SAY THIS IN A NON-CREEPY WAY.

UM, WE COULD RECOMMEND ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT AND YOUR BILLS LOWER.

ARE Y'ALL DOING THAT KIND OF THING OR CONSIDERING IT? I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE O POWER TOOLS.

UH, IT'S OUTSIDE OF MY, UH, EXPERTISE.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE SOME O POWER TOOLS, BUT I'M, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THOSE.

I'M SORRY.

WELL, THERE ARE CURRENT VERSIONS OF THE IDEA THAT WE USE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TO DO PROSPECTING AND GO OUT TO CUSTOMERS FOR WHOM THE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS REVEALS OPPORTUNITY AND NEED.

YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT CAN BE PART OF OUR DATA DRIVEN SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, FOR LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL HOMES THAT MAY BE ELIGIBLE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, APPLY AN EQUITY LENS TO SEE WHAT POPULATIONS WE MIGHT BE MISSING SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, UM, NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING OR CUSTOMERS ON A FIXED INCOME.

UM, I, I JUST CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT O POWER CURRENTLY OFFERS HERE, BUT DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO INVESTIGATE.

OH YEAH, OAK POWER ISN'T THE ISSUE.

IT'S THE HIGHER LEVEL IDEA ABOUT STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF USE FOR OUTGOING PROSPECTING AND RECOMMENDATIONS RATHER THAN JUST WAITING FOR THE CUSTOMER TO FIND YOU.

WAITING ON KIND OF THE FINAL RESULTS OF THE SEASON TO COME THROUGH AND WE'LL MAKE AN ASSESSMENT LIKELY SOMETIME IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY AS TO WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO, UH, RE-UP OR SCALE THE PILOT FOR NEXT YEAR.

UM, GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER SARAH NORRIS, A DIRECTOR OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY SERVICES.

AND I JUST WANTED REALLY QUICKLY, UM, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN TO COMMENT ON, WE DID USE OPOWER.

WE DID A BEHAVIORAL DEMAND RESPONSE PILOT THIS SUMMER, UM, THAT DID EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.

AND WE USED THEIR TOOLS TO, UM, TO MEASURE, YOU KNOW, THE SORT OF BEHAVIORAL IMPACTS DURING A DEMAND RESPONSE EVENT AND ALSO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TOWARDS OUR PROGRAMS FOR WAYS THAT CUSTOMERS COULD BOTH THROUGH BEHAVIOR AND THROUGH INVESTMENT, UH, REDUCE THEIR ENERGY USAGE.

SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT THAT IS, UH, PILOT THAT WE UNDERTOOK THIS SUMMER.

AND, UH, WE DO USE OPOWER IN A VARIETY OF WAYS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS AND OUR DIGITAL SELF-SERVICE TOOLS.

SO, THANK YOU SARAH.

SO WHAT WAS YOUR CONCLUSION ABOUT THE EXPERIMENT? WAS IT A GOOD IDEA OR SOMETHING THAT, EH, UM, WE ARE STILL ANALYZING THE DATA.

WE ACTUALLY JUST GOT, I THINK THE FINAL, THERE'S, THERE'S KIND OF A DELAY IN THE DATA.

'CAUSE AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S A FAIRLY, UM, DEEP ANALYTICAL EFFORT TO YEAH.

AND SUMMER NEVER ENDED .

IT'S TRUE.

WE ARE, IT'S, IT WAS STILL QUITE WARM TODAY, SO YOU NEVER KNOW.

UM, BUT YEAH, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY RAN THE PILOT THROUGH THE END OF OCTOBER, SO WE'RE STILL

[00:45:01]

UM, BUT I WILL SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE DO ALSO USE OO POWER FOR COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR CUSTOMERS THROUGH OUR BILLING SYSTEM.

AND WE DO, CUSTOMERS CAN OPT IN TO COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT WHERE THEIR ENERGY USAGE HAS FALLEN, UM, COMPARED TO PREVIOUS WEEKS OR FUTURE WEEKS.

I MYSELF RECEIVE THAT.

AND, UH, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALSO, UH, IT'S AN OPTION THAT YOU CAN OPT INTO ON THE, UM, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, DIGITAL SELF-SERVICE WEBSITE.

SO WE DO USE THAT AS A UTILITY MORE BROADLY.

UM, AND WE USE THAT AS A MEANS OF FUNNELING FOLKS INTO OUR PROGRAMS. BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO, UM, PUT OUR THUMB ON THE SCALE MORE AS NEEDED.

SORRY.

UM, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? UM, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? NO, SIR.

I GUESS I HAVE A COUPLE AND I WILL TRY TO KEEP THEM BRIEF 'CAUSE WE HAVE ONE MORE BRIEFING.

UH, ONE, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND YOU'VE KIND OF CONFIRMED IT, THAT THE STATE IS GOING TO BE MANAGING THE RULES FOR THE IRA FUNDS AND HAVE YOU HEARD ANYTHING I CALLED ABOUT A WEEK AGO AND NEVER GOT A CALL BACK.

I THOUGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST A HUMBLE VICE CHAIR OF THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, BUT YOU ACTUALLY WORK FOR THE UTILITY.

MAYBE THEY RETURN YOUR CALL.

I MEAN, I THINK THEY'RE KEEPING THEIR CARDS PRETTY CLOSE TO THEIR CHEST.

UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS UNTIL AUGUST TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY WILL ACCEPT THE FUNDS OR NOT.

SO THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF ACTIONABLE INFORMATION FOR US TO, TO MOVE FORWARD ON, UNFORTUNATELY.

SO, SO IT COULD BE MORE THAN HALF A YEAR BEFORE, YOU KNOW, COULD BE AUGUST, CORRECT? YEAH.

UH, IT'S THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE THAT IS WORKING ON IT.

SO, WELL, I'VE NEVER THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE INCOMPETENT.

I THINK THAT I, I THINK IT'S A FEDERAL, UM, BUT DO THEY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AUGUST? I, I, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE.

I'M SORRY.

I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

I, MY UNDERSTANDING IS I THINK THERE'S A FEDERAL DEADLINE THAT'S IN AUGUST, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CAN ACCEPT THAT SOONER.

I THINK THEY'RE STILL GETTING INFORMATION FROM THE DOE, BUT I, I REALLY AM NOT, UM, YET AN EXPERT ON, UH, WHERE THAT IS CURRENTLY.

WELL, I'VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED THAT OFFICE COMPETENT AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD IDEA SPEAKING OFFHAND TO WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE.

YEAH, I CAN'T, I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT.

I DON'T WANNA START ANY RUMORS EITHER.

LIKE I, I THINK THEY'RE PROBABLY JUST FOLLOWING THE RULES THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HAS PUT OUT.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S ANYTHING TO DO WITH COMPETENCE.

BUT THE OTHER, UH, THING THAT I'M GOING TO MR. VICE CHAIR, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS THE, THE TEXAS DECISION TO APPLY THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE LEADERSHIP IS MORE THAN WILLING TO APPLY FOR THE IRA AND IIJA CASH FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

HOWEVER, IT IS NOT THEIR ULTIMATE DECISION.

THIS IS GONNA BE A DECISION THAT'S UP TO THE STATE COMPTROLLER.

AND SO THERE WILL BE REGRETTABLY, TOTAL POLITICS INVOLVED IN THAT DECISION RATHER THAN MERELY COMMON SENSE.

SO STAY TUNED.

THANK YOU FOR THE, UM, INFORMATION, UH, ON A, I HAVE ONE OTHER THING I'D LIKE TO, UH, BRING UP VERY BRIEFLY, AND I'M SAYING THIS IN, THIS IS GOING TO COME OUT HYPERCRITICAL, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY MEANT TO BE.

BUT, UH, THE, UH, HOME PERFORMANCE PROGRAM USED TO BE THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM FOR, UH, RESIDENTIAL EFFORTS.

AND IT GOT CHANGED, UH, I GUESS ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT,

[00:50:02]

SIX TO EIGHT YEARS AGO.

