Mayor Nutter Signs Energy Benchmarking Ordinance

MAYOR NUTTER SIGNS TWO CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCES

 

Philadelphia, October 9, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter signed two City Council Bills, one that will improve energy efficiency and sustainability in the City of Philadelphia, and the other will increase residential fire safety.

 

Mayor Nutter first signed Bill No. 120428 and talked about the importance of the City being as energy-efficient as possible.  “In order to make Philadelphia the greenest city in America, everyone needs to do their part. Energy benchmarking and disclosure will encourage people and organizations to think how to be more energy efficient and present opportunities for improvement in energy management,” said Mayor Nutter.

 

Bill No. 120428 amends the ‘Energy Conservation’ portion of The Philadelphia Code to require large commercial buildings to benchmark and report energy and water usage data. The bill’s purpose is not only to make organizations aware of their energy use, but also identify opportunities for improvement and assist in establishing energy consumption baselines that will help set future goals. The Mayor’s Office of Sustainability will issue regulations this fall and begin doing outreach and education in the winter and spring.  Building owners will need to benchmark their buildings using Energy Start Portfolio Manager and report the results to the City beginning in 2013. The following year, the City will make this information available to the public.

 

Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown echoed the Mayor’s remarks saying, “Energy benchmarking will provide the critical information and data necessary to make Philadelphia a more energy efficient city. Inevitably, we will hand over the keys to this planet to our children and grandchildren.  I join the Mayor in making sure that to the best of our ability, we hand them a more sustainable and healthier planet to grow and prosper.”

 

Mayor Nutter also signed Bill No. 120278, amending the Philadelphia Fire Code to require smoke alarms in one- and two-family dwellings to have 10-year, non-removable batteries, effective January 9, 2013.  Once installed, the smoke alarms will not need the battery replaced for the life of the alarm.  One- and two-family dwellings built on or after January 1, 1988, and apartment dwelling units, are not affected as those dwellings are required to have hard-wired smoke alarms.  Smoke alarms are required on each level of a dwelling, including the basement.  On the floors with one or more bedrooms, the smoke alarm for that floor is required to be installed in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms.  Installation should be in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruction booklet.

“This measure will make the job of the Philadelphia Fire Department – ensuring the safety of our homes and businesses – that much easier.  Tragedies can be prevented when working smoke alarms are present.”  Fire Commissioner Ayers added, “Ten-year, lithium battery-powered smoke alarms provide our citizens with a longer period of Optimum Fire Protection and Community Risk Reduction.”

Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr., the primary sponsor of the bill, said, “With this bill fire safety is no longer obsolete.  No longer is the reminder change the clock; change the battery relevant. I would like to thank Commissioner Ayers; the Fire Department, and it’s volunteer fire safety representatives; local 22; and the cooperation of residents, commercial owners and support systems who have helped reduce fire fatalities and injuries throughout our great City.”

Mayor Nutter Announces Philly311 Mobile App

Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced the Philly311 Mobile App, which will put city government at citizens’ fingertips by allowing them to report issues and service requests 24 hours a day. The app, created in partnership with the software company, PublicStuff, is free to the public and compatible with iPhone, Android and Blackberry. Residents will now be able become more active citizens in their neighborhoods by sending in service requests for issues such as potholes, graffiti and litter to City departments in real time.

 

“The Philly311 mobile application is the latest step toward a smart, responsive 21^st Century municipal government by ensuring that Philadelphians can quickly and effectively communicate their needs to city government,” said Mayor Nutter. “This App will bring city services to citizens’ fingertips and will continue the transformation of government into a nimble customer-service organization.”

City staff will be able communicate with residents to provide comments, completion notifications and more information regarding service requests. PublicStuff’s fluid integration with existing Philadelphia workflow management systems—Novo, Hansen and Cityworks—further allows staff to respond immediately to citizen request needs. The integration also provides city employees with detailed data reports and analytics, allowing them to spot city trends as they are happening. 

