San Francisco Green Business Checklist Workshop - September 15

BOMA San Francisco Members:

You and your tenants are invited to the next Green Business Business Workshop on Thursday September 15, 2011 at 11:30 a.m.

If your tenants are considering enrollment, actively working on the checklist, receiving audits, or you are just curious about learning more on how to be green, this workshop is for them!  

This workshop is meant for businesses who want to learn more about the SF Green Business Program, our standards, and the recognition process. Helpful instructions and tips will be given during the workshop. There will also be a question and answer period at the end.

Take the first step in becoming a recognized Green Business of the City & County of San Francisco!  For additional questions, contact Green Business Program Coordinator, Anna Frankel at  anna.frankel@sfgov.org 

Get more information

Register Now!

 Where: SF Department of Environment EcoCenter, 11 Grove St.

 When: Thursday April 28, 2011 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM 

Please contact SF Green Business if you have questions. 

UPDATE: Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings Announcement

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - August 30, 2011

Upcoming Board of Supervisors Hearings - SEPTEMBER 2011

Now that the Planning Commission has adopted the San Francisco Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings, the Board of Supervisors will consider related amendments to the Planning Code to implement this new policy. This hearing will likely be scheduled in early September before the Land Use Committee. Contact the Clerk of the Board for more information.

Please email Ken Cleveland at kenc@boma.com and John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com with any concerns you my have.

UPDATE - June 22, 2011

Since the October 14, 2010 hearing, the Planning Department has received over 2000 comments on this proposal. At the Planning Commission’s request, staff has revised the draft proposal based upon public comment and further research. They are excited to announce the new June 2011 Draft Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings and upcoming public hearings.

The Draft proposes a three-pronged approach to the problem: 

• Establishment of requirements for the most hazardous conditions; 
• Use of an educational checklist to educate project sponsors and their future tenants on potential hazards; and 
• Creation and expansion of voluntary programs to encourage more bird-safe practices including acknowledging those who pursue certification through a proposed new program for “bird-safe building” recognition.

Upcoming Public Hearings

There are two hearings scheduled before the San Francisco Planning Commission regarding the revised Bird-Safe Buildings policy document and a proposed ordinance: 

June 23, 2011 – Initiation of the proposed Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings Ordinance

Set up an email reminder about this Hearing
The purpose of this hearing is solely to announce the Planning Commission’s intention to consider the Planning Code amendments at a later date – initiation does not involve a decision on the substance of the proposed Code amendments. 

July 14, 2011 (tentative) – Public Hearing on the proposed Adoption of Bird-Safe Building Standards
Set up an email reminder about this Hearing
At this hearing, the Commission will hear a staff presentation on the proposal and will listen to public comment. The Commission will then consider adoption of the policy document, the 2011 “Draft Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings” and related amendments to the Planning Code to implement the proposed policy.

A copy of the June 2011 Draft Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings document, along with links to upcoming Planning Commission Hearing materials, are available on the Planning Department web page at: http://www.sf-planning.org/index.aspx?page=2506#general_info

Do You Have Thoughts? Comments on the proposed code Amendments or Draft Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings can be sent to Erika Lovejoy before the above-mentioned hearings:

Erika Lovejoy
erika.lovejoy@sfgov.org
San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103
tel: 415-575-9026
fax: 415-558-6409

-------------------

UPDATE - February 25, 2011

The San Francisco Planning Department will accept comments regarding the draft document 'Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings' until February 28, 2011.  

If you have any comments or questions , please feel free to contact Erika Lovejoy with the Planning Department at erika.lovejoy@sfgov.org. 

--------------------

Original Post - October 7, 2010

The San Francisco Planning Commission will hold an informational hearing on October 14, 2010 (click here for more information) to announce the public release of a draft document titled 'Standards for Bird-Safe Buildings.' This document is intended to promote bird-safe design and to reduce bird collisions into buildings.  The draft document proposes a three-pronged approach to this issue:

• Establishment of requirements for the most hazardous conditions;
• Use of an educational checklist to educate project sponsors and their future tenants on potential hazards; and
• Creation and expansion of voluntary programs to encourage more bird-safe practices including acknowledging those who pursue certification through a proposed new program for “bird-safe building” recognition.

The draft document discusses potential negative impacts on resident and migratory birds, suggested remedies to lessen the hazard through treatments for glazing, lighting, and other building design elements and building operations.

Preliminary Recommendation: The Department recommends that the Commission instruct the Department to:

• Collect public comment through the end of 2010; 
• Consider revisions to the document based upon comments received; and
• Prepare a draft Ordinance for the Commission’s consideration in 2011 that would implement proposed controls and adopt a final 'Bird-Safe Building Standards' document; and 
• Adopt the draft resolution to that effect.

If you have any questions, please call (415) 558-6395.  Comments can be sent to the Planning Commission c/o Linda Avery, San Francisco Planning Commission, 1650 Mission Street, Suite #400, SF, CA 94103.

Fundraiser - Join Mayor Ed Lee at the Home of Senator Feinstein

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please join Senator Dianne Feinstein at her home for a reception supporting Mayor Ed Lee.  We have endorsed Mr. Lee as our first choice for Mayor of San Francisco.

