The city of Ventura’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP) was tentatively approved on July 24, but because of a mountain of suggestions, it has been continued to Monday, September 11 and may include some revisions.
Meanwhile, our Ventura Sierra Club has been in the thick of it, and member Joe Connett (PE, MSCE, MSSM) has compiled a list that would improve upon it. In a letter to the council, he said “I carefully watched the CARP discussions during your recent meeting and want to express my admiration for the attention you paid to the critical issue at hand. I agree with the observations made, both by council members and speakers, that the CARP we saw, at best, serves as a starting point requiring additional work.”
He urged the City to implement an “improved CARP, or if more prudent, supplementary documents that list the specific, measurable, and budgeted actions that the City will take now and, in the future, to address climate change.”
He continued with suggestions:
“As a Professional Engineer dedicated to mitigating climate change throughout my career as a civilian with the US Navy, I earnestly implore you to embrace Reach Codes. Please don't let us fall behind our sister cities across the state, who have taken proactive steps with Reach Codes to address the crisis.”
“To move forward, I recommend the adoption of the following Reach Codes:”
- All-Electric Building Code: Would mandate all new buildings to be all-electric, reducing emissions from fossil fuel usage for heating and cooking by eliminating gas service to new constructions.
- Energy Efficiency Code: By requiring new buildings to be designed with a strong focus on energy efficiency, we can significantly reduce energy demands for heating and cooling, effectively lowering emissions.
- Low Carbon Materials: Encourage or mandate the use of low-carbon or carbon-neutral building materials.
- Solar Panel Requirement: Embracing renewable energy, this code would make it mandatory for new buildings to be equipped with solar panels.
- Water Efficiency Code: To ensure responsible use of water resources, this code promotes designs that prioritize water efficiency in new constructions.
- Electric Vehicle Ready Code: Encouraging a greener future, this code ensures new buildings are pre-wired for electric vehicle charging, promoting the adoption of electric vehicles.
- District Energy Code: Taking a holistic approach, this code focuses on reducing energy consumption and emissions at the district level, offering more efficient heating and cooling solutions, and integrating renewable energy sources.