Environmental Program Sample Proposal

Thank you for the opportunity to apply for your Green County Pilot Program. Verdanz Partners is new consortium of experienced architects environmental engineers and construction experts who specialize in designing and constructing self sustaining communities. The costs referenced in this proposal are good for sixty days. We look forward to working with you to create one of the most environmentally friendly communities in the country.

Green County Pilot Program

Mallard County wants to engage the community in its Green County Pilot Program to show how utility costs can be dramatically lowered through designing for renewable energy use. Verdanz understands energy efficient design. We plan to take advantage of available technologies to make Coyote Canyon Development shining example of renewable energy use for the future.

The Objective

Mallard County wants to engage the community in its Green County Pilot Program to show how utility costs can be dramatically lowered through designing for renewable energy use. Dramatically lower use of electricity. Dramatically lower use of water.

The Opportunity

Coyote Canyon Development planned community already under construction in the county is an ideal candidate for the pilot project. The development has already been permitted by the county and basic infrastructure streets sewer system etc. have been installed. The developers of Coyote Canyon Dos Hermanas Corporation has agreed to team up with Verdanz Partners and ‘go green ’ revising plans to incorporate Verdanz’s ideas for renewable energy sources.

The timing is perfect. Redesign community buildings—clubhouse fitness center—as well as the community pool to incorporate renewable energy opportunities. Redesign all landscaping for minimal maintenance. Add renewable energy designs to standard home plans already approved for the community.

The Solution

Verdanz understands energy efficient design. We plan to take advantage of available technologies to make Coyote Canyon Development shining example of renewable energy use for the future. Add green roofs to clubhouse and fitness center to drastically cut heating and cooling costs for these common buildings. Add energy efficient skylights to all communal buildings to cut down on lighting costs at all times of year and heating costs in winter.

Add solar collectors to roofs of all communal buildings to heat water and generate electricity. Add solar heat generation system and ultraviolet cleaning system to community pool. Replace all lawns existing or planned with approved xeriscape plantings to cut down on water usage and maintenance costs. Install solar powered lights in all outdoor fixtures to cut down on electricity usage.

Install windmill to pump water and ultraviolet treatment panels at sewage treatment plant to reduce electricity and chemical usage. Use resulting ‘safe sludge’ to fertilize communal landscaping. Install two wind generators flanking the cliff at the back of the planned community park to generate electricity for community buildings.

This area is consistently windy and the cliff edge is already safety hazard that must be fenced to keep the community safe. We anticipate that at many times of year much of the electricity created by these wind generators can be sold back to the utility company for community profit. Add skylights solar panels solar water heaters and solar powered outdoor lights to all houses planned for the community. This project has been designed to be sustainable beyond the initial funding period.

Although some features of the pilot project will be expensive to implement these features will more than pay for themselves in the years to come. While U.S. community the size of the Coyote Canyon Development typically uses more than million kilowatt hours of electricity year we expect the solar energy panels and wind generators at Coyote Canyon to render the community nearly energy neutral and may even be able to sell electricity back to the utility. A typical U.S. household uses more than gallons of water per person per day. By converting lawns to xeriscape plantings using solar water heating systems which eliminate cold water standing in pipes and using treated ‘gray water’ on community landscapes we expect to reduce water usage by at least 65%.

Xeriscaping also reduces pollution and fossil fuel usage in that it eliminates the use of lawnmowers. Verdanz Partners believes that the Coyote Canyon renewable energy pilot project will demonstrate how energy efficient neighborhoods can be boon to local governments by increasing property values and therefore property taxes while not increasing the burden on local utility systems. Promoting renewable energy plans like this one will allow local governments like Mallard County to use its monetary resources to improve schools and roads and parks that we can all enjoy.

Detailed below is the Return on Investment ROI analysis for the Coyote Canyon Development pilot project. The costs for the development operations and ongoing maintenance of the project vs. The benefits are summarized for 5 year period.

Financial ROI Benefits

Mallard County now spends an average of $972 per household per year to provide basic services to its citizens. By drastically reducing the need for maintenance and for construction and upgrading of electrical and water systems we believe that our Coyote Canyon Pilot Project will save the county an average of $475 per household per year. Benefits calculated above are based on yearly savings of $475 per household times the households in the Coyote Canyon Development.

Costs of maintenance and benefits may vary as local labor rates and costs of goods fluctuate. The financial savings to the homeowners in Coyote Canyon Development are even more notable. Although the average cost of an energy efficient home in this development will be slightly higher than average utility bills will be substantially lower.

Electricity usage should be close to zero per year.

Non Financial ROI Benefits

Although the financial benefits of this pilot program are substantial the non financial benefits are even more so. We are providing model for other communities to follow. Mallard County the State of Oregon and the entire United States will benefit by moving our society into ‘green’ future where we create our own energy and care for our precious natural resources.