Irene M. Stillings CCSE Executive Director

From the Director's Desk:
A Sustainable Direction

After looking back on a tremendous year, I wish to express our recognition and heartfelt gratitude for our outstanding board of directors. The California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) has experienced a lot of growth in the past year! From our name change to our increase in staff from 15 to 33 employees, we’ve been supported by the board’s leadership and direction.

After two productive years of effective leadership, John Moot is ending his term as Chairman of the Board. During his term as chair, CCSE has expanded its mission and become a driving force in the community on regional and national issues. John’s guidance has energized CCSE.

Leaving the board, after 11 years of service, is Dr. Allan Sweedler, a founding member of the former San Diego Regional Energy Office. During his time with the board, Dr. Sweedler has served in many important capacities including chairman and vice chairman. His vision and expertise have helped to develop this organization into what it is today. Dr. Sweedler’s dedication will never be forgotten.

Rick Van Schoik is leaving the board after two years because of job change. It has been a pleasure working with Rick, and his time spent with CCSE is greatly appreciated.

On December 12th, a new Executive Committee was selected for a two-year term. Robert Noble (Envision Solar) will serve as Chairman of the Board. Serving as the vice chairman is Steven Hoffmann (NRG Energy, Inc). Karen Hutchens (Hutchins PR), will fulfill the dual role of Secretary-Treasurer for the immediate term. And rounding out the executive committee will be John Moot serving as past chair. Joining as the board’s news members will be Alan Ball (Qualcomm, Inc.), Fred Baranowski (First Pacific Bank), and Jim Waring (Clean Tech). The following members will continue their work with the board: Cecilia Aguillon (Kyocera), Richard Hertzberg (UCSD Trustee), Robert Leiter (SANDAG), Mark Loukides (consultant), Lou Smith (Sharp), and Karen Van Winkle (Fairfield Residential). This team of knowledgeable individuals will undoubtedly uphold this organization’s dedication to success.

The new board will start the year with a strategic planning session in first quarter 2008. They will guide the organization and provide invaluable oversight to drive our efforts of ensuring a sustainable energy future. CCSE looks forward to the strength in leadership that the newly elected board will offer as the organization continues to pursue its increasingly important mission.

What is Rebuild San Diego?

Only four years after the devastating Cedar and Paradise fires, wildfires in San Diego County have again destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, leaving many homeless and without any source of income. The survivors of the Witch and Harris fires of 2007 are stunned and bewildered. Many lost not only their homes, but also their means of transportation and communication. They are faced with the daunting task of rebuilding their lives and then rebuilding their homes.

The California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) has formed a consortium of nonprofit, mission driven organizations to establish “Rebuild Central” at CCSE. We will provide a “one-stop” source for integrated, complete, unbiased information and assistance to the fire survivors as they start to rebuild their lives. The members of the consortium include CCSE, United Green, San Diego Renewable Energy Society ( SDRES), and Architecture for Humanity. The consortium will focus on sustainability, environmental stewardship, energy, building, and social practices. The members of Rebuild Central will primarily work to assist fire survivors in sustainable rebuilding while secondarily advancing the general cause of regional sustainability.

After the 2003 fires, the California Center for Sustainable Energy (then known as the San Diego Regional Energy Office) formed a coalition that included the City and County of San Diego and San Diego Gas & Electric to provide energy assistance to those who lost their homes. Through “Rebuild a Greener San Diego” CCSE provided technical assistance, incentives, and rebates for energy efficient measures.

Rebuild a Greener San Diego leverages the dedicated resources of CCSE to enable Rebuild Central to serve as a hub and clearinghouse for providers of a broad array of sustainable, “Green Smart” rebuilding products and services. Rebuild Central coordinates the collaborative efforts of the members and partners in providing one-stop-shopping for incentives and long-term, comprehensive, and customized assistance to fire survivors facilitating the sustainable, “Green Smart” rebuilding of their homes.

Rebuild Central will focus on providing fire survivors information to rebuild their homes with the following technologies: Energy Efficiency, Solar Energy, Green Building Design Assistance, Site Assessment, and Water-Smart Development. In addition, the program will conduct rebuild workshops, outreach to community meetings, and technical assistance.

Warming Hearts and Lighting Homes

At CCSE, giving back to the community is our business. Usually our activities are focused on energy issues. However, this holiday season CCSE staff is giving back in a different way. Inspired by long-time employee Ashley Watkins’ volunteer work with Meals on Wheels (MOW), CCSE staff decided to “adopt” MOW as one of its charities to donate to this season. Ashley commented, “I’ve been volunteering with Meals on Wheels for over a year, and it’s been an extremely rewarding experience. It takes so little to make such a difference in these seniors’ lives. For many of these people, their delivery from MOW is the only human interaction they have all day.”

During the holidays and for every birthday, MOW’s provides their seniors with a special goodie bag to say, “We Care.” We Care Packages can be brightly covered shoe boxes or decorated paper shopping bags filled with useful and fun food, toiletries, and small personal items. These “We Care” packages are provided by volunteers and are a favorite of the seniors. During December, the donation of these packages slows as people get busy with the holidays. That’s where CCSE staff stepped in. Together CCSE staff provided over 50 “We Care” packages filled with goodies. We also added our own special touch to the packages-a compact fluorescent light bulb. We just can’t resist saving energy, no matter what we do!

Unfortunately, our contribution only provides a small fraction of the donations needed. Meals-on-Wheels home-delivers two meals a day, for seven days a week (including holidays), to seniors, age 60 and older, throughout San Diego County from San Ysidro to Oceanside, Alpine to the Coast, and most areas in between. In 2006, volunteers delivered 458,557 meals to 4,312 seniors. Given the large area that MOW covers and the number of recipients, they are always looking for additional help. If you are interested in volunteering your time or donating “We Care” packages, please check out the Meals on Wheel web site.

