HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport - Mail Packet - 7/23/2013 - Memorandum From Lucinda Smith Re: Climate Action Plan - 2012 Status ReportFort Collins
Climate Status Report
Fort Collins Commitment to Climate Protection
2012
We must become the change
we want to see.
ExEcutivE Summary
OvErviEW
Fort Collins Commitment to Climate Protection . . . . . . . . . .2
Our Changing Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Local Attitudes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
cOmmuNity PrOGrESS
Emissions Reductions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Action Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Community Leadership
City of Fort Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Poudre School District . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Colorado State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
ClimateWise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Waste Reduction and Diversion Programs
Initatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Landfill Gas Capture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Energy
Energy Efficiency Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Renewable Energy Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Adanced Meter Fort Collins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
FortZED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Green Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Transportation Programs
Transportation Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Transfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Mason Corridor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Bicycling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Many Goals, Many Benefits
Air Pollution Reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Economic Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Adapting to a changing climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Appendix A 2012 Community GHG Inventory . . . . . . . . . .26
Appendix B 2005 Baseline Community GHG Inventory . . .30
Table of contents
Fort collins community greenhouse gas
emissions were 9% below 2005 levels in 2012 .
this reports summarizes progress on community
goals and 2012 action highlights .
city cOuNciL/city maNaGEr
Karen Weitkunat, mayor
Gerry Horak, mayor Pro tem, District 6
Bob Overbeck, District 1
Lisa Poppaw, District 2
Gino campana, District 3
Wade troxell, District 4
ross cunniff, District 5
Darin atteberry, city manager
Diane Jones, Deputy city manager
Printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink
mahatma Gandhi
Executive Summary
-20.0%
-15.0%
-10.0%
-5.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
% Change from 2005
Fort Collins Greenhouse Gas Emissions,
Sales & Use Tax, and Population
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Population
Does not include the Keep Fort collins Great tax increase
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
2005 2012
Metric Tons CO2e
Fort Collins Community GHG Emissions
Solid Waste
Air Travel
Recyclable
Materials
Natural Gas
Ground Travel
Electricity
8.6% reduction
Climate change poses a real and serious threat to the world at large and to the quality of life that we value in Fort Collins .
Climate change can affect us locally by contributing to more frequent and severe storms, increased drought and risk of
forest fires, and changes in the timing and amount of spring runoff . We have all witnessed or been directly impacted
by wildfires raging in our county and state . Climate change adds to wildfire risk through the proliferation of pine beetle-
killed trees and vulnerability to extreme weather events such as heat waves and drought . Scientific findings continue to
underscore the importance of reducing emissions and increasing our resiliency in the face of a changing climate .
Fort Collins Stewardship
In 2008, City Council adopted greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals for the Fort Collins community .
• Reduce communitywide emissions 20% below 2005 levels by 2020
• Reduce communitywide emissions 80% below 2005 levels by 2050
Through community engagement in energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, green building, and waste and
transportation reduction efforts outlined in the 2008 Climate Action Plan, community emissions are now 8 .7 % below
2005, despite a population growth of 13 .6 % and an increase in City Sales and Use Tax revenue of 21% between 2005
and 2012 .
Executive Summary
i ii
Several major indicators are showing
good progress as well . Between
2005 and 2012:
Total community GHG emissions
dropped by 8.7%.
Core community emissions (electricity, natural gas
and vehicle travel) dropped by 4%.
Per capita GHG emissions
dropped by 22%.
+ Over fifteen years ago,
Fort Collins was among the
first wave of communities
in the nation to commit to
reducing local greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions and
adopted its first climate
action plan in 1999.
Goals for the Fort Collins community
Reduce communitywide emissions 20% below 2005 levels by 2020
Reduce communitywide emissions 80% below 2005 levels by 2050
Next Steps
While Fort Collins is making good progress in reducing GHG
emissions, key challenges lie ahead to continuing progress at
the recent rate . Construction activity in Fort Collins is picking
up significantly, with over a billion dollars of construction
activity anticipated in Fort Collins within the next 10 years . New
requirements and incentives are needed to enable existing
and future buildings to be as efficient as possible . Electricity
use now represents 48% of community emissions and natural
gas represents 16% . Fundamental changes in the sources
of energy will be needed if Fort Collins is to meet existing
GHG goals . Capital funding is needed to build out Fort Collins
Transportation Master Plan and to implement major waste
reduction project such as a local composting facility .
Fortunately, several major initiatives are underway that
will advance Fort Collins ability to reduce GHG emissions .
These include completion of Advanced Meter Fort Collins‘,
implementation of FortZED projects, progress on the Mason
MAX BRT, and implementation of the Fort Collins Solar Power
Purchase Program that will encourage installation of up to 5
megawatts of new local solar systems .
In addition, several major 2013 planning initiatives will offer
pathways to increased carbon reduction for Fort Collins,
including updates to the 2007 Roadmap for Green Building
and the 2009 Energy Policy, and completion of a new Road
to Zero Waste plan . These efforts will inform an update to
the Climate Action Plan and be integrated into the upcoming
Sustainably Strategic Plan that will be developed for Fort Collins
in 2014 .
