2. City of Bryan
Sustainability Programs
PO Box 1000, Bryan TX 77805
(979) 209-5900
www.begreeninbryan.com
Contributors
Principal Author:
Mary Strauss
Sustainability Programs Coordinator
City of Bryan, Texas
mstrauss@bryantx.gov
(979) 209-5910
“Green Team” Departmental Contributors:
Alton Rogers
Streets and Drainage
Arthur Roach
Community Development
Billy Ebner
Facilities
Bobby Walker
Fleet Services
Dale Picha, Nikki Norton
Traffic Operations
Darrel Lovelette
Parks and Recreation
Eric Zaragoza, Cody Cravatt
Environmental Services
Gus Roman
Information Technology
Jennifer Rich
Water Services
Karen Sonley
Purchasing
Randall Haynes
Planning and Building Services
3. Table of Contents
Executive Summary.................................................................................................................................................................................1
Bryan’s Pathway to Sustainability ....................................................................................................................................................2
Energy Efficiency Initiatives................................................................................................................................................................3
Climate Protection Initiatives.............................................................................................................................................................4
Air Quality Initiatives .............................................................................................................................................................................5
Community Development Initiatives...............................................................................................................................................6
Information Technology Initiatives..................................................................................................................................................7
Parks, Open Space & Habitat Conservation Initiatives.............................................................................................................8
Urban Planning and Green Building Initiatives...........................................................................................................................9
Responsible Purchasing Initiatives ............................................................................................................................................... 10
Traffic Operations, Streets & Drainage Initiatives................................................................................................................... 11
Waste Reduction Initiatives.............................................................................................................................................................. 12
Water Resources Conservation Initiatives................................................................................................................................. 13
4. Executive Summary
Introduction
Over the past two years, the City of Bryan has taken a proactive role in building a
more sustainable and livable community. In 2008, the Be Green in Bryan (BGIB)
program was launched to promote sustainability within all city services and
throughout the region. The “Green Team,” composed of representatives from each
city department, was formed to expand the city’s green initiatives. During its first
meeting, the team took a visionary step in creating the following policy statement
for city adoption:
“As responsible stewards of our environment, the City of Bryan is continuously devel-
oping practices which strive to improve living and working environments while build-
ing a community that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.“
Addressing these topics is at the heart of Bryan’s sustainability planning. When the city’s services, land use and infrastructure are
in line with sustainable principles, we can achieve broad financial, aesthetic and health benefits for our community. The end
result of “going green” is a more efficiently run city that saves time and money, enhances the natural environment, and creates a
more vibrant and healthy place for the community to live, work and play.
The Sustainability Assessment
To put policy into action, the Green Team summarized existing sustainability practices and identified new opportunities in a
document titled the Sustainability Assessment. This report included the following information:
♦ Current “green” initiatives taking place within the city
♦ Best management practices implemented at municipalities across the country
♦ Departmental recommendations of future sustainability goals
♦ A detailed energy audit of 15 city buildings
The Sustainability Action Plan
Utilizing the information gathered in the Sustainability Assessment report, the Green Team created this Sustainability Action Plan
(SAP) for implementation during FY11. The SAP outlines, in detail, measurable goals for each of the “Focus Areas of
Sustainability.” These goals not only highlight sustainable changes to city policy, but also ways in which the city can engage both
employees and the public in a move towards sustainable living. To truly “Be Green in Bryan,” all members of the community must
go green together.
The Sustainability Action Plan been summarized into ten (10) Focus Areas of Sustainability:
- Energy Efficiency - Traffic Operations, Streets & Drainage
- Climate Protection - Responsible Purchasing
- Air Quality - Urban Planning & Green Building
- Community Development - Waste Reduction
- Information Technology - Water Resource Conservation
- Parks, Open Space & Habitat Conservation
These focus areas represent some of the most important environmental issues facing the world today and are issues to which the
City of Bryan is directly connected to. By working towards sustainability with each of these topics, the city will be creating a
cleaner, greener and healthier community.
Page 1
5. Bryan’s Pathway to Sustainability
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability has become a universal buzzword appearing in a wide range of
forums to convey a long-term, comprehensive approach to environmentally
conscious and efficient decision making.
