May 14, 2014 by Melissa Fox

The Irvine City Council Should Fulfill its Promise to Create an Orange County Veterans Memorial Park Without Delay

As Arlington National Cemetery commemorates its 150th anniversary, here in Irvine we learn that the committee created last month by the Irvine City Council to establish an Orange County Veterans Cemetery has not even had its first meeting because some politicians who were added as committee members cannot find the time in their schedules.

In fact, there is profound concern that the unnecessarily large committee formed by the Irvine City Council, based on Council Member Jeffrey Lalloway’s insistence on including numerous politicians, is a sham, set only up for show, not to take action.

At a previous meeting, the Council majority of Mayor Steven Choi and Council Members Christina Shea and Jeffrey Lalloway approved Lalloway’s motion to expand the Veterans Cemetery Committee to include numerous Orange County politicians, including Steven Choi, who had already indicated his opposition to the cemetery. Now it turns out that the committee has not been able to meet – and will not meet until the end of June at the earliest – because Steven Choi has no time in his schedule. How is it that Mayor Choi has no time at all to meet on this important committee? And if has no time to meet, why did Lalloway insist that Choi he be on the committee – which is charged with implementing a veterans cemetery that Choi opposed?

Here is what the Orange County Veterans Memorial Park posted on their Facebook page:

“If last night’s Irvine City Council behavior was any indication of things to come, we have a long row to hoe. Interesting to note that Chairman Bill Cook’s comments relative to the obvious foot-dragging process remained unanswered by the Council members sitting on the ad hoc committee. The delays present a frustrating obstacle to the legislative process. The ad hoc committee appointed by the City Council has yet to meet, and the dates provided by Mayor Choi in late June as to his availability are well past a critical May 23 date to move AB 1453 to the next level. When one or two members of a committee can hijack the meeting schedule, we have a unique situation extant in that a minority of members controls the entire process. Furthermore, it appears that the rancor that exists between City Council factions is an additional obstacle to progress on this most important issue. “

At the City Council meeting, one of the veterans observed that “the general consensus is that the delay is a deliberate and bad faith effort” to kill the veterans cemetery. The veteran members of the committee offered to meet “weekends, evenings, mornings before breakfast” to move the project forward and prevent the veterans cemetery from being the victim of death by delay.

Another veteran – from the Disabled American Veterans – stressed the urgency of the veterans’ request for an Orange County veterans’ final resting place, pointing out the hardships for veterans’ family members, particularly for the elderly widows of World War Two veterans, who must make a long trek to veterans cemeteries in Riverside and San Diego counties.

Orange County Veterans Cemetery, melissafoxblog, melissajoifox, Melissa Fox, Melissa Fox for Irvine, melissafoxblog.com, Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox

Melissa Fox urging the Irvine City Council to fulfill its promise to create an Orange County Veterans Cemetery without delay.

I also spoke to the Council, stating again that as a resident of Irvine and the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, I strongly support the veterans cemetery, and that I was concerned, as were others, that when the committee was formed, “the addition of so many players seemed to me a way to hamstring the committee, to actually prevent it from reaching its stated goal, which was to find a suitable location for a veterans cemetery in Irvine. This concern is exacerbated by the rancor I’ve witnessed here this evening at the mere mention of a request for a progress report. I hope that my fears are not realized and that this isn’t a way to ground the ball and run out the clock. When I last addressed the Council, I was here with my father, and when the veterans were asked to stand, he could barely stand because he had just had chemotherapy. His passion was to come here and talk to you. He isn’t physically able to do that for himself, so I am his voice . . . Please don’t ground the ball. Don’t let time run out.”

The veterans’ questions last night, as well as my own, were met with stone cold silence from the Irvine City Council.

I share the veterans’ concern that the unnecessarily large committee formed by the Irvine City Council, based on Jeffrey Lalloway’s insistence on including numerous politicians, including Steven Choi who opposes the veterans cemetery, is a sham, set only up for show, not to take action.

It is important that the committee members and the Irvine City Council know that Orange County veterans are not going to just fade away. Orange County veterans deserve a final resting place close to their families and loved ones.

April 21, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Earth Day: Preserving Irvine’s Earth-Friendly Tradition

Irvine’s Earth-Friendly Tradition

The City of Irvine has long been a leader in earth-friendly environmental policies, green technology and environmental awareness. Irvine’s environmental programs have been on the leading edge of advances in green building and construction, environmental education, recycling, water conservation, waste disposal, and energy saving.

