With help from a $30,000 grant from the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, the city contracted with workers and suppliers in Garfield County to upgrade 23 street lamps in downtown Rifle to use LED, or light-emitting diode, bulb technology. Mike Braaten, Rifle’s government affairs and energy coordinator, said LED street lamps have been installed in larger communities across the country but not in many smaller communities. So even before the energy-saving data was available this fall, Braaten was receiving calls from other folks across Colorado curious about the results from the Rifle installation. Comparing utility bill information from September 2008 against September 2009, Braaten found the LED lights used 64 percent less energy, saving 544 kilowatt hours of electricity per month. Each street lamp was changed from 150-watt high-pressure sodium bulbs to an array of 40 small 1.25-watt LED bulbs. Considering various factors, Braaten estimates the operating costs for the street lamps was reduced by 55 percent. The long-lasting LED bulbs also should cut down on future maintenance costs for the city. The street lamp project in Rifle was more complicated and expensive since many parts of the older lamps needed upgrading. To complete the project, the Rifle Downtown Development Authority and the Rifle Lodging Tax Board provided $6,000 in additional funding. Third Street now sports a five-block section with uniform, fully functional and bright white lights in a key shopping and dining area in downtown. Braaten said the project would not have been possible without the Garfield NECI funding provided in a grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. He recommends the street lamp LED-retrofits for municipalities that own many street lamps that would not need major overhaul work to install the energy-efficient LED bulb arrays. “Because our lights were old and needed significant maintenance improvements anyway, about half the cost was to retrofit the bulb assembly,” Braaten said. “For the most part, the outcome has been positive. This project meets the principles the city is moving toward as an energy village, promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.” GEO funding pushes forward release of energy smart loans in Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison countiesBy Suzie Romig Following voter approval this month of an Energy Smart Loan Program in Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison counties, the Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) has committed $70,000 to help move the program forward in the region. Representatives from the three counties and GEO have formed a program development committee to iron out the details of the financing, with the goal of offering loan applications by March 2010. The GEO funding can be used for program development, marketing and outreach efforts. By working together, the counties can save resources and return the savings to the program, said Yuri Kostick, sustainable communities land planner for Eagle County. Organizers are looking at the possibility of creating a three-county consortium to share administrative costs and are working to complete the development phase by Jan. 31, 2010. The proposal will then be presented to each of the three boards of county commissioners for review and approval. Committee member Andris Zobs, with the nonprofit Office for Resource Efficiency in Gunnison County, said the voter approval puts the three smaller-population counties “at the forefront of energy-efficiency financing.” Only a handful of such programs have been created so far in large U.S. communities. The lending also is known as Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. The financing plan allows counties to issue bonds to fund loans to residential and commercial property owners for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. The loans are repaid by property owners through a special assessment on their annual county tax bill for up to 20 years. The Energy Smart Loan Program is voluntary, and property owners who do not borrow against the fund are not affected. The program is expected to serve as an economic boost for local contractors, as happened in Boulder County. Successfully piloted in Colorado by Boulder County, the loans allow residents to get past the hurdle of upfront costs when planning projects ranging from insulation upgrades, to solar panel installations, to more efficient heating systems. Committee members currently working together to formulate the program include: Zobs from ORE in Crested Butte; Eagle County’s Kostick; Adam Palmer, Eagle County green building specialist; Dylan Hoffman, Pitkin County energy program manager; and Joani Matranga, GEO western region representative. For information, contact Kostick at 970-328-8731 or Palmer at 970-328-8734. More information on PACE programs at www.PACEnow.org. Garfield County moves toward clean energy financingThe Garfield County Commissioners on Monday took the first step toward establishing property-assessed clean energy financing. In a 3-0 vote, the commissioners asked the county attorney to draft a resolution to form a local improvement district for clean energy financing. Rifle Mayor Keith Lambert, representing the Garfield NECI Advisory Board, said formation of the district “allows us to invest in the people of Garfield County and help them save energy and money." “We’re asking for the formation of a district to work through the issues and determine the best source for the funding,” Lambert said. In its full form, PACE financing gives residential and commercial property owners access to loan financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to their property. The loans are repaid on the annual property tax bill over 15 to 20 years, and the lien stays with the property if it changes hands before being paid off. Property owners who don't borrow against the fund see no additions to their property tax. Garfield NECI lighting campaign
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| Two-bulb packs of light bulbs were distributed at the Glenwood Springs Downtown Market in September. From left, Heather McGregor, outreach director for CLEER, and Glenwood Springs City Council members David Sturges and Shelley Kaup. Sturges and Kaup also serve on the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative Advisory Board. |
Holy Cross Energy contributed 1,000 of the bulbs for the Garfield County giveaway, and is extending the 2-free-bulbs offer to its customers in Eagle and Pitkin counties. Through the end of October, Holy Cross distributed more than 2,000 bulbs in the three counties.
