Golden – “Green” has a rosy future in Golden, where dozens of residents have been working for four months on sustainability recommendations.
The aim is to reduce energy use and the effect on climate in the community of 18,000.
“People feel there is a positive outcome for their work,” said Mark Heller, executive director of the Golden Urban Renewal Authority, who headed the sustainability initiative. “This is a big policy change.”
On Thursday, the first of the seven work groups’ findings will be presented to the Golden City Council, with more reports planned July 26 and Aug. 2.
The council will discuss the recommendations Aug. 9 and set a direction on how to proceed.
Areas identified at a February community meeting, which attracted more than 200 residents, include building, energy efficiency, renewable energy, water, economic health, education, communication, solid waste, recycling and transportation.
“The heart of our recommendations has to do with ‘green’ standards for both new buildings and major remodels – anything that would require a building permit,” said John Spice, moderator of the building work group.
Spice said his group decided against mandatory “green” building standards, instead offering a point system to meet sustainability standards.
Residents and builders can pick and choose items such as energy-efficient windows, Energy Star appliances, denser insulation, recycled materials and low-flow toilets.
“The system allows flexibility,” Spice said. “One person’s ‘green’ is not ‘green’ enough or it’s too ‘green’ for somebody else.”
Incentives such as rebates and permit fee reductions are suggested for residents and builders who exceed minimum sustainable building standards.
Other presentations this week include the water working group, which seeks to reduce Golden’s per-capita water use by 15 percent in 10 years, and the energy working group, which has set goals of reducing the city’s overall energy use by 25 percent and increasing by 50 percent the energy derived from renewable-energy sources within 10 years.
The urban renewal authority also has stepped up, offering $20,000 for energy-efficiency audits and improvements to eight small businesses.
“We really wanted to try to sweeten the pot,” Heller said, by dovetailing with the resident and city efforts.
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