I CANNOT GIVE YOU THE EXACT DATE, BUT WHEN IT CHANGED, PARTICIPATION WENT DOWN ABOUT 70%.

AND IN, UH, DISCUSSIONS WITH CONTRACTORS, UH, WHO WORKED ON THE PROGRAM, UH, THE BIGGEST CRITICISM THEY GAVE WAS BUREAUCRACY, UH, THAT THERE WERE CONFLICTING RULES THAT, UH, THE PROGRAMS WERE TOO HARD TO MANAGE.

I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TRIED TO WORK THROUGH ALL THESE, UH, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT, UM, ABOUT THESE NEW CHANGES.

UH, I WISH YOU THE BEST ON THEM.

UH, THANK YOU.

I JUST, UM, I'M JUST SAYING THAT, UM, UM, THIS HAS BEEN MIRED, THIS HAS BEEN STUCK FOR A LONG TIME.

UM, I, UH, I HOPE, UH, IN SEVERAL MONTHS YOU CAN COME BACK TO US WITH SOME, UH, STATISTICALLY GOOD NEWS.

AND IF I COULD JUST ADD, YOU KNOW, SEVEN YEARS AGO, THE WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, YOU WOULD'VE SAID WAS MIRED IN BUREAUCRACY.

AND WE'VE MANAGED TO TURN IT AROUND.

AND SO WE WANNA TAKE THE LESSONS WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM AND APPLY IT TO HOME ENERGY SAVINGS.

AND WE'RE REALLY HOPING TO SEE KIND OF, UH, UH, A RETURN OF, UM, HAVE TWO FLAGSHIP PROGRAMS, BASICALLY IS MY GOAL.

SO GOOD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, AND HEY, UM, I, CAN I JUMP IN ONE SEC REAL QUICK? PLEASE, PLEASE.

UM, OOPS, SORRY.

OFF VIDEO.

UM, I JUST, ONE ON THE, MY EARLIER QUESTION ABOUT THE IRA FUNDING, I KNOW THERE'S THIS STUFF HAPPENING IN THE STATE, BUT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN TAX CREDITS, WHICH ADMITTEDLY ARE FOR, YOU KNOW, LIKE MIDDLE AND HIGHER INCOME INDIVIDUALS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DOING A QUESTIONNAIRE ASKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S INCOME AND THEIR HOMES AND EVERYTHING, LIKE LETTING 'EM KNOW THAT THERE'S ALSO A $2,000 TAX CREDIT FOR DOING HEAT PUMP, HOT WATER HEATER, OR GOING TO HEAT PUMP, AC, ET CETERA, UM, SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN EASY, EASY LIFT TO LIKE ADD MORE CASH TO THE, UH, EQUATION FOR HOMEOWNERS.

YES, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

I BELIEVE THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY IS WORKING ON A WEBSITE TO KIND OF PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

AND SO MAYBE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO, TO THAT WEBSITE OR INCORPORATE THAT INFORMATION INTO OUR QUIZ.

BUT EXCELLENT IDEA.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? UM, I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME THE FIRST TIME.

UH, IT IS HOLLY PROSSER.

THAT'S RIGHT.

PROSSER.

VERY GOOD.

UH, WE, UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING WELCOMING YOU BACK.

IT'S BEEN A, A DELIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE HAVE

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

ONE OTHER BRIEFING.

UH, KEVIN KLUGE WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION DIVISION.

HE IS THE MAN, UH, THE MANAGER.

UH, AND THIS IS FROM AUSTIN WATER.

UM, AND THIS IS A QUARTERLY UPDATE.

TAKE IT AWAY.

GOOD EVENING, VICE CHAIR, ROBBINS AND COMMISSIONERS.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS KEVIN NOW.

GOOD.

ALRIGHT, THANKS.

UM, GOOD EVENING, VICE CHAIR, ROBBINS AND COMMISSIONERS.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS KEVIN KLUGE, WATER CONSERVATION MANAGER AT AUSTIN WATER.

AND THIS IS THE QUARTERLY UPDATE REGARDING WATER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES.

WE'RE BREAKING IT DOWN INTO THREE DIFFERENT PARTS.

FIRST OF ALL, A WATER SUPPLY UPDATE.

UM, THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT CONSERVA CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, AND THEN FINALLY SEVERAL OF OUR ONGOING ACTIVITIES.

UH, WATER SUPPLY UPDATE.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO TALK ABOUT A WATER SUPPLY AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF, OF RAIN AND COOL WEATHER.

SO I'M, I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IT THIS TIME.

PULLING BACK, LOOKING AT BACK AT THE STATE, UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT 65% OF THE STATE IS IN SOME FORM OF DROUGHT.

UM, I HATE TO SAY THAT'S KIND OF THE GOOD NEWS.

UM, 'CAUSE IT WAS MORE SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.

UH, SO THE RECENT RAINS ACROSS THE STATE HAVE MODERATED THE LEVELS OF DROUGHT A BIT, BUT YOU STILL SEE THAT IN THE CENTER OF THE STATE AND, AND TRAVIS COUNTY IS UNDER THE BLUE STAR THERE.

UH, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF ANGRY RED THERE, PARTICULARLY DOWN IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.

[00:55:02]

PULLING OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, THESE ARE THE PROJECTIONS GOING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS FROM THE NATIONAL NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

IN REGARDS, UH, REGARDS TO TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION.

ON THE LEFT THERE YOU SEE THE NATIONAL MAP WITH THE, UH, OUTLOOK FOR TEMPERATURE WHERE IT'S WHITE, THERE'S AN EVEN CHANCE OF HAVING ABOVE, UH, AVERAGE TEMPERATURES OR BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

ON THE RIGHT THERE IS THE MAP FOR PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK, UM, GREEN.

AND WE ARE IN KIND OF THAT, THAT CENTER GREEN AREA, LIGHT GREEN AREA.

UM, THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS AN INCREASED CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.

AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IN THE NEWS OVER THE SUMMER, WE'VE TRANSITIONED FROM A NINA WEATHER PATTERN TO AN EL EL NINO WEATHER PATTERN, UM, IN WHICH THERE'S INCREASED TEMPERATURES IN THE EASTERN PACIFIC.

BUT IN THE END, THAT REALLY CREATES MORE OF A WET WEATHER CONDITION IN TEXAS, PARTICULARLY IN THE WINTER MONTHS.

AND IT APPEARS AS THOUGH WE HAVE A, A FAIRLY STRONG EL NINO, UH, CLIMATE PATTERN GOING ON.

SO WE ARE HOPING THAT OVER THE WINTER WE'LL HAVE MORE RAIN, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.

UM, NEXT SLIDE.

BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF RAIN AND A LOT OF INFLOWS INTO THE RESERVOIRS TO GET THEM BACK TO THE SHAPE THAT WE, WE HOPE WANT THEM TO BE.

THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE INFLOWS INTO THE HIGHLAND LAKES, LAKE BUCHANAN AND LAKE TRAVIS, WHICH ARE OUR WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS.

UM, ON, YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT ON AGAIN ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, THE BARS, LIGHT BLUE BARS ARE THE AVERAGE INFLOWS, MONTHLY INFLOWS INTO THE LAKES, UM, SINCE THE LAKES WERE BUILT.

UH, JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THAT, THE DARK BLUE ARE THE INFLOWS INTO THE LAKE DURING THE LAST DROUGHT FROM 2008 TO 2015.

AND THEN 2022 TO THE RIGHT OF THAT IN GREEN, WHICH WAS AGAIN, A RECORD LOW INFLOW, UH, YEAR.

AND THEN TO THE RIGHT WE SEE THE PURPLE.

IT LOOKED AS THOUGH WE WERE GONNA GET A REPEAT OF 2022, UH, FOR MUCH OF THE YEAR AND HAVE VERY LOW INFLOWS.

BUT FORTUNATELY, COME OCTOBER, WE GOT SOME GOOD RAIN UP FURTHER UP INTO THE COLORADO BASIN AND MORE INFLOWS INTO THE, THE RESERVOIRS.