Wednesday, August 31st 

6:00-7:30 PM 

2460 Lyon Street

Tickets $500 

Contributions can be made online at www.mayoredlee.com

Valet parking provided 

RSVP to anna@mayoredlee.com

Questions? Please contact Stephanie Shakofsky at (415) 264-2080 or stephanie@mayoredlee.com

Fundraiser - David Chiu for Mayor of San Francisco on August 31, 2011

BOMA San Francisco Members:

We cordially invite you to attend a fundraiser for David Chiu for Mayor of San Francisco.  As you may know we have endorsed Mr. Chiu as our second choice for Mayor of San Francisco.

Please join the campaign on August 31, 2011 at 

San Francisco Soup Company 

50 Fremont Street 

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM 

Please offer your support for David’s campaign by making a contribution of $100 or $250 

Make your personal check payable to: 

David Chiu for Mayor 2011 

And bring it to the fundraiser 

Or you can make your contribution online by clicking here.

If you make your contribution online, please contact Scott Hauge - information below - to let him know about your donation and if you will be attending the event.

Please contact Scott Hauge at: 415-680-2109 or shauge@cal-insure.com with any questions.

A Look Ahead: Transbay Demolition and Construction Activities

BOMA San Francisco Members -

Weekday Work (8/29/11 - 9/2/11):

Day Shift - All contractors will work between the hours of 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Activities will include:

Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation will begin in the western zone between First and Second Streets on Monday, August 29, where it is expected to continue through the end of the year. CDSM shoring wall installation will proceed from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation will begin on the east side of Beale Street on Monday, August 29, where it is expected to continue for the next two weeks. CDSM shoring wall installation will proceed from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Overnight Shift - Contractor will be working 24 hours a day to mobilize and transfer equipment between the east, central and western zones between Beale and Fremont Streets to prepare for the next phase of work.

Spoils from CDSM shoring wall installation in the western zone between First and Second Streets will be loaded into trucks for removal from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM, midnight.

Spoils from CDSM shoring wall installation in the eastern zone at Beale Street will be loaded into trucks for removal from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM, midnight.

Trenching:

Trenching work will continue on both Minna Street between Second and First Streets and on Natoma Street between Fremont and First Streets - Day Shift.

Trenching work will begin mid-week on Natoma Street between First and Second Streets - Day Shift.

Shoring & Excavation Prep:

Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation activities will continue in the east transit center site and start in the west transit site (at First and Minna Street), while preparation activities will continue in the central and west transit center sites - Day Shift.

Underground utilities/ trenching work:

Beale Street (from Mission to Howard Streets): Underground trenching and utilities work - Day Shift. Traffic lanes will be reduced to accommodate this work.

First Street (near Natoma): Underground trenching and utilities work - Day Shift. Traffic lanes will be reduced to accommodate this work.

Fremont Street: Underground trenching and utilities work - Day Shift. Traffic lanes will be reduced to accommodate this work.

Natoma Street (near First Street): Underground trenching and utilities work - Day Shift. Local access only.

Detours, Street and Sidewalk Closures:

The following streets will be temporarily impacted due to project activities. So you can plan ahead please review the affected streets below:

Minna Street: Only local access will be allowed on Minna Street between Second Street and Shaw Alley daily from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There will be a partial street closure and parking prohibition in effect. Two way local access will be granted on Minna Street from Second Street. Shaw Alley will only be available for use as an exit off of Minna Street onto Mission Street and an exit for vehicles coming in from First Street. A flagger will be on site to direct access.

Natoma Street: Only local access will be allowed on Natoma Street between Fremont and Second Streets. Access to (400 Howard Street) Natoma Street will be allowed from Fremont Street only. There will be a partial street closure and parking prohibition in effect on Natoma Street between First and Second Streets. A flagger will be on site to direct access.

There will be a full street closure of Natoma Street at First and Natoma Streets on Monday, August 29 due to utility work. Access to (500 Howard Street) Natoma Street will be allowed from Second Street only. Two way traffic will enter and exit from Second Street from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

First Street: Lane restrictions will be in effect on First Street between Mission and Howard Streets from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. An SFPD 10B Officer will be on site to direct access.

Fremont Street: Lane restrictions will be in effect on Fremont Street between Mission and Howard Streets from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. An SFPD 10B Officer will be on site to direct access. The east sidewalk of Fremont Street between Mission and Howard Streets will remain closed. Pedestrians must use the west side of Fremont Street until further notice.

Beale Street: Lane restrictions will be in effect on Beale Street between Mission and Howard Streets from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The east sidewalk of Beale Street will be closed for the next two weeks with SFPD officers there to facilitate that full closure. Pedestrians must use the west sidewalk of Beale Street from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM for the next two weeks.

PG&E has begun performing night work along Market and Mission Streets, work will begin this week and will last into November. This work will result in lane restrictions along Beale Street and is not under the control or authority of the TJPA.

What to Expect Next Weekend (9/3/11 - 9/4/11):

There is no Transbay Project work scheduled due to the Labor Day weekend.

Questions?

Should you have any general questions about the Transbay Transit Center Project, please call Adam Alberti or Stephanie Reichin, Transbay Outreach Team, at: (415) 227-9700 or via e-mail at: info@transbaycenter.org

Construction Hotline:

If you have any urgent questions regarding site-specific demolition or construction activities, please call the construction activity number: (415) 409-TJPA (8572).