Irvine has also demonstrated its commitment to green buildings through the enactment of the Irvine Build Green Program, which encourages builders to create environmentally sensitive, healthier developments for its residents, businesses and visitors.

In addition, Irvine’s Green Ribbon Environmental Committee, under the jurisdiction of the Community Services Commission, advises the City Council on matters related to climate protection, energy, recycling, waste management, sustainability, transportation, and water, helping the City serve the community through advancing environmental policy initiatives and programs.

The Irvine Chamber of Commerce is also helping Irvine get greener with its new Irvine Green Business Certification Program, which helps improve its members’ bottom lines by reducing energy and waste costs, and by providing access to tax credits, rebates and incentives. This certification will also allow the Chamber to encourage Irvine businesses to take steps to “green” their business as a means to protect the environment, save money, and use energy more efficiently.

Irvine also offers numerous other environmentally conscious programs, including the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, in which Irvine residents and businesses are encouraged to join this friendly, national competition by pledging to conserve water and other resources. This program and other environmental programs are detailed on the City of Irvine’s website, as are the City’s Annual Earth Day Tips to Save Resources and Money.

Irvine’s Open Spaces

One of the best — and most distinctive — qualities of Irvine is our commitment to preserving open space. The City of Irvine has more than 16,000 acres of permanently preserved parkland and open space – remarkable for a city of our size.

In 1974, early in our city’s history, voters approved multi-million dollar measures to fund public parks and recreational facilities, and for the acquisition and development of bicycle trail and hiking trail improvements.

In 1989, the City negotiated an historic agreement with the Irvine Company that set aside more than 9,500 acres as permanent open space marshlands, bike trails, parks, nature conservancies and agricultural areas, protecting fully one-third of the city from development.

In addition, in 2006, nearly 37,000 acres of the Irvine Ranch were selected as a National Natural Landmark, a designation which reflects the outstanding condition, rarity, diversity, and value to science and education of the natural resources on the land.

As our Irvine Open Space Preserve website explains, “Since its incorporation in 1971, Irvine has had a strong desire to balance the built and natural environment. As this incredible master-planned community has grown, each phase of development has been accompanied by the preservation and enhancement of natural open spaces, creating the network of parks, trails, and wildlands that residents and visitors may enjoy today and for generations to come.”

Irvine: A Bicycle-Friendly City

Irvine has also been recognized as the most bicycle-friendly in Southern California by the League of American Bicyclists, the oldest and largest membership organization of cyclists in the United States.

Irvine is indeed a wonderful city for biking, whether for commuting, exercising, or just enjoying the outdoors. We currently have 301 miles of on-street bike lanes and 54 miles of off-street bikeways. Our bicycle trails are some of the most beautiful, and peaceful, places in Irvine.

We also know that we can — and will — do even better in the future. As in other California cities, Irvine residents primarily rely on their cars to get around town. But Irvine has also made it a priority to support and encourage other, environmentally conscious, forms of transportation – including walking and biking.

In fact, we’ve just conducted an important study to better understand how residents, employees, and visitors walk, bike or get around Irvine. The results of this study will help us make better transportation decisions for our community, and help us increase the ease and safety of biking and walking around town.

Irvine as Solar Capitol USA

Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox at Solar Decathlon

Irvine is now an international center for the development of efficient, environmentally conscious solar energy as the home of the United States Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon, the award-winning international competition held every two years that challenges college teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive.

In 2013, the Solar Decathlon was held for first time outside of Washington, D.C.– at the Great Park, here in Irvine. The 2015 Solar Decathlon will be held once again here in Irvine, which can now claim the title of the nation’s energy innovation capitol.

Keeping Our Commitment

From its beginnings as a visionary master-planned community developed from the Irvine Ranch, the City of Irvine has striven to be simultaneously people-friendly, business-friendly, and earth-friendly. That success can continue into the future, as long as we insist that each phase of our City’s development be accompanied by careful planning and the preservation and enhancement of our environment.

April 8, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Call for Action: Support Orange County’s Veterans at the April 22 Irvine City Council Meeting

I recently spoke to the Irvine City Council in support of Assembly Bill 1453, introduced by Assembly Member Sharon Quirk Silva (65th AD), which would create a state-owned and state-operated veterans’ cemetery in Orange County, the state’s largest county with no dedicated burial ground for its combat veterans and other servicemen and women.

