DECEMBER 2017
Happy Holidays from Lotus
With the end of 2017 quickly approaching, the team at Lotus is busy wrapping up several projects and looking forward to many more opportunities to support your climate action goals in 2018. Read on to learn about our upcoming report with the Colorado Energy Office on how community solar can impact low income energy burden, which communities are pursuing climate action planning, and how an energy efficiency and home weatherization program for all residents of a mountain community can be effectively implemented. As always, please contact us with any questions or to learn more!
Read our newest Lotus Blog!
And while you are at it, check out our recently re-designed website!
Lotus Blog: 100% Renewable Commitments Are Becoming a Common Climate Action Strategy
A growing number of communities and businesses are committing to move towards 100% renewable energy in the near future. What does this mean, and what are the most effective strategies for going 100% renewable energy? Contact us to learn about the first steps your community or business can take towards sustainability and climate action.
Forthcoming Report on the Colorado Energy Office's Low Income Community Solar Demonstration Project
Lotus worked with the Colorado Energy Office and the National Renewable Energy Lab to create eight detailed project case studies and the final report for the Colorado Energy Office's innovative Low-Income Community Solar Demonstration Project.
The final report is currently being completed and we anticipate that it will be available on the Colorado Energy Office website by the beginning of 2018. In advance of the final report, the results of this demonstration project program have been shared by members of the Lotus team with audiences both regionally and nationally at the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA event) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) annual meeting in September. To view Emily Artale's presentation on this project to CESA, please go here.
GV-HEAT:
An Energy Efficiency Program for All Residents of the Gunnison Valley
Lotus was hired in 2017 by the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority to develop and administer a suite of home energy efficiency programs for all residents of the Gunnison Valley, with an emphasis on income-qualified homes. The Gunnison Valley Home Energy Advancement Team (GV-HEAT) will officially launch in the coming months--look for more information on this program soon!
Denver 80x50 Plan Response
Lotus facilitated the City and County of Denver's stakeholder process for the development of their 80x50 Plan--a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050. As part of this effort, Denver used a survey to solicit responses from residents and folks working in the City and County to better understand the support for this work and how to prioritize these efforts.
The survey proved to be a great tool for public input, with over 1,500 individual responses collected. While the survey results are still being analyzed, you can read the full 80x50 Climate Goal: Stakeholder Report here.
Do you have an upcoming sustainability program or project that requires the input of a wide audience of stakeholders? Contact us to discuss how we may be able to assist in making this process efficient and informative for all parties.
Opportunities to Get Involved
The holiday season brings with it many opportunities to get together, learn from each other, and make an impact on the sustainability work that is important to us all. Lotus will be attending the following events this season, and we would love to see you there:
The Sustainable Denver Summit, hosted by the City and County of Denver, will be held on December 5th at the Colorado Convention Center. This fantastic event is a great opportunity to learn more about and become involved in the great sustainability work happening across our region. Emily Artale and Julia Ferguson will be in attendance--please connect with them while you are there!
The Resilient Denver event on December 11th, hosted by Denver Environmental Health, will prove to be a great forum for discussing the elements of building healthy communities that remain strong and resilient in the face of climate change. Join Julia Ferguson at this exciting event, free to the public.
The Colorado Communities Symposium, hosted by the State of Colorado, the Compact of Colorado Communities, and the Association of Climate Change Officers, is a three-day symposium for Colorado leaders interested in taking action on climate change. Lotus is excited to attend this event, and we look forward to meeting you there!