Glenwood Electric customers will see a special message on their December billing cards:
SAVE$-2FREE LITEBULBS@CITYHALL. Glenwood Springs Councilwoman Shelley Kaup composed the cryptic message, which is limited to 30 characters. “We want to get these bulbs into the hands of Glenwood Electric customers, residential and businesses,” Kaup said. “This is a fun way to reach people and remind them about this great offer.”
Meanwhile, a new aspect of the lighting campaign started this week with a direct outreach to residents of senior housing and homebound seniors.
Volunteers are going to apartments in senior housing to install up to six energy efficient bulbs in each unit. The project started with an installation on Tuesday at New Castle senior housing. Next on the list are the Sunnyside, Manor I and Manor II senior housing facilities in Glenwood Springs.
Judy Martin, director of senior programs for Garfield County Human Services, is coordinating volunteers to help move ladders, clean light fixtures and screw in light bulbs.
“Anything that can help our seniors is a good thing. This will help reduce energy costs at senior housing, which is reflected in their monthly payments,” Martin said. “It also means they won’t have to replace their light bulbs every year.”
The energy efficient light bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times as long as conventional incandescent bulbs.
At the same time, long-term care provider Karen Matel of Glenwood Springs will be installing light bulbs in the homes of her homebound clients throughout Garfield County, using bulbs provided by Xcel Energy, Holy Cross Energy and Glenwood Electric. If her test run of the installation proves successful, other long-term care providers will be invited to participate.
Ennovate Corp. selected for energy performance contracting in Garfield County
Aurora-based Ennovate Corporation is the energy services company selected to provide energy performance contracting services for eight of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative partner governments.
Performance contracting starts with a technical energy audit of existing buildings, which will yield a list of recommended energy efficiency measures and a price tag. With the list in hand, the partner governments can decide whether to self-fund their improvements or enter into a performance contract with Ennovate.
Under the contract option, the company would carry out the efficiency upgrades with a set annual payback. It will guarantee that energy savings would cover the payment, or the company would cover the difference. If energy savings are greater than the payment amount, the local government keeps the remainder.
Ennovate Corp. was approved Monday by the Garfield County Commissioners and on Tuesday by the Garfield NECI Advisory Board, acting on a recommendation from the Garfield NECI Performance Contracting Selection Committee.
In September, the Garfield NECI partner governments issued a request for proposals to the 13 energy service companies that have been pre-approved for energy performance contracting by the Governor’s Energy Office. Of the 13, five companies applied and three were selected for interviews, said Jeff Dickinson, built environment project manager for CLEER, the non-profit managing the Garfield NECI program.
“We selected Ennovate as the best fit. It scored highest in the rankings and stood the test of the interview process, and it got generally high references,” Dickinson said.
The company also came in with the lowest cost. All the participating local governments will be able to use Ennovate’s services at the same rate, which is a particular benefit for the smaller local governments such as Parachute, Silt and New Castle.
“Our next step is to strike one deal for all the Garfield NECI partners. Then each partner will enter into their own contract with Ennovate,” Dickinson said. Then the company can start conducting energy audits of town halls, water and wastewater plants and maintenance shops.
The Garfield NECI partners will each negotiate a second contract some months from now if they wish to proceed with energy performance contracting.
Xcel lowers Renewable Energy Credit for solar PV
Xcel Energy is lowering the $1.50 per watt renewable energy credit for solar PV installations in its territory to $1 a watt. The utility’s $2 per watt rebate remains unchanged.
The reduction was part of a compliance plan submitted Oct. 27 to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission that explains how Xcel will meet Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard (RES) of producing 20 percent of energy from renewable resources by 2020. Currently, the RES requires that 5 percent of retail energy sales must come from renewable resources.