ABOUT 70,000 ACRE FEET OR 23 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER WENT INTO THE RESERVOIRS IN OCTOBER AND 23 BILLION GALLONS.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT NEXT SLIDE.

YOU, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT BEFORE THE RAINS, WE ARE AT 40% CAPACITY IN THE TWO RESERVOIRS.

AFTER THE RAINS, WE WERE AT 42%.

SO IT WAS GOOD TO GET THAT WATER IN THERE, BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE A HUGE BUMP YET.

SO WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE RAINS.

THE REST, REST OF THE WINTER.

THIS CHART, YOU SEE THE RESERVOIR LEVELS.

UM, COULD, COULD I JUST PLEASE INTERJECT? UH, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HYDROLOGY, JUST THE BASICS OF IT IS THAT, UH, THE GROUND NEEDS TO SATURATE BEFORE YOU GET CONSIDERABLE INFLOWS INTO THE STREAMS AND LAKES.

AND WE'VE BEEN SO DRY THAT, UH, ALL OF THIS RAIN, WHICH WE THINK IS CONSIDERABLE, HAS BARELY MADE A DENT IN THAT SATURATION.

SO, UH, WE NEED, UH, MORE RAIN, CONSISTENT RAIN FOR IT TO, UH, UH, FILL UP THE LAKES TO A MUCH GREATER DEGREE THAN THEY ARE NOW.

FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT, YOU SEE THE RESERVOIR LEVELS, UH, FROM, WHAT WAS IT, 2005 TO THE PRESENT, HOW THEY WENT UP AND DOWN.

YOU CAN SEE THE BIG DROUGHT IN THE MIDDLE THERE.

AND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU SEE WHERE OUR CURRENT SITUATION IS, WHERE WE ARE DROPPING, DROPPING, DROPPING, AND YOU SEE A LITTLE PUSH HOOK AT THE END.

AND THAT WAS OUR RECENT RAINS AND INCREASE IN RESERVOIR LEVELS.

OF HOW MUCH WATER WE USED IN AUSTIN OVER THE LAST YEAR.

THIS SLIDE GIVES YOU AN IDEA

[01:00:01]

UH, THE GREEN LINE SHOWS OUR AVERAGE DAILY WATER USE OVER THE LAST YEAR.

YOU SEE IT PEAKING UP, UM, SOMEWHERE AROUND JUNE, JUST GOING UP INTO THAT HIGH WATER USE DURING AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, AND THEN NOW IT'S COMING DOWN.

RED LINES SHOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011.

WE ALWAYS COMPARE OURSELVES TO 2011 WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DROUGHT AND WATER USE AND SO FORTH.

AND YOU CAN SEE WE HAD THIS SAME PATTERN IN 2011, UM, ALTHOUGH WE PEAKED A LITTLE EARLIER IN 2011, BUT HOPEFULLY, UH, I'M GLAD TO SAY WE'RE GOING DOWN IN TERMS OF WATER USE WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOW TURNING OFF THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND, AND NOT NEEDING THEM.

SECOND SECTION, UH, CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 23.

JUST AS A BACKGROUND, THE FISCAL YEAR FOR THE CITY OF AUSTIN RUNS FROM OCTOBER TO SEPTEMBER.

SO WE JUST FINISHED UP OUR FISCAL YEAR 2023 AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

SO OVER THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, FROM LAST OCTOBER TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER, UH, THESE ARE OUR INCENTIVE, UH, SAVINGS.

WHEN I SAY INCENTIVE, ESSENTIALLY IT'S REBATES.

GENERALLY.

OUR REBATES SAVED JUST OVER A MILLION GALLONS OVER THE LAST YEAR FROM CUSTOMERS UNDERTAKING VARIOUS DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FROM WORKING ON THEIR LAWNS, THEIR IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, UM, ON THEIR PLUMBING WITH PRESSURE REGULATING VALVES.

UH, THE LARGEST YOU SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE.

WE LIST THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS IN TERMS OF VOLUME SAVED, ESTIMATED SAVED, THE LARGEST WAS TWO COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES.

UM, BUT BELOW THAT YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT IN RAINWATER HARVESTING AND THEN DROUGHT SURVIVAL TOOLS.

THOSE ARE REBATES FOR COMPOST OR MULCH OR AERATION OF THE SOIL.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

IN TERMS OF MANDATORY ACTIVITIES, 'CAUSE WE HAVE BOTH INCENTIVES AND MANDATORY ACTIVITIES AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, OVER ALMOST 350,000 GALLONS WERE SAVED, UM, FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE THREE PROGRAMS WHICH FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL FACILITIES, COMMERCIAL FACILITIES THAT HAVE CAR WASHES, UM, OVER AN ACRE OF, OF LANDSCAPING, UH, OR A COOLING TOWER.

AND WE REQUIRE FACILITIES THAT HAVE ONE OF THOSE THREE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL OR BIANNUAL REPORT OF AN ASSESSMENT THAT WAS DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.

SO THOSE INCREASES IN EFFICIENCY FROM LOOKING AT THAT EVERY YEAR OR EVERY TWO YEARS, CREATES A LARGE AMOUNT OF SAVINGS.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, NOTICE BELOW, UH, WE DID A LOT OF WORK THIS SUMMER WITH WATER WASTE, EFFI ENFORCEMENT.

UH, THESE WERE BOTH STAFF PATROLLING IN THE LATE EVENINGS, EARLY MORNINGS, AS WELL AS RESPONDING TO THREE OF ONE ONE CALLS FROM CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

FAMILIES AND CONTAINS INFORMATION ON WATER ENERGY CONSERVATION AS WELL AS WATER CONSERVATION ALSO.

IN ADDITION TO WHAT OUR STAFF DID IN AUSTIN WATER, WE HAD A NUMBER OF COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES THAT I WANT TO MENTION OVER THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

FIRST OF ALL, WE COOPERATED WITH AUSTIN HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, TO FUND A PLUMBING PROGRAM THAT WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH THEIR GO REPAIR PROGRAM.

THIS PLUMBING PROGRAM PROVIDED FUNDING, UH, FOR HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE AT OR BELOW THE MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME AVERAGE, MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME, I'M SORRY, AUSTIN, MEDIUM FAMILY INCOME.

I DIDN'T MEAN TO THROW AVERAGE AND MEDIAN IN THE SAME SENTENCE THERE, UH, BUT THE FUNDING HELPS PAY FOR PLUMBING REPAIRS, UH, RELATED TO PUBLIC HEALTH OR SAFETY AND WATER SAVINGS.

AND THERE WAS 19 HOUSEHOLDS THAT BENEFITED FROM THAT COOPERATION.

IN ADDITION, WE WORKED WITH AUSTIN ENERGY TO PROVIDE INSTANT SAVINGS, $5 INSTANT SAVINGS AT HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S FOR WATER, UH, HOSE WATER TIMERS TO ALLOW, UM, HOUSEHOLDS THAT DON'T HAVE AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS TO, UH, BETTER CONTROL THEIR IRRIGATION, UH, DURING THE TIMES WHERE WE HAVE THESE SCHEDULES.

AND WE ALSO WORK WITH AUSTIN ENERGY TO SEND OUT CONSERVATION KITS TO ALMOST, WHAT, 5,000 STUDENTS, SIXTH GRADERS, UH, ACROSS THE AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE AREA.

AND THESE KITS DISTRIBUTED TO ALL THESE STUDENTS AND THEIR

[01:05:01]

AND FINALLY, I WANTED TO MENTION OUR, MY ATX WATER, UH, PROGRAM.

I ALWAYS LIKE TO CROW ABOUT THIS PROGRAM.

THIS IS OUR PROGRAM TO INSTALL SMART WATER METERS TO ALL AUSTIN BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS ACROSS THE SERVICE AREA.

THE SMART WA METER, SMART WATER METERS, UH, COLLECT THE WATER THAT'S GOING, THE VOLUME OF WATER THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE METERS AND SENDS THAT UP TO THE CLOUD AND TO THE MY ATX WATER SYSTEM.

