FOUR CORNERS OFFICE FOR RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

Causes: Energy Resources Conservation & Development, Environment, Natural Resources Conservation & Protection

Mission: 4core serves southwest colorado as the leading resource for the effective and efficient use of energy to promote and sustain vibrant local communities.

Programs: 4core accomplished program-specific goals in 2014 in each of their mission-related strategic focus areas, including energy efficiency, resource efficiency education, innovative solutions and the energy information hub. The energy efficiency focus included the home and commercial performance prescription programs (homerx and commercialrx) helped residents and business owners save energy and improve health, safety, and comfort in homes and commercial buildings. 4core facilitated partner incentives, including the city of durango, lpea, amerigas, and atmos energy (under the energy smart colorado label), increasing the number of energy audits and efficiency upgrades. Thirty-three homes and 16 businesses were assessed in 2014 with a projected annual utility bill savings of $34,014 and prevention of 239 metric tons of greenhouse gases. The resource efficiency education focus area included the healthy homes program. This program provided indoor air quality information to low-income households, through 20 presentations to 402 participants, resulting in 188 pledges to keep a healthier and/or smoke free home for four weeks. The program was funded by an epa environmental justice grant and a colorado department of health and environment radon grant. 4core also hosted five trainings and events for 484 participants highlighting sustainable building practices and presented energy efficiency information to 305 participants at an additional five workshops. 4cores innovative solutions focus area supported the solarize la plata campaign, resulting 101 solar contracts for homes and businesses signed and 522 kilowatts of renewable power committed by the end of 2014. A 15 member all volunteer committee oversaw this campaign, which was funded by the city of durango, the ballantine foundation, and with referral fees paid by five local solar installers. 4core also facilitated four regional meetings and two working group meetings to discuss alternative fuel vehicles for fleets and provided fleet analyses for eight local fleets under the innovative solutions focus. This program was supported by la plata county energy council, the colorado energy office, and the department of energy through refuel colorado. Under 4cores energy information hub a newsletter was sent to an average of 1,460 subscribers twice per month. 4core also responded to 38,633 information requests about resource efficiency and continued to update its website with current sector relevant and timely information.