In the City of Bryan, we have come to define sustainability as
“meeting the current environmental, social, and economic needs of our commu-
nity without compromising the ability of future generations to meet these needs”.
Basically, sustainability is a desire to pass on a world that is as good, if not
better than we found it, for our children and future generations.
The Five Milestones for Sustainability
In an effort to provide a simple, standardized means achieving sustainability within the City of Bryan, the “Five Milestones for
Sustainability” are being implemented. These objectives give the city a means of assessing sustainability challenges, establishing
goals, developing and implementing a plan and measuring progress. Currently, the city has implemented Milestones One, Two
and Three and will begin Milestone Four at the start of FY11.
Milestone One: Conduct a Sustainability Assessment Complete
Bryan has summarized the environmental challenges within our community and the programs currently in place to address
these challenges. The “Sustainability Assessment” includes an energy audit and current green initiatives. It has been used as
baseline data to identify the recommendations for the Sustainability Action Plan.
Milestone Two: Set Sustainability Goals Complete
The sustainability goals define the overarching objectives and scope of the sustainability plan. The goals should address the
challenges identified in Milestone One. The sustainability goals established by the Green Team include:
♦ Reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and waste disposal in city operations
♦ Conserve existing natural areas and increase green space
♦ Set policy for employee sustainability efforts
♦ Provide education for employees, community members and businesses on sustainability topics
Milestone Three: Develop a Sustainability Action Plan Complete
Milestone Three includes the development of the sustainability action plan outlined in this document. The plan details the
policies and measures needed to improve local sustainability. This plan includes a timeline, a description of financing
mechanisms and an assignment of responsibility to departments and staff.
Milestone Four: Implement the Sustainability Action Plan October 2010—October 2011
The City of Bryan will implement the policies and measures outlined in the sustainability action plan. Policies and measures
include initiatives such as energy efficiency improvements to municipal buildings, streetlight retrofits, water conservation
efforts and waste reduction strategies.
Milestone Five: Evaluate Progress October 2011
The City of Bryan will evaluate progress made through implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan. Achieving Milestone
Five involves annually reporting on the overall sustainability of the City of Bryan.
Page 2
6. Energy Efficiency Initiatives
Contributing Department: Facility Services
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Energy-Use Tracking
Using the Environmental Protection Agency’s free energy auditing software,
Portfolio Manager, continue to monitor and document utility use and costs dur-
ing FY11 to maintain accurate records of energy usage in all city-owned build-
ings. Analyze and report on data at the end of the fiscal year.
Initiative 2: HVAC Temperature Ranges
Implement the ASRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-
Conditioning Engineers) recommended temperature ranges for summer (73-79)
and winter (68-74) months in select city buildings to reduce our energy cost by 5
percent. Utilize Portfolio Manager software to assess monetary savings from
these temperature adjustments.
Educational Opportunities
♦ Implement an employee energy-
awareness campaign (shut-down com-
puters, turn off lights, etc.) A pilot pro-
gram in Cincinnati, Ohio resulted in
annual savings of approximately
179kWh per employee, or $18 per
employee.
♦ Create an Energy Policy to establish
guidelines for cost-efficient and
sustainable resource consumption at
city facilities
5-Year Goal
Replace/Reduce lighting in areas such as hallways, entry ways, storage rooms,
and restrooms with LED or less lighting to reduce energy cost in all city owned
buildings.
Current Initiatives
♦ Utilizing the Portfolio Manager soft-
ware tool, Facility Services was able to
assess the energy use of 15 city build-
ings during FY08 and FY09 and docu-
ment the cost-saving results.
(See Figure 1)
♦ The replacement of appliances to En-
ergy Star rated ones on an as-needed
basis.
♦ The monitoring and adjustment of all
HVAC controls throughout city infra-
structure to be comfortable, yet
energy efficient.
♦ The use of the most efficient compact
fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs (T-8) on
the market.
Figure 1
City of Bryan Change in Energy Use
Fire Station Comparison of FY08-FY09
Statistics
♦ Government agencies spend more
than $10 billion a year on energy to
provide public services.