AND THEN CUSTOMERS IN A DAY OR SO CAN SEE EXACTLY HOW MUCH WATER THEY'RE USING ON AN HOUR BY HOUR BASIS.

AND THIS IS BEING DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WE'RE ABOUT 75% OF METERS DEPLOYED, UH, WHICH IS GREAT NEWS.

SO I IMAGINE OVER THE NEXT YEAR, WE'LL WE'LL GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OUR CUSTOMERS WITH THESE NEW SMART METERS.

THEN SMART METERS ALLOW CUSTOMERS TO SEE HOW MUCH THEY'RE USING WHEN THEY MAY BE IRRIGATING.

UM, BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO HAVE LEAK ALERTS AND ALERTS THAT WILL TELL THEM WHEN THEY ARE PROJECTED TO GO INTO A, A HIGH WATER TIER RATE.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED.

FIRST OF ALL, LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ACTIVITIES.

FINALLY, JUST A COUPLE ONGOING ACTIVITIES, UH, IN TERMS OF, OF WATER CONSERVATION.

I'VE SPOKEN TO THIS GROUP A NUMBER OF TIMES ABOUT LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION OVER THE LAST, GOSH, OVER A YEAR OR SO.

UH, BUT JUST AS A REMINDER, THE 2018 WATER FORWARD PLAN THAT THE CITY HAS, THAT'S OUR 100 YEAR PLAN FOR WATER SUPPLY AND SUSTAINABILITY, HAS A STRATEGY IN THAT PLAN, UH, TO TRANSFORM THE LANDSCAPES OF NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN INTO LANDSCAPES THAT USE LESS WATER OR REQUIRE LESS WATER, UH, TO, TO MAKE THE LANDSCAPES THRIVE.

SO, 2022, WE DID A LOT OF PUBLIC OUTREACH, A LOT OF MEETINGS WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC TO GET THEIR THOUGHTS ON HOW BEST TO UNDERTAKE THIS LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION FOR NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

AND WE CAME UP WITH, AS I'VE MENTIONED, I BELIEVE THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, A BASKET FULL OF EIGHT ACTIVITIES THAT WE BELIEVE CAN HELP TRANSFORM LANDSCAPES OF NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

SO WE ARE STARTING TO IMPLEMENT THESE, YOU SEE THESE UP ON THE SLIDE, UH, IN ORDER OF OF IMPLEMENTATION, UH, ONE HAS ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED.

THAT WAS TO REENGAGE THE INSPECTIONS FOR SOIL REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT NEW HOMEOWNERS HAVE AS GOOD A SOIL AS THEY CAN GET OR GOOD SOIL, LET ME SAY THAT AT LEAST A MINIMUM LEVEL OF GOOD SOIL.

UM, TO START OUT WITH COMING INTO THIS NEXT SPRING, WE'LL BE IMPLEMENTING A NUMBER OF 'EM INCLUDE INCLUDING IRRIGATION INSPECTIONS.

UM, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT RAINWATER HARVESTING INCENTIVES, UH, CHECKUPS REQUIRING PLANTS FROM A PLANT LIST, UH, WATERWISE PLANT LIST TO BE USED IN HOMES.

AND THEN THE LAST THREE TYPES OF IMPLEMENTATION REALLY REQUIRE, UH, IN INSERTING A NUMBER OF REQUIREMENTS FOR IRRIGATION INTO THE UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE, WHICH WON'T COME ABOUT UNTIL NEXT JANUARY OR JULY OF 2025.

SO THAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED, IT'S JUST NOT ALL AT ONCE AND IS WILL BE GOING OVER THE NEXT YEAR WHEN IT'LL BE COMING THROUGH.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

THE SECOND ACTIVITY I, UH, WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS, IS SOMEWHAT NEW.

UNLIKE THE LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ACTIVITIES, UH, WE ALL KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN IN DROUGHT SINCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, WHETHER IT'S ONE STAGE OR ANOTHER.

UM, AND WE HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTING OUR DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED BY A COUNCIL BACK IN 2016, REALLY IS THE LAND THE ROAD ROADMAP, UH, FOR HOW WE RESPOND TO DROUGHTS IN TERMS OF RESTRICTIONS OR OTHER ACTIVITIES.

IT'S TIME TO REDO THAT PLAN.

THE STATE REQUIRES US TO, TO UPDATE THAT.

AND THE NEXT VERSION IS DUE IN MAY OF 2024.

SO THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY A VERY LONG TIME TO GET A NEW DROUGHT PLAN PUT TOGETHER, UPDATED, UH, AND THROUGH COUNSEL AND WHAT HAVE YOU.

SO WE'VE RECENTLY, SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WE LAUNCHED A SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE.

UM, YOU SEE THAT UP THERE REGARDING DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN

[01:10:01]

TO SOLICIT INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD SUGGEST OR WHAT THEY WOULD OR WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE IN OUR NEXT PLAN.

UM, IT IS A LITTLE, SOMETIMES IT IS A LITTLE STRANGE TO BE TRYING TO PLAN FOR YOUR NEXT DROUGHT WHILE YOU'RE ALREADY IN A DROUGHT.

UM, BUT THAT'S THE CARDS WE'VE BEEN DEALT.

SO, UH, FEEL FREE TO VISIT THAT SITE IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, UM, REGARDING WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IN THE NEXT DROUGHT PLAN.

AND NEXT SLIDE.

I WANTED TO GIVE YOU JUST A, A TIMELINE OF THAT DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, UM, OVER THE NEXT SEVEN MONTHS OR SO.

UM, AS I MENTIONED THIS MONTH WE HAD A SURVEY AND A, A SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE THAT WENT UP NEXT MONTH.

UH, WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING PROBABLY THAT SECOND WEEK IN DECEMBER, UH, TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC AND RECEIVE THEIR COMMENTS REGARDING THE NEXT DROUGHT PLAN.

WE'LL TAKE THAT INFORMATION, WE'LL DRAFT A PLAN, UM, ROUTE THAT THROUGH OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM.

AND THEN IN FEBRUARY WE WILL NEED TO BE STARTING THE, THE MARCH TOWARDS COUNCIL BY VISITING A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING THE RESOURCE MAN MANAGEMENT COMMISSION WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU IN FEBRUARY.

WHICH TEAMS LINES UP WELL 'CAUSE WE USUALLY ARE FEBRUARY HAVING ANOTHER QUARTERLY UPDATE.

SO IN THAT MEETING WE'LL COME BACK, TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE NEW PROPOSED DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN AND THEN MARCH WATER AND WASTEWATER CITY COUNCIL IN APRIL.

SO THAT COULD BE TURNED INTO THE STATE IN MAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT WILL BE COMING UP, UH, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS IN TERMS OF, UH, DROUGHT RESPONSE.

AND WITH THAT, THAT'S MY UPDATE, UH, FOR WATER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES.

UH, I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR, UH, QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS AND I SEE COMMISSIONER GARY ALREADY HAS ONE OR SEVERAL, SO GO FOR IT.

WELL, THANK YOU.

FIRST I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.

UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES.

MM-HMM, AND I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NUMBERS, LIKE IT HAS 19 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVE PUBLIC ASSISTING.

I JUST WANNA KNOW WHY THE NUMBERS ARE SO LOW.

UH, WAS IT LACK OF MARKETING OR, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN GO ELABORATE ON ALL THREE SECTIONS ON THE NUMBERS, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

SO, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UPS? OKAY.

IN TERMS OF THE, THE FIRST ONE, THE, THE PLUMBING PROGRAM, THAT'S ACTUALLY UP A LITTLE BIT.

UM, IT HAD PREVIOUS, PREVIOUSLY OUR PROGRAM WAS MUCH MORE EMBEDDED INTO THE, THE GO REPAIR PROGRAM.

SO IT KIND OF CONSTRAINED HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS WE COULD WORK WITH AND HOW MUCH FUNDING WE COULD PROVIDE.

