JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE HYBRID MEETING FORMAT June 25, 2025 at 6 pm Austin Energy Headquarters Shudde Fath Conference Room 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin, Texas 78723 Some members of the Committee may be participating by videoconference Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, email or call Rohan Lilauwala at (Rohan.lilauwala@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9394). CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Home Commission Electric Utility Commission Resource Management Commission Urban Transportation Commission Environmental Commission Zero Waste Advisory Commission Community Development Commission Austin Travis County Food Policy Board Economic Prosperity Commission Water & Wastewater Commission Parks & Recreation Board Design Commission Planning Commission Austin/Travis County Public Health Commission City Council Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Mayor’s Representative Alternate Al Braden Member Kaiba White (Chair) Charlotte Davis (Vice-Chair) GeNell Gary Vacant Haris Qureshi Vacant Vacant Andrew Smith Aaron Gonzales Chris Maxwell-Gaines Lane Becker Jon Salinas Josh Hillier Chris Crookham Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant Marissa Bell Vacant Amanda Marzullo Shelby Orme Evgenia Murkes Vacant Vacant Vacant Rodrigo Leal Anna Scott Yure Suarez Christopher Campbell Diana Wheeler Vacant N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A For more information, please visit: www.austintexas.gov/jsc AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of minutes from the April 23rd, 2025 meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff Briefing on the Environmentally Preferable Procurement Program – Matt Duree, Capital Procurement, Financial Services Department DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. 2024-2025 Joint Sustainability Committee Annual Report DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Recommendation in support of Solar on City Facilities and a Revolving Fund. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please contact Rohan Lilauwala at rohan.lilauwala@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9394 …
JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING MEETING MINUTES April 23, 2025 The Joint Sustainability Committee convened in a hybrid meeting via videoconferencing and at Austin Energy Headquarters. Board Members in Attendance in Person: Kaiba White, Chris Maxwell-Gaines, Jon Salinas, Melissa Rothrock, Isabella Changsut, Charlotte Davis Board Members in Attendance Remotely: Diana Wheeler, Shelby Orme, Marissa Bell, Alberta Phillips, Anna Scott, Heather Houser, Rodrigo Leal Board Members Absent: Amy Noel, Chris Crookham, Chris Campbell, Yure Suarez City Staff in Attendance: Rohan Lilauwala, Braden Latham-Jones, Michelle Marx, Richard Mendoza, Eric Bailey, Marcus Hammer, Barbara Shack CALL TO ORDER Chair Kaiba White called the meeting to order at 6:06 pm. Public Communication • Tom 1. Approval of minutes from the March 26rd, 2025 meeting of the Joint Sustainability Committee. • Davis motion, Maxwell-Gaines second, passes on a 10-0 vote (Salinas abstains, Leal and Bell off dais). DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. 2026 Bond Development Process – Eric Bailey and Marcus Hammer, Capital Delivery Services Department; Braden Latham-Jones, Office of Climate Action and Resilience. • Scott: How will changes in bond rates affect bond? • Bailey: If rates go up, total amount available will decrease. Prioritization matrix will help identify the most important things. Rates set on a yearly basis when the funding is needed, when city goes to market. • White: will GHG assessment be done on all projects? Life cycle? In-house? • Bailey: one of technical criteria is sustainability/environment. Working through how projects will be scored. Not enough staff to evaluate all projects – could need consultant support (probably available on existing rotation list). • Davis: how is the size of the bond package decided? • Bailey: multiple factors: bond capacity of city; how much city can deliver in 6 years. Decided as part of public process, with BEATF, council, etc. In Aug 2026, council will call for bond election – that’s when language and total dollar value will be finalized. • White: what is general range of bonding capacity? • Bailey: all debts (incl. non-voter approved bonds) affect capacity. When needs assessment was first completed, list was 600 projects, $10b. Evaluating projects against eligibility, it’s now 200 projects, $4b. Safe assumption that it’ll land under $1b, but work to be done. • Phillips: How do certificates of obligation fit in? • Bailey: Not part of 2026 plan, defers to Financial Services Department for further info. 3. I-35 Cap and Stitch Updates – Richard Mendoza …