Executive Summary
Overview
iii 1
2 3
Our Changing Climate
New data continues to confirm that our Earth’s climate is
changing rapidly, causing costly and harmful impacts and
reinforcing the need for communities to take action .
Carbon Dioxide Concentrations
Peaked at 400 PPM in May 2013
On May 9, measured concentrations of carbon dioxide
at the Mauna Loa Observatory surpassed 400 parts
per million (ppm) for the first time since record-
keeping began there several decades ago . Before
the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon dioxide
concentrations were approximately 280 ppm .
Why It Matters:
Higher CO2 levels increase the greenhouse effect and
cause more warming of the planet . The Earth‘s average
temperature has risen by 1 .4°F over the past century,
and is projected to rise another 2 to 11 .5°F over the next
hundred years . Rising global temperatures have been
accompanied by changes in weather and climate including
changes in rainfall, more floods, droughts, or intensity of
rain, as well as more frequent and severe heat waves .
Highest Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The world's energy-related carbon dioxide emissions rose
1 .4 percent in 2012 to a record high of 31 .6 billion tons .
Why It Matters:
The social cost of mitigating economic and environmental
damages associated with an incremental increase in
carbon dioxide emissions continues to climb . Although
there are many natural sources of GHGs, man-made
sources can be reduced or controlled through effective
strategies and decrease the impacts of climate change .
2012 Hottest Year on Record
2012 was the hottest year on record for the
contiguous United States . One third of the nation’s
population experienced 10 or more days above
100° F in 2012 . 2012 also ranks as the warmest
calendar year in the 124 year record for the Fort
Collins, CO weather station on CSU campus .
Why It Matters:
Health care costs associated with extreme weather
events in the US between 2006 and 2009 exceeded
$14 Billion . In the U .S ., 2012 alone saw eleven weather
disasters that cost a billion dollars or more . (NOAA)
Record Low Sea Ice
The lowest sea ice in the Arctic since records
began over 30 years ago occurred in 2012,
at 49% below the 1979 average .
Why It Matters:
What happens in the Arctic doesn‘t stay in the Arctic . The
loss of summer sea ice has led to unusual warming of the
Arctic atmosphere, that in turn impacts weather patterns
in the Northern Hemisphere, that can result in persistent
extreme weather such as droughts, heat waves and flooding .
Fort Collins
Climate Commitment
Fort Collins has long been committed to reducing the
community’s carbon footprint . In 1997 the City joined
the ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability’s Cities
for Climate Protection Campaign, followed by adoption
4 5
To better understand the profile and belief systems of Fort Collins residents, the 2011 survey data were
analyzed using a technique referred to as cluster analysis, based on similarity of responses to 40 survey
statements related to climate change, air pollution and recycling . Three groups emerged from the cluster
analysis: Advocates, Supporters and Skeptics .
Figure 3. Environmental Cluster Groups
Advocates: On average, this group
• Strongly agreed that the earth is getting warmer
• Were the least likely to think technology could solve this problem .
• Strongly believed that they personally had responsibility to change their own behaviors to reduce pollution and GHG
• Strongly believed that the government should intervene to try to improve environmental outcomes .
Supporters: On average, this group
• Somewhat agreed that the earth is getting warmer
• Somewhat disagreed that technology could solve this problem
• Believed they personally had a responsibility to change their own behaviors to reduce pollution and GHG
• Somewhat believed that the government should intervene to try to improve environmental outcomes .
Skeptics: On average, this group
• Disagreed that climate change was human caused
• Somewhat disagreed that the earth was getting warmer
• Somewhat disagreed that technology could solve this problem
• Somewhat disagreed that they had a personal obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Were a little more supportive of the idea that they should help improve air quality .
• Not convinced that small changes they make could reduce greenhouse gas emissions or air pollution
• Did not think that government should intervene to try to improve environmental .
Local Attitudes
about Climate Change
Note: Several categories were added in 2011, if 2007 data is missing it is be-
cause the category was not included in 2007 .
A 2011 statistically valid survey of Fort Collins residents revealed the following attitudes and beliefs about climate
change . (See fcgov .com/airquality for complete survey results .)
12%
74%
83%
90%
87%
86%
11%
20%
22%
52%
64%
71%
74%
79%
79%
82%
83%
84%
85%
86%
88%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
individual choices can make a positive difference in
impacting climate change (reduce it)
Governments should offer voluntary programs that
enable citizens and businesses to reduce climate change
the earth is getting warmer (climate is changing)
i feel an personal obligation to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions
climate change is currently harming human
6 7
Major Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Programs
Nearly 425,000 MTCO2e were estimated to have been
avoided in 2012 through the communitywide projects listed
below . Although numerous other projects no doubt occurred
during 2012, they were not evaluated for their potential
carbon reduction benefits in this report because this report
focuses on major reduction efforts .
