Sierra Club loves green features of neighborhood

The following Op-Ed article was published in the Davis Enterprise on October 4.

By Pam Nieberg and Carolyn Hinshaw | Special to The Enterprise | October 03, 2009

On Nov. 3, the voters of Davis will have the opportunity to approve one of the most energy-efficient residential projects in Davis history.

The Sierra Club is not known for its support of housing developments, but we are urging you to vote yes on Measure P, the Wildhorse Ranch project.

Wildhorse Ranch meets the majority of the Sierra Club’s guidelines for smart growth. It is one of the most sustainable and innovative projects ever proposed for Davis. We believe it will set a new standard for green development in Davis and in the region.

Wildhorse Ranch is a small-footprint housing project with 191 units on 25.8 acres located within the Davis city limits. It will be compact, with 78 townhomes, 73 single-family homes and a 40-unit apartment complex, 38 units of which will be affordable to low- and very low-income families. The affordable apartments will be 100 percent handicap-accessible.

The developer of Wildhorse Ranch has worked with local solar and energy-efficiency professionals to design a project that will greatly limit on-site greenhouse gas emissions. Wildhorse Ranch housing units will produce just 10 percent of the GHG emissions of a typical Davis home – 0.5 metric tons per year instead of 5.5. This will be accomplished through a combination of passive solar design to reduce energy demand and extensive use of photovoltaics on every home, on parking covers and on similar structures, to reach an average of 2.4 kWs per household for a total of 458 kWs of clean solar power.

The homes will incorporate the latest technology in green construction and design including insulation, wall and roofing materials, and recycled construction products. The project will utilize high-efficiency heating and air-conditioning, highly reflective roof and wall colors to reduce solar gain, high-efficiency lighting, solar or high-efficiency water heaters, and Energy Star appliances.

To further reduce air-conditioning demand, the project will utilize a system that introduces cool, filtered outside air into the homes at night. Residents of Wildhorse Ranch will be able to monitor and adjust their energy usage 24/7 through smart metering. Wildhorse Ranch will exceed California’s energy efficiency standards by 50 percent.

We also applaud features of the project that will reduce water consumption: water-efficient irrigation, water-saving fixtures and the use of California native and drought-tolerant species throughout the landscaping. This will include the planting of native trees to help reduce temperatures and capture and sequester carbon.

An existing agricultural well that does not draw from the city drinking water aquifer will be used for watering the public greenbelts and open spaces. Project streets will be narrower to limit pavement, and storm water runoff will be slowed and infiltration increased by the use of bioswales – landscape elements designed to remove silt and pollution.

In 2006, the city of Davis joined the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which called for local and national action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to combat climate change. And in 2007, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt a strategy to reduce citywide GHG emissions. Davis has since established GHG emission thresholds, standards and mitigation guidelines for new residential development. The Wildhorse Ranch project is planned to exceed Davis standards for new residential projects by 100 percent.

For years, developers have been claiming that building truly energy-conscious homes is uneconomical and simply unrealistic. But with the global climate crisis upon us, it is this business-as-usual attitude that is unrealistic. We need a clear statement that the times have changed. The Sierra Club believes we must support and encourage developers who demonstrate that building energy-efficient residences can be accomplished while still keeping home prices realistic.

The energy-efficiency and water-conserving features built into the Wildhorse Ranch project will raise the standard for future development and make daily living more affordable for the homeowners for many years to come. As such, it will provide a model for other communities to examine as they grapple with the difficult issue of how we can reduce greenhouse gases without a significant lifestyle sacrifice.

The opportunity to go forward with a project that clearly and effectively addresses today’s primary environmental threat is here.  This is a big-picture vote and we urge you to vote yes on Measure P.

- Pam Nieberg and Carolyn Hinshaw are Davis residents and Sierra Club leaders