UH, IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, WE PULLED IT OUT TO A SEPARATE PROGRAM, UM, SO IT COULD, WE COULD BE MORE FLEXIBLE IN TERMS OF WHO WE OFFERED THE ASSISTANCE TO AND HOW MUCH WE COULD PROVIDE UP TO, UP TO $15,000 PER HOUSEHOLD.

UM, IT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE TO TRY TO GET MORE HOUSEHOLDS INVOLVED.

UM, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, AUSTIN HOUSING IS TRYING TO DO THE SAME, TO BUMP UP THEIR NUMBERS.

UM, THAT'S ABOUT ALL I COULD SAY OFF HAND FOR THAT ONE.

UH, HOSE TIMERS, UH, HOSE TIMERS IS ACTUALLY, UM, THAT'S A PRETTY HIGH NUMBER.

UM, AND MORE THAN, THAN WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS EXPECTED WHEN WE STARTED WORKING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY .

UM, WE HAVE TWO, UM, RETAILERS, UH, HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S.

THERE'S CONSISTENTLY BEEN A DISCUSSION WITHIN THE AUSTIN ENERGY ALL OR INSTANT SAVINGS PROGRAM TO SEE HOW WE COULD TRY TO GET MORE, UM, RETAILERS INVOLVED, PARTICULARLY SMALLER ONES OR MORE LOCAL ONES.

UH, AND IT'S JUST GENERALLY A, A PROBLEM WITH LOGISTICS AND MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THE THINGS IN STOCK AND WORKING WITH THE, THE INSTANT SAVINGS TO REBATE THEM.

BUT THE 3,400 IS, IS RELATIVELY HIGH NUMBER, UH, RATHER COMPARED TO WHAT WAS PROJECTED.

AND THEN THE, UH, THIRD ONE, UM, THE ALL STAR PROGRAM, THE GOAL HAS BEEN 7,500 STUDENTS.

I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL THE SIXTH GRADERS IN THE AUSTIN ENERGY SERVICE AREA.

AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE GOAL TO GET IT TO ALL THE STUDENTS.

UH, 5,000, UH, WAS DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS IN THE SPRING AND IN THE FALL.

UM, AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK.

THE CONTRACTORS WITH AUSTIN CONTINUE TO TRY TO WORK TO GET TO MORE CLASSROOMS, EVEN, EVEN NOW AS WE GO ALONG.

[01:15:01]

UH, ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE ONE.

YEP, PLEASE, PLEASE.

SO I WANNA FOLLOW UP ON COMMISSIONER GARY'S, UH, QUESTION AND YOUR ANSWER.

UM, ON THE LOGISTICS, IS THERE TOO MANY, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS, I'M SUPER TIRED TODAY.

ARE THERE TOO MANY HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH, I GUESS, IN ORDER TO GET THE REBATES? IS THAT WHY THE NUMBERS COULD BE LOW? IS THERE TOO MANY, TOO MUCH PAPERWORK? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LOGISTICS ARE IN ORDER TO GET THE REBATES.

SO MAYBE PEOPLE ARE SAYING, UH, IT'S NOT WORTH IT IN TERMS OF THE, UH, IN OUR INCENTIVES AND REBATES.

UHHUH .

YEAH, EXACTLY.

THE CHALLENGE WITH, WITH REBATES IS THERE, WELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES.

UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, IT DOES REQUIRE MORE PAPERWORK PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT IT AND TO EN ENGAGE IN THAT.

AND IF, A, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS, IF A PROGRAM, IF, I'M SORRY, IF A HOUSEHOLD IS OF LIMITED MEANS, YOU KNOW, REBATE FORCE YOU TO SHELL OUT THE MONEY UP FRONT AND THEN YOU HAVE TO WORK, WAIT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS TO GET REIMBURSED.

SO FOR SOME HOUSEHOLDS, THAT REIMBURSEMENT JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR THEM.

ANOTHER QUESTION MIGHT BE WHETHER THEY WOULD, THE IN THE REBATE NUMBERS WOULD INCREASE IF WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF THE REBATE.

UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IN THE SPRING.

WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A WATERWISE LANDSCAPE PROGRAM, AND IN THE SPRING WE INCREASED THAT AMOUNT FROM 30 CENTS PER SQUARE FOOT TO A DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOT, WHICH IS KIND OF THE, KIND OF THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE FOR THAT PROGRAM.

AND WE DID SEE SOME BUMP, BUT, UM, THERE'S ONLY SEEMS TO BE ONLY SO MANY PEOPLE THAT SEEM TO BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE REBATES.

RIGHT.

AND I, I'M ONLY SAYING THIS BECAUSE I ACTUALLY DID ONE OF YOUR REBATES AND IT WAS FOR RAINWATER HARVESTING AND IT WAS, UH, A HEADACHE.

I'LL JUST SAY.

SO, UM, MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DONE ON THAT END ON THE WHOLE LOGISTICS OF, I KNOW YOU GUYS NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE RECEIPTS AND ACCOUNT FOR ALL THIS STUFF, BUT MAYBE THERE COULD BE SOME EASE INTO THAT OR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCISE AND SIMPLE ON THE REBATE SIDE.

SO MAYBE THAT COULD BE THOUGHT OF, MAY MAYBE BRAINSTORM ON THAT.

UM, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.

UM, ALSO ON YOUR NEW DROUGHT TOLERANT LANDSCAPING FOR NEW HOMES, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

UM, WHAT ABOUT, WHAT IS, I GUESS, WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE EXISTING HOMES WITH THE LANDSCAPING? WHAT HAVE WE DONE WITH THAT, WITH CONSERVATION, UM, PLANS OR IDEAS ON THAT FRONT? THAT'S REALLY WHERE THAT WATERWISE LANDSCAPE PROGRAM COMES IN.

UM, WITH THE INCENTIVE THAT WAS RAISED TO A DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOT.

UM, HOPEFULLY IT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.

UM, BUT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS THE CHALLENGE OF, OF HOW, HOW TO MARKET IT MORE OR IF IT'S A HIGH ENOUGH COST.

WHAT WE FOUND, EVEN AT A DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOT, IF, IF YOU HAVE A CUSTOMER AND THEY DO IT A DO IT YOURSELF PROJECT, THEN THEY'RE REALLY RECOUPING THEIR ENTIRE COST OF MATERIALS.

UM, IT'S WHERE A CUSTOMER WHO HIRES SOMEONE TO DO IT, THAT'S WHEN THERE'S A, A SIGNIFICANT SHORTFALL IN THE REBATE TO THE TOTAL COST.

SO.

RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWERS.

AND I JUST HAVE ONE MORE COMMENT ON THAT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN MIGHT BECOME ONE OF THOSE CITIES THAT LOOKS A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE TUCSON.

SO I'D RATHER US GET AHEAD OF THE GAME AND KIND OF EDUCATE OUR END USERS USING WATER AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE REALITY ONE DAY MAYBE MAY NOT BE FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS, BUT IT MIGHT BE A REALITY SOON.

SO I JUST FEEL LIKE EDUCATION IS, IS AN EXTREME IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO WATER CONSERVATION.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS, UH, COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR, I DO.

CONSERVATION? UM, MR. GENE, DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE A ? I I CAN COMMENT ON THAT, BUT YOU DIDN'T ASK ME.

UM, I WONDER IF ANYONE ON AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF IS AWARE OF HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY OF, OF THE TOTAL GENERATION IS USED FOR WATER PROCESSING, TRANSPORT AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT, PROCESSING AND TRANSPORT.

IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT ARE THE CO-BENEFITS TO THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM OF WATER

[01:20:01]

YOU ASKED, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY.

UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY BACKGROUND OR KNOWLEDGE OF THIS? OKAY, WHEN I CHECKED INTO THIS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, IT WAS A LITTLE LESS THAN 2%.

IT'S PROBABLY DIMINISHED SINCE I CHECKED, AND I'M TRYING TO GET UPDATED NUMBERS NOW.

