Petaluma Climate Action Chair Edminster Hired by PG&E to Develop Zero Net Energy Builder Resource Guide & Primer for Architects Prior to Transition to State's 2019 Energy Code
For years, Edminster has been hired by PG&E as a Consultant for energy efficiency measures. Does she serve the best interests of the utility giants or Petaluma Residents?
Prior to serving on the Petaluma Climate Action Commission, Chair Ann Edminster, Design AVEnues LLC, was contracted with PG&E in 2018 to develop a Zero Net Energy Builder Resource Guide as part of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s Zero Net Energy Production Builder Demonstration.
This Zero Net Energy Builders’ Resource Guide was developed as a reference for builders interested in advancing their homes towards zero net energy (ZNE) performance, as an outgrowth of PG&E’s prior demonstration efforts with production builders.
BACKGROUND
PG&E has engaged in numerous ZNE activities in response to California’s by now widely-known goal of having new residential construction achieve ZNE by 2020. In the forthcoming Title 24-2019 and subsequent code cycles, the energy code will continue to advance towards ZNE, and PG&E remains committed to supporting the builder community in meeting the State’s energy goals.
Earlier phases of the ZNE Production Builder Demonstration provided many insights about strategies that made ZNE achievable at lowest cost – or even at savings – compared with standard construction. (A full description of one project is provided in Final Report, March 2017, PG&E Zero Net Energy Production Builder Demonstration, Habitat for Humanity of San Joaquin County Dream Creek Subdivision, Stockton, CA – available for download at https://www.etcc-ca.com/reports/ zero-net-energy-production-builderdemonstration.)
Ms. Edminster shared the following on her blog:
The American Institute of Architects California Council recently published the Zero Net Energy Primer. I had the privilege of developing the Primer for them under a contract with PG&E. The Primer (if I do say so myself) is a handsome, concise, and accessible guide — a mere 24 pages, including lots of pictures of ZNE homes of all flavors (small, large, single- and multifamily, luxury and affordable). The AIACC’s goal in publishing the document is to ease the task facing California architects with the roll-out of the State’s 2019 energy code (“Title 24”). The new code will go into effect January 1, 2020 and — while it doesn’t quite get us to ZNE — represents a significant advance in residential energy performance, and the first time that homes will be required to install renewable energy systems. (Of course, there will be byes for projects where it’s simply not feasible to install them.) The Primer will, I hope, help architects get a handle on the ZNE requirements ahead of the looming 2020 deadline.
Kudos and many thanks to designer Debra Turner for the engaging design, and to architect Steven Lee for his terrific illustrations.
As a paid consultant for Sonoma Clean Power, Ms. Edminster led a webinar series titled Home Remodeling for Resiliency and Fuel Switching to educate consumers on programs & incentives offered through PG&E & BAYREN for home electrification.
Habitat for Humanity of San Joaquin County partnered with PG&E in the ZNE Production Builder Demonstration beginning in 2015, assisted by Ms. Edminster’s Design AVEnues consulting team. PG&E funded the Consultants' contribution and provided the builder with a cost reimbursement of up to $15,000 to offset the cost of upgraded equipment and some learning curve costs associated with design and drawing changes.
On December 23, 2020, Ms. Edminster sent the following letter to the California Energy Commission:
December 23, 2020
California Energy Commission
Docket Office, MS-4 Re: Docket No. 19-BSTD-03
1516 Ninth Street Sacramento, CA 95814
docket@energy.ca.gov
Re: Staff Workshop: 2022 Energy Code Pre-Rulemaking – December 8 Workshop Proposed 2022 Energy Code
Dear Commissioners,
On behalf of the Campaign for Fossil Free Buildings in Silicon Valley (FFBSV), we would like to comment on the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) 2022 Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Energy Code) proposal introduced at the December 8 workshop. We appreciate the CEC’s efforts to set an all-electric baseline for heat pumps to encourage and accelerate the construction of zero-emission buildings. However, not only must the new energy code remove all barriers to electric buildings, it should require all-electric new construction across the board. In fact, all-electric new construction is known to be cheaper, save money, improve public health, and constitute a critical response to the climate crisis that we are all living in.
FFBSV includes the 33 organizations listed above, working together to support an accelerated phase out of fossil fuels in buildings. A rapid transition away from fossil fuel use is critical to avoid the very worst and irreversible impacts of climate change. Preventing the use of fossil fuels, including natural gas, in new construction will create more affordable, cleaner, healthier, and more resilient housing and buildings for communities throughout California.
