Title
Resolution Approving a Grant Agreement Between the City of Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum for Improvements to Decarbonize the Energy House at Leslie Science & Nature Center and Sustainability-Related Engagement and Education ($450,000.00) (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Through the A2ZERO Plan, Ann Arbor has set the goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030. One of the key elements of this work is decarbonizing our buildings and doing so in a way that helps others understand and learn from these experiences. Put another way, the City understands the importance of having living, learning laboratories of sustainability in action where individuals can interact with sustainability technologies in engaging and non-threatening ways. Building in this way helps normalize decarbonization while demystifying what can often seem like foreign concepts (e.g., heat pumps, programmable appliances, energy storage).
In light of this, the Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI) has been collaborating with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum’s Leslie Science & Nature Center (LSNC) to identify a facility on its campus that could be converted into a living, learning laboratory of decarbonization. Through this collaboration, the team identified the Energy House as a strong contender. In the course of exploring what it would take to decarbonize the Energy House, the team also identified that the naming rights for the site were expired (it is currently the DTE Energy House).
Given this, OSI and LSNC are interested in making improvements that transition this facility into a fully decarbonized building and renaming the facility to the A2ZERO House. Through the collaboration, OSI will help fund improvements to the building while LSNC will help with education and engagement activities about the decarbonization technologies. This engagement also creates space for OSI and LSNC to collaborate on public events and outreach.
As part of this partnership, OSI would like to enter a Grant Agreement with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, agreeing provide (1) an Annual Grant of in the amount of $40,000 per year for 5 years for sustainability-related improvements and education, and (2) a Capital Grant in the amount of $250,000 for capital improvements to decarbonize the Energy House. The enclosed Grant Agreement outlines the agreed upon terms and conditions.
At this point, staff are requesting Council’s approval of the enclosed Grant Agreement so that work on decarbonizing the Energy House, and turning it into a living, learning laboratory of climate action, can commence.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding for this agreement will come for the Community Climate Action Millage.
Staff
Prepared by: Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director
Reviewed by: Josh Landefeld, Parks Manager
Reviewed by: Valerie Jackson, Assistant City Attorney - Sustainability
Reviewed by: Kim Hoenerhoff, Financial Analyst
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor has adopted the goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030;
Whereas, Achieving this goal will require significant investments in the City’s built infrastructure;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations has been working closely with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Leslie Science & Nature Center to advance sustainability education in the community, as well as enhance the sustainability of Leslie Science & Nature Center facilities;
Whereas, Staff at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and the Office of Sustainability and Innovations are looking to formalize their collaboration, which includes items such as decarbonizing facilities at Leslie Science & Nature Center, hosting community engagement activities together, and providing new climate-centered educational opportunities;
Whereas, Staff have also identified that the naming rights have expired for what is currently known as the DTE Energy House;
Whereas, Staff are interested in renaming the DTE Energy House to the A2ZERO House and making the building a living, learning laboratory of sustainability in action;
Whereas, Funding is available through the Office of Sustainability and Innovations to support collaboration with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum to provide climate-centered engagement and educational opportunities and to perform the work to decarbonize the Energy House to help transition the site into a living, learning laboratory of climate action; and
Whereas, Staff recommend entering a Grant Agreement with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum to formalize this collaboration;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve a five-year Grant Agreement between the City of Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum related to sustainability improvements and engagement activities at Leslie Science & Nature Center;
RESOLVED, That City Council make available, through the Community Climate Action Millage, up to $250,000.00 over the next three years to help decarbonize the Energy House at Leslie Science & Nature Center;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve another $40,000.00 per year for five years for sustainability-related educational and engagement activities at Leslie Science & Nature Center as well as the naming rights for the Energy House;
RESOLVED, That City Council support the name change from the DTE Energy House to the A2ZERO House on the Leslie Science & Nature Center campus;
RESOLVED, That City Council authorize the Mayor, City Clerk, and City Administrator to execute all documents necessary to complete the Grant requirements, including but not limited to the Grant Agreement, subject to review and approval by the City Attorney;
RESOLVED, That any remaining funding in the FY27 Office of Sustainability and Innovations expenditure budget related to this Grant Agreement with the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, be carried forward without regard to fiscal year; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary actions to implement this resolution.