In addition, I wrote to Irvine’s Mayor and City Council members, as well as to Irvine’s two Assembly Members, Allan Mansoor (AD 74) and Donald Wagner (AD 68), Irvine’s California State Senator Mimi Walters (SD 37), Senator Ben Hueso (SD 40), Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Senator Lou Correa (SD 34), Orange County member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, urging them not only to support the bill to create an Orange County Veterans Cemetery, but also to locate this cemetery in a portion of the Great Park that was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

I was tremendously proud that my father, a decorated Korean War combat veteran, joined with many other Orange County veterans and also spoke to the City Council, urging them to support a veterans’ cemetery in a portion of the Great Park.

The Irvine City Council then narrowly voted 3-2 to support AB 1453 and call for the establishment of the Southern California Veterans Cemetery in Orange County, to express the City’s strong interest in providing at least 100 acres of land at the Orange County Great Park (formerly MCAS El Toro), and to form a site selection committee of interested parties to see if a suitable location is feasible in and around the Great Park location.

Now we must protect that victory.

Here is a press release issued by Orange County Veterans’ Memorial Park Committee (OCVMP) urging supporters of the veterans’ memorial park to attend the Irvine City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 22, to ensure that Irvine moves forward with its promises without delay. It is a call for action to support Orange County’s veterans:

PRESS RELEASE AND MEDIA ALERT

Contact: Bill Cook, (949) 697-0123

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 2, 2014

Orange County Veterans Have Their Sights Trained On
A Southern California Veterans Cemetery

Group gaining support from State Legislature and a number of Orange County cities.

Ever since the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro (MCAS El Toro) closed in 1999, a small group of Orange County veterans have dreamed of having veterans’ cemetery and memorial for all soldiers who have fought and died defending the United States located on a portion of the former military base. Over the past several months, the group is finally seeing some signs of progress.

The group of about 25 veterans and other veterans’ issues supporters, now known as the Orange County Veterans Memorial Park committee, reports that the following milestones, according to committee chair Bill Cook of Mission Viejo.

In January, Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva (D-CA65), and Chair of the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, introduced Assembly Bill 1453 that would direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to apply to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs State Cemetery Grant Program for the construction of a Southern California Veterans Cemetery in Orange County.

In addition, AB 1453:

1. Allows all honorably discharged veterans and their spouses/children eligible for interment in the cemetery — a fee would be imposed for each spouse or child interred in the cemetery.

2. Creates the Southern California Veterans Cemetery Master Development Fund — all money received for the design, development, and construction of the cemetery shall be deposited into this fund.

3. Creates the Southern California Veterans Cemetery Perpetual Maintenance Fund — all funds received would be allocated for the cemetery’s maintenance.

4. Authorizes the cemetery administrator to accept donations of personal property to be used for the maintenance/beautification of the cemetery.

Background

According to the National Cemetery Administration, the closest regional option for Orange County veterans is the Riverside Veterans Cemetery, which offers neither a convenient location nor a long-term solution for the estimated 133,000 Orange County veterans and their families.

California is home to more veterans than any other state. Despite the fact that Orange County is also home to Army, Navy, and Marine bases, Orange County has been identified as the state’s largest county without a veteran’s cemetery. There is clear need, evidence, and community desire for establishing a veteran’s cemetery within Orange County.

Growing County Support for a California State Veterans Cemetery in Orange County

Since the time in January when AB 1453 was introduced, other Orange County government leaders have added their support. Local Orange County elected state leaders have added their support for the bill calling for a Southern California State Veterans Cemetery in Orange County including Assembly Members Tom Daly (AD-69), Alan Mansoor (AD-74) and Don Wagner (AD-68) and Senate Members (Lou Correa (SD-34) and Mimi Walters (SD-37)

In March, the City of Irvine took the lead in supporting the development of a Southern California Veterans in Orange County. Long time Council Member Larry Agran, working in close cooperation with Assembly Member Quirk-Silva and OCVMP committee chair Bill Cook, introduced and obtained passage of a resolution to both support AB 1453 and call for the establishment of the Southern California Veterans Cemetery in Orange County, express the City’s strong interest in providing at least 100 acres of land at the Orange County Great Park (formerly MCAS El Toro) and the formation of a site selection committee of interested parties to see if a suitable location is feasible in and around the Great Park location. . . .

