LIVE: Buncombe Commissioners hearing report on carbon emissions, operation costs

At the Sept. 7 meeting of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, the county’s General Services Department plans to update commissioners on its ongoing efforts to operate more efficiently and sustainably. The department’s presentation will highlight new efforts to reduce energy usage, although its report shows that the county’s overall energy consumption costs have gone up from where they were five years ago.

General services oversees approximately 1.5 million square feet of county facilities, up 364,670 square feet from 2005.  In that same period, the department calculates that its energy costs rose from $1.128 to $1.131 per square foot. The report also found that operation of the facilities accounts for about 59 percent of the county’s overall carbon emissions.

To lower costs and reduce its carbon footprint, General Services plans to upgrade several of its HVAC systems and to replace many of the windows at the Health Center. It also points to recent efforts to replace windows at the courthouse and install new lights at the detention center.

The report also looks at the impact of the gasoline consumed by commuting employees. It found that 92.6 percent of county employees drive to work, with an average round trip of 27.62 miles. Commuters are the county’s second largest source of carbon emissions, making up 18 percent of the total.

In other business, commissioners will hear an update from the Buncombe Planning Department on its zoning policy and will consider several candidates for a pair of open positions on the Parks, Greenways and Recreation Advisory Board.

The board will meet at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, in the commissioner’s chambers, located at 30 Valley St. A short pre-meeting review of the agenda will begin at 4:15 p.m.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Jake Frankel
Jake Frankel is an award-winning journalist who enjoys covering a wide range of topics, from politics and government to business, education and entertainment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.