The resilience of all-electric new construction is paramount as we face longer and more destructive wildfire seasons and increasing Public Safety Power Shutdowns. Not only are new gas appliances inoperable during grid outages (for instance, pilot lights are now prohibited for new appliances for safety reasons), gas service also takes far longer to restore than electricity after an emergency outage. In addition, fossil gas use in homes and buildings has become one of the largest sources of carbon emissions in California, threatening the stability of our climate.
Building Electrification is an Urgent Climate Action Wildfires have burned over 4 million acres in California in 2020 with five of the largest wildfires on record this year, costing over $18 billion.1 There is no doubt that we’re already living with the dangerous consequences of climate change including a five-fold increase of wildfires.2 Communities throughout the state also face severe flooding, more intense heat waves and extreme weather disruptions. We cannot put off action any longer to cut methane and carbon, and transition off of fossil fuels. In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that we must dramatically reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 through rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented measures. 3 Since that report was issued, we have seen greater impacts from climate change than anticipated.4 Current trends for carbon emissions and lack of action show that we are headed to twice the rate of warming that the Paris Climate Accord sought to contain.
In California, 40 municipalities have adopted all-electric requirements for new construction to avoid new fossil gas use because, in addition to the urgent climate action needed, there are many benefits to community health, safety, and affordability, including:
Economic: All-electric homes are less expensive to build (saving roughly $3,000 or more for each new apartment unit, for example). In all of the buildings analyzed by the 2019 Nonresidential New Construction Reach Code Cost Effectiveness Study, all-electric versions cost less to construct than their mixed-fuel counterparts. All-Electric buildings are also more efficient. For example, according to the California Energy Commission, a modern high efficiency heat pump electric water heater (available now at major retailers) costs roughly one third less on utility bills to operate than the most efficient gas water heater.5 In addition, all-electric buildings include air conditioning combined with heating, resulting in less equipment, reduced maintenance costs and greater climate resilience.
Public Safety: Fossil gas is highly flammable. In the past ten years, 9,000 gas explosions in the U.S. have killed over 500 people, and gas leaks have displaced and sickened thousands of people.6 Fossil Gas also caused half the fires after two major California earthquakes.
Public Health: Gas stoves release smog-forming compounds such as nitrogen dioxide, unburnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide pollution that doubles risks for heart and lung disease and triples the use of asthma medications.8 In fact, studies have shown that children living in homes using gas for cooking have a more than 40% higher risk of having asthma. 9 Further, improperly vented gas appliances lead to carbon monoxide poisoning that results in thousands of emergency room visits and several hundred deaths every year.10
Resilience: All-electric code today prevents a complex, costly and likely inevitable switch to electricity in the future, since gas prices are expected to rise sharply, and California is planning to eventually end gas distribution. PG&E has asked for a 24% gas rate increase and SoCalGas, a 42% increase, over the next couple years, and this is just the beginning.
The recent national election was the first to feature the climate crisis as a pivotal issue, making coordinated federal action on climate a new possibility.ix However, achieving meaningful progress will not be easy or timely. California must continue to be a leader on climate policy and community resilience, laying a strong foundation for broader action. Please continue California’s legacy of climate leadership with an all-electric building code in 2022. We urge you to adopt the policy in this code cycle, as will save money and energy, and is critically needed in this true climate crisis. Thank you for considering our comments.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Gould, MD, President, San Francisco Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility
Kathleen Goforth, U.S. EPA (retired), Climate Reality Project, and Citizens’ Climate Lobby
Bruce Naegel, Carbon Free Silicon Valley, Sustainable Silicon Valley Kristel Wickham, Sunnyvale Cool
Ann Edminster, Design AVEnues LLC and Climate Reality Project Sonoma-Marin Building Electrification Squad
Jennifer Thompson, Sustainable Silicon Valley
Bruce Hodge, Founder, Carbon Free Palo Alto
Suzanne Emerson, San Carlos Green Justine Burt, Founder, Appraccel
Sven Thesen, Founder, ProjectGreenHome.org
Jeralyn Moran, Co-Chair, Green Sanctuary Committee, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Palo Alto
Diane Bailey, Executive Director, Menlo Spark
Per a December 16, 2021 press release issued by the Building Decarbonization Coalition:
Today, the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) and its partners launched the “Switch Is On“ campaign to help Californians switch from gas-powered to all-electric appliances. This campaign is the first of its kind in California, and hopes to serve as a template for similar programs across the nation. An all-electric home reduces health risks, contributes to a more resilient energy system, supports the state’s decarbonization goals, and in many cases can save money for homeowners.