Next Action Steps

The topic of the Southern California State Veterans Cemetery in Orange County again will be on the agenda of the Irvine City Council on Tuesday, April 22, 2014. The planned discussion item will be the formation of a Site Selection Committee to review possible locations in and around the Orange County Great Park and the former MCAS El Toro land. The OCVMP committee is urging all interested Orange County veterans to attend this April 22 City Council meeting which normally begins at 5:00 P.M. Veterans are encouraged to wear their patches, ribbons and other appropriate ceremonial attire. The Irvine City Hall is located at 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine (corner of Alton Parkway & Harvard).

If you agree that our Orange County veterans deserve a final resting place close to their families and loved ones, and that a portion of the Great Park in Irvine, which was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, would be an altogether fitting and proper location for this Orange County Veterans Cemetery, as well as a lasting memorial to the Great Park’s military heritage, please attend the Irvine City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 22, to show your support.

Thank you.

April 1, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Alegria Fresh, Orange County Produce and Filtrexx Corporation launch the ‘Farm of the Future’ at the Great Park in Irvine

By Christopher Simmons

Reposted, with permission, from California Newswire.

IRVINE, Calif. /California Newswire/ — California-based Alegria Fresh, in collaboration with Orange County Produce, LLC and Filtrexx Corporation, today announced the launch of the “Farm of the Future” hydroponic and organic farming demonstration center at the Great Park in Irvine. The demonstration center, which features high-performance urban hydroponic vertical and organic farming methods, just completed a new organic food production farm using GardenSoxx.

GardenSoxx is an innovative organic food production system that can be used over cement or other man-made surfaces. The “Soxx” are made of eight inch diameter polypropylene mesh and can be filled with any compost or planting mix.

“Nutrient-rich, fresh food is critical to maintaining health and energy. Our goal is to show people how to grow superior produce within the urban environment while substantially reducing the impact of food production upon our planet,” said Erik Cutter, Managing Director of Alegria Fresh. “Systems employing GardenSoxx and hydroponic vertical farming processes are making this possible. 21st Century farmland may consist of man-made surfaces or unused spaces where food cannot be grown safely, so these highly efficient systems just may represent the farms of the future.”

Photo by Geoff Fox

The new Alegria Soxx farm consists of 13 rows of five Soxx each, for a total of 7,800 linear feet of growing space within an 8,500 square foot area (approximately one fifth of an acre). GardenSoxx drain easily and provide aeration and cooling to keep the root zone stable. The rich organic soil is supported within a controlled environment allowing greater nutrient density to be achieved and weed growth is reduced which decreases labor. Production yields are expected to be nearly double that of conventional farming. Water usage is estimated to be 70 percent less and fertilizer use 50 percent less. Other cost savings such as being weed-free are expected to increase the return on investment of the new urban microfarm.

Thirteen different specialty crops including several cultivars of beets, onions, red and green romaine, radicchio, red and green cabbage, chard, celery and kale are being grown to demonstrate the versatility of the system and prove that urban microfarms can be profitable with no subsidies required. The controlled growing environment assures superior nutrient-dense produce, high yields and faster growth rates. Alegria Soxx Farms create jobs and can be employed in densely populated urban environments to provide access to superior, locally grown food.

“The importance of preparing for a future with less water available cannot be overstated,” said A.G. Kawamura, prior CA Secretary of Agriculture and co-founder of Orange County Produce, LLC. “We are committed to continuing the legacy of farming in Orange County. By repurposing land and leveraging existing technology to increase efficiencies, we can provide practical solutions to supplement a worldwide food issue.”

For more information about the GardenSoxx or hydroponic vertical farming products offered at Alegria Farm, please visit http://www.alegriafarms.com/ .

About Alegria Fresh:

Alegria Fresh designed and manages Alegria Farms, showcasing urban hydroponic vertical and organic GardenSoxx farm systems. The hydroponic vertical farm employs over 120 hydroponic vertical towers growing over 8,000 plants in less than 1/20th acre. The organic Soxx farm consists of 13 rows of five GardenSoxx each, for a total of 7,800 linear feet of growing space within an 8,500 square foot area (approximately one fifth of an acre).

Alegria Farm is part of the interactive urban agricultural exhibit at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California. Alegria Farm is Orange County’s first hydroponic vertical farm and organic GardenSoxx farm and the first West Coast showcase for vertical hydroponic systems which uses no soil, 80 percent less water, requires 70 percent less land and 50 percent less fertilizer than traditional farming. This high performance growing system produces clean, natural food faster and allows plants to grow bigger and stronger, making plants naturally more pest resistant.