♦ One-third of the energy used to run
typical government buildings goes to
waste.
♦ Market trends suggesting a dramatic
rise in energy demand and prices over
the next 25 years.
Page 3
The decline in energy use from FY08 to FY09 at Fire Station #2 (as seen above)
equated to a $1,570 savings in annual energy costs. This decrease in energy use
derived from permanently setting the building’s programmable thermostat at 71
degrees
7. Climate Protection Initiatives
Contributing Department: Sustainability Programs
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Complete an Emissions Inventory & Forecast
The City of Bryan has begun a greenhouse gas emissions inventory for the year
2007, utilizing software provided by the organization ICLEI - Local Governments
for Sustainability. The completed inventory will include baseline quantifications
for energy usage in city buildings, fuel usage in city vehicles, and emissions from
city operations (See Figure 1). This inventory follows the Local Government Op-
eration Protocol (LGOP), which is the official standard for all local governments in
the United States that wish to prepare and report greenhouse gas emissions. Once
the inventory is concluded, the city will forecast its future emissions based on the
2007 data. When completed, the emissions forecast will show how much GHG
emissions are likely to grow and from which sectors this growth is likely to occur.
Initiative 2: Set a Reduction Target
After an emission’s forecast is complete, the City of Bryan will need to select a
reduction target that is both aggressive and achievable. Factors considered in se-
lecting the reduction target will include an estimation of the effects of imple-
mented and planned programs and policies, an approximate assessment of future
opportunities to reduce emissions and targets adopted by peer communities.
5-Year Goal
In five years, the city should be prepared to conduct a second GHG emissions
inventory to re-evaluate the reduction targets and assess achievements.
Current Initiatives
♦ Buildings and Facilities: In 2009, a
$695,000 grant was received to un-
dergo a major energy efficiency reno-
vation at the City Hall Annex
♦ Streetlights and Traffic Signals: In
2010, a $374,000 grant was received
to develop and implement coordi-
nated signal timing plans for 38 in-
tersections along three arterial corri-
dors and replace incandescent bulbs
with new LED signal lamps at 36 in-
tersections.
♦ Vehicle Fleet: In 2009, a biofuels
pilot project was launched, using B20
biofuel on several city waste hauling
vehicles.
Benefits
♦ Save taxpayer dollars through
energy efficiency initiatives.
♦ Invest in long-term community
livability.
♦ Inspire community engagement.
♦ Create a legacy of leadership.
Introduction
Climate change is the defining challenge of the 21st century. Through the receipt
of a 2009 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, the City of Bryan has
committed to significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions created
through its government operations.
Page 4
Figure 1
Common Sources of GHG Emissions
from Government Operations
8. Air Quality Initiatives
Contributing Department: Fleet Services
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Implement the use of Bio-Fuels
In November 2009, a B20 biofuels pilot program was launched using three solid
waste trucks. Preliminary results from the pilot program have shown that B20’s
solvent-like quality creates cleaner-running engines, thus helping vehicles run
better over time (See Figure 1) . For these reasons, the Environmental Services
Department will expand the use of bio-diesel to encompass all solid waste diesel
trucks, including brush and bulky and commercial and residential waste vehicles.
Initiative 2: Implement an Idling Reduction Policy
It is recommended that the city create an idling reduction policy for all city vehi-
cles, which would set a limit on the number of minutes a city vehicle can remain
idling. A reduction in idling time can result in cost savings from fuel use and vehi-
cle wear and tear (See Figure 2). A strong employee education program would be
needed to correspond with this policy (i.e. placing reminder stickers in each city
vehicle). In newer model units, engine parameters have been adjusted to allow a
maximum of 5 minutes of idling.
5-Year Goal
Continue the B20 biofuels pilot program and with positive results, continue and
possibly expand its use.