Now Accepting SANDEE Award Nominations

Each year, the California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) recognizes outstanding, clean energy projects or activities with the San Diego Excellence in Energy Awards (SANDEE Awards). Homeowners, businesses, government, and organizations in San Diego County are awarded for notable energy achievements in buildings, transportation, infrastructure, education, advocacy, and outreach. Award recipients must have achieved significant energy savings and contributions toward the goals of the San Diego Regional Energy Strategy 2030.

Nominations are evaluated in the areas of energy savings, environmental benefits, effectiveness, community benefits, innovation, and cost savings. Submit your nomination to the SANDEE Committee no later than January 15, 2008 by downloading the SANDEE Awards Nomination Form (Word document). For questions, please call (858) 244-1195 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Did you know that the average American produces 25% more garbage during the holiday season? That equates to 25 million extra tons of trash going into our landfills! (Source: Environmental Protection Agency). Do your part to reduce waste and give the gift of green this holiday season. Going green can save money, add value to the gifts you give, and protect the environment. Here are some ideas for an eco-friendly holiday.

Green Suggestions:

• Look for gifts with minimal or no packaging
• Make personalized holiday cards with reusable materials
• Consider the gift’s environmental impact
• Buy gifts made from recyclable materials
• Buy durable gifts that will last longer
• Give an experience instead of a material gift (ex: horseback riding lessons, spa visit, etc.)
• Wrap gifts in reused materials (old posters, maps, newspapers, sheet music, coloring book pages, etc.)

Green Gift Ideas:

• Free Cool Communities Shade Trees! **
• Certified carbon offsets
• Solar powered gifts like an iPod/computer charger, radio, flashlight, yard lights or a calculator
• Clothing, sheets or towels made from hemp, unbleached cotton or other organic materials
• Music lessons
• Seeds and gardening supplies
• Green gift basket of non-toxic household cleaners
• Membership to a gym or museum
• Reusable shopping or lunch bags
• Recycling or compost bin
• Subscription to an environmental magazine
• Energy efficiency gifts such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, automatic timer for lawn sprinklers or a water-saving showerhead

** Download a Cool Communities Gift Certificate for free and use it as a gift or stocking stuff for someone special this holiday season! See the next article and visit www.trees.energycenter.org to learn more.

Here are a few more resources for going green this holiday season:

• Environmental Defense
• Alliance to Save Energy
• TreeHugger’s 2007 Gift Guide

This Shady Deal Means Free Trees!

Do you or someone you know live in National City, Chula Vista or Imperial Beach? Would you like to plant some FREE, energy efficient shade trees? The California Center for Sustainable Energy, in cooperation with The Home Depot Foundation, is giving away 1,000 trees to South Bay residents and there are still plenty left. Our trees are full-sized, 15-gallon, nursery-quality trees, and are available in your choice of more than 20 varieties. The South Bay Shade Tree Program is ending in a few months, but there is still time for you to submit your application and qualify for up to 10 free trees.

Here are a few of the many benefits of planting free shade trees:

• Up to 20% savings of energy (and money): Trees shading your home reduce the need for air-conditioning. They also reduce the “urban heat island effect” by lowering outside air temperature.
• Improved air quality: Trees remove carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere and release oxygen.
• Increased property values: Trees improve your neighborhood’s appearance and can increase your property value up to 10%.
• Reduced storm run-off: Trees absorb excess groundwater.

So hurry and log onto trees.energycenter.org today, and submit your application no later than March 15th, 2008. Tell your family and friends about this great deal, too.

Don’t forget that the rest of San Diego County can receive up to 10 free shade trees, as well. This program doesn’t end until March 31st, 2008; so there is still plenty of time.

Solar Water Heating Pilot Program Chooses Data Provider

The Solar Water Heating Pilot Program ( SWHPP) is a CPUC-funded program offering cash incentives to residential and commercial customers who install qualified solar water heating systems. The Pilot was designed by the CPUC in order to investigate the market, cost effectiveness, and production of solar water heating systems. In October, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Solar Water Heating and Efficiency Act of 2007 which requires the CPUC to collect $250 million from natural gas ratepayers to fund incentives for 200,000 solar water heating installations across the state over the next 10 years. However, the statewide program is contingent on the CPUC’s evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of this technology, as determined by the findings of the Pilot Program.

In order to provide the CPUC with data for their evaluation, the SWHPP will choose up to three Data Acquisition Services providers to install metering and monitoring equipment on 100 residential and up to 30 commercial solar water heating systems. The data collected will record the heat delivered to the home or business and subtract the amount of heat provided by the conventional source (typically electricity or natural gas). This calculation will reveal how much solar heat was contributed to the system. By knowing how much heat comes from solar, it is possible to calculate the amount of fossil fuel which is offset. This tells us, most importantly, the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions avoided by solar water heating!

The selection of the service providers was scheduled for later this month. This is a highly important role in the SWHPP and their participation begins the data evaluation process that will lead us to a state-wide solar water heating program and a more sustainable energy future.

Hiring Announcement

California Center for Sustainable Energy ( CCSE) is hiring! Join us in working for a sustainable energy future by applying for the following positions:
• Associate Program Manager – Energy Resource Center Program
• Director of Public Affairs
• Energy Engineer
• Marketing Communications Manager
• Program Assistant – Cool Communities Shade Tree Program

Eligible CCSE employees receive many benefits including paid time off, health insurance (including dental/vision/chiro), life and AD&D insurance, employee assistance program and flexible work schedules (9/8/80). CCSE offers a 403(b) plan administered by TIAA-CREF. Employees receive a 10% company contribution after six months of eligible service. A summary of benefits can be found in the CCSE Employee Benefits page.