Alegria Farm produces an exotic variety of leafy greens, medicinal herbs and heirloom vegetables. Hydroponic farming is soilless and utilizes coconut fiber instead of organic soil, and produces strong plants that are nutrient-rich. For more information on Alegria Fresh or to schedule a tour of the farm, please visit www.AlegriaFresh.com or follow on Facebook and Twitter. Alegria Fresh is the high-performance urban agriculture division of EnviroIngenuity, a company dedicated to reducing waste.

Visit Alegria Fresh at http://www.AlegriaFresh.com/ or Alegria Farm athttp://www.AlegriaFarms.com/ and EnviroIngenuity athttp://www.EnviroIngenuity.com/ .

About Orange County Produce, LLC:

One of the oldest remaining farm companies in southern California, Orange County Produce, LLC, has farmed within the rural urban environment of OC for over half a century.

The company is managed by A.G. and Matthew Kawamura, third generation growers and shippers of fresh produce. A.G. Kawamura is the former California Secretary of Agriculture where he served from 2003 to 2010 and is actively involved in developing policy in the areas of education, hunger and nutrition. He serves as the co-chair of Solutions From the Land, a United Nations Foundation project that is developing a sustainable roadmap for 21st century agricultural systems.

Orange County Produce, LLC, engages in year-round production and marketing of fruits and vegetables. Dedicated team members work creatively to resolve hunger and nutrition problems within the local community and educate the public about the art and science of urban farming and the challenges facing our food system. Orange County Produce, LLC, is currently engaged in building an exciting, interactive urban agricultural exhibit at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California.

Visit Orange County Produce at http://www.OCProduce.com/ .

About Filtrexx Corporation:

Filtrexx Corporation is a proven green technology firm that designs and manufactures products used in more than 100 applications. The Filtrexx GardenSoxx system uses locally made, annually renewable, bio-based, recycled compost and other organic materials, contained by the company’s Made in USA mesh containment system to create patented products used around the world. The all-natural Filtrexx system is currently in use in nine countries, including every US state and province in Canada. For more info, visithttp://www.GardenSoxx.com/ .

March 5, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Orange County Veterans Deserve a Military Cemetery

Orange County has a long and proud military tradition. Currently, more than two million veterans live in California – more than in any other state. This military tradition continues into the present, as nearly 7,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars live in Orange County.

Yet Orange County veterans do not have their own official military cemetery and those in Orange County who want to visit a veteran’s grave in a national cemetery must travel to Riverside, San Diego or Los Angeles counties.

A bill recently introduced in the California Assembly by Sharon Quirk-Silva (AD 65), Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, would remedy this problem by creating a state-owned and state-operated veterans cemetery in Orange County.

As the daughter of an Orange County Korean War combat veteran, I strongly support this bill. It is time that Orange County offered its veterans – who have sacrificed so much for us – a final resting place close to their families and loved ones.

Furthermore, as an Irvine resident, I believe that a portion of the Great Park in Irvine, which was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, would be an altogether fitting and proper location for this Orange County Veterans Cemetery, as well as a lasting memorial to the Great Park’s military heritage.

For these reasons, I have written a letter to Irvine Mayor Steven Choi and the Members of the Irvine City Council, as well as to Irvine’s two Assembly Members, Allan Mansoor (AD 74) and Donald Wagner (AD 68), Irvine’s California State Senator Mimi Walters (SD 37), Senator Ben Hueso (SD 40), Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Senator Lou Correa (SD 34), Orange County member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, urging them to support the bill to create an Orange County Veterans Cemetery and, also, to locate this cemetery in a portion of the Great Park that was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

If you agree with me, please contact your representatives and the Irvine City Council and let them know that you believe that a cemetery should be established in a portion of the Great Park that was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station to serve and honor Orange County veterans.

Here is the letter I sent to Mayor Choi and the Irvine City Council:

March 5, 2014

City of Irvine
1 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA 92625
City Council 1 Civic Center Plaza Irvine, CA 92625

RE: California Assembly Bill 1453

Dear Mayor Choi and Members of the Irvine City Council,

I am writing to urge you to support AB 1453, introduced by Assembly Member Sharon Quirk Silva (65th AD), Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, which would create a state-owned and state-operated veterans’ cemetery in Orange County, the state’s largest county with no dedicated burial ground for its combat veterans and other servicemen and women.

I am also writing to declare my support for locating this new veterans’ cemetery on land that was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS El Toro) and is now part of the Great Park in the City of Irvine.

It is time that Orange County offered its veterans – who have sacrificed so much for us – a final resting place close to their families and loved ones.

