Energy Champions Honored by the Governor's Office of Energy Management & Conservation.

DENVER -- The Governor's Office of Energy Management & Conservation (OEMC) will recognize state and local governments partnerships on the afternoon of Friday, September 15, that have pioneered innovative and effective ways to make energy-saving improvements to public facilities.

OEMC's director Drew Bolin will present awards to these energy champions at the Governor's Executive Residence in Denver. "These statewide energy champions demonstrate how energy efficiency projects bring lower energy usage and costs, so that savings can be focused on priorities," said Bolin.

The Energy Champion award recipients represent exemplary, completed projects that have participated in the OEMC's Rebuild Colorado program. Projects represent achievements in the design of new buildings, upgrading existing buildings with energy performance contracting or day-to-day energy management. Energy performance contracting takes advantage of the fact that energy-saving projects pay for themselves. The annual energy savings pay for the annual financed cost of the projects, eliminating the need to use capital budgets. The energy performance contracts alone account for $87 million in investments and $9 million in energy savings.

A small sample of the honored projects illustrates the ingenuity, dedication and results of this group of Energy Champions:

--Garfield County 16 School District: Completed a $2.4 million school improvement project in Parachute, Colorado. The district used energy performance contracting and bonds to secure funding for the projects. The improvements generate over $100,000 in lower annual utility bills to help pay for themselves over time.

--Poudre School District: Recognized for its continuing role as a pioneer and leader in efficient new construction in the state. The district has built five high-performance buildings (four schools and an office building). Fossil Ridge High School saves $100,000 per year in lower utility bills, compared to a similar size school that opened in the 1990's, and is the state's only certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(R)) Silver K-12 school. Innovation continues with the district's newest school, Kinard Junior High School, which uses geoexchange to provide cost-effective heating and cooling year-round.

--Colorado Department of Human Services: Recognized for exemplary energy management program. Linda Smith, Senior Program Manager of the Rebuild Colorado program said, "David Piatek, Energy Manager for the department, has worked diligently and creatively to find ways to improve the efficiency of the myriad of facilities, year after year." Piatek has managed the $6.5 million utility budget and is responsible for implementing utility tracking systems, collaborating with other departments for savings on natural gas procurement, and has spearheaded the department's energy performance contracts.

Award winners and the award areas are listed: (HPD = high performance design for new construction, PC = performance contracting for comprehensive upgrades, EM = day-to-day energy management)

--Academy of Charter Schools (HPD)

--Alliance for Sustainable Colorado (HPD)

--Arapahoe County (PC)

--Canon City Schools (PC)

--City of Arvada (PC)

--City of Boulder (HPD)

--City of Fort Collins (HPD)

--City of Westminster (PC)

--Clear Creek School District RE-1 (PC)

--Colorado Department of Human Services (PC, EM)

--Colorado Department of Labor & Employment (HPD, PC)

--Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration (HPD, PC, EM)

--Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (EM, PC)

--Colorado Judicial Department (PC)

--Colorado Springs School District 11 (PC, HPD)

--Colorado State University at Fort Collins (HPD)

--Colorado State University at Pueblo (PC)

--Denver Health (HPD)

--Denver Housing Authority (HPD, PC)

--Frenchman RE3 School District (PC)

--Garfield County School District No. 16 (PC)

--Holly School District (PC)

--Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital (PC)

--Lake County School District R-1 (PC)

--Lewis-Palmer School District #38 (PC)

--Liberty School District (EM)

--Manitou Springs School District 14 (PC)

--Mapleton Public Schools (PC)

--Monte Vista School District (PC)

--Morgan County School District RE-3 (PC)

--Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (HPD)

--Poudre School District (HPD)

--Pueblo School District No. 60 (EM)

--Red Rocks Community College (PC)

--Roaring Fork School District (HPD)

--South Suburban Parks and Recreation (PC)

--Stratton School District (PC)

--Thompson School District (PC)

--University of Colorado at Boulder - Housing Facilities Services (PC)

--University of Colorado at Boulder - Recreation Center (PC)

--University of Northern Colorado (PC)

--Walsh School District (EM)

--West Grand School District #1-JT (PC)

--Wiggins School District RE 50-J (PC)

--Wiley School District (EM)

In addition, the Colorado Office of the State Architect (Department of Personnel & Administration) and the Colorado Department of Education are being honored as Energy Champions for their roles as key promoters of energy efficiency in the state.

For More Information:

--OEMC & Rebuild Colorado: www.colorado.gov/oemc or www.colorado.gov/rebuildco

--Event Information: Contact Megan Castle at [phone]