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National Safety Month Building safer facilities for our communities

building

 

Since the 1860s, workers have fought for safer working environments to curtail safety hazards and unintentional injuries. In honor of their fight for worker safety, the National Safety Council founded National Safety Month back in 1996.

 

This month-long celebration aims to spread awareness and prompt employers to stay proactive and vigilant in providing safe working conditions. Learn more below about improving indoor air quality for workers by increasing airflow and reducing indoor pollutant sources.

 

How can I improve ventilation?

 

Natural ventilation

 

Supplying fresh air into a building or room using wind speed and internal and external pressure without mechanical assistance.

Mechanical ventilation

 

Circulating fresh air using ducts and fans rather than relying on natural airflow.

 

Natural ventilation can be as simple as opening windows and doors to encourage airflow, while mechanical ventilation is often associated with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. They both can dilute or extract indoor pollutants and help regulate indoor temperatures.

 

How do HVAC systems work?

 

HVAC systems take in the fresh air and use a mechanical ventilation system to heat or cool at the desired temperature within a space. Besides affecting the temperature of commercial or residential areas, HVAC systems address air quality issues by increasing air circulation and removing dust, debris, and allergens with filters. Make sure your HVAC systems are in tip-top shape by regularly checking filters and scheduling maintenance.

 

What indoor pollutants should I watch out for?

 

Everyday household items and equipment can emit respiratory irritants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and formaldehyde (HCHO). Using proper ventilation strategies can reduce respiratory irritants lingering indoors and short and long-term health effects on humans. Common sources of indoor pollution include:

 

●      Gas stoves

●      Gas water heaters

●      Household cleaning agents

●      Construction activities (painting, welding, sanding)

 

If unable to switch gas appliances to their electric counterparts, turn on nearby exhausts to manage air quality, and install CO2 sensors close to gas burning appliances to indicate ventilation quality. 

 

Identifying indoor sources of pollutants and knowing the different options for ventilation can help you decide what will work best for your agency. Breathe easy knowing that your indoor spaces provide a safe working environment by upgrading to the latest energy-efficient HVAC systems. They reduce the risk of health effects in your employees and provide your agency with lower energy bills and reduced maintenance costs in the long run.

 

Interested in upgrading your HVAC systems to improve indoor air quality and save energy? Reach out to your SoCalREN Project Manager or register here to get started!

Making a Difference

In 2019, the SoCalREN Workforce Education and Training Program enrolled 67 ACES in the Program, established 20 new partnerships leading to 29 paid internships to participants, and conducted over 300 hours of training. 

By registering on socalren.org/agencies/register, public agencies can now gain access to an extensive library of information, tools, templates, and case studies while being introduced to exciting new program opportunities. 

SoCalREN also offers financial services for public agencies to obtain the necessary incentives or financing to make projects a reality. Reducing energy use reduces costs for public agencies, freeing up scarce public resources for services like public safety, firefighting, and educational resources. 

SoCalREN works collaboratively with engineering firms, contractors, Local Government Partnerships, Southern California Edison, and SoCalGas to ensure streamlined, “one-stop” services to customers. 

13,740 tenant units improved, $7,161,042 improvement incentives paid to multifamily properties, and 180 construction jobs created all in the 2019 calendar year. 

In 2019, 53 percent of the projects completed were performed in disadvantaged communities. These projects achieved 3,597,973 kWh gross (3,058,277 GWh net) and 194,514 therms gross (165,337 therms net).  

The SoCalREN Multifamily Program helps customers identify and prioritize project opportunities to achieve a percentage savings above baseline usage, regardless of utility. This allows property owners to make informed facility improvement decisions that best meet their property’s needs. 

The mission of SoCalREN is to harness the collective action of public agencies to save energy and lead their communities on the pathway to a safe, secure, resilient, affordable and sustainable energy future.

In 2019 SoCalREN achieved 17,692,420 kWh (39% DAC), 707 kW (47% DAC) and 15,203 (100% DAC) of energy savings, while supporting 260 construction jobs and paying out a total of $6.5 million in incentives. 

In 2019, SoCalREN’s energy efficiency programs collectively achieved 6,920,487 kWh and 492,655 therms of energy savings. 

SoCalREN works across 12 counties with one common goal: achieving unprecedented levels of energy savings throughout Southern California by delivering programs and information to the communities, businesses, and 20 million people who call the area home.

SoCalREN Workforce Education and Training Program serves as a response to high demand for skilled labor in the energy sector through targeted youth workforce education and training, small business training regarding current energy efficiency programs, and local public agency opportunities. 

SoCalREN’s Workforce Education and Training Program continually pursues new ways to provide greater employment opportunity to under-represented individuals performing energy efficiency project work. 

The Metered Savings Program, Pathway to Zero, and the Revolving Savings Fund aim to overcome significant market barriers and harness the collective actions of Southern California public agencies to save energy. These programs work together seamlessly as companion programs and have expanded services available to agencies to drive deeper energy efficiency savings and create more sustainable communities. 

In Q4 2019, the Residential Community Coordinator (RCC) Program interacted with nearly 748 customers through participation in 13 community events and seminars. These outreach events targeted Hispanic and Chinese audiences and successfully increased program awareness in these communities. SoCalREN’s RCC Program will continue to provide in-language support to hard-to-reach customers and provide opportunities for these customers to save money and add value to their multifamily properties. 

The Architecture, Construction, and Engineering Students Pathway Program provides education and career pathways for disadvantaged youth. The Program improves educational achievement and removes barriers to higher education by co-enrolling high school students in community college courses in science, technology, engineering, art, and math fields. 

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Professionalism of consultants and SoCalREN Public Agency Program staff has been high. The program is more hands on and personal than other programs we have used before.
— Alice Rod, Management Analyst, Administrative Services, City of Moreno Valley

SoCalREN has done a wonderful job and we both have learned a lot since we began working together. We are happy to be part of a collaborative partnership to save energy and the environment through the SoCalREN Public Agency Program.
— Dave Marshall, Facilities Services Director, Ventura Unified School District

With the SoCalREN Public Agency Program, we are able to do things that would not have been done otherwise. Technical expertise has been a huge help. It has been great working with everyone in the SoCalREN Public Agency Program!
— Benjamin Lucha, Sr. Administrative Analyst, City of Palmdale

I can truly say we would have not gotten this far this fast in such a cost-effective manner without SoCalREN’s guidance and technical assistance every step of the way. In short, the SoCalREN Public Agency Program is a fantastic program to assist local governments in energy efficiency that will pay dividends for years to come.
— Charles Herbertson, Public Works Director/City Engineer for Culver City

Their level of expertise and professionalism has been unsurpassed. They have suggested things that we never thought of, and weren’t even on our radar. They have done significant amounts of work on our behalf that has resulted in substantial savings of both energy and money.
— Rick Freed, Energy Educator/Manager for Conejo Valley Unified School District

It’s a great project for Whittier. It’s green and it helps us save energy. We’re getting a lot of bang for our buck. It’s win-win-win all the way around.
— Joe Vinatieri, Mayor, City of Whittier

The SoCalREN Public Agency Program provided engineering services, project management, and the resources needed to streamline the Cucamonga Valley Water District’s energy efficiency projects from start to finish.
— Mike Maestas, Water Production Manager, CVWD