I believe that a portion of the Great Park in Irvine, which was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, would be an altogether fitting and proper location for this Orange County Veterans Cemetery, as well as a lasting memorial to the Great Park’s military heritage.

As an Irvine resident and a member of the Irvine Community Services Commission – and as the daughter of an Orange County Korean War combat veteran – I urge you to support AB 1453 to create an Orange County Veterans Cemetery and, also, to locate this cemetery in a portion of the Great Park that was once the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

Sincerely,

MELISSA J. FOX, ESQ.

February 21, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Irvine’s New Incredible Edible Farm to Help Feed Orange County’s Hungry

The Incredible Edible Farm — a new 4.5 acre urban farm at the Orange County Great Park that will grow produce for the hungry to be harvested by volunteers from Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County — is great for Irvine, great for the Great Park, and great for our community!

The Incredible Edible Farm is the transformation of the City of Irvine’s Incredible Edible Park, which was created in 1999 and located on an easement under Southern California Edison power lines off Harvard Avenue in Irvine, into something even better.

The new Incredible Edible Farm is expected to produce 144 tons (288,000 lbs.) of food per year – more than double the yield of the old Incredible Edible Park – enough food for an additional 156,000 meals for Orange County’s needy families.

Broccoli, cauliflower, onions, kale, and a variety of other vegetables will be grown at the Incredible Edible Farm and harvested by volunteers from Second Harvest Food Bank who donate thousands of hours of their time each year to provide food for the hungry throughout Orange County.

The Incredible Edible Farm is located just behind the Great Park’s Sunday Farmers Market.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Incredible Edible Farm, please call Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County at 949-653-2900. Volunteers of all ages are needed to plant, maintain and harvest crops for the hungry.

February 14, 2014 by Melissa Fox

Congratulations to Team Orange — the New “Home Team” of the Solar Decathlon!

Congratulations to Team Orange – consisting of students from UC Irvine, Chapman University, Irvine Valley College, and Saddleback College – on their selection to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2015 Solar Decathlon, the biennial international student competition to design and build the best solar-powered home.

The announcement that Team Orange had been selected as one of the 20 collegiate teams to compete in the 2015 Solar Decathlon was made yesterday at UC Irvine by U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman, who also announced that the 2015 Solar Decathlon will be take place once again at the Great Park in Irvine.

The Solar Decathlon is an award-winning international competition that challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. Team Austria from the Vienna University of Technology won the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013. The University of Las Vegas-Nevada took second place in the overall competition, and Czech Technical University took third place.

The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002. The competition has since occurred in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013. Last year, the Solar Decathlon was held for first time outside of Washington, D.C. – at the Great Park, here in Irvine, California.

Thus far, the Solar Decathlon competition has provided more than 17,000 college students with training and hands-on experience.

Click here for a spectacular aerial video of the 2013 Solar Decathlon at the Great Park.

“I’m thrilled that Team Orange has been selected to compete in this world-class event,” said Professor Gregory N. Washington, Dean of UC Irvine’s Samueli School of Engineering, who will lead Team Orange. “We and our partners will show California and the nation that our campuses and Orange County lead the way on innovative, affordable solar power and other clean energy advances. The home team can definitely win.”

Team Orange plans to create a residence that reflects the traits of the drought-resistant, sun-loving California poppy, our California state flower.

“As President Obama made clear in the State of the Union address, we need an all-of-the-above energy strategy that creates a safer and more sustainable planet, while ensuring American students and workers have the skills they need for the challenging jobs of today and tomorrow,” Poneman said. “The Solar Decathlon provides the next generation of America’s architects, engineers and entrepreneurs with the real-world experience and training they need to strengthen U.S. innovation and support new, clean sources of energy.”

I am tremendously excited that the 2015 Solar Decathlon will be held once again here in Irvine, which can now claim the title of the nation’s energy innovation capitol.

I am also tremendously excited for our own Team Orange – the new “home team” of the Solar Decathlon!

October 21, 2013 by Melissa Fox

Join the Great Park Halloween Pumpkin Harvest!

During Halloween, Irvine is home to the largest jack-o’-lantern in Orange County – and probably the State of California and even the nation – when the famous orange Great Park Balloon transforms into the 100 feet tall and 72 feet in diameter Great Park Jack-O-Lantern.

On Saturday, October 26, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, the Great Park Jack-O-Lantern’s gigantic grinning face will looking down on the sixth annual Great Park Pumpkin Harvest.

