Flex Your Power Case Study: City of Poway

Based on figures of the SDCBIA (San Diego County Building Industry Association) Report of the 1999 Summer Power Crunch of San Diego County, the average family paid an increase on average of 10 percent on energy bills for the time period of May 1999 through October 1999 as compared to the average energy cost of the previous
three summers. Forecasts predicted an additional two to five percent increase in energy costs for the summer of 2000. Throughout the months of February, March and April, City Hall received numerous requests for rebates and energy reduction information.

The City of Poway chose a multi-faceted approach to conservation and energy efficiency. Target areas included: replacing traffic lights with light-emitting diodes (LEDs); changing to off-peak pumping at water facilities; creating a network between facilities manager’s and the city manager’s office; and hosting a conservation fair providing collateral and tips to residents. In addition Poway built an energy-efficient low-income housing complex with the goal of reducing inhabitants’ energy costs while creating a paradigm of an energy-efficient community.

The goal of the City of Poway's projects was to improve energy efficiency and to reduce energy costs.

City energy consumption dropped a county-high 27 percent in July. Lighting retrofit had expected an annual savings of $9,640 in energy costs. Brookview Village was honored at the Sixth Annual Awards Presentation for Outstanding Achievement in Affordable Housing & Community Development, an event sponsored by the San Diego Housing Federation. Brookview Village received the “San Diego Gas & Electric Efficiency Award,” the first multifamily development to receive this special recognition. Through thoughtful design and use of innovative construction materials, Brookview Village was able to exceed already ambitious energy conservation standards by 40 percent, resulting in reduced energy bills for residents and less demand on California’s energy grid. In a report made public in March 2002 by the SDCBIA and SDG&E, Brookview Community’s energy reduction for the summer of 2001 were a community average of 14-16 percent.