Website:

Please continue to check our website for the most up to date schedule of activities at: http://transbaycenter.org/construction-updates

Public Transit:

The TJPA encourages the use of public transportation. Please click on the link provided to assist in all of your public transportation travel needs: http://511.org/ or visit www.temporaryterminal.org

UPDATE: AB 350 - Are You Kidding Me? Help BOMA Defeat This Measure!

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - August 26, 2011

Major daily newspapers up and down the state are urging the Legislature to defeat AB 350. It seems the rhetoric used to push the bill is as transparent to them as it is to people in our industry, and the bill is being called everything from “perverse” to “frivolous” to “just plain wrong.”

The SF Chronicle is one of the latest to blast the bill, “Jerry Brown should veto union job-protection bill.”

Click here to see all the newspapers editorials opposing this bad bill.

-------------------

UPDATE - August 20, 2011

AB 350 one of the most far-reaching pieces of legislation to impact the commercial property industry in a long time, will be voted on next week in the Senate Appropriations Committee, and possibly the Senate Floor. After that, this inexpedient bill could be on its way to the governor.

Under AB 350, any time a service provider gets a new contract, they will be forced to hire the prior contractor’s employees. That’s right, this bill isn’t limited to the sale of the building, it applies to ANY NEW SERVICE CONTRACT.

BOMA California cannot defeat this measure without the support of the entire industry. Please join the growing voice of opposition to this bill by signing up here, and please call your Senator to express your opposition to this bill.

-------------------

UPDATE - August 2, 2011

HAVE YOU JOINED THE NO ON AB 350 COALITION?  Click here to learn more and to TAKE ACTION - SIGN UP TODAY!

BOMA San Francisco members from BOMA's Government and Public Affairs Committee (GAPAC) and Political Action Committee (BOMA SF-PAC) met with State Senator Mark Leno to relay their concern regarding California Assembly Bill 350 (AB 350).  

It was a productive discussion and one that may yield a number of amendments to AB 350 that will make it somewhat palatable to BOMA California members.  Stay tuned!

While BOMA California - of which BOMA San Francisco is a member - opposes the bill outright, we all  understand the value of collaboration and open discussion.  Indeed, we thank Senator Leno and his staff for their time and kind consideration of BOMA California's concerns regarding AB 350.

-------------------

UPDATE - July 20, 2011

BOMA San Francisco members from BOMA's Government and Public Affairs Committee (GAPAC) and Political Action Committee (BOMA SF-PAC) met with State Senator Leland Yee to relay their concern regarding California Assembly Bill 350 (AB 350).  

We appreciate the Senator's time and we look forward to working with him and our Bay Area elected leaders in the California Legislature on this measure. 

------------------

Original Post - July 12, 2011

Would you buy a home if you were forced to hire the gardener and babysitter of the previous owner? That's exactly what AB 350 would do.

California's economy is still struggling. Unemployment is near 12%. The legislature has real problems to address, like creating jobs and reviving our economy. But instead of solving real problems, some legislators are pushing misguided legislation - AB 350 by Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Santa Ana) - that puts government in charge of who private businesses can hire. AB 350 forces businesses to discriminate against their current employees and seriously erodes businesses' ability to control the quality of their work product.

Click here to learn more and to TAKE ACTION! 

Click here to download a fact sheet.

CAPSS Seminar: The California Earthquake Authority's Residential Mitigation Program

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please join the CAPPS team this week at their Tuesday CAPSS seminar:

Tuesday, August 30, 10:30 AM. Reducing Environmental Impacts of Earthquake Events through Seismic Mitigation, with Matthew Comber, P.E., Leed AP BD+C. Matthew Comber of Degenkolb Engineers will discuss the links between seismic mitigation and environmental impacts, illustrating how higher-performance buildings can reduce environmental impacts following an earthquake. This last seminar of the CAPSS Summer Seminar Series will take place in the CAPSS office, San Francisco City Hall, Room 34, and will be followed by a brown bag lunch and informal discussion.

For more information, please contact Mr. Laurence Kornfield with the CAPSS Earthquake Safety Implementation Program, at laurence.kornfield@sfgov.org.

When Should Commercial Property Owners Be Required to Do a Seismic Upgrade? Take The Survey

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Let's say you're in doing a tenant improvement or a mechanical upgrade. Should the building code also require a seismic evaluation -- and possibly a retrofit -- even if your project wouldn't touch the structural system? BOMA members can contribute to the code change process by taking a survey developed by structural engineers funded by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

The 2010 California Building Code triggers upgrades in a few cases already, but some are asking whether the code should be more proactive about seismic mitigation. What role should the code play in a city's mitigation plan? Would code-triggered upgrades reduce risk or would they just discourage modernization projects? Should a seismic trigger be related to project cost? Should certain building types be exempted -- or targeted? For more about the study, contact David Bonowitz, S.E.

Click here to take their short survey about building alterations and triggered upgrades.  Your input is very much appreciated.

BOMA’s 2012 Call for Presentations is Now Open!

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Be Part of Commercial Real Estate’s Innovation Showcase: Lead a Session at BOMA’s 2012 Annual Conference!

