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63 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT <br /> RESOLUTION <br /> Incentive Program for Energy Efficient Construction <br /> WHEREAS, energy efficiency is the lowest cost, cleanest, and most underutilized resource for <br /> meeting our energy needs; and <br /> WHEREAS, energy efficiency in new construction enhances comfort and saves money for the <br /> occupants of those structures for the life of the structure; and <br /> WHEREAS, there are split incentives between builders and occupants when it comes to <br /> investments in energy efficiency in new buildings because those efficiency measures can add <br /> costs for builders that result in savings for later occupants;and <br /> WHEREAS, saving money by using less energy would most benefit low-income residents who <br /> pay the largest percentage of their incomes on monthly power bills; and <br /> WHEREAS, energy efficiency measures, by lessening the need to produce new electricity from <br /> burning fossil fuels, will reduce air pollution and save money for all rate payers by minimizing <br /> the need for energy producers to invest in new production and transmission capacity; and <br /> WHEREAS, state law allows county and city governments to enact incentives for energy <br /> efficient construction in the form of rebating permitting fees, but otherwise does not allow local <br /> governments to require more energy efficient construction than is already required by the state <br /> building code; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Town of Chapel Hill adopted an incentive program for energy efficiency <br /> construction, allowing for rebates of permitting fees for energy efficient construction that meets <br /> certain objective benchmarks in the Ephesus-Fordham District: and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County is committed to reducing the energy usage of its own buildings and <br /> has invested in several successful energy efficiency projects to lower long-term costs and <br /> reduce environmental impacts; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: <br /> That the Orange County Comission for the Environment (CFE) recommends that the Orange <br /> County Board of County Commissioners adopt an incentive program that rebates permitting <br /> fees, modeled after the program adopted by the Town of Chapel Hill, for new commercial and <br /> residential construction and look for creative ways to encourage low or no-cost energy efficiency <br /> upgrades to existing buildings, primarily targeted at our lowest-income neighbors to provide <br /> them with savings on their utility bills. <br /> This the 9th day of November, 2015. <br /> Jan Sassaman, Chair <br /> Orange County Commission for the Environment <br />