Those of us who are home owners, or at least pay for our utilities directly, will have received a “newsletter” with our latest bill. However, I’m aware that Austin has a high number of apartments and other rentals where the occupant doesn’t get directly billed by Austin Energy. So Figured it would be worth a quick recap of some important points.

Energy Efficiency Oridinace

Starts June 1st. This will impact sellers and potentially buyers of homes, apartments and non-residential properties more than 10-years old, which will in most cases be required to have energy audit before they are sold. Details and a list of auditors can be found here ^[1].

Ozone

We’ve never really had four seasons in Austin, at least that’s what people I talk to tell me. There’s just summer and “not summer”. You can guess when it’s spring, it’s not-summer and the plants all come alive. Still, one of the new seasons seems to be ozone season. This runs from April 1st to October 31st, which means it just about trumps summer, giving Austins’ seasons as not-summer and ozone.

Well Austin Energy take time to point out that Austin is going to be added to the EPA “non-attainment” list for ozone compliance. There are though serious implications for this. It means “potentially  expensive regulatory consequences such as emissions offsets before new companies with potential emissions can locate” in Austin.

Austin Energy advise:

• Plan errands efficiently to avoid extra driving.
• Reduce idling. Skip the drive-thru and turn your engine off when waiting for someone. [Triman: hopefully someone will tell the coach/buses that sit and idle for hours downtown.]
• Keep your car tuned up – reduces emissions and saves gasoline.
• Refuel after 6:00pm. – prevents gas vapors released during pumping from “cooking” all day.[Triman: Huh?]

You can get the latest newsletter in English here ^[2] and the Spanish version here ^[3].