Page 5
Figure 2
Total Financial Benefit from
Eliminating 5 Minutes of Voluntary Idling
Engine Size
Annual
Direct Fuel
Savings
Indirect Fuel
Savings
Wear and Tear
TOTAL SAVINGS
Per Vehicle
Small $30 $42 -$9 $63
8 Cylinder $60 $83 -$9 $134
Figure 1
B20 Biofuel
Emissions
Comparison
Current Initiatives
♦ Vehicle Replacement Program –
Each city vehicle is analyzed for effi-
ciency through the tracking of usage,
maintenance and fuel costs. Results
allow older high-emission vehicles to
be removed from the Fleet in a timely
manner, thereby taking advantage of
increased fuel economy and reduced
emissions with more advanced tech-
nology.
♦ Preventative Maintenance (PM) - A
stringent PM inspection program is in
place to keep all vehicles and equip-
ment in optimum operating condition.
♦ Hybrid Vehicle - The first hybrid ve-
hicle was added to the City of Bryan
Fleet in November 2008.
♦ Flex-Fuel- 30 flex-fuel vehicles have
been added to the city’s fleet within
the last 3 years.
♦ Use of Biofuels - In November 2009 a
biofuels pilot program was launched
using several City solid waste trucks.
Use of B20 (20 percent biofuel, 80 per-
cent diesel) can reduce emissions of
Particulate Matter (PM) by upwards of
10 percent and emissions of hydrocar-
bons (HC) by 20 percent.
♦ Tire Pressure - A weekly Fleet Tire
Inspection Program is in place for all
of the Solid Waste fleet which includes
checking and adjusting tire pressures.
10. Information Technology Initiatives
Contributing Department: IT
FY2011 Sustainability Goal
Initiative 1: Implement Power Management Software
City-Wide
Power management software is used to manage power settings on individual
PCs when not in use. For example, if an employee leaves their PC and monitor
on overnight, or over a weekend, the software will put the PC and the monitor
“to sleep,” saving energy use (about two-thirds of normal consumption), while
still allowing IT to make upgrades and employees to remote into the desktop. In
addition, and any documents left open on the computer would not be lost.
The reputable power management software company, Verdiem, has supplied
the City of Bryan with several return on investment (ROI) scenarios (See Figure
1). Verdiem has also shared with the city that that Katy ISD used their software
on all PC’s and saw a payback from energy savings in 6 months, while the City of
Seattle cut their power consumption by 35 percent.
Initiative 2: Rewire IT Building’s General Lighting
Work with the Facility Services Department to coordinate the installation of
light switches in the IT building. These new light switches would enable em-
ployees in the IT building to turn off existing building lighting after hours. Cur-
rently the lights remain on permanently, even overnight when no employees
are present.
5-Year Goal
Reduce energy consumption by IT related equipment through implementation
of Virtualization technologies (server and desktop virtualization) as well as
desktop power management systems.
Current Initiatives
♦ Server Virtualization - The IT De-
partment has virtualized approxi-
mately 30 of our 60+ physical servers.
This reduces physical server energy
use as well as reducing the heat load
on the server room cooling system.
♦ Desktop Virtualization - Implement-
ing a “pilot” desktop virtualization
project, where 10 computers within
the IT Department will be operating in
a virtual environment which reduces
the need to replace PCs every 3-5
years, saving landfill space, reducing
energy consumption and providing for
easier manageability.
♦ Lighting Efficiencies - IT turned off
32 60-watt light fixtures in the PD
“property room” previously were left
on 24/7. IT is looking at re-wiring
lighting to allow for turning off 90 per-
cent of light fixtures within the build-
ing after-hours and on weekends.
♦ Implementation of digital backup
solution- IT no longer conducts back-
ups using magnetic tapes. This re-
duces the need for air conditioned
storage of media.
Page 7
Figure 1
City of Bryan’s Estimated ROI
Using Verdiem Software
11. Parks, Open Space and Habitat Conservation Initiatives
Contributing Department: Parks and Recreation
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Protect Existing Park Habitats, Natural Areas
and Waterways
A City’s quality of life is greatly enhanced by extensive parks and open space
areas. The preservation of our open spaces, rivers and creeks are essential to
the health of Bryan’s human and non-human inhabitants. These areas provide
opportunities for recreation, habitat for wildlife and plants, and support alter-
native modes of travel.
