Don't Wait for Washington!

CORE has cooperated in installing grid-connected PV systems at the Carbondale Middle School, Aspen Middle School, Aspen High School, the Aspen Community School, Battle Mountain High School, Carbondale Community School, Yampah Mountain High School, Colorado Rocky Mountain School, and Basalt Middle School.

With REMP funds CORE has established a Community Grants program that supports renewable energy projects and energy conservation efforts.

CORE coordinated lighting retrofits to save energy, carbon outputs and public funds within the following buildings:

• Aspen Ski Company's Little Nell Garage
• The Red Brick School House
• The Ice Garden
• The Prospector Lodge
• The City of Aspen Electric Shop
• The Pitkin County Airport
• The Thrift Shop
• The County Annex Building
• The Aspen Consolidated Sanitation  District

Our involvement in recent affordable housing projects include:

• Converted Kraut Affordable Housing Project from electric to gas hot water heaters.
• Installed 90 hot water heater blankets at  an employee housing complex
• Installed solar hot water systems on 200 seasonal units at the Burlingame housing project.
• Developed a green building standard for new units
• Provided solar hot water to Burlingam affordable housing
• Support for seven single family affordable homes in Blue Creek Ranch to achieve high energy efficiency. The home with solar hot water and PV panels has won the American Institute of Architects award in the Colorado West chapter for Affordable Housing, 2005.

CORE initiated the marketing campaign, Wind Power Pioneers Program, to sell Colorado's first wind electricity that was made available in January 1998. CORE also played a major role in Holy Cross Energy's decision to buy 4 turbines worth of power for Colorado customers. Holy Cross customers are now purchasing more wind power than any of the nation's 930 rural electric utilities. As of 2004, Holy Cross is purchasing 5 megawatts of windpower!

CORE was the facilitator of the 2 million kilowatt-hour, 20-year wind power contract, which the City of Aspen agreed to in March of 1999.

The Solar Power Pioneer Program, initiated in 1999, pays "production incentives" to homeowners or businesses that install grid-tied photovoltaic systems or solar hot water.

CORE researched and wrote reports on energy saving opportunities at Valley wastewater and water treatment plants.

CORE researched & prepared a report for VRM on the hazardous waste program.

Community Education & Outreach

CORE regularly sponsors and participates in workshops, meetings, and events that teach children, adults, professionals, and decision makers about renewable energy and sustainable development. Here is a sampling:

• 1994 Aspen Annual Energy Town Meeting
• Progress Building Partnership's monthly lecture series
• 1995 Energy Forum
• 1996 Valley wide Energy & Transportation Meeting
• 1997 Transportation & Land Use Forum in Aspen and Glenwood Springs
• Solar 98 & 99, the American Solar Energy Association's annual conference
• 1998 World Oil Forum, Denver, CO
• Avon's 2000 Green Building Workshop
• The 2000 Earth Fair in Denver
• 2002 Green Building Workshops for architects and builders
• 2002 World Watch State of the World Conference
• 2004 Aspen Renewable Energy Day
• 2004 Snowmass Green Building Conference
• Annual sponsors of Earth Day and Dandelion Day

Randy Udall, Director Emeritus, makes frequent presentations at regional and national conferences on peak oil, solar energy and windpower.

Every year CORE hosts the Solar Home Tour in October, to educate people about solar systems and energy efficiency.

CORE piloted "Water Wise" curriculum for area schools. Holy Cross now supports "Water Wise" in six area schools.

Numerous articles on CORE's work have appeared in the Aspen Times, Aspen Daily News, Glenwood Post, Valley Journal, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, La Mision, Windpower Monthly, Wind Energy Weekly, Solar Today, and Home Power magazine.

CORE has published two fossil fuel primers: When Will the Joy Ride End? and Methane Madness, the later being published in the JUL/AUG 2001 issue of Solar Today.