The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
$100k for energy assessments and improvements for 18 houses
By Mark Reaman
Remarking on the benefits seen through the town’s GreenDeed program, the Crested Butte council agreed last month to shift money around to fund the program by $100,000 in 2025. GreenDeed works with owners of deed-restricted units in town to provide free energy assessment and energy efficiency improvements. It utilizes GV-HEAT, a division of the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority to run the program.
GreenDeed provides free energy audits and then makes recommendations for energy upgrades. The program also helps subsidize some of the upgrades. The council okayed the idea of moving funds from the affordable housing line item to the sustainability department so it can come under the CB Climate Action Plan.
Town staff had indicated that if the council moved ahead with affordable housing projects in Paradise Park and Mineral Point, the affordable housing fund would be reduced and GreenDeed might not be able to be comfortably funded.
In a memo to the council from Crested Butte sustainability coordinator Dannah Leeman, she noted that since 2021, GreenDeed has evaluated and improved the energy efficiency of 63 deed-restricted properties in town. She said homes that have gone through the program have saved an average of $221 per year in energy costs and total greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced.
“The impacts are compounded year after year,” she said at the November 4 council meeting. “Existing buildings are one of our biggest opportunities for greenhouse gas reductions over the next five years. GreenDeed is a well-functioning program throughout the valley.”
She said that GV-HEAT is at the point of requiring additional staff to expand GreenDeed. The goal is to expand the homes that would qualify for the program. The $100,000 would go toward properties located in Crested Butte and the goal is to serve 18 households in 2025.
Councilmember Mallika Magner noted that the $100,000 would result in savings of only about $4,000 for some town residents. “That’s about what you would get in a CD right now if you put $100,000 in one for a year,” quipped mayor Ian Billick.
Councilmember Kent Cowherd who lives in a deed-restricted housing unit said he went through the program and had a “great” experience. “My house is noticeably different as a result,” he said. “It is warmer and more comfortable.”
GV-HEAT program manager Gesa Michel said Cowherd’s house was already pretty tight, but his experience was not uncommon. “People remark often that they feel an increase in comfort immediately,” she said.
Councilmember Jason MacMillan said he was hesitant to put off funding the program for a year. He said serving 18 households is good, but he hoped more could be addressed.
“For me, reducing consumption of greenhouse gases in existing buildings is a more complicated beast than doing it in new buildings,” said Billick. “I like this program because it gives us a chance to learn how to do things as we expand reducing consumption in existing buildings in the future. Eventually we will scale up that focus.”
Town manager Dara MacDonald said she and Leeman were still learning how future funding opportunities could move the program beyond deed-restricted units. “Building on what we have built with this program will help with grant funding in the future.”
“I’m excited to bring this back. Continuing the program is huge,” said councilmember Beth Goldstone. “It is an important place to spend money. It also makes it more cost efficient for locals living in deed-restricted housing. I think it is great.”
“I think GreenDeed is doing great things but given the town’s financial situation I’m hesitant with this,” said Magner. “We’ve basically been talking about raising the mill levy which is a tax increase.”
Billick said the $220 savings is a backdoor equivalent of erasing part of the mill levy increase being discussed. “I’m a little more sympathetic with this program given the fact that for a small subset of people they essentially get the equivalent of a mill levy decrease.”
“I agree it feels like a way to provide some assistance to those who need it most,” said MacMillan.
Responding to a question from MacMillan, Michel said the community is still in learning mode and for example, a lack of contractors knowledgeable with installing heat pumps remains an issue. “So focusing on 18 homes is a good goal for next year. With electrification, the knowledge pool in the valley is growing,” she said. “I’m excited to expand that base to do things like install heat pumps and EV chargers. The interest is slowing growing.”
The council agreed to have town staff include the $100,000 funding for the GreenDeed program in next year’s budget.
