Energy

Focus on Energy Efficiency

In 2006, the Metro Mayors Caucus (MMC) identified energy efficiency and renewable energy as top priorities. That year, mayors convened a committee and met with key representatives from the following:

• National Renewable Energy Laboratories
• Xcel Energy
• Johnson Controls
• Center for ReSource Conservation
• Public Utilities Commission
• Wirth Chair at the University of Colorado's Graduate School of Public Affairs

Drawing on what they learned through these meetings, the committee drafted a memorandum of understanding that was unanimously approved by Caucus members (See signing ceremony photo above). In the Memorandum of Understanding (PDF) the signing jurisdictions voluntarily committed to continuing and expanding their energy efficiency and conservation efforts in a number of specific areas. In the intervening years, several full Caucus meetings focused on energy efficiency have been held at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Better Buildings

From 2011 to 2013 the Metro Mayors Caucus, in partnership with the Denver Regional Council of Governments and Boulder County participated in an Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant under the DOE's Better Buildings program. Boulder County, the City, and County of Denver and Garfield County were the lead agencies under the grant. MMC and the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) designed and conducted a series of 9 energy efficiency workshops and a summit focused on best practices. The summit allowed for local government officials to showcase lessons learned in the Better Building program and provided guidance for local governments seeking to establish similar programs.

MMC & DRCOG Workshops

• December 8, 2010 - Promoting Energy Efficiency in Your Community: The Future of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE)
  • Final Agenda (PDF)
  • Speaker presentations:
    • Jason Coughlin (PDF)
    • Will Toor (PDF)
    • Brett Johnson (PDF)
    • Cisco DeVries (PDF)
• April 20, 2011 - Promoting Energy Efficiency in Your Community: Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck
  • Final Agenda and Biographies (PDF)
  • Combined Presentations (PDF)
• July 14, 2011 - Promoting Energy Efficiency in Your Community: Communication and Social Mobilization
  • Final Agenda and Speaker Biographies (PDF)
  • Speaker: Bill LeBlanc, Presentation (PDF)
    • President, Boulder Energy Group
    • Interim Director Mass Market Services for e-source
  • Case Studies Exercises (PDF)
• September 7, 2011 - Promoting Energy Efficiency in Your Community: Energy Efficiency for Small Communities - Case Study - Rifle, Colorado - The Rifle Success Story
  • Speakers
    • Rifle Mayor Keith Lambert
    • Mike Braaten, Rifle Government Affairs Coordinator
    • Michael Langhorn, President, Rifle Economic Development Corporation & Community Champion, Sustainable Main Streets Initiative
    • Matt Sturgeon - Rifle Asst. City Manager & Planning Director
  • Agenda Packet (PDF)
  • Rifle Presentation (PDF)
  • NREL LEAD Buiding Presentation (PDF)
• February 9, 2012 - Promoting Energy Efficiency in Your Community: Energy Efficiency and PACE for Business and Commercial Buildings
  • Speakers
    • Collin Tomb, Boulder County
    • Jeremy Epstein, Boulder County
    • Sharon Procopio, City of Denver
    • Erich Harris, City of Lakewood
  • Agenda Packet (PDF)
  • Combined Presentations (PDF)
• May 9, 2012 - Solar Gardens and Power Purchase Agreements
  • Speakers
    • Joy Hughes, Solar Gardens Institute
    • Brian Waldes, Town of Breckenridge
    • Jesse Silverstein, Brownfields Foundation
    • Jaclyn Webb, XCEL
  • Handouts (PDF)
  • Presentations (PDF)
• August 30, 2012 - Energy Efficiency Codes
• Speakers
  • Dan Weed, Chief Building Official, Town of Castle Rock
  • Doug Swartz, Senior Energy Services Engineer, Fort Collins Utilities
  • Megan Cuzzolino, LEED AP, Residential Sustainability Specialist, City of Boulder
  • J.C. Martell, LEED AP, Buildings Programs, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
• Handouts (PDF)
• Presentations (PDF)
• November 13, 2012 - Solar Friendly Communities
  • Speakers
    • Neal Lurie, Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association
    • Rebecca Cantwell, Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association
    • Theresa Worsham, City of Golden
    • Jessica Scott, City and County of Denver
    • Gary Goodell, Boulder County
  • Handouts (PDF)
  • Agenda and Biograhpies (PDF)
  • Solar Friendly Communities Fact Sheet (PDF)
  • Presentations (PDF)
• January 30, 2013 - Net Zero Buildings
  • Speakers
    • Otto VanGeet, National Renewable Energy Laboratories
    • Gene Myers, New Town Builders
    • Norbert Klebl, GEOS Neighborhoods?
    • Other Speakers scheduled had to cancel due to illness — will be asked to present at a later time
      • Katy Bigner, FortZED Project Lead, City of Fort Collins
      • George Watt, George Watt Architects
  • Handouts (PDF)
  • Presentations
    • Otto VanGeet (PDF)
    • Gene Myers (PDF)
    • Norbert Klebl (PDF)
• April 17, 2013 - Colorado Energy Efficiency Summit
  • Best Practices for Local Government in Energy Efficiency
  • Keynote
    • Governor Bill Ritter — Director, Center for the New Energy Economy, CSU (invited)
    • Economic Benefits of Energy Efficiency
      • Tom Clark, CEO, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation
      • Dr. Howard Geller — Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
    • Public/Private Partnership in Energy Efficiency
      • Rob Osborne — Director, Government and Community Relations, XCEL
    • Local Sustainability Offices and Strategies
      • Dave Newport — Director, Environmental Center, CU Boulder
      • Bruce Hendee — Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Fort Collins
      • Adrienne Dorsey — Sustainability Coordinator, Adams County
      • Karen Hancock — Environmental Programs Supervisor, City of Aurora