Four Corners Office For Resource Efficiency

4CORE SERVES SOUTHWEST COLORADO BY PROMOTING RESOURCE CONSERVATION, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH EDUCATION AND PROGRAMS THAT STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND FOSTER A HEALTHY SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT.

CARE- COLORADO AFFORDABLE RESIDENTIAL ENERGY PROGRAM- THROUGH ADMINISTERING THE CARE PROGRAM, WE SERVE BETWEEN 25-33 LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS PER YEAR FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. OF THOSE RESIDENTS 72% ARE OLDER ADULTS. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE LOCATED IN LA PLATA AND ARCHULEA COUNTIES. IN 2020 THE NEXT50 INITIATIVE PROIDE FUNDING TO THE 4CORE TO ENSURE 4CORE WAS PROVIDING OUTREACH TO OLDER ADULTS IN THE CARE PROGRAM. THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OLDER ADULTS AND THE DIRECT CORRELATION TO INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND COMFORT IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH THESE KINDS OF HOME SUPPORT SERVICES AND INSTALLATIONS.

ROLL TO RESTAURANTS EBIKE GRANT- AS ONE OF THE GRANT AWARDEES IN THE STATE OF COLORADO ENERGY OFFICES CAN DO COLORADO EBIKE PILOT PROGRAM, 4CORE COMPLETED OUR PILOT PROGRAM DEPLOYING EBIKES TO LOWER INCOME ESSENTIAL WORKERS. WE SUPPLIED FREE EBIKES TO 16 ESSENTIAL WORKERS. AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM, WEVE DEPLOYED A REPLICABLE MODEL WHICH WILL FOCUS ON LOWER INCOME SECTORS TO RECEIVE FREE EBIKES. THE FUN, RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND THE HEALTH BENEFITS THAT EBIKES PROVIDE GETS PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS, IMPROVES THEIR WELL-BEING AND REDUCES EMISSIONS BY TAKING CARS OFF THE ROAD. THIS GRANT AND PROGRAM PROVIDED CLEAN, HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE COMMUTING AND SUPPORTED WORKERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORATION.

4CORES (FOUR CORNERS OFFICE FOR RESOURCE EFFICIENCY) KEY ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON INNOVATED PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE DIRECT BENEFITS INCLUDING HEALTHIER HOMES AND BUSINESSES, ENERGY AND WATER CONSERVATION TOOLS AND EDUCATION, AND A PATH TO REDUCING HARMFUL CO2 EMISSIONS. SINCE 2008, WEVE USED A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE FOCUS AREAS TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT. 4CORE HAS A SUCCESSFUL HISTORY OF PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND DELIVER THAT PROVIDES TRAINING, EDUCATION AND MEASURABLE RESULTS. ACTIVITIES FROM OUR CURRENT PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS INCLUDE: -- FOUR CORNERS CARBON OFFSET FUND IS AN INNOVATIVE METHOS FOR BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS TO OFFSET THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT, REDUCING THEIR GHG IMPACT BY CONTRIBUTING TO WWW.4CORNERSOFFSET.ORG. THIS FUND IS USED TO PROVIDE GRANTS FOR LOCAL LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO INSTALL BENEFICIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES REDUCING THEIR FOOTPRINT AND SAVING THEM HUNDREDS OF DOLLAR UTILITY COSTS ANNUALLY. -- PARTNERING WITH REGIONAL ELECTRIC UTILITY, LA PLATA ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION, ON A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FREE BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION UPGRADES AND HEAT PUMP WATER HEATERS FOR 20-30 INCOME QUALIFIED RESIDENTS WITH DETAILED REPORTING AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES THROUGH ENERGY OUTREACH COLORADOS CARE PROGRAM. WE PROVIDE ENERGY EFFICIENCY EDUCATION THAT CREATES LASTING BEHAVIORAL CHANGES THROUGH CONSULTATIONS WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. -- LAUNDRY TO LANDSCAPE PROGRAM: AWARDED A GRANT THROUGH COLORADO WATER CONSERVATION BOARD FOR OUR HOME H2O PROGRAM TO CREATE THE CODES FOR SAFE AND LEGAL FIRST GRAYWATER REUSE IN LA PLATA COUNTY THROUGH OUR LAUNDRY TO LANDSCAPE PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, WE OFFER AN ANNUAL GROUP BUY FOR RAIN BARRELS AT 50% OFF RETAIL PRICE TO ENCOURAGE WATER SAVINGS THROUGH RAINWATER HARVESTING. -- WE ARE LAUNCHING THE NEW GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATION WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY OF DURANGO FOR COMPREHENSIVE CERTIFICATION THAT AWARDS BUSINESSES WHEN THEY REDUCE WATER USE, REDUCE WASTE AND BECOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT. THE CERTIFICATION WILL ALSO ENSURE A BUSINESS CREATES A JUST AND EQUITABLE WORKPLACE.

RECHARGE COLORADO- IN RURAL AREAS OF COLORADO THAT LACK PUBLIC TRANSPORATON OPTIONS, MOST COMMUNTING OCCURS WITH ONE PERSONAL VEHICLE. OLDER ADULTS AND LOWER INCOME INDIVIDUALS ARE MOST AFFECTED BY LACK OF TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS. TRANSPORTATION IS THE LARGEST SECTOR CONTRIBUTING TO CARBON EMISSIONS IN OUR REGION. BY EDUCATING AND ENCOURAGING ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) ADOPTION THROUGH THE STATES RECHARGE PROGRAM, WE SUPPORT THE STATES GOAL OF REDUCTING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. EV ADOPTION EQUATES TO COMMUNITIES WITH BETTER AIR QUALITY FROM REDUCTION OF TAILPIPE EMISSIONS, BENEFITTING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. WE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON EV EDUCATION IN 2020 ON THE BENEFIT OF EV OWNERSHIP FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH A VIDEO PRODUCTION AND ONLINE PRESENTATION. OLDER ADULTS FIND THAT THE EASE OF OPERATION, THE LOWER MAINTENANCE COSTS AND THE ABILITY TO CHARGE UP AT HOME AND ELIMINATE GAS STATION VISITS MAKE EVS A PRACTICAL AND AFFORDABLE CHOICE FOR THEIR TRANSPORATION NEEDS. ADDITIONALLY, 4CORE PROVIDES EDUCATION AND RIDE AND DRIVE WORKSHOPS PROMOTING EV SHUTTLES AND VANS FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH TRANSPORTING AND OLDER ADULT ORGANIZATIONS.