“The only way California — and the world at large — will meet its climate goals will be to electrify our homes and businesses,” said Panama Bartholomy, Executive Director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition. “Modern electric appliances are cleaner, more efficient, and simply better than gas-powered alternatives. By sharing knowledge with everyday Americans and guiding them through the process of electrifying their homes, this campaign will catalyze the transformation to a cleaner, safer energy future.”
In addition to promoting regional and statewide incentives for electrification, the “Switch Is On“ campaign will educate, inspire, and support Californians who want to join the movement to electrify their homes. People can visit Switchison.org to speak one-on-one with home electrification advisors, find vetted contractors, get information on incentives and rebates, and find additional resources about home electrification.
The campaign’s statewide launch comes after a 2020 pilot program promoting electrification in the Bay Area and two years of market research. Through creative media, a grassroots ambassador program and a robust website, the campaign educates people about the value of swapping out gas-powered water heaters, dryers, cooktops and furnaces for electric alternatives, and provides information on a variety of incentives to support the switch. The campaign also educates homeowners about clean energy initiatives such as energy efficiency and weatherization, and related technologies like home solar and battery storage.
“The need to electrify everything is one of the most important climate narratives of our lifetime, and not enough people are talking about it,” said Saul Griffith, Co-founder of Rewiring America and author of Electrify! “The Switch Is On campaign is a needed, timely and critical effort that will educate Californians about how they can electrify their lives with technology that already exists, and save money on their bills without sacrificing their lifestyles. It turns out that we can all do our part to address climate change by improving our personal infrastructure. We are excited to help the Building Decarbonization Coalition build this movement, and to promote the campaign’s success.”
“I couldn’t be happier living in a decarbonized home,” said Ann Edminster of Petaluma. “The Switch Is On campaign will help Californians understand the benefits of swapping out their gas appliances for electric ones that are better for their health, convenience, and the environment. I have no hesitation recommending electrification to all my friends, neighbors, and family.”
The campaign is supported by TECH Clean California, a statewide initiative under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), designed to accelerate the adoption of clean space and water heating technology by providing incentives and training to support contractors electrifying homes. Additional campaign partners include Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN), East Bay Community Energy, Peninsula Clean Energy, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), City of Santa Monica, City of San Jose, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, Central Coast Community Energy, Marin Clean Energy, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), and the Tri-Country Regional Energy Network (3C-REN).
The Switch Is On campaign can be found at www.switchison.org. All Californians — including homeowners, renters and contractors — are encouraged to go to the website to learn more and get support in electrifying their homes. Those who have already begun their electrification journey can join the campaign’s ambassador program here.
About The Building Decarbonization Coalition
Launched in 2018, the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC) forges public-private partnerships among government authorities, utilities, manufacturers, builders and other vital sector stakeholders. These diverse and dynamic partnerships drive the development of clean energy powered, zero-emission homes, commercial Buildings and communities.
On February 10, 2022, the Petaluma Argus Courier shared the following article:
Petaluma resident Ann Edminster said she “came out of the womb” practically knowing she had a connection to the environment. Now, she leads a recently-launched, statewide campaign to encourage Californians and Petalumans alike to do their part in the movement to curb climate change.
Edminster, who heads Design AVEnues LLC and is Chair of the Petaluma’s Climate Action Commission, has partnered with the Building Decarbonization Coalition to launch the “Switch Is On“ campaign statewide in an effort to help others switch from gas-powered to all-electric appliances.
“There’s so much to be concerned about in terms of climate change,” Edminster said in a phone interview. “It’s really important for people to understand that there are things they can do that actually are going to move things in the right direction.”
Moving to Petaluma more than two years ago from Pacifica where she grew up, she had her first run-in with human-caused environmental destruction in 1969, when roughly three million gallons of oil spilled into the Santa Barbara coastline. Edminster recalls jumping to action to aid in the cleanup efforts after oil had traveled up the coast.
“There were a whole bunch of us teenagers who helped clean up birds that arrived on our beach just saturated in oil from that spill,” Edminster said. “That was tragically memorable.”
Though she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in architecture, the rise of what Edminster called a “green building movement” in the 1980s drew her to head back for a master’s degree at UC Berkeley in 1993.
“It still wasn’t really being called green building, but I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” Edminster said. “I was married and I had my own business, but I figured the only way I was really going to make this shift in my life is to go back to school and that would kind of force me to dedicate my time to this. So certainly that was a pivotal decision and definitely marked a turning point in my career.”