These estimated reductions are comparable to avoiding:
• Annual GHG emissions of over 88,000 passenger cars
• Emissions from the energy used in 21,000 homes for one year
• GHG emissions avoided by recycling over 159,000 tons
of material each year
Table 1. Fort Collins Community GHG Reductions
*Total is corrected for double-counting across programs .
** These GHG reductions are calculated according to
Green-E protocols for reporting carbon equivalents .
Good News
by the Numbers
Between 2005 and 2012:
Total community GHG emissions
dropped by 8.7%.
Core community emissions (electricity, natural gas
and vehicle travel) dropped by 4%.
Per capita GHG emissions
dropped by 22%.
Energy efficiency programs avoided more than
161,000 metric tons of CO2e in 2012 .
Per capita electricity use dropped by 7%.
5.2% of our electricity investments
provide clean, renewable energy .
Tons of waste sent to the landfill
dropped by 42%.
The Non-Industrial Community Waste
Diversion Rate rose to 42%.
ClimateWise partners avoided over
163,000 metric tons of CO2e while
saving more than $14M in 2012 .
Transfort saw more than 2.2 million
riders in 2012, a 53% increase
from 2005 .
Community Progress
Fort Collins 2012 Community
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
9% Below 2005 Levels
The Fort Collins community has made good progress
in lowering its greenhouse gas emissions . Through
community engagement in energy efficiency and
renewable energy programs, green building, and waste
and transportation reduction efforts outlined in the
2008 Climate Action Plan, community emissions are
now 8 .7% below 2005 despite a population growth
of 13 .6% and an increase in City Sales and Use Tax
revenue of 21% between 2005 and 2012 .
Communitywide GHG emissions ticked up 5% in
2012 over 2011 levels . This increase is primarily
attributed to increased electricity use and increased
carbon intensity of electricity generation in 2012
(less hydro power was available) as well as increased
+ The 2008 Climate Action
Plan calls for reduction
activities in several areas
including Community
Leadership, which referred to
multi-media carbon reduction
initiatives, as well as
leadership in individual areas
of recycling, energy, green
building, and transportation.
This section discusses 2012
carbon reduction highlights
in each area.
Action
Highlights
Indicators
Figure 6 below illustrates progress on additional
indicators . Fort Collins population increased 13 .6
percent from 2005 to 2012, yet home energy use
per person declined by 6 .4 percent . This reflects
improvements in the energy efficiency of homes,
heating systems and appliances . Overall per person
carbon emissions in the residential sector dropped
10 .8 percent from 2005 . While the number of jobs
in Fort Collins increased by 9 .1 percent from 2005 to
2012, energy use per job decreased by 10 .9 percent
and the carbon intensity of the energy used fell by
14 percent . Carbon intensity is a measure of how much
CO2 is produced per unit of energy generated for
different types of fuels .
For transportation and waste disposal, population
growth is used as a primary factor, as with the
residential sector . Gallons of fuel used per person
dropped 16 .7 percent while the associated carbon
emissions dropped even more (19 .4 percent from
2005) because of slight improvements in overall fleet
fuel efficiency from 2005 . Pounds of trash generated
per person dropped by almost half (48 .5 percent)
from 2005 levels . This can be attributed to increases in
waste reduction services and requirements . The largest
percentage decrease in per person emissions occurred
in the waste sector, which saw a 66 .7 % drop in per
person carbon emissions from trash generated . This
can be attributed to less trash generated per person
and a change in trash composition from 2005, plus the
installation of a landfill gas capture and flare system at
the Larimer County landfill in 2009 .
Figure 6. Fort Collins Community Greenhouse Gas Metrics
8 9
>> Electric vehicle charging station at cSu
community Leadership
City of Fort Collins
The City of Fort Collins’ 2013 internal Sustainability
Management Plan contains 11 internal sustainability
goals including a goal to reduce annual GHG
emissions 20% below 2005 by 2020 . Progress is
reported annually at fcgov .com/sustainability .
2012 Highlights
Changes since the baseline year of 2005:
• Total carbon emissions are down 6.3%
• Carbon emissions from electricity are down 11.4%
• Carbon emission per square foot of
City buildings was down 17%
• Conventional fuel use is down 6%
• 38% drop in electricity used for traffic signals
• Electricity use for water and wastewater
production is down 11%
• Tons office waste sent to the landfill is down 17%
• City of Fort Collins achieved a Platinum level
ClimateWise award for the fourth year in a row .
Looking Ahead:
• New City buildings will meet goals established
by the Architecture 2030 Challenge .
• Increase sustainable purchasing policies,
procurement and reporting .
• Increase percent of local food (grown within 50 miles or
prepared by local business) purchased by City for events .
• Install soil drying and recovery capability
to reduce waste to the landfill .
• Expand municipal energy goals to include a building
energy intensity goal and an on site renewable energy goal .
Poudre School District
As a member of the City of Fort Collins ClimateWise
program, Poudre School District (PSD) is committed
to minimizing greenhouse gas emissions . PSD will
continue to embrace energy conservation, recognizing
that reduction in energy consumption has the
largest impact on the district’s GHG emissions . Of
note, the district is close to achieving its 2020
reduction goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
20% compared to the 2005 benchmark year .
