EnergySmart

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

The EnergySmart program has provided efficiency services to more than 8,400 homes and 2,400 businesses in Boulder County since 2010. Through this innovative new service, Boulder County staff and their partners in the City of Boulder and other regional jurisdictions have leveraged a $25 million BetterBuildings Neighborhood Program grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to jumpstart local economic growth and investment in energy efficiency and advance Colorado’s energy independence through large-scale efficiency upgrades. Over half of Boulder County’s greenhouse gas emissions come from commercial and residential buildings. EnergySmart targets these sectors for efficiency upgrades to reduce overall emissions, addressing shared problems in the region. According to a third-party report, as of May 2012, EnergySmart was able to reduce an estimated 11,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) annually, which is equivalent to the emissions of 2,000 cars. Also the program provided technical, business development and sales training to more than 150 contractors, supporting a robust energy contractor community. EnergySmart helped participating households and businesses save an average of $200 per year and $900 per year, respectively, on energy costs while issuing 2,369 rebates worth more than $2 million.