CORE became a partner in the Million Solar Roofs program for Western Colorado in 2003.

The Million Solar Roofs Initiative was established by the U.S. Department of Energy to install one million solar systems on U.S. buildings by 2010.

CORE works with a team of partners including, Holy Cross Energy, Aspen Solar Systems, Solar Energy International, Sunsense, the City of Aspen Community Development Department, and Community Banks of Aspen to meet the regional goal of 500 to 1000 solar systems installed in the Roaring Fork Valley by 2010. In 2004 CORE won the Best Progress Award in the Denver Region from the U.S. Department of Energy for its success in supporting solar installations.

The Million Solar Roofs initiative supports the use of solar energy, a clean, affordable, renewable alternative to burning fossil fuels for power generation and heating. Burning fossil fuels produces many health and environmental hazards including acid rain, smog, regional haze, and climate change. Two types of solar technology will be included in this initiative: Solar electric systems (or photovoltaics) that produce electricity from sunlight, and solar thermal systems that produce heat for domestic hot water, space heating, or heating swimming pools.

A typical system will keep 7000 pounds of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere each year. Collectively, 500 systems will annually avoid 3.5 million pounds of greenhouse gases-the equivalent of driving 150 times around the planet.

In addition to removing barriers to installing solar systems on American homes, the Million Solar Roofs Initiative is designed to create more local high tech jobs, and help the U.S. market regain a competitive edge in this rapidly growing, multi-billion dollar industry.

CORE uses its Million Solar Roofs grant money to overcome local market barriers, launch new programs to help catalyze additional demand for solar systems, and advertise CORE's solar incentive program-the best in Colorado. From zero interest loans, to cash rebates, CORE's incentives make it easy to be a good citizen, and install a solar system at your home today in the Roaring Fork Valley. For more information on installing solar on your home or business, call CORE at 544-9808.


Next Gen Homes refers to houses that generate their own energy and are so efficiently built that they are zero energy users. CORE's first effort to build a Next Gen Home with our partners won in June, 2005 the Best Design for an Affordable Home Award from the American Institute of Architects, Colorado West. Steve Novy, the architect, has developed a Next Gen website to share the building integrated designs he developed for this project as our Million Solar Roofs partner. You can download the designs for free.