“The new Philly311 app will give our residents access to city services like never before. Utilizing the app, citizens are able to become leaders in their own community by reporting issues and concerns in real time, from any device. We’re excited to give citizens the power to influence positively and change their community with such access.” said Richard Negrin, Deputy Mayor for Administration and Coordination and Managing Director.

Using the reporting tool, residents will be able to accurately geo-target the exact location of service requests, save draft requests to send at a later time and take multiple photos of the request being reported. They will also be able to vote and support other service requests in their neighborhood, provide comments on requests and track the progress and completion rates.

 

Chief Information Officer Adel Ebeid said, “This is yet another innovative approach for using technology to bring residents closer to their government.   The new Philly311 mobile app allows us to transform the current 3-1-1 into a civic engagement platform, which is unique among other cities with 3-1-1.”  

 

The Philly311 app will also serve as a platform and portal to pertinent city related services. Philly311 will include customizable widgets so users may have access to a 911 button, FAQ section, Philly’s YouTube Channel and City maps.

“Launching the Philly311 mobile app is another customer service channel that will allow us to empower communities and individuals like never before,” said Rosetta Lue, Office of the Managing Director’s Chief Customer Service Officer that helped spearhead the Philly311 project “The additional widgets and communication tools that accompany the app, will give our residents a direct link to City Services so they can truly be their own community hero.”

PublicStuff Founder and CEO Lily Liu said, “The Philly311 app is extremely intuitive and user friendly. Using the tool, residents will have a direct line to the City of Philadelphia, removing any barriers to seamless communication. We are thrilled and honored to have worked with the City of Philadelphia on this project to help further engage the Philadelphia Community.”

For more information on Philly311 and PublicStuff, please visit:

For more information on Philly311, please visit:
Online Portal:
http://www.phila.gov/311

iPhone:
http://www.publicstuff.com/iphone/philadelphia-pa

Android:
http://www.publicstuff.com/android/philadelphia-pa

BlackBerry:
http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/130257/?lang=en

 

ABOUT PUBLICSTUFF, INC. – www.publicstuff.com.

Founded in 2009, PublicStuff is an innovative CRM software company that provides web-based solutions and mobile applications to address the service needs of both constituents and managing agencies.  The online consumer platform allows the public to request services to a variety of organizations.  The online municipal platform allows agencies to cost-effectively manage communications with customers and better manage the service delivery process.  PublicStuff increases customer participation while also driving down costs for agencies.  PublicStuff is headquartered in New York, NY.  For more information, visit www.PublicStuff.com. 

Local Nonprofit Developer Awarded $3 Million for Energy Efficient Affordable Housing

PHILADELPHIA, PA. September 12, 2012. A local non‐profit developer was awarded $3 million from HUD—to upgrade 166 affordable housing units across Philadelphia and make them 20% more energy efficient.

Columbus Property Management and Development, Inc. won a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through its Energy Innovation Fund (EIF) to bring energy innovation and cost savings to affordable housing residents in North, West, South and Northeast Philadelphia. Community Environmental Center, Inc., in Long Island City, New York, also won $3 Million in the Applied Research category, with seven others in this category receiving smaller grants.

The project will combine energy efficient upgrades with the installation ‐ in half of the units ‐ of energy display devises (EDDs) (small units that display real‐time utility consumption). It is anticipated that the overall effect will be a reduction by 20% or more of energy costs across the 166 unit portfolio. CPM has partnered with Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA), building systems consultants based in Washington, DC, to help implement this project. CPM is implementing a new financial model to fully fund the rehab project, using tax exempt bond financing and 4% low income housing tax credits ‐ to ensure that the units are not only energy efficient, but also remain affordable for at least 30 years into the future. “We are extremely grateful to be selected by HUD for this important grant,” said Alfredo de la Pena, Executive
Director of Columbus Property Management & Development, Inc. “CPM is committed to providing quality,
affordable housing for the most vulnerable individuals in our region and green building practices are an essential part of our approach.” “We’re confident that this grant will help us develop a successful model for reducing energy consumption in multi‐family housing that will result in savings for both tenants and property owners. We’re looking forward to sharing the outcomes of our work with others so that the model can be replicated nationally,” he added. 