The plan looks out 10 years and adds more than 257 megawatts of new on-site solar power as part of the Solar*Rewards program. Also included in the plan are 700 megawatts of new wind power and approximately 350 megawatts of utility-scale solar power plants.
The lower renewable energy credit will allow the company to buy credits from more customers, with the aim of driving additional private investment in solar energy.
In the news
Associated Press, Oct. 28, 2009
Xcel Energy to add more solar power in Colorado
Xcel Energy press release, Oct. 27, 2009
Xcel Energy files Compliance Plan to address renewable energy
Clean Energy Transportation Week
motivates students to walk, bike to school
Clean Energy Transportation Week was a big success in western Garfield County, with students in more than 120 classrooms competing for prizes, bragging rights and clean energy benefits for their communities.
During the special week, Oct. 5 to 9, teachers tallied the different ways students traveled to and from school. The goal was to have as many trips as possible be walking, biking, carpooling or riding the school bus.
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St. John Elementary School students, from left, Savannah Davis, Alexys Holder-Bland, Rylie Arrowood and Bailey Rowe, enjoyed getting to school by bike during Clean Energy Transportation Week in Garfield District 16. |
The top three classrooms in each school won the competition, but all students benefited when they used active transportation, carpooling or the school bus to get to school.
“We are hoping that kids will form these habits to walk, bicycle, carpool or ride the bus whenever they can. Forming these habits as kids makes it much more likely they will continue doing this as adults,” said Cathy Tuttle, Clean Energy Transportation Week organizer for the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative.
“The fact that we had more than 120 classes participating in kindergarten through eighth grades, at elementary and middle schools from Parachute to New Castle, shows higher than usual motivation,” Tuttle said. “More than 4,000 kids learned about using clean energy to get to and from school.”
Schools in Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Basalt and Aspen also participated in similar week-long clean energy transportation competitions.
Tuttle will enter this year’s participation data from the Garfield District 16 and Garfield Re-2 school districts into information being compiled from similar events across the country. The data will also be used to seek a Safe Routes to School grant from the federal government to audit routes students use to get to school, hold workshops for parents and promote a similar Clean Energy Transportation Week next year.
Letters of participation for the 2010 Safe Routes project have come from Garfield District 16 and Garfield Re-2 school districts, Parachute, Rifle, Silt and New Castle and from the Grand River Hospital District.
For a list of the winning classrooms, visit www.GarfieldCleanEnergy.org > Transportation > Bike to School
Colorado helps EPA reach milestone of
1 million Energy Star homes
State ranks 16th in Energy Star-qualified homes
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today reaches a milestone for the Energy Star program on Nov. 10 by passing the 1 millionth Energy Star-qualified home mark.
In recognizing this milestone, EPA has released a list of leading Energy Star markets across the nation. Colorado is a leader in Energy Star-qualified homes, ranking 16th among states in the total number of homes earning the Energy Star label.
“This is an amazing achievement for the Energy Star program – but the real winners are the 1 million American families who have the chance to save money and keep harmful pollution out of the air. That’s great news for anyone who wants to cut costs and protect our planet,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.
“We’re going to keep the number of Energy Star homes growing, because every new Energy Star home is a step towards lower costs, cleaner air, and communities that are environmentally and economically sustainable. We’re giving everyday American homebuyers the power to lower their bills and join the fight against climate change,” Jackson said.
To date, 14,513 Energy Star-qualified homes have been constructed in Colorado, including 1,528 in 2009. Market penetration in the state, measured as the number of Energy Star-qualified homes built as a percentage of all new homes constructed, is 26 percent in 2009, up from 19 percent in 2008.
The annual benefits associated with Colorado's 2009 class of Energy Star homes include eliminating pollution equal to the emissions from more than 700 vehicles and carbon dioxide emission reductions of 8.8 million pounds. These homes also annually save the energy equivalent of more than 4.4 million pounds of coal.
"Colorado is proud to be a pacesetter in the construction of Energy Star-qualified homes. Energy efficient homes are another way that the New Energy Economy is leading Colorado forward by reducing our energy use and saving homeowners money," said Gov. Bill Ritter. "These Energy Star-qualified homes build jobs in our energy and homebuilding sectors, bolster our energy security and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."
