Platte River Power Authority member of coalition
FORT COLLINS, COLO - The Northern Colorado (NoCO) ENERGY STAR® Homes coalition, which includes Platte River Power Authority, has received a $50,000 grant from the Governor's Energy Office (GEO) for the implementation of the ENERGY STAR New Homes program along the Northern Front Range. The grant is funded through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA).
"We are excited to see our northern Colorado partners investing in the New Energy Economy," said GEO director Tom Plant. "This grant supports the visionary leadership among utilities, local governments and businesses in the northern Front Range who share the important goal of building homes that save residents money, save energy, protect our environment and build energy security."
"The coalition has worked long and hard to get this program started in northern Colorado," said Brian Moeck, Platte River’s General Manager. "Platte River looks forward to contributing to its growing success."
NoCO ENERGY STAR Homes is a regional program with a focus on high-performance construction for new homes - homes that perform better than conventionally built homes - and encourages home buyers to look for the familiar blue ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR qualified homes provide better comfort, lower energy bills, healthier indoor air and increased durability. These homes also help reduce air pollution.
This marks the latest step in Colorado's successful efforts to increase the market share of energy efficient new homes. The GEO will direct the grants to 12 partners across Colorado. Together, the partners comprise more than 100 cities, utilities, counties, non-profits, home builders, private companies and realtor groups. All partners provide matching dollars and use the funds for marketing ENERGY STAR New Homes and training realtors, contractors and home builders in energy efficient construction to help new residential construction earn the U.S. Environmental Protect Agency's ENERGY STAR label. Such homes are more efficient than standard homes, saving homeowners money on utility bills, making them more comfortable for residents and building U.S. energy security.
Market share of ESNHs has increased steadily since 2004 from 4.2 percent of the new home market to 28 percent of new homes built in Colorado in the third quarter of 2009. Colorado's success in building the market for these energy efficient homes earned it a national ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year award from the EPA last year.
About Platte River: Platte River Power Authority generates and delivers reliable, low-cost and environmentally responsible electricity to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, Colorado, where it is distributed by each municipal utility to residents and businesses. For more information, please visit,www.prpa.org.
About NoCO ENERGY STAR Homes: NoCO ENERGY STAR Homes is a collaborative program among public and private-sector organizations, including the Town of Berthoud, Fort Collins Utilities, Governor's Energy Office, Home Builders Association (HBA) of Northern Colorado, Larimer County, Longmont Power & Communications, Platte River Power Authority, Poudre Valley REA, Town of Severance, Town of Timnath, Town of Windsor and Xcel Energy. The regional program is aligned with the national ENERGY STAR New Homes Program (www.energystar.gov) managed by the U.S. EPA and the Colorado ENERGY STAR Homes Program (www.coloradoenergystarhomes.com) managed by the Colorado Governor's Energy Office. More information can be found at www.nocoenergystarhomes.org.
About the GEO: The Governor's Energy Office (www.colorado.gov/energy) was created by an Executive Order on April 16, 2007. GEO's mission is to lead Colorado to a New Energy Economy by advancing energy efficiency and renewable, clean energy resources. GEO works with communities, utilities, private and public organizations, and individuals to promote renewable energy such as wind, solar, and geothermal, and energy efficiency technologies in commercial and residential buildings. It also plays an integral role in designing and implementing state energy policy.