2% WHAT, SORRY, I'M SORRY.

2% TO LEARN OF TOTAL ELECTRIC, UH, UM, SALES.

UH, UM, I, I AM GETTING UPDATES ON THAT AND CAN SHARE THAT WITH YOU WHEN I GET THEM THAT MAYBE STAFF WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH TO SHARE IT WITH BOTH OF US.

THE, THE SECOND QUESTION FOR AUSTIN WATER IS, UM, WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT HAVE, WHAT HAVE YOU ALL DONE? I LOVE ALL THE END USE WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES, BUT I'M WONDERING WHAT THE STATUS OF PIPE INTEGRITY IS, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE WINTER STORM URI DISASTERS WHEN THE PRESSURE REDUCTION CAUSED A WHOLE LOT OF PIPE INTEGRITY FAILURES AND INTRUSION INTO THIS, THE WATER SYSTEM.

I MEAN, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

UH, WATER LOSS IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WATER UTILITY OR, AND ALL WATER UTILITIES IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO MANAGE.

YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU'RE PRODUCING YOUR WATER AND, AND 15% OF IT IS BEING LOST OR 20 WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT, UH, REALLY, UH, CUTS CAN CUT IT INTO THE BOTTOM LINE AS WELL AS AS YOUR WATER EFFICIENCY.

WE HAVE HAD AN ACTIVE WATER LOSS PROGRAM, UM, OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS, UH, IN TERMS OF HIRING CONSULTANTS TO LOOK FOR LEAKS, UM, DOING, MEASURING, DOING DIFFERENT METER TESTS, PUMP TESTS, WHAT HAVE YOU.

UH, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE.

AND WE HAVE RECENTLY HIRED A CONSULTING FIRM TO TAKE AN OUTSIDE LOOK OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND TO TRY TO GIVE US A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.

SO I GUESS MY BEST ANSWER IS TO SAY WE ARE WORKING ON IT ACTIVELY.

WE ARE WORKING WITH OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN WATER LOSS, AND WE, I BELIEVE WE'RE NEARING THE END OF THEIR ANALYSIS AND, AND REVIEW OF OUR SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING BETTER.

WOULD YOU PLEASE INCLUDE SOME DATA AND STATUS UPDATE ON SORT OF PIPE INTEGRITY AND WATER LOSS INFORMATION IN YOUR NEXT QUARTERLY REPORT? I, I CAN.

UM, AND IF FOR SOME REASON, AS I MENTIONED, UH, THAT IT GETS ENTIRELY, THE NEXT QUARTERLY REPORT GETS ENTIRELY SUCKED UP WITH A DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN, WE CAN SEND THAT TO THE COMMISSION SEPARATELY.

COOL.

THE, THE LAST THING WAS I WANTED TO ASK TO WHAT DEGREE OUR WATER AND WASTEWATER FACILITIES AND SYSTEMS HAVE, UM, BACKUP POWER ATTACHED TO THEM THAT I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DO NOT KNOW.

UM, BUT I COULD PROVIDE, I COULD, UH, FIND OUT AN ANSWER AND SEND IT TO THE COMMISSION.

IF YOU IN THAT INTERESTED, THAT WOULD BE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF BACKUP POWER TO THE FACILITY THAT ESSENTIALLY RESILIENCE IN THE EVENT THAT, THAT THE AUSTIN ENERGY SYSTEM GOES DOWN, COULD WE SEE, OR, OR IF AUSTIN HASN'T DONE AN ADEQUATE JOB OF SECTIONALIZING OR CIRCUIT MANAGEMENT, SO THAT IN ANOTHER BIG OUTAGE, UM, WE ARE UNABLE TO LONG TO PROVIDE LONG-TERM SUPPORT TO WATER AND WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND FACILITIES.

HOW LONG CAN THOSE OPERATE? DO THEY HAVE BACKUP POWER IN SOME FASHION COMMISSIONER? IN OTHER WORDS, UH, HOW DO WE PREVENT ANOTHER YURI? AND, AND THE NEXT TIME WE TALK ABOUT THIS, I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THE TEXAS BACKUP POWER PACKAGES, JUST AS A TEASER.

UH, I THINK YOU DIDN'T ASK ME FOR, UH, THE INFORMATION ON ELECTRICITY.

UH, YOU ASKED, UH, CITY STAFF.

UH, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS NOT, UH, LOST.

IS THAT CORRECT? I, I WANTED TO KNOW THE ANSWER.

I'LL TAKE IT FROM ANYONE IF YOU'RE FREE TO CONFIDENT IN WHAT THE ANSWER IS.

I, I, I, I WILL GET IT FOR YOU, BUT I THINK IT'D BE MORE APPROPRIATE IF AUSTIN WATER GOT IT FOR YOU, OR AUSTIN ENERGY GOT IT FOR YOU.

UH, WELL, UM,

[01:25:01]

I'M NOT HIDING IT.

IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO RECEIVE THE INFORMATION FROM ANY AND ALL SOURCES.

SO I THINK WE COULD ALL BENEFIT FROM THAT INFORMATION.

UH, COULD YOU PLEASE PUT THAT ON THE LIST OF QUESTIONS TO GET BACK TO HER ON? YES.

I'LL, I'LL BE WORKING.

NATASHA, UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS ERS? OH, COME ON.

UM, I ONLY HAVE ONE.

I I GOT ONE FOR YOU, PAUL.

GO, GO, GO.

I WANNA DISAPPOINT YOU.

SO, UM, I, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT, UH, ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, UM, LOOKING AT LIKE, UH, REDOING STOCK OF HOTELS AND LARGER APARTMENT COMPLEXES WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO IN AND SWAP OUT ALL THE TOILETS FOR ULTRA LOW EFFICIENCY TOILETS, THINGS LIKE THAT, AND GET, YOU KNOW, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT WATER SAVINGS.

UM, AS OPPOSED TO LIKE THE DISAGGREGATE, LIKE WORKING WITH HOMEOWNERS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT.

UM, THERE CAN BE A LOT OF SAVINGS IN WORKING WITH MULTI-FAMILY, UM, DEVELOPMENTS OR HOTELS, UH, WHAT HAVE YOU.

ON THE SLIDE I MENTIONED THERE'S TWO, UH, BUT THOSE WERE JUST TWO THAT HAD FINISHED UP AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD CLOSED OUT THE PROJECT.

BUT THERE ARE A GOOD NUMBER THAT WE HAVE IN PROCESS IN TERMS OF UTILIZING THOSE REBATES TO EITHER REPLACE TOILETS OR ADD, UH, SENSORS ONTO THE TOILETS THAT WILL DETECT WHEN THERE'S A LEAK OR, UH, WE PROVIDE REBATES IF A, UH, OPERATING COMPANY OR DEVELOPER GOES ABOVE, UH, THE CODE EFFICIENCY CODE FOR TOILETS AND OTHER FIXTURES.

UH, WE ARE BRINGING ON ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER, THIS NO BEGINNING OF NEXT MONTH, UM, THAT WILL BE FOCUSING ON THESE COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.

THIS IS AN AREA THAT WE RECOGNIZE AS SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO MUCH MORE OF WORKING WITH COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.

SO I'M EXCITED OVER THIS NEXT YEAR, ONCE WE GET MORE ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER IN TO REALLY REACH OUT TO MORE OF THESE CUSTOMERS.

BECAUSE FOR COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS, IT DOESN'T WORK JUST TO HAVE THE REBATE ON YOUR WEBSITE AND SAY, COME TO US.

WE HAVE TO GO TO THEM.

UM, SO I'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO DO THAT MORE OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER.

FARMER, DO YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, NOT AT THIS TIME.

UM, I HAVE ONE CONCERN AND I ADDRESSED IT TO YOU IN AN EMAIL THIS AFTERNOON.

UH, AND I'M JUST GONNA STATE IT FOR THE RECORD.

I KNOW YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ANSWER TONIGHT, BUT THE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY POSTPONED HOOKUPS TO CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS, UH, TO THE RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM.