To earn the Energy Star label, a home must meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by EPA. Those guidelines can be met through established, reliable building techniques available to most middle-class American homeowners.
Those include effective insulation systems, high-performance windows, tight construction and ducts, efficient heating and cooling equipment, and high-efficiency lighting and appliances. In addition, an independent home energy rater conducts on-site testing and inspections to verify that the home’s performance meets Energy Star requirements.
"EPA's efforts to increase the number of energy-efficient homes in Colorado are complemented by a strong commitment from our partners in the Governor's Energy Office as well as local governments, utilities and home builders across the state," said Patty Crow, EPA's Energy Star program coordinator in Denver. "New home construction in the state reflects a growing demand for energy-efficient systems and features that offer significant savings for families and clear benefits for the environment.”
With more than 15,000 partners in sectors all across the economy, Energy Star has been enormously successful at saving consumers money by reducing the energy usage of products used in the home and office everyday.
Since the program began labeling new homes in 1995, Americans have saved $1.2 billion on their energy bills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 22 billion pounds. This year alone, families living in Energy Star qualified homes will save more than $270 million on their utility bills, while avoiding greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from about 370,000 vehicles.
Learn more about the features and benefits of Energy Star-qualified homes and find participating builders
www.energystar.gov/onemillionhomes.
Information on Energy Star homes by state
City of Aspen beats its greenhouse gas goals
For the fourth year running, the City of Aspen has bested its internal greenhouse gas reduction goals. The city government reduced its overall greenhouse gas emissions, the pollutants that cause global warming, by 21 percent from its 2004-05 baseline emissions.
The 2004-05 baseline is the standard the city government uses to compare its year-to-year emissions for its internal operations. The baseline helps city officials know how much of Aspen’s emissions come from transportation, building heating and cooling, or other sources. The current report analyzes emissions from Oct. 1, 2008, to Sept. 30, 2009.
The city’s overall emissions for 2008-09 increased from the previous year after electricity supplier Holy Cross Energy recalculated the carbon factor of electricity sold to the city. The carbon factor, expressed as pounds of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour of power, was a bit higher than Holy Cross had reported earlier. That recalculation pushed the city’s 2008-09 emissions level higher, but it was largely offset by a 4 percent drop in electricity used at facilities supplied by Holy Cross, said Kim Peterson, director of the City’s Canary Initiative.
City officials are looking at new opportunities to decrease the carbon intensity of city buildings in 2010 through energy performance contracting and potentially switching some city buildings from Holy Cross Energy to the City of Aspen’s electric grid. Aspen Electric is continuing to “green” its power supply and to use non-carbon sources for more than 75 percent of its electricity.
-- Sally Spaulding, City of Aspen
Energy Information Administration Brief
Challenges to moving power across the country
The nation’s grid of electric power lines has evolved into three large interconnected systems that move electricity around the country. Standards have been developed by the electric power industry to ensure coordination for the linked operations.
In this new online report, the Energy Information Administration examines the challenges facing the nation’s power grid. These include getting approval for corridors of land for new transmission lines, and the financing and constructing of new transmission lines to assure continued reliability of our electricity supply.
EIA Brief: What Is the Electric Power Grid, and What Are Some Challenges It Faces?
TRAININGS
Governor’s Energy Office Insulate Colorado webinars
Learn about GEO’s 2010 insulation rebate programs and join the list of approved contractors
- Insulate Colorado Webinar 1: Friday, November 20, 9 to 11 a.m.
- Insulate Colorado Webinar 2: Friday, November 20, 3 to 5 p.m.
Attendance at both webinars is limited to 25, and an RSVP is required. Spots will be issued on a first come, first served basis.
To RSVP, send an e-mail to Joe Hall: joeh@lightlytreading.com
- Include your name, business, phone number, and email (required)
- Indicate which course you want to attend
Once Joe has your contact information, he will enter you into the webinar system. The system will send you an e-mail invite to the webinar. Please follow the instructions provided by the automated message.
ENERGY STAR conference with Joe Lstiburek
Designing, Building & Selling Structures that are Safe, Healthy, Durable,
Comfortable & Energy Efficient
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Clarion Inn Hotel (formerly the Holiday Inn), 755 Horizon Drive, Grand Junction
Fee: $85 includes lunch
Better Energy Advocates present the 3rd annual Energy Star Conference with featured speaker Joseph Lstiburek, author of the Builder’s Guide to Cold Climates and an international authority on building science and energy efficient construction.
