PARTNERSHIPS FOR INNOVATION:

STRATEGIES FROM YELLOWSTONE

U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL OF MONTANA | 2016 SUMMIT

LYNN CHAN

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT/SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT MANAGER

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

REBECCA OWENS

SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM MANAGER

XANTERRA PARKS & RESORTS

Representing the

Yellowstone Environmental Coordinating Committee

YELLOWSTONE PARTNERSHIP SCOPE Program, Projects and Beyond

REACHING PARTNERS

Mission & Who We Are

Yellowstone has become the

cornerstone for land conservation and a

leader in environmental management.

GREENING YELLOWSTONE

Our sustainability program strives to

expand this commitment to include

operations and facility adaption.

opportunitIES &ChallengeS

Unique Natural & Cultural Setting

Huge diversity of facilities and infrastructure needs across large area.

Opportunity for engagement, education and marketing

Provide services for millions of visitors.

Collaboration across disciplines , interactive teams, networking at many levels

Command Control , policies and requirements,

complicated review and approval, lack of funding.

Creativity, technical advancements, innovative teams

Need for training, technical support, staff time to lead and manage!

Successful partnerships

• Maintain NPS values while

meeting needs and desires of

partners.

• Maintain partner values while

meeting the needs of the

NPS.

• Long-term innovators stay

involved in NPS. e.g. Xanterra

Partnership TYPES

Let’s define partner…

• Concessions - Considerable improvement of government

assets.

• Non-Profits (YA/YPF) - rally diverse interests, resources.

• Corporate/Private - WE NEED YOU!

• Government Agency - grants, direction, technical

support.

• Higher Education - analysis, monitoring, technical

support, student learning.

Guidance & Direction

Yellowstone: NPS and all leased property

Sustainability : Communicating Our Standards

– EO 13693, e.g. reduce building energy intensity 2.5% annually

through FY 2025 (25% reduction) relative to FY 2015

– Green Parks Plan

– Call to Action

– Management Policies – all visitor service buildings meet LEED

Silver level

– Guiding Principles for High Performance Buildings – NPS

Sustainability Checklists incorporate LEED

Sharing Specs Addresses Low-Bid Challenge?

RequiRements… oppoRtunities?

Where do partners best fit?

Goals: Planning/Strategy

Resources: Best Practices/Technologies

Projects: Design/Development

Products: R&D/Funding/Customize

Programs: Process/Adaptive Change

Progress: Monitoring/Reporting

Outreach: Education/Communication

Partner development

Yellowstone Park Foundation (“YPF”)

– Fundraising , build relationships,

match needs and interests

Greening Yellowstone Symposiums

– Share knowledge and ideas for

targets and actions

– Developed “Strategic Plan for

Sustainability”

– Built new partnerships but…

Yellowstone LEED Projects

Gardiner Housing - 1st LEED in Montana

Old Faithful Visitor Education Center Visitor Center

Old Faithful Haynes Photo Shop - 1st LEED Historic Renovation

Old Faithful Employee Housing - 1st Platinum

Canyon Village Lodging - Largest LEED to date in NPS

Yellowstone Youth Campus - Living Building Challenge

Lake Village Employee Housing

Haynes Administrative Building

NPS EXAMPLES

OLD FAITHFUL Photoshop

Partner

Contribution

YPF funded

through donations

and product

donations

Michelin developing INVOLVEMENT

Start: Donations to YPF via travel guide proceeds.

2009: Became involved with YELL tire program.

• NPS - Low rolling resistant tires

• Michelin - Product development, exposure.

2015: KBI recycles tires permeable pavement paths.

Beyond: Interested in other transport and transit improvements for YELL

A pARtneR mVp…

TOYOTA

Donation of Prius Hybrids

Green Build and LEED

expertise provided for OF VEC

Funding support

Education and outreach

Lamar Buffalo Ranch

Camry batteries for solar

energy storage

Lamar Buffalo Ranch

• World renowned natural setting and wildlife viewing

• Historic District key to the story of the North American Bison

• Educational Facility

• Ranger Residence and Backcountry Operations base

• Off the grid

Forming a Team for Lamar

Interested partners came to planning meeting

– Set goal: zero fossil fuel use for daily operations

– Planned/Phased approach

– Partners volunteered for responsibilities

A Phased Approach

• Phase 1: Alternative Energy Sources, Monitoring

• Phase 2: Building Envelope Improvements

• Phase 3: Conversion to All-electric

Phase 1: Alternative Energy

Solar Array

Inverter Hydro-turbine

Propane Back-up Generator

Recycled Batteries

Data- Monitoring Dashboards

Lamar Grid, Facilities

Sharp Electronics, All Correct Solar,

Patriot Solar

Indy Power Systems

Montana State University

Toyota

Canyon Industries

Kohler

System Sizing

Georgia Tech Research Institute

Project Coordination NPS, YA, YPF

(CTA, Jackson)

Lessons Learned

• Long-term partnerships help success and build capacity

• Involving partners in planning helps build a sense of

ownership and commitment

• Understand donated products’ stage of development

• Manage Expectations

• Make sure partners and contractors read plans

• Some players under contract, others not, complicates

management

• Focus on communication

CLEAN CITIES • Partner in securing DOE

grants for alternative vehicles

& fuels

• Electric vehicle charging

infrastructure and plug-in EVs

others

• Window applications: Lamar, Mammoth, Canyon, OF - Andersen Windows

• Water fixtures, Green Build - Kohler

• Propane initiative for clean(er) energy - PERC

• Plastics to Carpets - Signature Carpets

• Used propane fuel canister recycling - MSU, Worthington

• Outdoor Lighting - GE, private donors, Ohio Northern University

XANTERRA EXAMPLES

Xanterra Parks & Resorts

Yellowstone National Park Lodges

Operations

(7 locations, +3000 staff)

Contractual and compliance

requirements

Corporate environmental

commitments

Legendary Hospitality with a Softer Footprint

Canyon AREA ProjeCts

• GeoMATRIX

– Outdoor

furniture

– Indoor surfaces

• CALR

– Modular

– Phased

– Min. LEED Silver

Paintbrush EMPLOYEE Housing

• YPF

– Andersen Windows

• LEED Teamwork

– Kath Williams

– 2015 Celebration

• Renewable Energy

– On-Site Energy

On-Site Energy

Renewable Energy - Contract Requirement

Approx. 30kW ~ 42,000kwh/year

PROGRAM PARTNERS

• Full Circle Biofuels – Cooking Oil Reuse (45,274 lbs. in 2014)

• Western Sustainability Exchange – Meat, etc. (38% total local food in 2014)

• Vapur – H2O Bottles

Program Partners

• Back Alley Metals –

Outdoor Waste Sorting

• Grainger –

In-room Sorting Unit

SUMMARY

Strategies

1. Think Team

2. Connect

3. Listen and Follow

4. Adapt

5. Align Goals

6. Create Proposals

7. Tell Story & Celebrate

Future PARTNERS?

• Sharing local and regional knowledge and expertise – lessons learned

• Reaching regional contractors to build knowledge about NEW best practices

• Improving infrastructure sustainability…

• EPP/Waste Diversion – regional capacity?

• GHG emissions reduction (transport)

• TELL YOUR STORY

Questions? Stay in Touch!

Contact Us

Lynn Chan

(307) 344-2622

lynn_chan@nps.gov

Rebecca Owens

(307) 344-5566

rowens@xanterra.com