Have you achieved high asset and portfolio performance through innovative building practices, leadership, team building, technology, or tenant relations? We want to hear from you! BOMA’s 2012 Annual Conference will bring together the industry’s best innovators, and you should be part of it! By presenting, you can help create and promote best practices, highlight solutions for the industry’s biggest challenges, and expand your professional credentials and network!

We’re Looking for Sessions and Speakers With Great Ideas, Strategies and Solutions for
Best Practices to Innovation, Efficiency, and Sustainability
Preserving Asset Value
Emerging Regulations and Industry Impact
Leadership, Professional Development, and Recruiting Talent
Top–Notch Tenant Retention and Relations
Engineering Excellence

Submitting a Proposal is Easy
All proposals must be submitted online.

Visit the Call for Presentations page of the 2012 BOMA Conference website and click on "Submit Proposal" on the left–hand menu. All proposals must be submitted online.
Retrieve your past Username/Ecode or create a new Username and log in to the submission form.
Once you are logged in, simply complete the online proposal form, by adding in details about your submission and speakers until the form is complete. You may go back and edit your proposal until the submission deadline.
BOMA recommends you save of copy of your submission (abstract, biographies, etc.) in a separate document, outside the online survey form, as you enter it through the process.

Submissions must be received by Thursday, October 6, 2011. Go ahead! Submit your proposal today and lead the way to the industry’s most powerful resource—BOMA Attendees!

Questions?

Call Emily Naden, Manager of Education at 202–326–6326 or enaden@boma.org.

BOMA SF-PAC Candidate Endorsements & Positions on City Propositions for the November 8, 2011 Ballot

BOMA San Francisco Members:

The BOMA San Francisco Political Action Committee (BOMA SF-PAC) has endorsed candidates and taken positions on local ballot measures that will appear on the November 8, 2011 ballot.

NOTE: This election is administered by Rank Choice Voting (RCV), hence the 1-2-3 endorsement structure below.

Mayor

1. Mayor Ed Lee
2. David Chiu
3. Bevan Dufty

District Attorney

1. George Gascón
2. Bill Fazio
3. No third place endorsement

Sheriff

1. Chris Cunnie
2. Paul Miyamoto 
3. No third place endorsement

 Propositions - Please click on the titles of the propositions for more information!

• A - School Bonds - NO POSITION
• General Obligation bond measure of $531 million to finance repairs, renovations and new construction of San Francisco Unified School District structures.
• B - Road Repaving and Street Safety Bonds - OPPOSE
• $248 million bond to rebuild deteriorating city streets.
• C - City Pension and Health Care Benefits - SUPPORT
• Mayor Ed Lee's Charter Amendment that would increase employee pension contributions, increase retirement ages, require employee contributions to the Retiree Health Care Trust Fund and change the composition of the Health Services System Board.
• D - City Pension Benefits - OPPOSE
• Jeff Adachi’s Charter Amendment that would reform the funding of city employee pension and retiree healthcare through increased pension contributions, increased retirement ages and limiting the annual pension for new employees.
• E - Amending or Repealing Legislative Initiative Ordinances & Declarations of Policy - SUPPORT
• Ordinance that would allow voter-adopted initiative ordinances and declarations of policy originating with the mayor or Board of Supervisors to be amended or repealed by the Board of Supervisors, with certain conditions.
• F - Campaign Consultant Ordinance - NO POSITION
• Modifies current San Francisco campaign consultant regulations to require consultants to submit campaign consultant filings monthly instead of quarterly, and complete a training course. Exempts some consultants from filing if they receive less than $5,000 per year in consulting fees, and increases other fees.
• G - Sales Tax - OPPOSE
• Ordinance that would temporarily increase the sales tax rate in San Francisco from its current rate of 8.5 percent to 9 percent, but would be repealed for five years if the state restores recently expired sales taxes. The revenue is intended to fund public safety and social programs in the face of reductions in state funding.
• H - School District Student Assignment - NO POSITION
• Advisory measure declaring policy that every family in every San Francisco neighborhood should have the opportunity to send their children to a quality school in their neighborhood, and the system for assigning children to schools should give the highest priority to proximity of a child’s home to the school.

Stay tuned for the forthcoming BOMA SF-PAC Voter Guide!

Click here to go the San Francisco Department of Elections Website

Please take a moment to review the measures and send your comments to Ken Cleaveland, BOMA San Francisco's Director of Government and Public Affairs at kenc@boma.com and John Bozeman, BOMA San Francisco's Legislative Assistant at johnb@boma.com.

UPDATE: Zero Net Energy for Commercial New Construction

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - August 20, 2011

Here are some recommendations moving forward as part of a regulatory proceeding at the California Energy Commission:

•  Mandate all commercial new construction be Zero Net Energy (ZNE) by 2030. ZNE means that over a year that your building generates as much energy onsite as it pulls from the grid;
• Have the CEC use fines and penalties to enforce energy code at the state level;
• Use a “societal value” to calculate cost effectiveness for Zero Net Energy. In other words, change the current objective cost calculations required to pass energy code and add in a “subjective” component that will allow mandates for technology that will not pay for itself;
• Develop “reach” standards (as opposed to incremental “reachable” standards) for adoption at the local level and be included into CALGreen;
• Increase Title 24 requirements by jumps of 20-30% each adoption over the next three cycles;
• Require public building rating disclosures;
• Require energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings not tied to a scheduled improvement;
• Mandate a time-of-sale or time period trigger for upgrades and disclosures;
• Shift responsibility on to building owners and managers for reducing tenant plug-loads.