Lstiburek is a forensic engineer who investigates building failures. He is an authority on moisture-related building problems and indoor air quality. He heads one of the four Building America program teams for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Buildings that Awaken: Biophilic Design for Health and Wellness
Saturday, Nov. 21
4 to 6 p.m.
True Nature Healing Arts, 549 Main St., Carbondale
Fee: $25
Register: info@greenweaverinc.com or (970) 379-6779
Learn how to make indoor spaces more alive using biophilic design in this introductory, experiential workshop. Understand basic approaches to improve our existing homes, schools and offices and employ these principles in the design of new buildings.
The instructor is Laura Bartels, the founder of GreenWeaver Inc. and a consultant and educators on appropriate building technologies using high performance, low impact materials. Laura teaches in the University of Colorado's Sustainable Buildings & Energy Certificate Program and Solar Energy International's Sustainable Building Program.
Green Professional Certification Courses
Wednesday, Dec. 2 to Friday, Dec. 4
Aspen Meadows Resort, Aspen
Fees:
M2M-HBA members: $350 for two-day Green Building course; $200 for one-day Business Management course
Non-members: $425 for two-day Green Building course; $250 for one-day Business Management course
Register: (970) 925-7740
The Green Building Academy at Colorado Mountain College will host the two-day Green Building for Building Professionals course on Dec. 2-3 and the one-day Business Management for Building Professionals course on Dec. 4 at Aspen Meadows Resort.
The course instructor is 30-year professional John Barrow, a nationally recognized speaker on green building and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Building and Remodeling.
Participants in the Green Building for Building Professionals course will learn how to incorporate green building principles into home building, remodeling and other construction projects without driving up the cost. Students will gain a solid background in green building methods as well as tools to reach consumers with green solutions.
Students in the Business Management for Building Professionals course will learn how to overcome common business management problems and improve business and personnel operations.
Students will learn about building within the new benchmark for green construction, the National Green Building Standard, the first and only green building rating system approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
The offerings are presented in conjunction with The Aspen Institute, the Mountain to Mesa Home Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders. For more information, contact Dr. Rick Johnson, CMC instructional chair, at 925-7740 ext. 2417.
Final Session: Diagnostic Equipment and Final Certification
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
2 to 4 p.m.
Habitat for Humanity house, 3054 Coalmine Ave., Rifle
RSVP by Monday, Dec. 7 to Rob Morey, ENERGY STAR program assistant for Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, at (970) 384-7953 or rmorey@CleanEnergyEconomy.net.
FREE FIELD TRAINING – LAST SESSION -- NEWCOMERS WELCOME
Builders, building subcontractors, architects, building officials and residents interested in energy efficiency are invited to attend the last in a series of real world training sessions at a Habitat for Humanity ENERGY STAR new home being built in Rifle.
How to use diagnostic tools to measure building performance of an ENERGY STAR home.
- Learn to perform a blower-door test to measure airtight levels of the building envelope
- Learn to perform a final duct blaster test to diagnose and demonstrate air leakage problems and estimate duct efficiency
- Learn to use an infrared camera to find hidden gaps in air sealing and insulation
Instructor: Fritz Diether, certified Home Energy Rating System consultant, owner of Frostbusters & Coolth
This field training will be held at the construction site of a Habitat for Humanity home. Please be prepared by wearing warm clothing and boots.
The series is co-sponsored by Habitat for Humanity, the City of Rifle, Garfield County, Mountain to Mesa Homebuilders Association, the Governor’s Energy Office, Clean Energy Economy for the Region and the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative.
BPI Building Analyst Training
Week-long and three-day intensive classes offered
This comprehensive training program teaches you how to apply building science technology to help customers solve heating, cooling and air leakage problems that are driving high energy costs, while also providing them with a more comfortable, safe and durable home. Building science training will benefit your business and help the community to become more energy efficient.
Full Building Analyst Course with both exams
Dates: Jan. 11-18, 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 30-minute lunch break
Place: Colorado Mountain College Aspen Campus
Fee: $1,600 includes lunches and fees for written and field exams
This BPI Building Analyst training provides core building science knowledge, concepts, and field practice to prepare candidates to pass the Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification exams.