In FY11, the Parks and Recreation Department will evaluate all development
plans, new or renovations, for the installation of riparian buffer zones (See Fig-
ure 1), protection of habitat and plantings of native species, at least 75 percent.
Initiative 2: Create Publications on Bryan Nature
Create, design and publish booklets concerning nature amenities of City of
Bryan parks and trails. By September 2011, the Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment will have finished two booklets – one showing all current and future trails
and one concerning all parks, their amenities and what people can expect to
encounter.
5-Year Goal
Evaluate amenities and features of all City Parks for lighting efficiencies, stream
and stream bank protection, invasive versus native plant species, and drainage
issues.
Current Initiatives
♦ Developing Biking and Walking
Trails - The Parks and Recreation De-
partment is developing an elaborate
series of walking and biking trails
across the City of Bryan. The goal of
these trails is to provide a safe, con-
venient, and environmentally friendly
transportation network throughout
the City.
♦ TAMU’s Replant - The City of Bryan
has been a proud participant in Aggie
Replant for several years. Last year
alone, the City of Bryan, in partnership
with Aggie Replant, planted over 130
trees at three different locations
within our parks system.
♦ Christmas Tree Recycling - The
Parks and Recreation Department has
teamed with the City of Bryan’s Envi-
ronmental Services Department and
Brazos County 4-H for the past several
years to recycle Christmas trees at
Haswell Park.
♦ Arbor Day Celebration - The City of
Bryan has teamed with Keep Brazos
Beautiful, a local environmental or-
ganization, to celebrate Arbor Day in a
select City of Bryan park over each of
the last several years.
♦ Apache Tree Foundation and Lions
Club of Bryan Tree Planting - The
Parks and Recreation Department co-
ordinates with the Lion’s Club and the
Apache Tree Foundation to plant trees
city parks each year.
♦ Nature Education - The newly con-
structed Park Hudson Trail will high-
light native flora and fauna on a series
of 19 full-color trail signs. In addition,
local Texas Master Naturalists will be
volunteering their time each spring to
host nature trail talks and walks for
the community.
The photograph above illustrates the need for riparian buffer zones in park
habitats to prevent the spread of pollution into our local waterways and attract
native flora and fauna.
Page 8
City of Bryan’s
Bonham Park Creek
12. Urban Planning and Green Building Initiatives
Contributing Department: Planning and Building Services
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Create a 2011 Comprehensive Plan Update
The City of Bryan’s Comprehensive Plan does not currently address issues of
sustainability. It is recommended that an addendum be created to take into ac-
count sustainable development, infrastructure and planning. It is recommended
that the City Council to appoint a committee to create the addendum.
Initiative 2: Conduct an Urban Heat-Island Impact Analysis
An Urban Heat-Island (UHI) is a metropolitan area which is significantly warmer
than its surrounding rural areas. UHIs cause increases in temperature, (See Figure
1) energy use and pollutants such as ozone. The City of Bryan will study & quan-
tify a possible urban heat island effect in Bryan and subsequently assess a possi-
ble need for a mitigation program. The Development Services Department will
measure and produce an analysis of current conditions in ArcGIS analysis soft-
ware.
Initiative 3: Community Education Workshops
The Building Services department will offer one workshop each quarter for com-
munity groups on topics such as smart growth, stormwater management at con-
struction sites, green building basics and BTU’s green rebates.
5-Year Goal
Through regular training and discussion of the long-term fiscal and environ-
mental benefits, develop an awareness of the positive nature of sustainability
policies among the employees of the development services department.
Current Initiatives
♦ Redevelopment and Reuse - The
continuation of mixed use develop-
ment and additional green spaces in
downtown Bryan adds to the sustain-
ability of our community. The city is
also leading a cleanup of potentially
contaminated areas of the north end
of downtown.
♦ Transportation Options – In 2009,
the City of Bryan council supported
the goal of making Bryan a safer, more
walkable city by passing an ordinance
amendment allowing funds to con-
struct public sidewalks and provide an
alternative to automobile transporta-
tion.