About the CPM Housing Group

The CPM Housing Group, through its nonprofit companies ‐ Columbus Property Management and Development, Inc., 1260 Housing Development Corporation and Mission First Housing Development Corporation (collectively “CPM”) develops and manages quality, affordable rental housing for low‐income individuals and families with a focus on those with special needs. CPM manages more than 2,000 units of affordable housing in the Mid‐Atlantic region. In Philadelphia, CPM owns 1,233 units, providing homes for more than 2,500 individuals. As the designated housing provider for the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health, more than 1,100 of CPM’s tenants are adults living with serious mental illness. Nearly 1,000 of CPM’s Philadelphia tenants are men and women who were formerly homeless. CPM is committed to supporting its tenants in their efforts to live independently, providing service coordination and partnering with nonprofit organizations to provide a wide range of behavioral, medical and social services. CPM is also committed to the long‐term health of its residents and serious about energy efficiency and environmental stewardship. All of its new construction and rehabilitation projects are built to meet LEED® standards and Enterprise Green Communities Criteria.

TreePhilly Fall Campaign Begins

 

TREEPHILLY FALL CAMPAIGN BEGINS!

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to giveaway 2,000 trees to city residents

 

Philadelphia, September 10, 2012- Following the success of the first TreePhilly campaign in the spring, Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that the second phase of the City’s TreePhilly Initiative will take place this fall.  TreePhilly, a campaign led by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PP&R) in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and supported byWells Fargo, directly engages Philadelphia property owners, businesses and neighbors to plant and maintain trees. This initiative includes a citywide yard tree giveaway, through which residents can request a free yard tree to plant on their private property. Wells Fargo is sponsoring the yard tree giveaway; both Wells Fargo and the Fairmount Park Conservancy will provide marketing and promotional support for the campaign.

 

“Thanks to the efforts of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Wells Fargo and the Fairmount Park Conservancy, more than 2,200 Philadelphia residents were able to request free trees to plant on their property and enhance their neighborhoods,” said Mayor Nutter. “The fall TreePhilly campaign will make free trees available to even more residents and continue to make our city healthier, safer and more attractive as a result. The TreePhilly campaign is the result of a Greenworks goal to plant 300,000 trees by 2015 and will provide Philadelphians with the knowledge and support they need to successfully plant and care for a new tree.”

 

This second TreePhilly campaign is timed to take advantage of the cooler fall months that allow new tree roots to establish themselves and produce beautiful, healthy leaves and flowers for the spring. The fall program will allow Philadelphia property owners to request up to two trees, an increase from the one tree maximum of the spring campaign, to be planted in their front, back or side yard. The fall campaign will also feature opportunities for residents with limited mobility to have their trees delivered and planted for free. Residents applying for this service will need to provide a doctor’s note, Septa CCT Connect number, or a recommendation from a TreePhilly partner to qualify. 

 

Citizens who apply for a free tree through TreePhilly’s fall program can select from a new list of tree species, including Sweetbay Magnolia, Serviceberry, River Birch, Sugar Maple, White Oak, Carolina Silverbell, Eastern Redbud, Black Gum, White Fringetree, American Smoketree, American Yellowwood and Sour Cherry.

 

 

“With the continued support of our great partners and building off the tremendous success of the Spring TreePhilly campaign, the Fall TreePhilly campaign will allow Philadelphia property owners to get more free trees, learn about the numerous benefits of planting trees, and feature new species of trees.  The Fall is the perfect time to plant trees and TreePhilly gives us the opportunity to engage with many communities and neighborhoods to do just that,” said Michael DiBerardinis, Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources.