The course is intended for individuals who have no previous building analyst training. The course covers the fundamentals of building science and analyzing building performance problems including energy efficiency, safety, health, and indoor air quality, as required for BPI Building Analyst certification exams.
Intensive Building Analyst Course with both exams
Dates: Jan. 29-30, 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 30-minute lunch break
Place: Colorado Mountain College Aspen Campus
Fee: $550 includes lunches and fees for written and field exams
This intensive BPI Building Analyst Exam Prep reviews core building science knowledge and concepts and provides field practice to prepare candidates to pass the Building Performance Institute (BPI) certification exams.
The course is intended for individuals who have already completed some building analyst training, but would like additional review and practice before taking the certification exams. The course schedule is:
- Friday, Jan. 29: classroom review followed by written exam
- Saturday, Jan. 30: field review and practice with a BPI certified instructor using testing equipment
- Sunday, Jan. 31 or Monday, Feb. 1: one-on-one field exams
Space is limited for both classes, and early registration is recommended. To register, call Colorado Mountain College Aspen Campus, (970) 925-7740.
More course information, contact Rick Johnson, CMC Aspen Instructional Chair, (970) 925-7740, ex. 2417 or wjohnson@coloradomtn.edu.
More information about BPI certification: www.bpi.org or (518) 899-2727
LEED Green Associate Prep Course
Dates: Feb. 19-20, 2010 or April 16-17, 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Place: Colorado Mountain College Aspen Campus
Fee: $250 includes lunches
Register: CMC Aspen (970) 925-7740 or www.coloradomtn.edu
This prep course is for design professionals, real estate professionals, developers, building owners, contractors and project managers. The instructor is architect Eric Wood. This course will cover:
- LEED rating systems and sustainable building concepts
- Preparation for a LEED professional credentialing exam
- How to implement green building in real life
EVENTS
Green Think 2009
A Sustainable Symposium for Homeowners and the Building Industry
Friday, December 4, 2009
10:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Aspen Meadows Resort, Aspen
Fee: $30 for all day; $10 for exhibit hall and cocktail hour only
Register: www.m2mhba.org or (970) 945-7502
Mountain to Mesa Home Builders Association is hosting a symposium and builder’s expo focused on green building.
Speakers include entrepreneur Paul Spencer on “The Principles of Sustainability,” National Association of Home Builders board member John Barrows on “Practical Sustainable Applications,” and Brian Dunbar and Josie Plaut of the Institute for the Built Environment on “What is Beyond Green.”
The exhibit hall opens at 10 a.m. Speakers will present from 1 to 5 p.m, followed by a cocktail hour from 5 to 6 p.m.
Clean Energy Bits ‘n Bobs
Oct. 24 was the International Climate Action Day organized worldwide by 350.org. Locally, residents rallied in New Castle, Carbondale and Aspen. This gathering at Sopris Park in Carbondale declared the town “Dale for the Day,” dropping “carbon” from the town’s moniker. An array of bicycles spell out "DALE," while groups of kids form the number "350."
Check out the new sustainability page on the website of Structural Associates. The Glenwood Springs firm offers expertise in solar thermal, PV, straw bale and SIPS construction, geoexchange and ground source heat pumping, and hydroelectricity.
Chip Comins, the director of American Renewable Energy Day in Aspen, tells us that he is headed to Copenhagen for the international climate summit.
Frostbusters & Coolth of Grand Junction is now on the Governor’s Energy Office list of approved insulation contractors. Dan Becker represents Frostbusters in Garfield County.
April Clark is the new marketing and communications director for Solar Energy International in Carbondale. She will continue to write a column for the Glenwood Springs Post Independent. SEI has also done a major overhaul on its website. Check it out at www.solarenergy.org.
Calvin Lee of Carbondale spent the past month at the China Art Academy in Hangzhou, China. He sent this photo on Nov. 8 of rental bicycles lined up on a city sidewalk, along with these observations:
“There are bicycles and motorcycles everywhere. Both are being ridden on pedestrian sidewalks, which are sometimes only wide enough for two people. There are public bicycle stands where if you purchase a card, you can swipe the card across a screen, which unlocks the bicycle and you can rent the bicycle.”