This is happening now in a regulatory process.  Please click below to read the recommendations:

Saving Energy in Existing Buildings and Achieving a Zero‐Net‐Energy Future

Contact us at kenc@boma.com or johnb@boma.com if you have any thoughts or opinions on how this might impact your business or to get more involved in the public process.

UPDATE - May 24, 2011

The Public Utilities Commission will conduct a public workshop on June 15 to discuss California’s policy goals relative to achieving Zero Net Energy (ZNE) in all new commercial buildings by 2030. While there is still debate over the definition of ZNE, at a minimum this policy goal will require almost all of a building’s energy supply to come from on-site sources. In addition to cost concerns, there are also serious physical design constraints which must be addressed, as was shown by a recent technical report commissioned by BOMA California.

That report analysis showed that a very energy-efficient 15-story commercial building in Oakland would still need nine acres of solar panels to cover its annual energy needs under such a policy. If that building were to use every inch of rooftop space for solar, that energy system would only generate enough power to cover 4% of the needed power supply.

We support the state working towards the goal of ZNE, but caution against adopting “stretch goal” mandates that knowingly cannot be reached. We are working with the state to consider other strategies in addition to ZNE, such as carbon-neutral buildings and neighborhoods, and increasing the overall supply of renewable energy at the source.

The workshop is scheduled for June 15 in San Francisco. Click here to read the state ZNE Action Plan, designed to identify the key actions required to achieve plan milestones, secure leaders for the steps to achieve these actions, and track and report on progress against the plan.

-------------------

Original Post - April 16, 2010

Please click here to read the California Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan--the commercial section starts on page 35--regarding Zero Net Energy (ZNE) use by new and existing buildings in California, and when such an energy standard should go into effect.  The Strategic Plan provides the necessary background information on ZNE and articulates the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) long-term energy efficiency goals for each economic sector and identifies specific strategies to assist in achieving those goals.

Our BOMA California staff is working on the ZNE issue with the CPUC but they need to hear from BOMA San Francisco members as to what they think of GOAL 1: all new developments to be zero net energy users by 2030; and GOAL 2: half of existing buildings must be retrofitted to be zero net energy users by 2030.

BOMA California is also seeking a better clarification on the California Energy Commission's definition of ZNE, because, as it now stands, it would mean onsite energy production. If we can broaden the definition to include off-site clean energy such as solar, wind, hydro, biomass, etc., it might become a lot more palatable and achievable for the BOMA San Francisco membership to accomplish.

Please email Ken Cleaveland, BOMA San Francisco's Director of Government and Public Affairs, with your thoughts at kenc@boma.com.

UPDATE: AB 350 - Are You Kidding Me? Help BOMA Defeat This Measure!

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - August 20, 2011

AB 350 one of the most far-reaching pieces of legislation to impact the commercial property industry in a long time, will be voted on next week in the Senate Appropriations Committee, and possibly the Senate Floor. After that, this inexpedient bill could be on its way to the governor.

Under AB 350, any time a service provider gets a new contract, they will be forced to hire the prior contractor’s employees. That’s right, this bill isn’t limited to the sale of the building, it applies to ANY NEW SERVICE CONTRACT.

BOMA California cannot defeat this measure without the support of the entire industry. Please join the growing voice of opposition to this bill by signing up here, and please call your Senator to express your opposition to this bill.

-------------------

UPDATE - August 2, 2011

HAVE YOU JOINED THE NO ON AB 350 COALITION?  Click here to learn more and to TAKE ACTION - SIGN UP TODAY!

BOMA San Francisco members from BOMA's Government and Public Affairs Committee (GAPAC) and Political Action Committee (BOMA SF-PAC) met with State Senator Mark Leno to relay their concern regarding California Assembly Bill 350 (AB 350).  

It was a productive discussion and one that may yield a number of amendments to AB 350 that will make it somewhat palatable to BOMA California members.  Stay tuned!

While BOMA California - of which BOMA San Francisco is a member - opposes the bill outright, we all  understand the value of collaboration and open discussion.  Indeed, we thank Senator Leno and his staff for their time and kind consideration of BOMA California's concerns regarding AB 350.

-------------------

UPDATE - July 20, 2011

BOMA San Francisco members from BOMA's Government and Public Affairs Committee (GAPAC) and Political Action Committee (BOMA SF-PAC) met with State Senator Leland Yee to relay their concern regarding California Assembly Bill 350 (AB 350).  

We appreciate the Senator's time and we look forward to working with him and our Bay Area elected leaders in the California Legislature on this measure. 

------------------

Original Post - July 12, 2011

Would you buy a home if you were forced to hire the gardener and babysitter of the previous owner? That's exactly what AB 350 would do.

California's economy is still struggling. Unemployment is near 12%. The legislature has real problems to address, like creating jobs and reviving our economy. But instead of solving real problems, some legislators are pushing misguided legislation - AB 350 by Assemblyman Jose Solorio (D-Santa Ana) - that puts government in charge of who private businesses can hire. AB 350 forces businesses to discriminate against their current employees and seriously erodes businesses' ability to control the quality of their work product.

