Could Your Business Improve Its Energy Efficiency?

There's a plan in the works that aims to help San Ramon become more energy efficient.

The PG&E-backed program would focus on small- to medium-sized businesses in San Ramon – particularly ones with jacked-up energy costs from refrigeration, lighting, heating and air conditioning.

City officials met with reps from the utility giant earlier this month to talk about how the effort would work – and they'll discuss it again today at a City Council Police Committee meeting.

PG&E says it gets government money for community outreach of the kind it wants to do in San Ramon. It already works with businesses in Livermore, Fremont and Pleasanton, according to city staff reports.

As part of the initiative, PG&E would audit the energy consumption of all the city-owned facilities in San Ramon.

The city then gets a summary report about its energy use, which should give it a better idea of .

That service would extend to the businesses, too: A free audit along with a plan for how to become more efficient and discounts to install new energy-saving equipment.

The utility company will discuss with the city today about how to get the word out. Some ideas include sending out fliers and postcards with PG&E and city logos and stickers promoting the program for businesses that decide to take part.

Plan to attend the meeting? Here's what you need to know:

WHAT: City Council Policy Committee meeting

WHEN: 4 p.m. today

WHERE: 2226 Camino Ramon

INFO: Karen McNamara, Parks and Community Services Department Director, 925-973-3290