♦ Certified LEED Associate – The Plan-
ning Department has a certified Lead-
ership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) Green Associate on
staff. This credential recognizes pro-
fessionals who have demonstrated an
understanding of green building de-
sign, construction and operations, the
LEED green building rating systems,
and the certification process.
♦ Building Codes: Building Services has
adopted the 2006 International Code
Council’s (ICC) standards for green
building practices.
♦ Irrigation Design Review - For the
purpose of water conservation, the
State Legislature passed HB1656 in
2007 which requires the city to regu-
late the design, installation and opera-
tion of the irrigation system. The City
of Bryan verifies that the irrigator who
designs and installs an irrigation sys-
tem holds a valid irrigator’s license
and obtains a permit before installing
a system. City inspectors must verify
that the design and installation meet
the TCEQ requirements.
Page 9
Figure 1
Sketch of an Urban Heat-Island Profile
13. Responsible Purchasing Initiatives
Contributing Department: Purchasing
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Educate City Employees on Responsible
Purchasing Practices
In order to increase the awareness and use of the city’s Environmental Purchas-
ing Policy, it is recommended that the Purchasing Department host employee
workshops on the topic of environmentally sound products and services. City
staff can then review their contracts and tender specifications for goods and ser-
vices, to ensure that wherever possible and economically feasible, specifications
are amended to provide for consideration of environmental characteristics.
Initiative 2: “Green” Cleaning Purchases
In addition to the obvious aesthetic benefits of cleaning, the removal of dust,
allergens, and infectious agents is crucial to maintaining a healthful indoor envi-
ronment. But cleaning products can present several health and environmental
concerns. They may contain chemicals associated with eye, skin, or respiratory
irritation, or other human health issues. Reducing the human health and envi-
ronmental concerns is an important incentive for purchasing “green” cleaning
products. It is recommended that these types of cleaning products are specified
on the FY11 bid for janitorial services.
5-Year Goal
Create a database of sustainable products that are of high quality and economi-
cally feasible. Employees would refer to this database prior to making purchases.
Current Initiatives
♦ Environmental Purchasing Policy -
Purchasing has established an Environ-
mental Purchasing Policy, which en-
courages City of Bryan employees to
utilize those items that are rated as
“Green” whenever possible.
♦ Paperless Office - Purchasing has con-
verted all paper files to Laser Fiche to
save on paper waste and storage.
♦ Online Bidding - Purchasing has util-
ized online bidding resulting in a dra-
matic drop of paper usage.
Financial Benefits of Green Purchasing vs.
Hidden Life-Cycle Costs of Conventional Items
Page 10
At first glance, many "green" alternatives will seem more expensive than standard products. However, a life-cycle assessment
may reveal substantial savings. These may be particularly pronounced with, for example, energy-saving products manufactured
with less toxic materials. These typically have substantially lower use costs over their lifetime and lower disposal costs.
Benefits
Responsible Purchasing Benefits:
♦ Improved worker safety and health
♦ Reduced health and disposal costs
♦ Increased availability of environmen-
tally preferable products in the market-
place
14. Traffic Operations, Streets and Drainage Initiatives
Contributing Department: Traffic Operations Department
Streets and Drainage Department
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Retrofit Traffic Lighting
To reduce energy use (See Figure 1), all new traffic lighting installation shall be
energy efficient LEDs with minimum five-year life spans. In addition, where
possible, the static school zone signs and older-style, hard-wired incandescent
flashing assemblies will be upgraded to solar-powered units.
Initiative 2: Establish a Stormwater Ordinance
The establishment of a Stormwater Ordinance will serve as an essential compo-
nent to a comprehensive Stormwater Management Program. The primary goal
of the Stormwater Ordinance is to protect public health and safety by regulating
stormwater runoff from land development projects, construction activities and
existing urban activities in order to control and minimize flooding, soil and
stream channel erosion, and pinpoint source pollution associated with storm-
water runoff.
5-Year Goals
♦ Move toward centralized traffic operations system to readily increase effi-
ciency, safety, and functionality of traffic signals system in Bryan. This will
not only decrease vehicular trips to signal sites, but enable faster, safer and
even remote-control of systems, avoiding the travel of employees to the
offices to address after hours issues.