Click here to learn more and to TAKE ACTION! 

Click here to download a fact sheet.

CAPSS Seminar: The California Earthquake Authority's Residential Mitigation Program

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Please join the CAPPS team this week at their Tuesday CAPSS seminar:

Tuesday, August 23, 10:30 AM. California Earthquake Authority's Residential Mitigation Program and other CEA activities, with Janiele Maffei. Ms. Maffei is a structural engineer and the president of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute's Northern California Chapter. She is currently the Chief Mitigation Officer for the California Earthquake Authority. As usual, the seminar will take place in the CAPSS office, San Francisco City Hall, Room 34, and will be followed by a brown bag lunch and informal discussion. Everyone is invited; earthquake program staff and interns from around the Bay Area will be attending.

The final CAPSS Tuesday morning seminar:  

• Tuesday, August 30. Sustainability Benefits of Seismic Mitigation, with Matthew Comber. 

We hope that you will be able to join the CAPPS team for these exciting discussions. Please drop by their CAPSS office at City Hall, Room 34, San Francisco to get connected with more CAPSS plans and activities.

For more information, please contact Mr. Laurence Kornfield with the CAPSS Earthquake Safety Implementation Program, at laurence.kornfield@sfgov.org.

A Look Ahead: Transbay Demolition and Construction Activities

10 Day Look Ahead: Demolition and Construction Activities 

BOMA San Francisco Members:

Weekend Work (8/20/11 – 8/21/11)

Overnight Shift - Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation will take place in the eastern zone between Beale and Fremont Streets. This will be from Monday, August 8 to Monday, August 29 and will take place from 7:00 AM to 12:00 AM, midnight, seven days a week. The CDSM spoils will be loaded into trucks for removal to an offsite location from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM, midnight.

Fremont Street: Overnight Shift - Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation will take place in Fremont Street on Friday from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM, Saturday, August 20 from 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM, midnight and Sunday from 7:00 AM to 12:00 AM, midnight. The CDSM spoils will be loaded into trucks for removal to an offsite location daily from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM. Traffic will be reduced to one lane from 8:00 PM on Friday, August 19 to 12:00 AM, midnight, on Sunday, August 21 to accommodate this work.

Minna Street: Pre-trenching work will continue on Minna Street between Second and First Streets on Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Natoma Street: Pre-trenching work will continue to take place along Natoma Street between First and Fremont Streets on Saturday, August 20 and Sunday, August 21 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Weekday Work (8/22/11 – 8/26/11)

Overnight Shift - Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation will take place in the eastern zone between Beale and Fremont Streets from Monday, August 8 to Monday, August 29 from 7:00 AM to 12:00 AM, midnight. The CDSM spoils will be loaded into trucks for removal to an offsite location from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM, midnight. Please take note that the back-up alarm on the equipment loading the trucks will be silenced while this work is in effect.

Day Shift - All contractors will work between the hours of 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM. Activities will include:

Trenching:

Trenching work will continue on both Minna Street between Second and First Streets and on Natoma Street between Fremont and First Streets - Day Shift.

Shoring & Excavation Prep:

Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation activities will continue in the east transit center site, while preparation activities will continue in the central and west transit center sites - Day Shift.

Demolition:

Howard Street: Off-hauling and sidewalk restoration will take place on selected buildings on Howard and Tehama Streets near Second Street - Day Shift.

Underground utilities/ trenching work:

Beale Street (from Mission to Howard Streets): Underground trenching and utilities work - Day Shift. Traffic lanes will be reduced to accommodate this work.

First Street (near Natoma): Underground trenching and utilities work - Day Shift. Traffic lanes will be reduced to accommodate this work.

Natoma Street (near First Street): Underground trenching and utilities work - Day Shift. Local access only.

Detours, Street and Sidewalk Closures:
The following streets will be temporarily impacted due to project activities. So you can plan ahead please review the affected streets below:

Minna Street: Only local access will be allowed on Minna Street between Second Street and Shaw Alley daily from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There will be a partial street closure and parking prohibition in effect. Two way local access will be granted on Minna Street from Second Street until Wednesday, August 31. Shaw Alley will only be available for use as an exit off of Minna Street onto Mission Street and an exit for vehicles coming in from First Street. A flagger will be on site to direct access.

Natoma Street: Only local access will be allowed on Natoma Street between Fremont and First Streets. Access to Natoma Street will be allowed from Fremont Street only. There will be a partial street closure and parking prohibition in effect on Natoma between First and Second Street from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Natoma Street will be blocked at First Street towards Second Street on Wednesday, August 24 for sewer work.

Fremont Street: Lane restrictions will be in effect on Fremont Street between Mission and Howard Streets from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The east sidewalk of Fremont Street between Mission and Howard Streets will remain closed. A temporary sidewalk will be provided in the parking lanes on the west side of Fremont Street between Mission and Howard Streets through Friday, August 26, 2011. Pedestrians must use the west side of Fremont Street until further notice.

Beale Street: Lane restrictions will be in effect on Beale Street between Mission and Howard Streets from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Temporary sidewalks will be provided in the parking lane along the Beale Street sidewalks until Friday, August 26, 2011.