UH, NOW TO BE FAIR, IT'S ONLY GONNA BE POSTPONED BY A FEW MONTHS, BUT IN THAT TIME, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS COULD BE GRANDFATHERED AND NOT HAVE TO HOOK UP TO THAT.

AND, UH, THE NEW RECLAIM, UH, THE ENHANCED, INCREASED RECLAIMED WATER SYSTEM, UH, NOW TO PEOPLE HERE AND, UH, LISTENING TO US THAT ARE NOT SURE WHAT RECLAIMED WATER IS, YOU'RE BASICALLY TAKING WASTEWATER THAT'S BEEN TREATED TO A VERY HIGH STANDARD.

AND INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT BACK IN THE RIVER, YOU'RE, UH, USING IT FOR NON-POTABLE, UH, UH, PURPOSES SUCH AS LANDSCAPING, COOLING TOWERS, TOILET FLUSHING, ET CETERA.

UH, AND OVER TIME, THIS COULD DEFRAY, UH, SOME GREAT AMOUNT OF FUTURE WATER NEEDS.

UH, IT IS DISTURBING THAT, UH, SEVERAL DEVELOPMENTS MAY BE GRANDFATHERED.

UH, AND I'D KIND OF LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS THE CASE.

UH, IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE ARE A HUGE AND STILL

[01:30:01]

GROWING CITY.

UH, OUR WATER, UH, NEEDS IN DROUGHTS CANNOT SEEM TO KEEP UP WITH SUPPLY.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A AQUIFER STORAGE UNIT.

UH, AT SOME POINT THAT COULD COST AS MUCH AS A BILLION DOLLARS.

AND EVEN THEN, WHEN IT'S BUILT, UH, IT WOULD ONLY SUPPLY A FEW MONTHS OF AUSTIN'S WATER IN DESPERATE TIMES.

SO, UH, THE FACT THAT, UH, SOME DEVELOPMENTS MIGHT BE SPARED THIS, THIS, UH, SLIGHT, THIS INCREASED COST, UH, IS, UH, WELL, UNCI, UH, I DO NOT KNOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR A FACT, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU COULD PLEASE FIND OUT.

UH, I, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, UM, UH, I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS.

UH, BUT I'LL ASK ONE MORE TIME IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

TWO MORE, HOPEFULLY SHORT ITEMS. UH, ONE IS A REPORT, A DISCUSSION, UH, A CONTINUING DISCUSSION ON REPURPOSING OF THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN A RECENT MEETING.

THEN, UH, THIS ITEM IS OVER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.

UM, UH, WE HAVE

[8. Discussion on repurposing the GreenChoice Program. (Sponsors: Robbins, Stone, Silverstein)]

UH, I HAVE MET WITH, UH, RICHARD GENESEE AND TIM HARVEY TO DISCUSS THIS IDEA.

RICHARD GENESEE SAID HE WOULD, UH, TAKE THIS TO HIS, UH, PEERS AND AT THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL AND, UH, MANAGER LEVEL.

UH, I DON'T THINK THAT HAS HAPPENED YET, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT TO REPORT.

I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN SENT SOME VERY DETAILED QUESTIONS, WHICH I HOPE HAVE BEEN ANSWERED TO HER SATISFACTION, BUT I WON'T SPEAK FOR HER.

UH, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, UH, COMMISSIONER, PLEASE DO.

EARNEST ENTHUSIASM FOR LET'S REIMAGINE THE PROGRAM AND LET'S TURN ITS REVENUES TO A DIFFERENT PURPOSE.

I HAVE, UM, WITH HELP FROM NATASHA DISTRIBUTED THE MATERIAL AND MY CONCLUSIONS, THE MATERIAL THAT I RECEIVED FROM AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF AND THE CONCLUSIONS THAT I DRAW FROM THAT, I WAS HOPEFUL THAT, UM, AND THOSE WERE SENT TO YOU THANKS TO MS. GOODWIN IN AN EMAIL DATED NOVEMBER 6TH AT 12:59 PM SO IT MAY BE OLD NEWS BY NOW, AND YOU TOTALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT IT.

AND MY QUESTIONS WENT TO THE ISSUE OF, UM, IS THERE STILL A REASON FOR THE AUSTIN ENERGY GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM TO EXIST? IS IT DOING A STRAIGHT UP JOB DELIVERING GREEN ENERGY AT A REASONABLE PRICE TO AUSTIN CUSTOMERS, OR AS I INSTEAD CONCLUDE OUR AUSTIN, AS A SMALL SUBSET OF AUSTIN CUSTOMERS BEING MISLED AND PAYING TOO MUCH FOR OLD CONTRACTS THAT ARE OVERPRICED RELATIVE TO CLEAN ENERGY IN THE MARKET TODAY? AND THAT THE CURRENT GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM IS NOT NO LONGER DELIVERING ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE, WHICH WAS TO GROW THE AMOUNT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT AUSTIN ENERGY CONSUMED.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE FROM THE DATA THAT WE HAVE BEEN PRESENTED THAT I PASSED ON TO YOU FROM STAFF, THAT THE EXISTENCE OF THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM AND THE SUBSCRIBERS TODAY IS CAUSING ADDITIONAL RENEWABLE PURCHASES OR CONSUMPTION.

I WAS HOPING THAT STAFF WOULD OFFER A PRESENTATION TO US THAT EXPLAINED WHY I WAS ALL WRONG, AND THIS WAS A GREAT PROGRAM.

MAYBE I WASN'T EXPLICIT ENOUGH ABOUT SAYING, HEY, Y'ALL, HOW ABOUT YOU DO SOME MORE EXPLAINING ABOUT WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS AND WHY IT'S SWELL OR HOW WE COULD CHANGE IT TO BE EVEN BETTER, AND WHY I AM MISUNDERSTANDING ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE CONCLUDED ABOUT THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM.

AND IF SOMEONE WANTS TO STAND UP FROM STAFF AND, AND DO THAT NOW, I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING EDUCATED ABOUT IT.

BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL BASED ON, ON, UM, VICE CHAIR ROBIN'S

[01:35:02]

ALTHOUGH I SAY THIS WITH GREAT RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR HIS TENACITY, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I CANNOT IN ANY GOOD CONSCIENCE SUPPORT CONTINUATION OF THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT I HAVE SEEN ABOUT IT.

AND I TRIED IN THIS EMAIL TO LAY OUT MY CONCLUSIONS AND RATIONALE FOR THAT.

SO WHEN WE TAKE THIS UP AGAIN, I WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD A PROPOSAL.

AGAIN, I WELCOME STAFF TO EDUCATE ME, TO EDUCATE ALL OF US ABOUT WHY MY CONCLUSIONS MIGHT BE WRONG OR TO HOW TO TAKE THIS IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

BUT IF WE DON'T RECEIVE THAT IN A PERSUASIVE FASHION, I WILL BE BRINGING AN ALTERNATE PROPOSAL THAT DOESN'T TO, TO COMMISSIONER VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, THAT DOESN'T SAY, LET'S CHANGE GREEN CHOICE.

I'M GONNA BRING YOU A PROPOSAL AND ASK FOR A SECOND FROM SOMEBODY, A CO-SPONSOR THAT SAYS, WE, IT IS TIME TO KILL THE GREEN CHOICE PROGRAM.

PLEASE LET ME RESPOND.

ABSOLUTELY.

UH, FIRST, UH, I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE, UH, STAFF TO, UH, UH, MAKE SUCH A REPORT AND WE COULD, UH, HAVE THAT AT A MEETING, UH, EARLY NEXT YEAR, I HOPE, UH, AND WE CAN TAKE THAT UP UNDER A NEW BUSINESS.

UH, AND SECOND, UM, WITH EQUALLY, UH, UH, ADMIRING, UH, ADULATION FOR YOUR HISTORY AND CAPABILITIES.

UH, I THINK BOTH OF US HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR DECADES.