♦ Reduce petroleum, concrete and soil runoff from construction sites. As a
result this will reduce the amount of pollutants that are discharged into our
local storm sewer system and creeks, increasing the water quality of the
area’s watershed.
Current Initiatives
♦ Implementation of the City’s Hike and
Bike Access Plan and Thoroughfare Plan -
Traffic Operations staff helps implement the
2006 Comprehensive Plan, which includes
the Hike and Bike Access Plan and Thor-
oughfare Plan. Implementation of these
plans helps promote safer and more efficient
movement of people and goods, and more
bicycle and pedestrian activity throughout
the city.
♦ Transitioning to Light Emitting Di-
odes (LED) - The City of Bryan recently re-
ceived a grant to improve efficiency through
traffic signal synchronization and infrastruc-
ture improvements. The city will develop
and implement coordinated signal timing
plans for 38 intersections along three arte-
rial corridors and replace incandescent
bulbs with new LED signal lamps at 36 inter-
sections.
♦ Reuse and Recycle Aluminum Sign
Substrate Materials to the Extent Possible
- Traffic Operations staff are reusing alumi-
num sign substrate materials when possible,
and donating the remaining aluminum mate-
rials for recycling purposes.
♦ More Efficient Equipment - The Streets
& Drainage Division has retired older equip-
ment to minimize detrimental air emissions
associated with worn engines. The depart-
ment is investigating the use of newer,
smaller and more efficient units.
♦ In-House Mowing of the Right-of-
Ways - Since the city staff has decided when,
where and how often right-of-ways are
mowed, the number of cuttings have been
reduced. As a result, less emissions are cre-
ated and less fuel is used.
♦ MS4 Permit Implementation and Edu-
cation – The city regularly monitors water
quality, inspects industrial and construction
sites, and responds to citizen calls regarding
stormwater. The city sponsors an annual
litter challenge, lake and creek cleanups, and
seminars for contractors.
Figure 1
Comparison of Power Usage for Various Traffic Signal Types
Page 11
15. Waste Reduction Initiatives
Contributing Department: Environmental Services
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Increase Recycling Tonnages
Increase the FY11 recycling tonnages at the Drive-In Recycling Center by 5
percent above the FY10 rates (these rates are yet to be determined, but rates
from the past three years can be found below in Figure 1) A strong education
component must accompany this effort (See Initiative 2).
Initiative 2: Expand Community Education Programs
Since 2007, the City of Bryan has offered a comprehensive environmental edu-
cation program for area schools and residents. The FY11 sustainability goal
will be to expand the current program to offer Bryan businesses, organizations
and citizens information on conducting a waste audit and creating a Green
Team. The Sustainability Programs Coordinator will conduct at least five waste
audits and at least five Green Team trainings during FY11.
5-Year Goal
Investigate all potential possibilities of offering expanded recycling services
(i.e. curbside, second drop-off facility, expansion of current facility) to area
citizens and businesses.
Current Initiatives
♦ Drive-In Recycling Center - Since 1996,
the City of Bryan’s Drive-In Recycling
Center has provided Brazos Valley resi-
dents and businesses the opportunity to
recycle a wide variety of items.
♦ “In-House” Pick Up - All city offices are
supplied with recycling bins to collect
their recyclable materials. The materials
are collected by city staff once per week.
An employee recognition program is in
place to encourage recycling efforts.
♦ White Goods Recycling - The City of
Bryan also recycles white goods (such as
air conditioners, dishwashers, refrigera-
tors and water heaters.
♦ Compost Facility - The Bryan Compost
Facility mixes brush and yard waste
from the Cities of Bryan and College Sta-
tion as well as Texas A&M University
and surrounding communities with bio-
solids from the City of Bryan wastewater
treatment facilities to create compost. In
FY08 the Compost Facility diverted
more than 13,000 tons of brush and bio-
solids from entering our landfill.
♦ Household Hazardous Waste Collec-
tion - The Cities of Bryan and College
Station partner with the Brazos Valley
Solid Waste Management Agency
(BVSWMA) to host a bi-annual event
which allows all citizens in our area the
opportunity to dispose of, free of charge,
household hazardous wastes, cleaners,
aerosols, batteries, herbicides, pesticides
and many other items.