2012 Highlights
Changes since the baseline year of 2005:
• Wellington Middle School was one of 78 schools
named a National Green Ribbon School by the
U .S . Department of Education during the award’s
inaugural year and students participated on a
panel with U .S . senators and the Surgeon General on
how to influence public schools to be more “green .”
• Physics students at Fossil Ridge High School
partnered with CSU to develop a bicycle charging
station where power is generated while riding a
stationary bicycle and used to charge electronic devices .
• PSD completed lighting retrofits at 9 district buildings,
converting nearly 400 high intensity discharge (HID)
fixtures to light-emitting diode (LED) or T8 fluorescent
fixtures, saving 122,182 watts and over $7,330 annually .
• Theatrical dimming systems were replaced
at Rocky Mountain HS and Fort Collins
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Metric
Tons
CO2e
Partner
Reported
CO2
e
Reduc?ons
community Leadership
ClimateWise
In 2012, the ClimateWise program grew by more than
43 organizations, bringing the number of currently
active business partners to 325 . Partners in the program
employ nearly 36,000 employees ranging from small
one-employee businesses to Colorado State University,
the largest employer in Northern Colorado . With 66%
of partners reporting, the number of greenhouse gas
(GHG) reduction projects implemented by ClimateWise
partners grew to more than 1,200 in 2012 . This resulted
in ClimateWise partners avoiding over 163,000 MTCO2e .
The projects saved the partners $14 million in 2012
alone, and over $73 million since the program began in
2000 . The program’s emissions reduction goal has been
exceeded four times in the last five years . Along with the
valuable ongoing assistance to help partners reduce GHG
emissions and meet program levels, ClimateWise also
provides partner recognition, peer networking opportunities
to share best practices, technical assistance, ongoing
business support, and seminars, tools and resources for
savings . See fcgov .com/climatewise/progress for
more information .
2012 Highlights
• Partner volunteers and students logged
over 782 hours valued at $17,040 .
• Partners contributed more than $12,374 to the program
through sponsorship, service and in-kind donations .
• ClimateWise staff and its partners held 53 events
and added new workshops as a result of partner
survey feedback . Partner sponsorships and in-kind
contributions reduced event venue costs by 72% .
• Many agencies around the country explored
the ClimateWise model including:
— town managers and city administrators
of western ski towns,
— Governor’s Energy Office Main
Street Energy Initiative (MSEI)
— The City/County of Boulder;
— CORE Businesses in Sustainability (Denver)
Looking Ahead:
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Assistance Program (WRAP)
The WRAP program was initiated in 2012 to provide assistance
to Fort Collins businesses and apartment complexes for starting
or improving recycling programs . WRAP also provides rebates
for locations starting a new recycling program . Free guidelines
posters, signs, and other communications tools, as well as on-
site waste assessments are also provided through WRAP .
2012 Highlights
• 8 multi-family facilities participated in 2012
— 6 to start recycling
— 2 to improve recycling
• 18 businesses participated in 2012
— 6 to start recycling
— 12 to improve recycling
• Created a new, graphics-based guidelines poster,
which was made available to WRAP partners and
the Fort Collins community as a whole .
Looking Ahead:
• WRAP will be a significant part of helping implement the
recently-passed cardboard ordinance, by providing location
specific assistance and troubleshooting, as well as rebates and
help to locations starting new recycling programs .
• New assistance is being developed to aid the community in
construction site recycling, recycling enclosure capital costs,
and recycling bins .
Larimer County Landfill
Methane Capture Project
Municipal solid waste landfills are the second largest source
of human-related methane emissions in the United States,
accounting for approximately 22 percent of these emissions in
2008 . Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is produced when
bacteria breaks down wastes buried in the landfill . This gas
escapes into the atmosphere unless it is captured in a collection
system and combusted or used for other purposes . In 2009, a
gas collection system was installed at the Larimer County Landfill .
The captured methane gas is flared, reducing GHG emissions
from the landfill .
>> New recycling enclosure at
Heatheridge Lakes condos
WRAP provides rebates
for locations
starting a new
recycling program
Waste reduction and Diversion
Waste Reduction Initiatives
During 2012, the community’s municipal solid waste (MSW)
diversion rate was calculated to have dropped several
percentage points, as anticipated; the change - from 47 .4%
in 2011, to 42 .4% in 2012 – amply demonstrates the
magnitude of two winter storm events that occurred in 2011,
which created a 20,000 ton “bump” in woody tree material
that was diverted from landfill disposal through grinding and
mulching efforts . However, when combined totals for MSW
and industrial sources of trash and recycling were aggregated,
Fort Collins registered at 57 .7% waste diversion in 2012,
about the same as it had been in 2011 . Numerous data points
in the City’s reports from trash haulers help illustrate activities
in 2012 that enabled community efforts to offset the tree
branches anomaly from 2011 .
