Three of Colorado’s leading organizations, NAIOP Colorado, Xcel Energy and Denver Water, have formed a groundbreaking partnership to promote energy and water conservation in office buildings, warehouses and other commercial real estate in the Denver metropolitan area. Known as ResourceSmart Colorado, this program aims to make a significant difference in improving the energy and water efficiency of Colorado’s commercial real estate sector.
“By bringing together two of the region’s largest utilities with NAIOP Colorado, ResourceSmart Colorado has the potential to create unprecedented change in promoting greener, more environmentally friendly practices in Colorado’s commercial buildings,” said Kathie Barstnar, executive director of NAIOP Colorado. “The program will give the key decision-makers of the commercial real estate industry the tools they need to implement the best, most cost-effective conservation programs and cutting-edge green building practices. It’s a win-win for all involved.”
The United States commercial real estate sector uses a tremendous amount of energy and water. Commercial buildings consume 36 percent of all electricity produced in the country and use an estimated 10 billion gallons of water each day in the United States. In the Denver Metro area alone, Denver Water’s commercial customers use more than 14.7 billion gallons of water annually — enough water to pour one foot of water onto 45,000 football fields.
Both Xcel Energy and Denver Water have made commercial-sector conservation a priority and offer a variety of related programs and incentives, including audits and financial incentives for customers who switch to more efficient technologies. While these programs have been successful, the challenge has been making sure that the right people in the commercial real estate sector know about them. That is where NAIOP Colorado, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, came in.
NAIOP’s Colorado chapter is one of the largest and most active chapters in the country, with nearly 800 members representing the owners and key decision-makers in the region’s commercial real estate industry. After some initial discussions with Denver Water and Xcel Energy, it became readily apparent that by working together, these three entities could make significant strides in saving water and energy while also helping local businesses to lower their costs and improve their bottom line.
Governor Bill Ritter, whose administration has been a champion of climate change issues, has already voiced his enthusiastic support of the partnership. He said: “In this time of increasingly scarce natural resources, it is more important than ever for commercial buildings to be as efficient as they can be. This unprecedented partnership will not only help the environment, it will also help Colorado’s economy by enabling businesses to save money on utility costs.”
Through ResourceSmart Colorado, the Colorado chapter of NAIOP will work with both utilities to promote the need to conserve energy and water and to make its members aware of the programs and incentives that are available. This will be achieved through a variety of forums, events, programs and communication tools. As a part of the program’s launch, NAIOP Colorado plans to:
- Launch a new Web site devoted specifically to water and energy conservation, providing tips, conservation incentives and more;
- Host a breakfast meeting on Oct. 13 for NAIOP Colorado members to learn about the programs and incentives each utility offers;
- Act as a facilitator in bringing individual commercial real estate companies together with Xcel Energy and Denver Water for one-on-one consultations; and
- Identify additional opportunities to educate NAIOP Colorado members of the many conservation programs that Denver Water and Xcel Energy offer.
Additional initiatives in conjunction with ResourceSmart Colorado will be announced in the coming months. For more information about the program, or to schedule an interview with a representative from NAIOP Colorado, Denver Water or Xcel Energy, contact Megan Lane from GBSM at (303) 825-6100, Stacy Chesney from Denver Water at (720) 232-7214, Mark Stutz from Xcel Energy at (303) 294-2300 or Kathie Barstnar from NAIOP Colorado at (303) 782-0155.
ABOUT THE PARTNERS
NAIOP Colorado is a chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and it comprises nearly 800 members serving the market. NAIOP is the leading organization for developers, owners and related professionals in office, industrial and mixed-use real estate, with 15,000 members in North America. NAIOP advances responsible commercial real estate development and advocates for effective public policy. For more information, visit www.naiop-colorado.org.
Denver Water proudly serves high-quality water and promotes its efficient use to 1.3 million people in the city of Denver and many surrounding suburbs. Established in 1918, the utility is a public agency not funded by taxes, but by water rates and new tap fees. It is Colorado's oldest and largest water utility.
Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in eight Western and Midwestern states. Xcel Energy provides a comprehensive portfolio of energy-related products and services to 3.4 million electricity customers and 1.9 million natural gas customers through its regulated operating companies. Company headquarters are located in Minneapolis. More information is available at www.xcelenergy.com.
