Rebuild Colorado: A Systematic Approach to Improve Performance of Public Buildings
Feature article in the March-April 2007 edition of the State Energy Program's bimonthly newsletter, Conservation Update.
by Linda Smith
Rebuild Colorado addresses energy consumption at each stage in the life of state and local government buildings, from construction to day-to-day operations. The program takes a holistic approach to energy efficiency that promotes best practices in energy design, upgrades, and maintenance.
- High-Performance Design for Energy Efficiency in New State and Local Buildings
- Energy Efficiency in Existing Facilities through Performance Contracting
- Energy Management for Energy Efficiency in Day-to-Day Operations
The Colorado Governor's Office of Energy Management and Conservation (OEMC) launched Rebuild Colorado in 1997 to help managers of state and local buildings identify and take advantage of energy-saving opportunities. Rebuild Colorado has a three-pronged delivery approach:
- Develop information resources and tools to help building owners initiate and implement projects.
- Educate end users through outreach and training.
- Follow up with technical services to help identify, implement, and oversee projects.
OEMC uses this illustration for its Rebuild Colorado materials to accompany the tag line: Round up savings to get better buildings.
Rebuild Colorado is a mature program that lists many successes. For example, it has helped 80 institutions attract more than $150 million in capital investments for energy improvements through performance contracting.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provided seed funding for the OEMC Rebuild Colorado Program through six competitive grants for states. You can read online descriptions of these DOE State Energy Program (SEP) Special Projects from Rebuild America. The Rebuild Colorado strategy is homegrown and based on Colorado's needs. It takes advantage of standard practices used in the local construction and facilities management industries.