Energy Programs
Renewable Energy Program
Fort Collins Energy Policy includes a goal to meet or exceed
the community’s commitments under the Colorado Renewable
Energy Standard (RES), while contributing to the community’s
climate protection goals and economic health . A portfolio of
programs supports increasing the proportion of renewable
energy, customers who voluntarily subscribe for additional
renewable energy and those who want to install on-site
renewable energy systems .
2012 Highlights
• Renewable energy comprised 5.2% of total electrical energy
purchases in 2012 (78,057 MWh) . 3 .5% of the energy
counted towards the RES commitments, while customer
voluntary green energy purchases contributed an additional
1 .7% to the overall total .
• Photovoltaic (PV) capacity additions totaled 350 kW (130 kW
residential and 220 kW commercial) .
• City Council approved a pilot Fort Collins Solar Power Purchase
Program (FCSP3) in November 2012 . The pilot program will
help meet Utilities’ renewable energy commitments under the
RES with installation of approximately 5 megawatts of new
locally installed solar systems .
• City Council approved funding for a Community Solar
Garden in November 2012 . The intent of this program will
be to expand small-scale renewables options for customers
who do not have favorable sites for roof-top solar .
Looking Ahead:
• Development of Fort Collins Solar Power Purchase
Program and Community Solar Garden .
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
megawatt-hours per year
Fort Collins Efficiency Program Savings
Gross Annual EE Savings (MWh/yr)
Net Annual EE Savings (MWh/yr)
Figure 10. Growth in Installed PV Capacity in Fort Collins
Energy Programs
Energy Efficiency Programs
Fort Collins Energy Policy includes a goal to achieve
annual energy efficiency savings equivalent to 1 .5% of the
community’s electric use, while maintaining high-system
reliability and contributing to the community’s climate
protection goals and economic health . Fort Collins Utilities
implements a comprehensive set of programs to serve its
residential, commercial and industrial customers . These
programs provide solutions, such as technical assistance
and incentives, that relate to every facet of energy use,
including retrofit and remodel, new construction, equipment
replacement, consumer products, and behavior change .
2012 Highlights
• Avoided annual estimated carbon emissions of over
161,000 metric tons from Energy Policy efficiency and
renewables programs (7% of 2012 total emissions) .
• Customer electricity savings efficiency programs totaled
FortZED (Fort Collins Zero Energy District)
FortZED is a collaborative project between the City of
Fort Collins, Colorado State University (CSU) and the
Colorado Clean Energy Cluster (CCEC) to create a zero
energy district in Fort Collins . The district will achieve this
vision by generating as much energy as it uses through
strategies that improve energy efficiency and conservation,
implementation of renewable energy sources, reduction
of peak energy use, the use of energy storage and use
of smart grid technologies . The district’s boundaries are
currently a 2 .5 mile section of Fort Collins including the main
campus of CSU, Old Town and the Poudre River corridor .
2012 Highlights
• FortZED partners collaborated with the Rocky Mountain
Institute (RMI) to host a strategic planning charrette
with participants from all over the U .S . This charrette
identified multiple strategies to advance the FortZED
vision, including innovative funding mechanisms and
developing a strong collaborative relationship with RMI .
• FortZED added CSU as a partner and is currently
formalizing this partnership through a cooperative
agreement and modified governance structure .
• The Renewable Distributed Systems Integration (RDSI)
project completed its first phased study in 2011
and submitted findings to the Department of Energy
in 2012 . DOE lauded the Fort Collins RDSI project
for its results of reducing 20 percent or more in peak
energy demand using distributed sources, efficient
project management, timeliness and collaboration .
• FortZED was formally funded through the City’s Budgeting
for Outcomes process to administer and support projects,
community engagement and grant development .
Looking Ahead:
• The FortZED Steering Committee is currently
identifying projects that will advance FortZED,
implementation to begin in late 2013 .
• Completion of the FortZED cooperative
agreement and addition of two community
members to the FortZED Steering Committee .
Energy Programs
Advanced Meter Fort Collins (AMFC)
Through the Advanced Meter Fort Collins project, Fort
Collins Utilities is upgrading mechanical, electric, and water
meters in homes, schools and businesses throughout the
community with electronic meters that will enable two-way
digital communication between the meter and the utility .
Benefits include providing timelier customer service solutions,
preparing Fort Collins Utilities and the community for the
future, using information to maintain high system reliability,
and making utility operations more cost-effective .
2012 Highlights
• Meter installation and system testing was completed in
an Initial deployment Area (IDA) in the first
and second quarters of 2012 . Operational testing
included collecting data from meters, transferring data
automatically and creating accurate customer bills .
• Based on the successful test installations, full scale
deployment of the electric meters and water modules
began in the third quarter of 2012 . Deployment is
scheduled for completion in the first half of 2013 .
Green Building
Green Building
Performance of the built environment is a key element of
the community’s emissions footprint . A range of voluntary
and regulatory approaches target improving the performance
of the built environment . Many of the voluntary incentives
and rebate programs which contribute to energy efficiency
savings described above also support the greening of Fort
Collins buildings . In March 2011, City Council adopted
an updated building code that went into effect in January
2012 . Updates to the code addressed construction waste
management, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water
efficiency, indoor and outdoor environmental quality, and
building operation, maintenance, and commissioning .
