LED bulbs can make a big difference in any building. From lower energy costs to higher quality lighting, there are many reasons to make the switch to LEDs. Our Sustainability Program works with multiple member organizations in Balboa Park, like the Centro Cultural de la Raza, to offer energy saving resources like SDG&E’s Business Energy Solutions program. When the staff … Read More
Sustainability Tips for Non-Profits: Lessons Learned from Balboa Park in 2019
Non-profits have an important role to play in reducing global emissions, but it can be difficult to reduce your environmental impact if you have limited resources. Based on efforts in Balboa Park from the past year, below are some tips for non-profits and businesses with limited budgets that are looking to use less energy and find new ways to be … Read More
CAUGHT GREEN-HANDED: SUSTAINABLE TOTE BAGS WITH MARY ALICE KESSLER
Caught Green-Handed is a new blog series meant to shine the spotlight on eco-champions throughout Balboa Park. We made it our mission to seek out individuals who practice sustainability in their own lives. These eco-friendly people inspire us and they will inspire you, too! Mary Alice Kessler, also known as “The Bag Lady,” is a volunteer for the Botany Department … Read More
How Balboa Park Organizations Are Saving Energy with SDG&E’s Business Energy Solutions
For non-profits, finding ways to reduce energy costs can be difficult. There are many barriers they face, including sizable costs for energy-saving equipment and the steep learning curve of energy management. To overcome these obstacles and identify impactful strategies to reduce energy usage, several organizations in Balboa Park participated in San Diego Gas & Electric’s (SDG&E) Business Energy Solutions Program. … Read More
Balboa Park Celebrates Energy Efficiency Day 2019!
On October 2nd, several Cultural Partnership members along with the collaborative effort of dozens of energy efficiency advocacy groups around the nation joined together to spread awareness on energy usage for Energy Efficiency Day. Energy Efficiency Day’s message is simple: “Save Money. Cut Carbon. Breathe Easier.” It is a reminder of our wasted energy on daily activities. This annual awareness event … Read More
Reducing Food Waste at the Fleet Science Center
As a non-profit that embraces sustainability, the Fleet Science Center’s Green Team is always researching how they can reduce their environmental footprint. After studying the types of waste produced in their facility, they set the goal to reduce how much food they send to the landfill by implementing innovative food donation services and composting programs. Through the methods they adopted … Read More
Performing an Energy Audit at Casa del Prado
As part of the on-going LEED recertification process for four buildings in Balboa Park, a group of volunteers and staff from the San Diego Green Building Council’s Green Assistance Program and our Sustainability Program performed an energy audit of Casa del Prado. In this energy audit, the building was surveyed and analyzed to create a picture of how energy is … Read More
Upgrading with LED Lights at the Natural History Museum
As a part of on-going energy efficiency efforts in Balboa Park, many organizations have been upgrading lighting in their buildings to efficient LED bulbs. In July, staff at the San Diego Natural History Museum retrofitted 800 LED light bulbs using a rebate from San Diego Gas & Electric. We sat down with Michael Field, Director of Experience Design, to talk … Read More
Using Data to Pursue Sustainability Initiatives with Measurabl
To help the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership’s members use building operation data to run their buildings more sustainably, the Sustainability Program has partnered with Measurabl, a data management software. This dashboard will allow facility managers in the Park to view their building data in a single dashboard, including energy benchmarking, project tracking, and building audits. With this, our facility managers … Read More
Balboa Park Employees Save Energy
High utility costs can be a result of paying for energy that is wasted by lights, equipment, and HVAC systems that are left on for long periods while not in use. According to Energy Star, office buildings waste up to one-third of the energy they consume. By looking closely at their operations and how they use their building, staff in … Read More