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2019 Saw Progress Toward 'Net Zero Energy' In Carbondale

Courtesy of CLEER

Tuesday night, the Carbondale Board of Trustees was presented with a year-end rundown of accomplishments by Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER). The Carbondale-based organization collaborates with the Town of Carbondale and Garfield County to assist in the adoption of renewable energy.

Among the organization’s notable developments in 2019 was its progress in helping Carbondale work towards its goal of modifying school, library and residential buildings so they produce as much energy as they consume. In addition to helping with plans to retrofit buildings to achieve “net zero energy,” CLEER also provided area governments with guidance on new construction projects.

 

“In the zero-energy world,” said Katharine Rushton, CLEER’s renewable energy program director, “we're seeing that there’s really a pretty clear path forward when you have new construction because you can really incorporate a lot of the efficiency and lower the energy use in the design process.”

 

CLEER’s “Net Zero for New Construction” report was presented to the Town of Carbondale as a set of best practices and recommended upgrades to building code.

Alex is KUNC's reporter covering the Colorado River Basin. He spent two years at Aspen Public Radio, mainly reporting on the resort economy, the environment and the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, he covered the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery for KDLG in Dillingham, Alaska.