One of the Great Park’s most popular events, the sixth annual Pumpkin Harvest features a variety of activities and family entertainment, including free pumpkins from the Great Park Pumpkin Patch for all children 12 and under, while supplies last. Costumes are encouraged for children and adults alike! Visitors to the Pumpkin Harvest can take a train ride, explore the petting zoo and pick up goodies in the Trick-or-Treat Town. Children can enter a scavenger hunt, participate in the harvest walk, and enjoy the Harvest puppet show. Visitors can also enjoy cooking demonstrations, wander through the hay maze and enjoy selections from local gourmet food trucks.

This year, the Pumpkin Harvest will also serve to kick off the Great Park’s month-long food drive. Visitors to the Pumpkin Harvest who donate canned goods or non-perishable food items will receive a special wristband good for access to extra treat stations on “Good Witch Lane.” Visitors are also encouraged to bring canned or non-perishable food items whenever they visit the Great Park from October 26 through November 24. Collection bins will be located at the Sunday Farmers Market and the Great Park Visitors Center. The Great Park Food Drive benefits Second Harvest Food Bank and the Orange County Food Bank.

Enjoy the family friendly Halloween fun at our sixth annual Great Park Pumpkin Harvest – and don’t forget to bring canned or non-perishable food items for donation when you visit!

What: Great Park Halloween Pumpkin Harvest
When: Saturday, October 26, 2013, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Where: Orange County Great Park
Cost: Admission is free. Parking is $10.

The Orange County Great Park is located at Sand Canyon and Marine Way, and is easily reached by the 5 or 405 freeways. Driving directions to the Great Park Pumpkin Harvest: Exit 5 or 405 Freeway at Jeffrey Road and head east to Trabuco Road. Follow traffic signs to event parking. For more information, please visit http://www.ocgp.org/ or call 866-829-3829.

I hope to see you there!

[Photo of the Great Park Jack-O-Lantern by Quan Ha and aquanhaphoto.com. Used by permission.]

October 2, 2013 by Melissa Fox

The 2013 Solar Decathlon Opens in Irvine!

Solar Decathlon Teams 2013

As one of the fastest growing cities in the nation, we are used to new houses being built in Irvine.

But these new houses in the Great Park are special.

These are state-of-the-art solar-powered houses – each of them vying for the title of best solar-powered house in the world in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2013 Solar Decathlon.

The first Solar Decathlon was held in 2002. The competition has since occurred biennially in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011.

This year, the Solar Decathlon will be held for first time outside of Washington, D.C. – at the Great Park, here in Irvine, California.

From October 3-6 and 10-13, 2013, twenty collegiate teams will be competing – and showing their state-of-the-art solar-powered houses to visitors – at the Great Park, free of charge on eight days over two weekends. Public hours will be from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM:

Thursday, Oct. 3 – Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013.
Thursday, Oct. 10 – Sunday, Oct. 13, 2013.

The Solar Decathlon is an award-winning international competition that challenges collegiate teams to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. The winner of the competition is the team that best blends affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production.

The purpose of the Solar Decathlon is to help remove barriers to the adoption of solar energy technologies by:

Educating students and the public about the money-saving opportunities and environmental benefits presented by clean-energy products and design solutions;
Demonstrating to the public the comfort and affordability of homes that combine energy-efficient construction and appliances with renewable-energy systems available today; and
Providing participating students with unique training that prepares them to enter the clean-energy workforce.

Solar-Power Competition: 10 Contests

Solar Decathlon, Melissa Fox, Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox, melissafoxblog, melissajoifox

Commissioner Melissa Fox at Solar Decathlon

The Solar Decathlon is a competition. Like the Olympic decathlon, the Solar Decathlon consists of 10 individual contests. These individual contests are designed to gauge how well the houses perform and how livable and affordable they are. Each individual contest is worth a maximum of 100 points, for a competition total of 1,000 points.

The 10 contests are:

Architecture – Teams are required to design and build attractive, high-performance houses that integrate solar and energy-efficiency technology seamlessly into the design. A jury of professional architects evaluates each team’s construction documents and the final constructed house, looking at architectural elements, holistic design, and inspiration.

Market Appeal – Teams build their houses for a target market of their choosing. Teams are then asked to demonstrate the potential of their houses to keep costs affordable within that market. A jury of professionals from the homebuilding industry evaluates how well suited each house is for everyday living, determines whether the construction documents would enable a contractor to construct the house as intended, and assesses whether the house offers potential homebuyers within the target market a good value.

Engineering – Team houses are evaluated by a jury of professional engineers for functionality, efficiency, innovation, and reliability.

