Energy Saving TreesSave with Shade

Patti BestIdaho Power

A Utility Planting Trees?• Utilities have energy efficiency programs• 37 percent of a home’s energy use can go toward cooling• Properly placed trees reduce energy used for cooling

– 15 percent or more• Other environmental benefits

37%

14%13%

13%

10%

7%6%

Summer Energy Use

Cooling

Appliances

Lighting

Refrigeration

Water Heating

Electronics

Misc.

What Makes An Efficiency Program Work?

• Many utilities run energy efficiency programs.• Subject to regulatory oversight• All programs must be cost-effective and provide maximum

energy benefits– Energy savings must exceed costs for company and customer

• For tree planting, a sustainable program depends on– Planting the right tree in the right location– Ensuring the tree survives

Why Now?

New tools and great partnerships made it easy:• Treasure Valley Urban Tree Canopy Assessment demonstrates

tree planting potential in our area

• Arbor Day’s Energy Saving Trees tool identifies and promotes the best planting site around each participant’s home

• Support from our community partners provides opportunities to teach participants how to plant and care for their tree

Community PotentialTreasure Valley Urban Canopy Assessment Tool

Potential Planting Area

• GIS based study that mapped land use, roads, buildings,

• Picture of sun over house

Location Matters

Energy Efficiency PotentialWest is Best (Blue Dots)

Arbor Day Partnership

Energy Saving Trees Tool

70 percent of people targeted with the UTC assessment chose western location

55 percent of people not targeted chose western location

Next Step: Deliver trees to participant and ensure they are planted properly

Tree Events

• 3 to 4 events over 3 days• Held at nurseries and local

park• Educational focus

– Planting depth– Watering practices– Mulching– Staking

Results

• More than 2,000 trees distributed to date• Great partnerships developed with local arborists and

communities • Very happy customers• Leftover trees donated

What’s Next

• Continue to evaluate energy savings• Site visits planned in 2015 to check on tree health, verify results• Work on ways to distribute/manage unclaimed trees• Potentially expand to other parts of service area• Look for more options to procure trees locally and support

neighborhood nurseries• Expand program to maximize multiple benefits. Find best tree

types and planting location for energy savings, storm water benefits and air quality.

Questions?Ideas?

BGE/Arbor Day FoundationEnergy Saving Trees Program

Save the ShadeLynn S. Hrdlick

BGE Corporate Relations

10%

42%

17%

24%

7% Arts & Culture

Community & Neigh-borhood

Education

Environment

Health & Human Services

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BGE– 262 grants totaling $3,571,239

Diversity Amount

Age/Youth $857,625

Disabilities $153,500

Ethnicity/African American $210,500

Ethnicity/Latino $56,500

Ethnicity/Multi $361,254

Other $59,440

Grants by Program Area & Diversity

Program Area Amount

Arts & Culture $366,880Community & Neighborhood Development $1,499,871

Education $614,530Environment $851,958Health & Human Services $238,000

50%

9%

12%3%

21%

3% Age/Youth

Disabilities

Ethnicity/African Amer-ican

Ethnicity/Latino

Ethnicity/Multi

Other

3

A Community Partnership

A strategic tree planting energy-efficiency program

What is Energy Saving Trees?

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Energy-Saving Trees is a turnkey, customer focused program that provides energy efficiency, positive community relations, and education to residents on the best place to plant a tree on their property

Energy Efficiency

Peak Demand

Positive Relationships

Education

Positive Media

How Does it Work Program is centered around an interactive mapping tool to show

customers the best place to plant a tree and their energy savings in years 5, 10 and 20.– Customer verification setup– Personalized data– Focus on right tree in the right place

2’ to 4' bare root trees delivered directly to customer; Arbor Day call center to answer questions and take orders; Planting instructions, right tree right place graphics, and call 811

material; Community benefit and energy saving reports; Sample marketing material easily customized by BGE; Distribution line GIS data integrated into tool. Tree species offered: Basswood, Yellowwood, Eastern Redbud, White

Dogwood, Shadblow Serviceberry, and Willow Oak

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Customer Energy Saving Trees Program Interactive Map

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BGE Program Snapshot Program started in spring of 2013: • 20,674 trees distributed• 11,798 homeowners engaged

Estimated Energy and Community Benefits:• 34,118.10 mWhs Saved • 1,369,979 Therms Saved • 75,814.38 tons of CO2

sequestered or avoided• 189,000,000 gallons of

stormwater filtered

Other program benefits • First program to incorporate GIS

data• 12 different tree species offered

* Numbers based on at maturity

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2014 BGE/Arbor Day Foundation Program

Spring customer tree program (two trees per customer)- 7,500 trees

October/November – planting 350 large trees in the City of Baltimore

- Offset RM43 tree trimming requirements mandated by the Public Service Commission for

entire BGE service area- Positive impact on the Mayor’s initiative to increase the City’s tree canopy- Partnership with local non-profits to plant the trees- Opportunity for employees to volunteer and plant trees

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Example of Tree Trimming Requirement

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BGE Volunteer Tree Planting

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City Tree Planting

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2015 BGE/Arbor Day Foundation Program

Spring customer tree program (two trees per customer) October/November – planting 125 large trees in the City of

Annapolis- Offset RM43 tree trimming requirements

mandated by the Public Service Commission for entire BGE service area

- Positive impact on the Mayor’s initiative to increase the City’s tree canopy

- Partnership with local non-profits to plant the trees

- Opportunity for employees to volunteer and plant trees

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Questions/Comments?

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