UH, YOU ARE A KIND OF, AT A HIGH LEVEL, I KIND OF LOOK AT THE TWO OF US, LIKE I'M THE OLD COUNTRY DOCTOR AND YOU'RE THE WIZARD AT THE MAYO CLINIC.

AND, UM, THE THING, THERE ARE A FEW GOOD THINGS ABOUT BEING THE COUNTRY DOCTOR, AND ONE OF THEM IS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

UH, ONE GETS TO SEE, UM, HOW IT'S DONE LOCALLY.

UH, IT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE, BUT IT'S EASIER TO REPURPOSE AN EXISTING PROGRAM THAN IT IS TO START A NEW ONE.

UH, I MEAN, YOU COULD SAY, WELL, AUSTIN ENERGY NEEDS TO BE EXPLORING BATTERIES.

YES, GREAT, FANTASTIC.

WHERE DO WE GET THE MONEY? WELL, HERE, THE MONEY IS ALREADY THERE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I AM SO FIXATED, UM, ON, ON REPURPOSING RATHER THAN SUN.

I DO AGREE WITH YOU TO THE EXTENT THAT ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE HAS BEEN FULFILLED A LONG TIME AGO, BUT, UM, I, SO FAR, I HOPE TO CONVINCE YOU THAT REPURPOSING MIGHT BE A PRAGMATIC WAY OF GETTING A BATTERY PROGRAM THAT MAY BE HARDER OTHERWISE SPOKEN HUMBLY AS A COUNTRY DOCTOR.

ON FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. UH, I'M GONNA GUESS COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN HAS A COUPLE.

UH, ARE THERE OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.

OUR LAST ITEM WOULD BE

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UM, I HAVE ONE IN PARTICULAR, AND THAT IS THAT I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING ON THE WORK GROUP WITH THE EUC AND THE RMC SUPPORTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW AUSTIN GENERATION RESOURCE PLAN.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET STAFF FROM AUSTIN ENERGY TO PRESENT TO US AT OUR NEXT MEETING OR THE JANUARY MEETING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TIMING IS TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEIR ANALYSIS IS AND GET A BRIEFING FAR ENOUGH AND, AND MATERIAL FAR ENOUGH IN ADVANCE FOR US TO ASK INFORMED QUESTIONS AND GET SOME FAIRLY DETAILED ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT THEIR ASSUMPTIONS AND MODELING AND EARLY DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ON THAT.

AND I WOULD WELCOME A CO-SPONSOR FOR THIS TOPIC.

UH,

[01:40:01]

AND I WOULD BE GLAD TO, UH, AND IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WISH TO CO-SPONSOR, UM, LET, UH, LET ME KNOW.

BUT YES, UH, YOU, MR. VICE CHAIR, AM I SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SECOND TOPIC? UH, DID I MISS MY HOMEWORK? WELL, I'M, I'M MISSING, UH, YOU, IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE A, YOU, YOU JUST MENTIONED A FEW MOMENTS AGO THAT YOU WANTED A STAFF REPORT ON GREEN CHOICE.

UH, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO CO-SPONSOR THAT AS WELL IF OTHER COMMISSIONERS WANT TO ECHO THAT.

UM, THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

UM, OKAY.

UM, AND REGARDING, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE ITEMS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD? UH, PLEASE.

UH, COMMISSIONER FARMER, UH, UM, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON EITHER OF COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN'S ITEMS OR DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER ITEM THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? I, I DID.

I, UM, GOT A PREVIEW OF THE RESOURCE GENERATION PLAN UPDATE THIS MORNING, AND SO I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A PRESENTATION ON THAT AS WELL.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

SO YOU, YOU WANT TO ADD, UH, SO THE SPONSORS WOULD BE, UH, ROB, UH, SILVERSTEIN, ROBBINS, AND FARMER.

VERY GOOD.

UM, ARE THERE ANY I DO, I GUESS IF WE'RE, IF WE ARE ASKING FOR THAT, GIVEN THE, THE PREVIEW THAT I, THAT I GOT, THERE WERE SOME, I FELT SIGNIFICANT GAPS IN THE PRESENTATION WITH REGARD TO, UH, UH, THE FEASIBILITY OR, OR WHAT HAPPENS IF THE, UH, GAS PLANT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, UH, IS, YOU KNOW, IF THE GREEN HYDROGEN DOESN'T MATERIALIZE IN THE TIMELINE, THAT, UH, IS IT THE, THE PLAN IS PROPOSING, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE, SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A SORT OF LIKE, LET'S DO ALL THIS STUFF AND THEN THE THING IS WAY OVER HERE AND I WANNA KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BETWEEN.

THERE'S A MAGICAL STEP THAT IS NOT WELL EXPLAINED.

IT'S IF YOU GUYS HAVE EVER SEEN SOUTH PARK, THERE'S A EPISODE WHERE THEY STEAL THE UNDERPANTS AND THEN THEY MAKE PROFIT, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS.

SO WHAT SHOW DID I MISS? NEVERMIND.

UM, IT'S ALRIGHT.

IT WAS A BAD REFERENCE.

UM, OH, WHEN, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, UH, I HAD SOME CHOICE REFERENCES MYSELF, UH, REGARDING RUBE GOLDBERG.

UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER, UM, ITEMS, UH, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE GOOD, UH, COMMISSIONERS IF, UH, I KNOW THAT THE WORKING GROUP IS PLANNING, UH, ON ASKING FOR, UH, AMENDMENTS TO THIS PRESENTATION TO EXPAND IT.

UH, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE WORKING GROUP BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVEN'T MADE UP OUR MIND YET ON EXACTLY WHAT THOSE WILL BE, BUT, UM, PERHAPS WE NEED TO ASK, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN YOU GIVE OUR, PRESENT THE PRESENTATION TO US, PLEASE INCLUDE X, Y, AND C.

JUST FOR, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE'RE ASKING ABOUT THE, UH, HYDROGEN, UH, WELL, WE'RE ASKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE, UH, UM, PRESENTATION, BUT HYDROGEN, UH, WAS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL PART OF THIS IN, UH, THE WORKING GROUP WE JUST ATTENDED.

AND WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE ON REPURPOSING, UH, OR AT LEAST ON HOW IT, WELL IT'S FUNCTIONING.

AND IT'S REALLY NOT HYDROGEN.

IT'S A NATURAL GAS PLANT THAT MAY SOMEDAY MYTHICALLY RUN PARTIALLY ON HYDROGEN IF THEY CAN EVER FIGURE OUT HOW TO GENERATE IT ECONOMICALLY, I WISH THEM GOD'S SPEED.

UH, IS THERE, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS, UH, ON, UH, THAT, UH, SHOULD BE ADDED TO, UH, THE, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? WE HAVE, UM, UM, THE PRESENTATION ON THE GEN PLAN A, UH, A STAFF REPORT ON GREEN CHOICE

[01:45:02]

UM, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER BRYN WHO WANTED, UH, A BRIEFING ON, UH, ECAD.

AND WE HAVE A DISCUSSION OF A PILOT PROGRAM, UH, THAT WOULD OFFER FUNDING TO 10 MULTI-FAMILY, UH, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROJECTS TO HELP ACHIEVE PASSIVE HOUSE, UH, CERTIFICATION.

AND THIS IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONERS FARMER ROBBINS, UH, MYSELF AND, UH, STONE.

AND IF ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE TO, UH, JOIN US, THAT WOULD BE, UH, GOOD.

UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT COMMISSIONERS WISH TO HEAR IN THE NEAR FUTURE? THIS IS ALLISON.

I WOULD, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE TIMING IS OF AUSTIN ENERGY'S COMMITMENT TO A NEW SET OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM GOALS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM ON OUR PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION ITEM ON OUR AGENDA BEFORE THAT DECISION IS FINALIZED, PARTICULARLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE RESOURCE AND GENERATION PLAN.

SO YOU, YOU WANT TO ADD AN ITEM, UH, ABOUT NEW ENERGY EFFICIENCY GOALS, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND DEMAND RESPONSE GOALS AND METRICS.