2012 Highlights
• The Home Efficiency Program continued to provide strong
results for improving existing homes, with 592 audits and
289 efficiency improvement projects completed in 2012 .
• The Business Efficiency Program supported 251 energy
efficiency projects with rebates and technical assistance .
• Building Department and Utilities staff collaborated
on training for contractors and the development
of new tools for effective code implementation .
• 28 commercial building efficiency assessments
were completed in compliance with a new code
requirement for remodeling and tenant finish projects .
Looking Ahead:
• The residential and commercial building codes are
being evaluated and will be updated in 2013 .
• The Integrated Design Assistance Program is being
redesigned with a performance based approach in
alignment with the Architecture 2030 Challenge .
• The Roadmap for Green Building is being
updated in 2013 .
Performance of the
built environment
is a key element of
the community’s
emissions footprint.
20 21
transportation Programs
Transportation Planning
The City of Fort Collins City Plan and Transportation Master
Plan (2011) include action items to reshape and/or develop
green streets . “Green streets” are alternative street designs that
support active modes of travel such as bicycling and walking .
Fort Collins has many streets that are wider than the current
standard . Green Streets is a demonstration project that will
test a variety methods to reshape a street .
2012 Highlights
A Green Streets project was funded in the 2013-2014 budget
process specifically to implement a bike boulevard concept on
Remington Street . The budget for final design and construction
is $450,000 and is allocated in 2014 .
Looking Ahead:
The 2013 College Avenue Corridor Master Plan project will
support multiple modes of sustainable transportation options
and thus support the City’s sustainability policy to systemically,
creatively, and thoughtfully utilize environmental, human, and
economic resources to meet our present needs and those
Since 2008, the City has been evaluating the potential
adverse impacts to City operations and infrastructure due to
climate change . While modeling climate change in this region
is complex, City staff are actively following the evolving climate
change science to monitor potential impacts . Fort Collins
Utilities completed a vulnerability and risk assessment to
Utilities infrastructure and operations in 2011 and continue to
participate in a regional peer learning group with other Front
Range water utilities . Additionally, the City is a member of a
regional group of cities called the Western Adaptation Alliance,
which shares knowledge, regional approaches and solutions to
climate change adaptation .
Looking ahead
• A Climate Change Adaptation study was funded through
Budgeting for Outcomes for 2013 to provide vulnerability
and risk assessments for multiple city departments .
• Planning workshops will be facilitated in late 2013.
As part of the risk and vulnerability assessments, City
departments will examine potential climate change
scenarios that may affect their operations and services .
Participating departments will include: Parks, Planning,
Forestry, Streets, Natural Areas and others .
• The planning workshops will be opened to include other
local entities including Larimer County, the City of
Loveland and other potential partners to raise the level of
awareness and identify potential adaptation strategies .
Economic Impacts
Actions to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions can
boost the local economy as well .
• City Energy Policy programs saved $20M annual benefit
(2012) from bill savings, incentives, leveraged
investment and indirect effects .
• ClimateWise partners saved $14 million in 2012 alone,
and over $73 million since the program began in 2000
from projects that reduced GHG emissions .
• According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, for every
10,000 tons of municipal discards, recycling supports 10
jobs and reuse supports 75-250 jobs, while landfilling
the same material only supports one job .
• FortZED provides technological and economic benefits to
the local community that include testing and
demonstrating new technologies, supporting innovative
businesses, and securing outside grant funding .
Adapting to a Changing Climate
Fort Collins has been committed to reducing (mitigating)
community GHG emissions since 1999 . In 2011, City Council
added a new policy goal on climate adaptation, recognizing
that while we continue to reduce emissions it is also our
responsibility to prepare for the impacts of a changing climate .
Principle ENV 12:“The City will plan and integrate
strategies to adapt to a changing climate into City
operations, and will promote climate adaptation
actions in the community.”
>> Wildfire near Fort collins
>> 1999 Flooding at mulberry and Lemay
Pollutant
Avoided in 2012 from
GHG Reduction Actions
in Fort Collins
Nitrogen Oxides* 273 tons
24 25
Next Steps
Energy Policy Update
In 2013, the Fort Collins Energy Board, along with
Utilities and other City staff, will assess the 2009
Energy Policy and recommend updates to it .
Road to Zero Waste
The 1999 goal to divert 50% of Fort Collins’ waste from
landfills will be revisited, updated to reflect community
aspirations, and submitted to the City Council for adoption
in 2013 . City staff, along with a stakeholder Working
Group and extensive public input, will recommend a
new course for managing the local waste stream that
is aimed at reducing waste disposal in landfills .
Green Building Roadmap Update
In 2007, the City of Fort Collins worked closely with
community stakeholders to develop the Roadmap for
Coordinated and Enhanced Green Building Services to
unify green building efforts into a coordinated program
and enhance green building in Fort Collins . In 2013, the
Roadmap will be updated to prioritize next steps for Fort
Collins, especially in areas of above-code, market-driven
approaches and other aspects of the built environment, such
as land use planning, access to transit, green streets, etc .