Since, Edminster has centered her everyday life on shaping the building industry to be more eco-friendly. In 2009 she founded the consultant business Design AVEnues LLC, which provides education, research and design coaching on sustainable homes and communities to a wide range of organizations. She’s worked with teams at Pacific Gas & Electric, the Bay Area Regional Energy Network, setting up curriculum and workshops for employees to help them become more aware of the clean energy options in the industry. And in the same year she founded her thriving business, she even published the award-winning book, “Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet.“
Her career expanded once again in December when she helped launch a statewide campaign to encourage other Californians to join in the goal to work toward having a completely clean energy grid in the next two decades, alongside the Building Decarbonization Coalition, which helps connect building industry stakeholders with energy providers, environmental organizations and local governments to power homes with clean energy.
“The only way California – and the world at large – will meet its climate goals will be to electrify our homes and businesses,” Panama Bartholomy, executive director of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, said in a recent news release. “By sharing knowledge with everyday Americans and guiding them through the process of electrifying their homes, this campaign will catalyze the transformation to a cleaner, safer energy future.”
The “Switch Is On” campaign comes after a 2020 pilot program promoting electrification in the Bay Area and two years of market research, and strives to educate people about the value of swapping out gas-powered water heaters, dryers, stoves and furnaces for electric alternatives.
Edminster said that many people over time have had the misconception that installing electric appliances also comes with environmental costs. But because the state has decreased the burning of fossil fuels to power the electric grid, our energy use has become cleaner in recent decades as wind, solar and hydro energy becomes more prominent. California established a goal of using only electricity from renewable energy and other zero-carbon sources at its grid by 2045.
“I’m hoping that we can convey the impression that switching from natural gas to electric appliances has a myriad of benefits and it should be something people are eager to do and excited to do,” Edminster said. “Because not only is it great from a climate change perspective, but it creates a much healthier indoor environment.”
This morning, Ms. Edminster sent me the following email:
Ms. Flores,
From this article in the Press Democrat, it appears that harassing public servants is a hobby of yours, and one that is extremely costly to taxpayers. It is unfortunate that you are ignorant of the basic requirements regarding conflict of interest, and that you limit your pathetic attempts at "research" to news articles and social media. Please cease your misinformation campaign and give us all a break. Petaluma City commissioners all file our FPPC paperwork at the direction of the City's Counsel, fully compliant with FPPC requirements. Like your 160 FPPC complaints reported on in the PD article, this recent spate will likewise be proven baseless. Your tactics are cowardly and hateful. Shame on you for abusing the trust of the public.
Ann V. Edminster, M.Arch. (she/her)
I responded as such:
Ms. Edminster,
Guilty individuals are eager to point fingers when caught in a terrible lie. For the record, the FPPC opens cases when there is probable cause to investigate conflicts of interest further. SCOE Trustee Herman Hernandez is facing a hearing on 9/19 for omitting his sources of income since 2014 (see attached). I submitted the initial sworn complaint. What is baseless, Ms. Edminster? Perhaps you are upset because I reported your personal conflicts to the FPPC last Friday?
Surely, you are aware that The Press Democrat is owned by Governor Newsom's lobbyist, Mr. Darius Anderson, founder of Platinum Advisors lobbying firm? I have written many articles detailing Mr. Anderson's fraud. Therefore, he launched a smear campaign against me.
https://californiaglobe.com/fr/how-newsom-makes-funds-for-fire-victims-disappear/
https://californiaglobe.com/fr/opinion-california-representatives-emphasize-profit-over-people/
https://californiaglobe.com/fr/opinion-california-representatives-emphasize-profit-over-people/
https://californiaglobe.com/fr/was-the-sonoma-equity-office-driving-the-covid-19-narrative/
https://californiaglobe.com/articles/opinion-governors-ganja-gang-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving/
The County admitted that they blatantly lied to the Press Democrat about the taxpayer monies spent on records requests. I have attached this correspondence for your reference. In 2024, this County labeled racism as a public health crisis. The data was provided by Deputy County Counsel Robert Pittman. I had written an article about his husband's affiliation with a Democratic dark money laundering ring just a few months prior.
The white liberals such as yourself attack any minority who speaks out against them. God Bless you, and I encourage you to not to project your internal character upon others.
Is any of Ms. Edminster’s advocacy for full electrification of Petaluma homes driven by the funding she has received from PG&E? If not, how does she justify the tremendous conflict of interest that has been presented? Is she ignorant to the astronomical increase in rate hikes that homeowners will experience by the utility giants through forcing electrification? Who will be able to afford a home?
“The theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property.”
-Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto
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