Building Codes Assistance Project

Governor Ritter announced $10 million in funding for Colorado under the New Energy Communities Initiative. Greening Homes, one of three focus areas, includes activity to "adopt model building codes to ensure that new housing units meet higher energy efficiency standards."

Read the full story from the CO Governor's Energy Office:

Governor Ritter Announces $10 Million New Energy Communities Initiative
Gov. Ritter announced the launch of a $10 million New Energy Communities Initiative at the Colorado Municipal League's Annual Conference. The new initiative is a partnership between the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and GEO. The aim is to maximize energy efficiency and conservation, enhance community livability, promote economic development in downtowns, and address climate change by reducing carbon emissions.

The program will direct up to $10 million in Energy Impact Assistance Funds to at least five regional efforts (maximum of $2 million per region) striving to create integrated, vibrant and sustainable communities. It will build on existing GEO efficiency and conservation programs and offer them in a packaged format with financial and technical assistance programs offered through DOLA.

The initiative will focus on three areas:

Greening Public Facilities - Assist partnerships among counties, municipalities, school districts and other local governments to upgrade, retrofit or develop energy efficient public facilities such as county courthouses, city halls, public works facilities, libraries, judicial facilities and community centers.

Greening Downtowns - Provide technical and financial resources for energy efficient upgrades/retrofits, streetscape improvements and downtown revitalization.

Greening Homes - Provide the necessary technical resources to aid local governments in educating homeowners on programs to incorporate energy efficient upgrades/retrofits and adopting model building codes to ensure that new housing units meet higher energy efficiency standards.

Interested applicants are urged to contact DOLA by July 18, 2008, for assistance in preparing an application. DOLA and GEO anticipate a competitive grant program with a Sept. 19, 2008, application deadline. For more information on the program and how to apply, please visit the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Website.

For Colorado code status information, please consult the BCAP Colorado Code Status page.