Community GHG Goal Review
The state of scientific knowledge and discourse
has advanced significantly since 2008 when
Fort Collins’ greenhouse gas goals and
Climate Action Plan were adopted . In light of the ever-
increasing urgency to reduce GHG emissions and the
opportunity to explore GHG goals alongside the Energy
Policy update, the City of Fort Collins intends to undertake
a review of community GHG goals in 2013 . Stakeholders
and the public will be engaged in this discussion before
recommendations are presented to City Council .
Climate Action Plan Update
Once the review of the community greenhouse gas goal
is conducted, the 2008 Climate Action Plan (CAP) will be
updated . Several new opportunities have emerged since the
adoption of the 2008 CAP including advancements in energy
technologies, vehicle electrification opportunities, changes in
the price of energy solutions, and new waste reduction
strategies, that warrant a fresh look at reduction strategies .
The CAP update will be integrated with the development
of a Community Sustainability Plan . Again, stakeholders
and the public will be actively engaged in this process .
2013 major action initiatives
Fort Collins Solar Power Purchase Program
Fort Collins Utilities’ Solar Power Purchase Program
(FCSP3) encourages the installation of up to 5
megawatts of new local solar systems through a
fixed-price, 20-year Power Purchase Agreement
(PPA) between Fort Collins Utilities and photovoltaic
system owners for solar energy generation .
Drive Electric Northern Colorado A partnership
between the City of Fort Collins, City of Loveland,
and CSU, called Drive Electric Northern Colorado,
was formed in 2013 to promote the use of
electric vehicles in northern Colorado .