Environmentally Preferable Procurement Program Matthew Duree| Division Chief, Capital Procurement Environmentally Preferable Procurement Program Agenda Procurement Structure: Policy and Authority Levels Environmentally Preferable Procurement (EPP) Program Procurement Categories: EPP Targets & Existing Measures Partnering for Progress: Projects Facilitated through Office of Climate Action and Resilience (OCAR) Collaboration Procurement Data Provided: Reporting Method Examples Procurement Policy and Authority Levels $.01 to $3,000 ➢ Purchases made based on a single quote ➢ Method of Payment: Pro Card or departmental purchase order (PO) ➢ Approver: Department $3,000.01 to $5,000 ➢ Purchases made based on three quotes including two contacts certified M/WBE businesses ➢ Method of Payment: Pro Card or Departmental PO ➢ Approver: Department $5,000.01 to $50,000 $50,000.01 and Above ➢ Informal solicitation conducted ➢ Formal (advertised) solicitation conducted ➢ Method of Payment: Central Purchase Order (CT) ➢ Method of Payment: CT or MA or Master Agreement (MA) ➢ Approver: Central Procurement ➢ Approver (up to CM Authority): Chief Procurement Officer ➢ Approver (above CM Authority): City Council Environmentally Preferable Procurement (EPP) Program FSD Central Procurement facilitates the EPP Program and partners with the Office of Climate Action and Resilience (OCAR) who identifies product targets, provides program guidance, and administers training. The FSD Central Procurement Manual identifies: ➢Environmentally Preferable Procurement: ▪ “Products or services that have an improved impact on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. This comparison may consider raw materials acquisitions, production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, reuse, operation, maintenance, or disposal of the product or service.” ▪ “City employees will procure materials, products, and services in a manner that integrates fiscal responsibility, social equity, and environmental and constituent health impacts. Each City Department shall comply with this policy and encourage their staff to find innovative ways to build upon the sustainable practices herein.” Construction Category Description ➢Professional services ➢Construction services EPP Target: Construction ➢Keywords: ▪ Post-consumer materials ▪ Low toxicity ▪ Locally-sourced ▪ LEED certifiable ➢Avoid: ▪ Mercury ▪ Lead ▪ Chemically-treated wood Existing EPP Measures ➢Engineering and Architectural design services ▪ LEED ➢Construction services ▪ Low carbon concrete ▪ Equipment emissions reduction ▪ Stormwater pollution prevention ➢Wage ▪ Prevailing wage ▪ Wage theft Electric Utility Category Description EPP Target: Power ➢Spending to support ➢Keywords: ▪ Energy efficient ▪ Carbon neutrality ▪ Solar power Austin Energy operations such as: ▪ Power generation ▪ Power distribution ▪ Utility regulatory and market consulting …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Joint Sustainability Committee Recommendation Number 20250625-004: Resolution on Revolving Fund for Solar and Efficiency Investments at City Properties WHEREAS, on August 8, 2019, the Austin City Council adopted a resolution declaring a climate emergency and calling “for an immediate emergency mobilization to restore a safe climate” and directing the city manager to take steps to accelerate local greenhouse gas emissions reductions; and WHEREAS, on September 30, 2021, the Austin City Council adopted the Austin Climate Equity Plan, which established a goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for the Austin Community by 2040; and WHEREAS, on December 12, 2024, the Austin City Council adopted the Austin Energy Resource, Generation and Climate Protection Plan to 2035, which reaffirmed energy efficiency, local solar, demand response and customer-sited batteries as priority strategies for meeting Austin’s energy needs; and WHEREAS, Austin’s Climate Implementation Plan identifies creating a climate revolving fund to invest in energy upgrades to city facilities, capture savings, and reinvest funds for additional investment as a foundational action and identifies installing solar at city facilities one of the few actions to create cost savings for the city; and WHEREAS, other cities and counties across the country have established revolving funds and successfully implemented them to address challenges; and WHEREAS, the City of San Antonio has invested $42 million into its revolving fund for energy efficiency upgrades and solar installations at city properties and the resulting savings are available for additional investments; and WHEREAS, most City of Austin buildings that could functionally support solar energy installations do not yet have them; and WHEREAS, many City of Austin buildings are in need of energy efficiency improvements, and other upgrades that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut costs; and WHEREAS, investing in solar energy that is interconnected on the customer’s side of the meter yields the greatest financial benefit to the customer; and WHEREAS, the climate crisis is worsening and the opportunity to avoid catastrophic impacts of global warming is rapidly diminishing; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Joint Sustainability Committee of the City of Austin recommends that the Austin City Council move swiftly to ensure that the City Manager establishes a revolving Sustainable City Facilities Fund to pay for solar energy installations on city buildings and other city properties and to make energy efficiency and water efficiency upgrades and stop refrigerant leakage at city facilities. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that …