 

During the spring campaign, PP&R worked with neighborhood associations, civic associations, businesses and other partners to educate residents and business owners about the free-tree giveaway, which is just one of the many programs that allow Philadelphians to get involved with planting trees on both public and private property. By working in neighborhoods throughout the City, TreePhilly and its community partners are planting trees that will benefit these neighborhoods for years to come.

 

“Wells Fargo is pleased to provide a $75,000 grant to TreePhilly because this program will make Philadelphia more attractive and environmentally sound for generations of future Philadelphians,” said Vince Liuzzi, Wells Fargo’s regional president for Greater Philadelphia/Delaware. “TreePhilly aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship and will further the vision of Philadelphia’s founding father, William Penn, of Philadelphia as a ‘greene country towne.’ ”

 

Citizens can get involved with TreePhilly by planting and caring for trees on their property, volunteering for a tree planting event in their local park, or sponsoring community service days to plant and maintain trees. For more information, citizens can visit www.TreePhilly.Org  or call 215-683-0217.

 

###

 

About Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation promotes the wellbeing of the City, its citizens and visitors, by offering beautiful natural landscapes and parks, historically significant resources, high quality recreation centers and athletic programs, along with enriching cultural and environmental programs.

 

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets.

 

Fairmount Park Conservancy

The Fairmount Park Conservancy exists to champion the Fairmount Park system. Its mission is to work as a collaborative partner to lead and support efforts which preserve and improve Fairmount Park to enhance the quality of life and stimulate the economic development of the Greater Philadelphia Region. The Fairmount Park Conservancy fulfills its mission by leading signature capital projects and innovative programs throughout Fairmount Park; by developing and leveraging resources for the park; and by promoting the parks’ unique assets and contributions.

For more information, please visit www.myphillypark.org. “Like” the Fairmount Park Conservancy on Facebook at facebook.com/FairmountParkConservancy and “Follow” via Twitter @myphillypark.

First Comprehensive Zoning Code Reform In 50 Years Allows Philadelphia to Grow Smarter

Reblogged from City of Philadelphia's News & Alerts:

Mayor Nutter marks occasion at the site of new Center City development

 

Philadelphia, August 22, 2012– The City of Philadelphia marked Day One of its first comprehensive rewrite of the zoning code in more than 50 years. The new code is the result of a thorough civic engagement process led by the City’s appointed Zoning Code Commission (ZCC), and including neighborhood groups, government, business, professional and civic leaders who worked together to make it happen.

Read more… 701 more words

Mayor Nutter Announces Philadelphia as Recipient Of Tiger IV Grant From US Department of Transportation

Philadelphia, June 19, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that Philadelphia has been named a recipient of a TIGER IV Grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The $12.8 million award will be used to refurbish the SEPTA Wayne Junction Substation though a partnership between the City, SEPTA and PENNDOT. The station was built in 1930 and is in need of repair.

“These federal funds will create good-paying jobs and improve the City’s mass transit system – a double win for Philadelphia,” said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. “I am grateful to President Obama, Secretary LaHood, Senator Casey and our entire Congressional delegation for their support. The U.S. Department of Transportation recognized the power of a multi-agency partnership to address the state of good repair challenges facing Philadelphia and the region. We are endowed with great transit and bridge infrastructure and this grant will ensure it works well for decades to come.”

The grant will improve infrastructure that supports travel for 28 million vehicle trips and 35 million transit trips per year. A station failure would result in lost service to six regional rail train lines that carry nearly 17.5 million trips per year (60,000 trips per day) into Center City. This announcement marks the fourth time that the City of Philadelphia has applied and been awarded a TIGER Grant to improve infrastructure.

“Bringing infrastructure into a sustainable state of good repair creates jobs, supports economic growth and saves money on costly repairs in the long run,” Senator Bob Casey said. “I fought for this grant to ensure that safe, reliable transportation is available for the Pennsylvania residents and businesses that depend on it.”