PG&E will begin performing night work along Beale Street in between Market and Mission Streets, work will begin this week and will last into November. This work will result in lane restrictions along Beale Street and is unrelated to the Transbay Project.

Howard Street: Temporary sidewalks are provided in the parking lane on the north side of Howard Street between First and Second Streets during demolition activities through Friday, August 26, 2011.

What to Expect Next Weekend (8/27/11 - 8/28/11)

Beale Street: A full street closure on Beale Street between Howard and Mission Streets will be in effect starting Friday, August 26 at 8:00 PM through Monday, August 29 at 5:00 AM. Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation will be a 24 hour a day operation on Beale Street during this period. The CDSM spoils will be loaded into trucks for removal to an offsite location from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM, midnight.

Overnight Shift - Cement Deep Soil Mixing (CDSM) shoring wall installation will take place in the eastern zone between Beale and Fremont Streets. This will be from Monday, August 8 to Monday, August 29 and will take place from 7:00 AM to 12:00 AM, midnight, seven days a week. The CDSM spoils will be loaded into trucks for removal to an offsite location from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM, midnight.

First Street: Underground utility work will continue across First Street between Mission and Howard Streets on Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Traffic lanes will be reduced to accommodate this work.

Minna Street: Pre-trenching work will continue along Minna Street between Second and First Streets on Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Local Access Only.

Natoma Street: Pre-trenching work will continue along Natoma Street between First and Fremont Streets on Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28 from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Local Access Only.

Questions?

Should you have any general questions about the Transbay Transit Center Project, please call Adam Alberti or Stephanie Reichin, Transbay Outreach Team, at: (415) 227-9700 or via e-mail at: info@transbaycenter.org

Construction Hotline:

If you have any urgent questions regarding site-specific demolition or construction activities, please call the construction activity number: (415) 409-TJPA (8572).

Website:

Please continue to check our website for the most up to date schedule of activities at: http://transbaycenter.org/construction-updates

Public Transit:

The TJPA encourages the use of public transportation. Please click on the link provided to assist in all of your public transportation travel needs: http://511.org/ or visit www.temporaryterminal.org.

UPDATE: Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance - FREE Workshop on November 1, 2011

BOMA San Francisco Members:

UPDATE - August 19, 2011

PG&E is holding a free workshop on November 1, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at The Pacific Energy Center that will provide BOMA members with the information they need in order to be in compliance with the Existing Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance, which takes effect in October 2011. 

Topics to be covered include: which buildings will need to be benchmarked and/or audited and by when; the basics of using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager online tool to satisfy the benchmarking requirements of this ordinance; types of energy-efficiency audits and timelines for completion; energy performance disclosure requirements; and more.

Please click here to for more information (registration opens on September 2, 2011).

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UPDATE - August 3, 2011

At a recent BOMA San Francisco Energy & Environment Committee meeting, PG&E representatives spoke about an information sheet on the Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance they have produced providing:

• A summary/overview of the new law and answers to frequently asked questions;
• Questions to consider; 
• Explanation of audits, benchmarking and much more!

The information sheet also details the ways that PG&E can help you with meeting the requirements of the new law.

Please click here to review the document and start saving energy today!

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UPDATE - May 26, 2011

Barry Hooper with the San Francisco Department of Environment recently spoke about the requirements of this ordinance at the PG&E Pacific Energy Center.  Please click here to review the presentation. 

UPDATE - February 10, 2011

Please click here to view an overview flowchart and implementation timeline for this ordinance.

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UPDATE - February 9, 2011

The Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance unanimously passed it's second reading at the Board of Supervisors meeting on February 8, 2011.  The measure is expected to be signed by Mayor Ed Lee.  

Please click here for the final version of the ordinance and here for a press release from the San Francisco Department of the Environment.

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UPDATE - February 2, 2011

The Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance was considered by the Board of Supervisors at their weekly meeting on February 1, 2011 and passed on its first reading; final passage of the measure is expected at their next Board meeting on February 8, 2011.

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UPDATE - January 24, 2011

The members of the Board of Supervisors' Land Use & Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to send the Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance - as amended on December 13, 2010 (see our previous post, below) - to the full Board of Supervisors for their consideration. 

Your BOMA San Francisco Advocacy Team will monitor the progress of the legislation and report any updates on the blog.

Please send any feedback you man have to Ken Cleaveland at kenc@boma.com and John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com.

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UPDATE - December 15, 2010

The Board of Supervisors' Land Use Committee met for the second time this month on Monday, December 13, 2010 to discuss the details of the Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance ordinance.

Please click here to read the Ordinance and here for the Legislative Digest.

This ordinance, the most comprehensive of any city in the nation, will require all commercial buildings in San Francisco to be benchmarked and audited within THREE years, and to report that information to the San Francisco Department of the Environment. We had originally worked out a compromise of 5 years for both the initial benchmarking/audit and a 5 years recertification requirement for same. That was changed to three years for the initial audit, with the recertification/audit update requirement staying at 5 years. The 18 months to begin compliance was also reduced to 12 months. Both of these amendments were suggested by Board of Supervisors President, David Chiu. Chiu has now added his name to the Mayor's as a co-sponsor of the legislation.

