Climate Action and Resiliency

Summary of Objective Implementation Status

NEW COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER

The existing 1950’s designed, sprawling County Administration Campus located in Santa Rosa, California, no longer serves the needs of our community, nor does not it represent the highest and best use of valuable property assets. Replacement of some of the existing buildings has been a reaffirmed Board priority over the past several years. In March 2022, the Board opted not to move forward with securing the selected property (former Sears site), and approve a commensurate financing plan, and instead directed staff to re-visit the feasibility and finances financial feasibility of replacing/rebuilding on the existing campus site with phasing approach without the need to allocate temporary workspace during construction.

Based on this direction, Public Infrastructure  staff have renewed investigation of this scenario using existing baseline assumptions from The Comprehensive County Facilities Plan (CCFP) prepared by Gensler Architects and approved by the Board in 2013.  The assumptions for departmental program, defining spatial square footage and adjacency needs were revalidated by County departments in December 2021.   County Administrator’s Office (CAO) Financial staff have developed cost/financing scenarios as directed, with the assistance of KNN Public Finance based on the new options and fiscal parameters identified by the County Administrator.

The baseline for the design of new facilities will be the California Green Building Standards Code. The California Green Building Standards Code—Part 11, Title 24, California Code of Regulations—known as CALGreen, is the first-in-the-nation mandatory green building standards code. In 2007, CBSC developed green building standards in an effort to meet the goals of California’s landmark initiative AB 32, which established a comprehensive program of cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gases (GHG) to 1990 levels by 2020.  The Board may consider the adoption of the US Green Building  Committee’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) formal accreditation program to monitor performance towards sustainability goals to exceed CALGreen requirements within budget constraints.

Staff have engaged Integrated Waste Operations and Sonoma County Waste Management Agency/Zero Waste as a stakeholder in design, construction waste management and for operations during occupancy .

EXISTING BUILDINGS

As County Government Center is pending further direction from the Board,  projects in existing buildings are progressing to address deferred maintenance issues or operational needs.  The Board has approved the County’s participation in PG&E’s Sustainable Solutions Turnkey (SST) program. In this program the County will obtain “investment grade” audits of the energy and water use in our existing buildings and will create an Energy Master Plan (EMP).  PG&E’s consultant, Willdan Energy is in the process of evaluating  energy demands of various systems on the county properties and opportunities for energy reduction projects including changing light fixtures, water heaters, insulation and sealants.  Various project have been funded through Capital Improvements including:

• EOC Cooling System Repairs
• Replace County Center HVAC Controls
• County Center Microgrid feasibility
• Replace High Efficiency Boilers a the Central Mechanical Plant
• MADF Boiler replacement
• MADF Tempered Water System replacement

The Climate and Resilience Division is conducting a greenhouse gas inventory, which will provide the County with baseline greenhouse gas emissions from all County operations, a necessary prerequisite to achieving carbon neutrality.

Key Milestone Update

On January 5, 2021, staff  requested selection of a preferred site  after several alternatives had been presented and financing plan.  The Board directed further studies for a downtown Santa Rosa location with additional financial studies.   The site was identified to be the the former location of the Sears department store in downtown Santa Rosa. The site was found to be eligible for low cost federal loans under the Transportation Infrastructure Financing Innovation Act (TIFIA) due to it’s proximity to the SMART rail system. Financial studies were based on the  execution strategy referred to as a Public-Private-Partnership (P3).  The scope of the P3 would have included design, construction, financing, operations  and maintenance.

On March 1, 2022, the Board deferred vote  on the Sears site and requested staff to investigate opportunities That would not require site acquisition, maintain current operations during construction and not require rental of temporary offices.

Staff will be returning to the Board with analysis of a potential project located at the County Administration Center on January 24, 2023.  The analysis will include bond financing analysis based on a location at the County Administration Center and procured through  more typical means including design-build or construction manager at risk, rather than P3.  County Government Center is delayed one year.

Coordination and Partnership Update

This objective has direct impacts on several other objectives including:

• RI 1.2 Standards for Office improvements:  The new CGC will establish standards that can be applied to existing offices;
  • Development of criteria for the new facilities include establishment of a Space Utilization Standard.  This standard will provide a consistent means to allocate space based on the number of staff in a department.
  • The standards will endeavor will reduce carbon impacts through reduction of  the building area , but will also provide opportunities to enhance collaboration in workplace design.
• RI 2.3 Design and build a new, resilient Emergency Operations Center (EOC).:  The new EOC will be part of the procurement for the new CGC;
  • The EOC will be referred to as the “Emergency Coordination Center (ECC)”
  • The ECC will include conference facilities which may be used in non-emergency days.  Operations of the ECC are projected to expand to accommodate staff supporting ECC sections during emergencies but are anticipated to be available for other uses  in other times.
• CAR 2.3 Design or retrofit County facilities to be carbon neutral, zero waste and incorporate resilient construction techniques and materials:  design standards for the CGC will be carbon neutral;
  • The baseline for the design of new facilities will be the California Green Building Standards Code. The California Green Building Standards Code—Part 11, Title 24, California Code of Regulations—known as CALGreen, is the first-in-the-nation mandatory green building standards code. In 2007, CBSC developed green building standards in an effort to meet the goals of California’s landmark initiative AB 32, which established a comprehensive program of cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gases (GHG) to 1990 levels by 2020.  The Board may consider the adoption of the US Green Building  Committee’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) formal accreditation program to monitor performance towards sustainability goals to exceed CALGreen requirements within budget constraints.
• CAR 3.3 Carbon Eliminating Microgrid:  As part of CGC’ s Triple net-zero goal energy independence and self-generation concepts will be utilized.
  • The County is partnering with Pacific Gas and Electric’s (PG&E) Sustainable Solution Turnkey program where Investment Grade Audits (IGA) will be performed to to identify strategies  for incorporation of a microgrid (solar panels and battery storage).  The IGA’s may also identify financing opportunities in which to fund construction.
  • Currently, the IGA is performing a load analysis of  long term electricity requirements of County buildings .

Community, Equity, and Climate Update

Environmental studies, which include opportunities for formal public outreach and public comment, in addition to community and stakeholder engagement processes are planned for the new County Government Center project.

– Following Board direction in January 2023, staff will be prepared to scope and direct consultants to begin environmental studies.

The new County Government Center project will support partnerships with cities and community stakeholders by ensuring fully accessible in-person facilities and remote access systems. Its proximity to other County services will support increased direct access by residents and build social capital through delivery of services.

Staff will work with leads in the Racial Justice and Social Equity Pillar to address the social equity considerations that could be part of the facility needs assessment and design.

-Recent negotiations with labor on Project Labor Agreements (to maximize union participation during construction) indicate common goals to advance social justice and racial equity goals during construction.

Funding Narrative
Funds have been received for procurement, legal consultation through outside counsel, environmental studies and  staff support for the County Government Center

Climate Action funds have been received to support energy improvements at the Santa Rosa Veterans Building in addition to installation of a microgrid.  Energy improvements were funded for $901,230 and the microgrid funded for $870,000

A financing plan will be presented to the Board in early 2023  to  seek direction on cost limitations  and location.  No funds for construction  are identified.

Additionally, the Climate and Resilience Division is working on a Waste Audit request for proposal. Funding from the Climate Resilience Fund is supporting an effort by Zero Waste Sonoma and the Public Infrastructure department to initiate a project that would help to lower waste from construction and demolition.