Congresswoman Allyson Schwarz said “A robust 21st century transportation and infrastructure system is paramount to our region. I fought for this TIGER grant because of its tremendous potential to strengthen our local economy by creating jobs in the short term and leading to improved commutes and more reliable transportation. The modernization of the 80-year old Wayne Junction substation and 11 area bridges is vitally important, and this grant is a major win for Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania.”

Congressman Chaka Fattah said, “The Wayne Junction Substation in Nicetown is critical to SEPTA’s commuter rail power grid. Like so much of our nation’s infrastructure, this 1920’s-era substation is long past its prime and in desperate need of replacement. This project will bring jobs to North Philadelphia, improved service to SEPTA riders, and it will advance a neighborhood resurgence that includes last year’s dedication of dramatic improvements to North Philadelphia/Wayne Junction Station itself. I wrote Secretary Ray LaHood advocating for this grant and I’ve been fighting for these infrastructure projects as a major element in President Obama’s jobs program, which our economy and our communities desperately need.”

SEPTA Director Joe Casey said, “I am extremely grateful for the hard work of everyone who made this application to improve mobility in the city a success. This was truly a team effort. The Wayne Junction Substation is one of SEPTA’s most critical power distribution facilities, supplying electricity to six SEPTA Regional Rail Lines. I am pleased that funds from this TIGER grant will be going to replace equipment that has been in continuous use since the 1920s and is well past its useful life. This will improve service and reliability for millions of riders annually.”

MAYOR NUTTER, STREETS DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES “CLEAN KITCHEN, GREEN COMMUNITY” PILOT PROGRAM

Philadelphia, May 24, 2012 - Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Streets Department Commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson, InSinkErator officials and community leaders launched a new pilot program called “Clean Kitchen, Green Community” to assess how food waste disposers can help the City reach its sustainability goals. In addition to citywide campaign about the benefits of using a food waste disposer, residents along garbage collection routes in West Oak Lane and Point Breeze will participate in a targeted installation and education initiative to examine how much food waste can be diverted from landfills by using a disposer. The City is partnering with InSinkErator, the world’s leading manufacturer of food waste disposers, and community groups Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC) in West Oak Lane and Diversified Community Services in Point Breeze on the publicity and installation campaigns. 

“Philadelphia is committed to becoming the greenest city in America, and this partnership with InSinkErator is an example of how the private and public sectors can work together to improve the City’s sustainability efforts and residents’ quality of life,” said Mayor Nutter. “We hope this pilot program will point us toward saving tax dollars and a better environment.” 

The targeted installation campaign will correspond with testing households’ waste reduction. The Streets Department will assess the volume and composition of waste generated before, during and after the pilot, evaluating reductions and changes that result from the targeted installation campaign. The City and InSinkErator are partnering with OARC and Diversified Community Services to provide 100 homeowners in each neighborhood with a free waste disposer and installation by a local, licensed plumber. OARC and Diversified Community Services will lead the effort to encourage and arrange the installation of disposers in homes without them and educate residents about how to use them effectively. 

“At the City of Philadelphia Streets Department, we continue to look for innovative and creative ways to help make our city greener, cleaner and more sustainable,” said Streets Commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson. “The Clean Kitchen, Green Community pilot program will help us analyze how food waste disposers can divert more waste from landfill, save the City and taxpayers money. We also expect that food waste disposers will be an effective complement to residents’ recycling efforts as a disposer can make it easier for residents to recycle paper, bottles and cans.”   

Food waste constitutes roughly 10 percent of waste from homes in Philadelphia, which goes directly into landfills. Every ton diverted from landfill saves the City $68 in tipping fees. By diverting food waste, the City expects that food waste disposers can save money while not adding to homeowners’ utility costs. Food waste disposers use less than one percent of a household’s total water consumption and cost less than 50 cents per year in electricity to operate. They also reduce kitchen odors from spoiled food and can help reduce the amount rodents and insects around homes. 

