Glenwood Springs CARD
Commercial Audit & Retrofit Demonstration
Energy audits show nearly $13,000 a year in electrical savings opportunities
CARD rebate funds distributed to six Glenwood Springs businesses in 2009-10
The Glenwood Springs Commercial Audit and Retrofit Demonstration project, carried out in 2009 and 2010, allocated $43,000 in rebate funds to six participating businesses to fund a variety of energy efficiency upgrade projects.
The upgrades include lighting retrofits, new refrigeration units, compressor system repair, building air sealing and cooling system upgrades. All together, the efficiency improvements are expected to save an estimated $12,900 per year in electric costs for the businesses, with an average simple payback of five years.
| CARD business | Efficiency projects selected for CARD rebate |
| Active Communications Glenwood Springs Mall Read the case study |
Replace rooftop HVAC unit Install programmable thermostat Replace overhead lighting |
| Glenwood Sewing Center 822 Grand Ave. Read the case study |
Replace overhead lighting Install indirect evaporative cooler Replace floodlight and exit lights Air seal entire building |
| Good Health Downtown Market 722 Cooper Ave. |
Replace office lighting Replace freezer and cooler |
| Juicy Lucy’s Steakhouse 308 7th St. |
Balance air inflow/outflow in exhaust hood Replace overhead lighting Air seal and insulate building Install efficient evaporator controls |
| Lavender and Thyme Bed & Breakfast 802 Palmer Ave. Read the case study |
Air seal and insulate building Replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs Replace freezer Install Smart Strips |
| The Pit Stop 410 W. 1st St. Read the case study |
Repair air leak on pneumatic lines Replace office and service bay lighting Install indirect evaporative cooler for office Install efficient evaporator controls Install Vending Misers |
CARD rebate funds covered up to 75 percent of the cost of most upgrades, while the business owners paid the remaining 25 percent or more, bringing the total spent on efficiency upgrades to $63,480.
In cases where the upgrades will result in natural gas savings on winter heating costs and electric savings on summer cooling costs, such as air sealing, the CARD rebate is covering only the electrical savings portion.
CARD was a pilot project of the Garfield New Energy Communities Initiative, and was funded by $70,000 in local match from Glenwood Springs Electric. Of the city electric utility’s match, $18,000 was used for free in-depth energy audits for the six businesses.
The plan for rebate-funded projects results from the audits, which were conducted for the businesses in August and September 2009. The audits also revealed a wide range of energy efficiency upgrades in addition to those that were funded through CARD. Some of these additional upgrades are eligible for rebates from SourceGas.
The six businesses are providing before-and-after utility data for public case studies on their efficiency upgrades. See links to each case study at the top of this page.
A selection committee of Glenwood Springs officials and members of the CLEER professional team, which is managing CARD, chose the six participating businesses from nine applicants. Selections were based on a high potential for energy savings and diversity of business types. The committee later reviewed the audit results and decided which efficiency upgrades would be eligible for CARD rebates.
CARD case studies
1. Active Communications
Glenwood Springs Mall
2. The Pit Stop
410 W. 1st Street
3. Glenwood Sewing Center
822 Grand Avenue
4. Lavender and Thyme
Bed & Breakfast
802 Palmer Ave.
CARD selection team
Shelley Kaup
Glenwood Spring City Council
Jeff Hecksel
Glenwood Springs city manager
Robin Millyard
Glenwood Springs public works director
Jim Rada
Garfield County environmental health manager
Jeff Dickinson
LEED-accredited architect
Energy and Sustainable Design
Dan Richardson
senior energy consultant
Schmueser Gordon Meyer
Heather McGregor
outreach and communications
Clean Energy Economy
for the Region