Communications – Teams are judged on their success in delivering clear and consistent messages and images that represent the vision, process, and results of each team’s project through web sites, communications plans, and student-led house tours.

Affordability – Teams are encouraged to design and build affordable houses that combine energy-efficient construction and appliances with renewable energy systems, and earn points for building less expensive houses. For this contest, teams can earn the maximum 100 points for achieving a target construction cost of $250,000 or less. A sliding point scale is applied to houses with estimated construction costs between $250,001 and $600,000. Houses with estimated costs that are more than $600,000 receive zero points.

Comfort – Teams are encouraged to design their houses to maintain steady, uniform indoor environmental conditions. Points are awarded for maintaining narrow temperature and relative humidity ranges inside the houses.

Hot Water – Teams need to demonstrate that a solar-powered house can provide all of the energy necessary to heat water for domestic uses. Teams score points in this contest by successfully completing several daily hot water draws.

Appliances – Teams need to demonstrate that solar-powered houses can provide power for the appliance use and amenities of the average U.S. home while using less energy. Teams earn points for refrigerating and freezing food, washing and drying laundry, and running the dishwasher.

Home Entertainment – Teams earn points for demonstrating that houses powered solely by the sun can deliver more than just basic household functionality and also provide power for electronics, appliances, and other modern conveniences.

Energy Balance – Teams earn points for demonstrating that the solar-power can produce all the energy necessary for the daily energy demands of a small household. Each house is equipped with a utility meter that measures the energy a house produces and consumes over the course of the competition. A team receives points for producing at least as much energy as its house needs.

The Teams: From 13 States and 4 Countries

The teams in this year’s competition (with links to their web pages) are:

Click here for a gallery of the solar-powered houses.

Click here for virtual tours.

XPO: Clean Energy Exposition

The Solar Decathlon is also part of XPO, a clean, renewable, and efficient energy exposition, simultaneously being held at the Great Park. The XPO features visionary and innovative companies, products, and educational opportunities. Through fun, interactive exhibits and activities, the XPO provides visitors with information about the broad spectrum of energy efficiency in home design, transportation, consumer products, food production and education. Visitors will experience actionable ways to implement energy efficiency today and into the future, with the goal to leave the XPO with tools and resources to live differently.

XPO features include:

The SunShot Innovation Pavilion will feature an educational trade show connecting consumers to clean, renewable, efficient energy companies, products and services and will also showcase the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot program, featuring educational activities and displays from a variety of solar companies.

The Powerful Ideas Symposium will feature guest speakers and panelists presenting useful, innovative ideas related to clean, renewable, efficient energy and its connection with the world and our everyday lives.

The Powerful Ideas Classroom will feature educational activities and lessons focused on science, engineering, architecture and energy for preschool through high school students.

The Competitors Pavilion will showcase the colleges and universities competing in the Solar Decathlon, providing opportunities to learn more about the technology and innovation used in the student teams’ homes. This Pavilion will also feature the U.S. Department of Energy Housing Innovation Awards and the American Institute of Architects Orange County Student Design Committee Awards.

The Transportation Zone will feature electric vehicle demonstrations, ride-and-drives and competition.

The Arts and Culture Zone will feature artistic gallery exhibitions where guests can explore, discover, and experience how art can be influenced by environment and the environment by art.

The Farm + Food Zone will feature exhibits and workshops on the benefits of locally grown food and how to grow nutritious, delicious food and maintain healthy gardens.

What the Solar Decathlon and XPO Could Mean for Irvine

It was an incredible achievement in January 2012 when the Great Park team was awarded a $1 million grant to bring the 2013 Solar Decathlon and the XPO in Irvine – the very first time such an award had been made and first time the Decathlon will be held outside of Washington, D.C. As then-Great Park Board Chair Beth Krom stated at the time, the Solar Decathlon will “bring worldwide attention and economic development to the Great Park and the region and raise public awareness about the benefits of clean energy and energy conservation.”

Indeed, Irvine – with its well deserved reputation for leadership in urban planning, innovation, conservation and green technology – is really the perfect place for the Solar Decathlon.

More than other 300,000 visitors are expected from across the nation and around the world.

(Public transportation is available through Metrolink and local shuttles).

I am tremendously excited about visiting each house in the Solar Decathlon and seeing what new solar energy technology and cutting edge innovative thinking can achieve.

I am also excited about the potential economic and technological impact that the Solar Decathlon will have for Irvine and Orange County in the future.