Food waste can also be turned into renewable energy and fertilizer products after being processed by Philadelphia’s wastewater treatment plants. Once disposed, food waste is transported through underground sewer lines to the City’s advanced wastewater treatment plants. Methane generated from the anaerobic digestion of food waste at the plants can be converted into heat and electricity to power the plants; the solids that remain are processed into fertilizer pellets suitable for use on regional farms.  Putting food waste down the disposer also prevents the local trucking of heavy, soggy trash, and keeps it from ending up in landfills, where organic waste decomposes and produces methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 

“Food waste disposers take food waste out of trash trucks and put it into a wastewater system designed to convert the waste to beneficial biogas energy and fertilizer. This approach is sustainable and allows us to reduce household waste, create energy, and recycles the waste into biosolids pellets for beneficial farming uses,” said Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug. 

“InSinkErator is very excited to partner with the City of Philadelphia to help achieve Mayor Nutter’s Greenworks goals. Food waste disposers move food scraps out of trash trucks and landfills to the Water Department, where it’s converted into clean water, renewable energy and fertilizer products,” said Tim Ferry, President of InSinkErator. “We know disposers help make the kitchens and neighborhoods of Philadelphia cleaner and now they can help the City become ‘greener.’” 

For more information about the Clean Kitchen, Green Community pilot program, please visitwww.philadelphiastreets.com. For more information about InSinkErator, please visitwww.insinkerator.com/green. For more information about OARC, please visit www.ogontzave.org. For more information about Diversified Community Services, please visit 
http://dcsphila.org
. 

Zoning Code Commission Receives AIA President’s Award

Philadelphia, April 6, 2012 – This week, the American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Pennsylvania presented Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger and Eva Gladstein, Deputy Director of the City Planning Commission and former Executive Director of the Zoning Code Commission, with the President’s Award on behalf of the Zoning Code Commission. This award is presented in recognition of special contributions or support of the profession, the business of architecture or the built environment in Pennsylvania. In December, Mayor Michael A. Nutter signed legislation that comprehensively rewrites and modernizes Philadelphia’s zoning code for the first time in fifty years.

“Deputy Mayor Greenberger and Eva Gladstein gave many hours and a tremendous amount of effort, creativity and enthusiasm to the zoning code reform, and I am delighted that they are being recognized for their work,” said Mayor Nutter. “AIA is a respected architecture organization, which advances sustainable, responsible planning in Philadelphia and has been a great partner in our efforts for the new Zoning Code, Philadelphia2035 and the Citizens Planning Institute. I’d like to thank them for recognizing this great work, which will positively impact Philadelphians for generations.”

John Claypool, Executive Director of AIA Philadelphia added, “AIA Philadelphia is proud to recognize Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger, a former President of the Chapter, and Eva Gladstein, Deputy Director of the City Planning Commission on the receipt of this prestigious award for their work to create a new Zoning Code. Their open, professional and inspired work will serve the design and development of the City for many years.”

The Zoning Code codifies the City’s development regulations and sets expectations regarding land use. The new zoning code includes changes to the City’s development regulations and approval procedures such as:
• Making the zoning code more user-friendly;
• Reducing number of zoning classifications;
• Incorporating a civic design review process; and
• Establishing the role of citizens in the zoning approval process.

Peaches, Apples, Peppers and More!

Come to the Mayor’s Farmers Market at Love Park tomorrow from 11:00 – 3:00 to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables.

McCann’s Farm

Yellow Peaches
White Peaches
Gala Apples
Hot Peppers
Frying Peppers
Tomatoes
Sweet White Corn
Zucchini
Eggplant

Mayor Nutter to Announce Expansion of City’s Recyling Program Tommorrow

Tomorrow, Mayor Nutter will announce the expansion of the City’s recycling program! Stop out at 10:30 am to the 2600 block of S. Chadwick Street in South Philadelphia http://tinyurl.com/26kvs78 to celebrate another green achievement in our City.