The Department of the Environment presented a scenario for ramping up the benchmarking/audit requirement on existing buildings within a three year period, although they insisted that they needed to select buildings via a lottery rather than start with the largest properties and work downward. Department representatives also stated that there were approximately 630 commercial buildings in SF over 50,000 square feet, and over 2,500 between 10,000 - 50,000 square feet in size. This legislation will not cover buildings smaller than 10,000 square feet.

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UPDATE - November 30, 2010

BOMA San Francisco Members:

On  November 23, 2010, Mayor Newsom introduced the substitute Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance, which is scheduled to be heard at the Board of Supervisors Land Use & Economic Development Committee on December 6, 2010 at 1:00 p.m.:

Revisions from the prior version from July/August include: 

• Increased the minimum square footage of buildings required to comply from 5,000 to 10,000 sq. ft. (Section 2002, line 8);
• As described in Section 2004(a), for buildings submitting their benchmarking data for the first time, a window of time was added between when they are required to submit their data and when the data is made public.  This will allow some time for the facility to review and ensure the accuracy of the data before it is posted;
• Section 2006 was added to clarify compliance requirements for municipal buildings;
• The benchmarking requirements are much the same as those for commercial buildings, the primary exception being allowing the City to use a benchmarking tool other than Energy Star Portfolio Manager if it deems another tool to be more relevant for municipal buildings, as long as it provides the same type of data (Portfolio Manager is currently quite limited in the types of buildings it has categories for, and does not include many municipal building types, ie fire stations, etc.).
• However, because the City owns over 1,000 buildings and it would be impractical to expect the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) to conduct energy audits in all of those buildings in the timeline required in Section 2004(b), this section allows the SFPUC to elect to develop a compliance plan, to be submitted by July 1, 2011, to develop protocols and a compliance timeline for conducting energy audits in municipal buildings.  The expectation is that the SFPUC will perform 20-30 municipal energy audits per year.
• An exception was added for unoccupied buildings (Section 2008(c)(2));
• Administrative fines were revised as described in Section 2009(b).

Thank you to Johanna Partin, Director of Climate Protection Initiatives - Office of Mayor Gavin Newsom, for this information.

Please review legislation as soon as you can.  Please send any feedback to Ken Cleaveland at kenc@boma.com and John Bozeman at johnb@boma.com, and what positives/negatives aspects you see emanating from passage/implementation of this ordinance. 

Most importantly, if you would like to attend the December 6th meeting of the Land Use Committee to testify in support of this legislation and/or add any specific comments.  Please email us.   

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Original Post - August 12, 2010

BOMA San Francisco members have been working with the San Francisco Department of the Environment to craft the Existing Commercial Buildings Energy Performance Ordinance. Click here to review the ordinance.

The proposal would require owners of nonresidential buildings in San Francisco to obtain energy efficiency audits, as well as to annually measure and disclose energy performance. It would also requires the Department of Environment to collect summary statistics about the energy performance of nonresidential buildings and make those statistics available to the public.

The proposal would require the owner of any nonresidential building in San Francisco with a gross area of 5,000 square feet or greater to conduct a comprehensive energy efficiency audit for each such building not less than once every 5 years. The audits would have to meet specified industry standards and be conducted by a qualified energy professional in accordance with rules promulgated by the Director of the Department of the Environment. The size of the building would determine the scope of the audit.

The energy professional would prepare a signed report of the energy efficiency audit meeting industry standards. The report would include, among other things: a list of capital and non-capital measures that would improve the building's energy efficiency; an estimate of the approximate energy savings, avoided energy cost, and costs to implement those measures; and an estimate of the economic value of the corrective measures. The ordinance would require the building owner to file with the Department of the Environment a report confirming that the energy efficiency audit had been completed.

Building owners would also be required to use the "ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager"— the Environmental Protection Agency’s online tool for managing building data—to track the total energy use of each non-residential building and obtain an "ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager Energy Performance Rating" for each entire nonresidential building. The owner would then file an Annual Energy Benchmark Summary report ("AEBS") for each covered building with the Department of the Environment. The AEBS would be based on an assessment of the entire non-residential building and related facilities made using Portfolio Manager.

No energy efficiency audit would be required for: (a) a building newly constructed less than five years prior to the date an AEBS was due; (b) a building that received the ENERGY STAR® label from the EPA for at least three of the last five years; or, (c) a building that was certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for Existing Buildings Operation and Maintenance, within the past five years. Owners of financially distressed buildings could apply for extensions of the deadlines for completion of an energy efficiency audit or for submittal of an AEBS.

The Department of the Environment would annually report to the public summary statistics on Citywide energy use in nonresidential buildings and on overall compliance with the Chapter. For individual buildings covered by the ordinance, the department would report whether the building was in compliance with the Chapter, what level of energy audit was required for the building, the date of the most recent audit, and whole-building information on energy use and efficiency.

The ordinance would require building owners to make the Annual Energy Benchmark Summary report available to all tenants occupying the building in order to engage tenants in efforts to save energy.

The ordinance would set a staggered, 3-year schedule for compliance with these new requirements, beginning April 1, 2011.

Violations would be enforced through a system of administrative penalties, after written warning to the building owner.