♦ Do-It-Yourself Used Oil Recycling
Center - Used motor and cooking
grease/oils may be recycled at the Bryan
Do-It-Yourself Used Oil Center. This op-
portunity promotes environmental
stewardship and protects our water-
ways and wastewater treatment system
by providing residents with a recycling
opportunity for these reusable wastes.
Figure 1
City of Bryan
Waste Disposal Tonnages
Page 12
FiscalFiscal
YearYear
WasteWaste BrushBrush SludgeSludge RecyclingRecycling % Diverted% Diverted
2007 51,573.29 9,274 8,290 634.5 26.08%
2008 55,720.86 8,449 8,056 864.8 23.76%
2009 54,813.21 9,330 7,682 994.5 24.73%
In the past three fiscal years, the City of Bryan diverted more than 35 tons of
waste from entering our local landfill. Through recycling and composting, be-
tween 23 percent and 26 percent of the total waste collected in our community
was recycled. It is a goal of the Environmental Services Department to increase
the Recycling Center tonnages by 5 percent.
16. Water Resources Conservation Initiatives
Contributing Department: Water Services Department
FY2011 Sustainability Goals
Initiative 1: Conservation Water Rates
Encourage water conservation by implementing an increasing block rate struc-
ture (See Figure 1) for water with affordable prices for those who use water
efficiently and effectively higher water rates for customers who use larger
amounts of water which requires increased infrastructure to meet these higher
peak demands.
Initiative 2: Equipment Replacement (pumps & motors)
In an effort to reduce energy usage, the Water Services department will replace
existing pumps and motors with new, higher-efficient models. The department
will need to research high-efficient pumps and motors and determine the best
alternative for existing equipment replacement.
5-Year Goals
♦ Expand reclaimed water use to supply irrigation water to other areas of
Bryan.
♦ Create a low-flow fixture rebate program for low-income residents (as de-
fined by HUD) for the installation of low-flow fixtures within their home.
♦ Reduce system water loss with automated meter infrastructure (AMI) –
reduce water loss through private leak detection and new meters to cap-
ture low flow.
Current Initiatives
F.O.G. Program - Residual fats, oils and
grease (FOG) are by-products from food
service establishments. The Water Ser-
vices’ FOG Program reduces the impact of
fats and oils in the sewer system by re-
quiring restaurants and commercial kitch-
ens to pre-treat their wastewater for FOG
before it is introduced into the sanitary
sewer.
Community Education - In 2009, the Wa-
ter Services Department launched a pro-
gressive water education program to en-
gage the public in water resource conser-
vation. More than 11,000 educational bro-
chures have been distributed at 18 various
community events.
Industrial Pretreatment Program - The
city’s industrial pretreatment program
prevents adverse effects on the collection
and treatment systems from industrial
waste discharges. The city conducts quar-
terly or semi-annual samplings and in-
spections of industrial wastewater sys-
tems.
Reclaimed Water - The Turkey Creek
Wastewater Treatment Plant provides
reclaimed water for irrigation and pond
maintenance to the Traditions Country
Club. This program lessens the demand on
potable water resources and promotes
environmental stewardship. Over the past
five years, the program has provided an
average of 27 million gallons of recycled
water per year for golf course irrigation.
Non-Potable Water Use - Bryan’s waste-
water treatment system is heavily depend-
ent on water to maintain processes within
its treatment plants. Non-potable water
pumps are used within the treatment sys-
tem to provide recycled water to meet half
of the system’s needs. This system saves
an estimated 30 million gallons of potable
water per year, which lessens the impact
to our valuable natural water resources.
Page 13
Increasing Block Rates: Cost per unit increases as water use increases within
specified “blocks” or volumes. The increase in cost between each block should
be significant enough to encourage conservation.
Figure 1
SAMPLE Water Conservation Rates
Residential Block Structure
Volume Unit Charges Only
Usage (1,000 gal) Rate
0 - 20 $2.76
>20-35 $3.25
>35 $3.75