FortZED FortZED will select and seek to implement four
26 27
2012 Community GHG Report
1,166,188
379,710
510,204
91,279
289,428
8,669
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
Electricity
Natural Gas
Ground Travel
Air Travel
Solid Waste
Water
Metric
tons of
CO2e
Community GHG by Source
0.35%
3.73%
11.84%
15.53%
20.86%
47.69%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Water
Air Travel
Solid Waste
Natural Gas
Ground
Travel
Electricity
Community GHG Emissions by Source
Natural Gas: 379,710
Electricity: 1,166,188
Ground Travel: 510,204
Air Travel: 91,279
SourceCO2e Metric Tons
Total: 2,445,479
47.69%
15.53%
20.86%
3.73%
11.84%
%
100.00%
Water: 8,669
Solid Waste: 289,428
0.35%
2012 Community GHG Report
Scope 1 - Direct GHG Emission
Natural Gas, Residenal: 3,201,407
Natural Gas, Commercial: 1,208,027
Natural Gas, Industrial and Transportaon: 2,733,880
Gas Car (assumes 22.1 mpg): 26,171,343
Dth
28 29
2012 Community GHG Report
Community GHG by Indicators
Vehicle Miles Traveled 1,116,576,611
Populaon of Fort Collins148,700
Number of Households 61,728
% Renewable Energy 5.2%
Annual Transit Ridership2,271,732
Indicators
Per C a p i t a 1 5
Metric Tons CO2e Generated Per Indicator
Per H o u s e h o l d 3 6
Per 1,000 Miles Traveled** 0.46
mtCO2e
mtCO2e
mtCO2e
Miles Traveled By Vehicle Type
578,387
517,087
8,933 893 2,010 9,156
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
800,000
Gasoline Cars Light Gasoline
Trucks
Heavy Gasoline
Trucks
Diesel Cars Light Diesel
Trucks
Heavy Diesel
Trucks
**Only takes into account GHG Emissions from vehicular travel.
Sales and Use Tax collected:$259,900,000
2012 Community GHG Report
Community GHG by Sector
541,511
495,315
449,188
510,204
91,279 73,476
215,952
8,669
59,884
0
250,000
500,000
750,000
Residenal
Industrial
Commerical
Ground Travel
Air Travel
Landfill
Recyclable Waste
Water
Other Electricity
Metric
tons of
30 31
2005 Community GHG Report
1,209,371
384,220
557,383
87,542
563,235
8,213
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
Electricity
Natural Gas
Ground Travel
Air Travel
Solid Waste
Water
Metric
tons of
CO2e
Community GHG by Source
0.29%
3.12%
13.67%
19.84%
20.04%
43.04%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Water
Air Travel
Natural Gas
Ground
Travel
Solid Waste
Electricity
Community GHG Emissions by Source
Natural Gas: 384,220
Electricity: 1,209,371
Ground Travel: 557,383
Air Travel: 87,542
SourceCO2e Metric Tons
Total: 2,809,965
43.04%
13.67%
19.84%
3.12%
20.04%
%
100.00%
Water: 8,213
Solid Waste: 563,235
0.29%
2005 Community GHG Report
Scope 1 - Direct GHG Emission
Natural Gas, Residenal: 2,968,669
Natural Gas, Commercial: 1,207,770
Natural Gas, Industrial and Transportaon: 3,051,712
Gas Car (assumes 22.1 mpg): 22,579,612
Dth
32 33
2005 Community GHG Report
Community GHG by Indicators
Vehicle Miles Traveled 997,420,380
Populaon of Fort Collins130,902
Number of Households 51,074
% Renewable Energy 2.2%
Annual Transit Ridership1,481,000
Indicators
Per C a p i t a 1 9
Metric Tons CO2e Generated Per Indicator
Per H o u s e h o l d 4 8
Per 1,000 Miles Traveled** 0.56
mtCO2e
mtCO2e
mtCO2e
Miles Traveled By Vehicle Type
499,009
378,820
35,608
1,197 1,596
81,190
0
200,000
400,000
600,000
Gasoline Cars Light Gasoline
Trucks
Heavy Gasoline
Trucks
Diesel Cars Light Diesel
Trucks
Heavy Diesel
Trucks
**Only takes into account GHG Emissions from vehicular travel.
Sales and Use Tax collected:$72,371,625
2005 Community GHG Report
Community GHG by Sector
534,101 546,974
457,160
557,383
87,542
194,027
369,208
8,213
55,357
0
250,000
500,000
750,000
Residenal
Industrial
Commerical
Ground Travel
Air Travel
Landfill
Recyclable Waste
Water
Other Electricity
Metric
970 .221 .6600
fcgov .com/climateprotection
tons of
CO2e
0.29%
1.97%
3.12%
6.90%
13.14%
16.27%
19.01%
19.47%
19.84%
0% 10%20% 30%40% 50%
Water
Other Electricity
Air Travel
Landfill
Recyclable Waste
Commercial
Residenal
Industrial
Ground Travel
Community GHG Emissions by Sector
SectorCO2e Metric Tons %
Residenal: 534,101
Commercial: 457,160
Industrial: 546,974
Ground Travel: 557,383
Air Travel: 87,542
Recyclable Waste: 369,208
Landfill Waste: 194,027
Other Electricity: 55,357
Total: 2,809,966
19.01%
16.27%
19.47%
19.84%
3.12%
13.14%
6.90%
1.97%
100.00%
Water: 8,2130.29%
appendix B
2005 Baseline community GHG inventory
gal.
Gas Light Truck (assumes 17.7 mpg): 21,402,275
Gas Heavy Truck (assumes 13.9 mpg): 2,561,720
Diesel Car (assumes 19.378 mpg): 61,766
Diesel Light Truck (assumes 16.859 mpg): 94,660
Diesel Heavy Truck (assumes 5.634 mpg): 14,410,724
Dth
Dth
gal.
gal.
gal.
gal.
gal.
157,803
Metric tons of CO2e
64,200
162,217
198,249
187,912
22,492
631
966
147,133
Usage
Scope 2 - Energy Indirect GHG Emissions
Electricity, Residenal: 454,070,392
Electricity, Commercial: 474,176,147
Electricity, Industrial: 464,277,920
Electricity, Street Lights: 8,123,199
kWh
kWh
Electricity, Traffic Signals: 907,818
Elec., Distribu
on and Transmission Losses: 57,766,526
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
376,298
UsageCO2e Metric tons of
392,960
384,757
6,732
752
47,872
942,756
1,209,371
Scope 3 - Other Indirect GHG Emissions UsageCO2e Metric tons of
Recyclable Waste Embodied Emissions 75,604 tons 369,208
Community Air Travel 9,083,951 gal. 87,542
tons
288,630
Total Metric Tons of CO2e: 2,440,757
Benefit of RECs: -11,050
Benefit of Known Offsets: 0
Scope 3 Subtotal
Scope 2 Subtotal
Scope 1 Subtotal
Revised Total Metric Tons of CO2e: 2,429,707
Solid Waste 237,747 194,027
Natural Gas Subtotal 7,228,151 Dth 384,220
3/day
3/day 1,153
1,782
Electricity Usage Subtotal: 1,459,322,001 kWh 1,209,371
Water Treatment and Distribu
on 7,405,780,650 gal. 5,278
Water Reclama
on Disgester Gas 111,419
Water Reclama
on Facility Emissions: 111,419
appendix B
2005 Baseline community GHG inventory
CO2e
0.35%
2.45%
3.00%
3.73%
8.83%
18.37%
20.25%
20.86%
22.14%
0% 10%20% 30%40% 50%
Water
Other Electricity
Landfill
Air Travel
Recyclable Waste
Commercial
Industrial
Ground Travel
Residenal
Community GHG Emissions by Sector
SectorCO2e Metric Tons %
Residenal: 541,511
Commercial: 449,188
Industrial: 495,315
Ground Travel: 510,204
Air Travel: 91,279
Recyclable Waste: 215,952
Landfill Waste: 73,476
Other Electricity: 59,884
Total: 2,445,478
22.14%
18.37%
20.25%
20.86%
3.73%
8.83%
3.00%
2.45%
100.00%
Water: 8,669 0.35%
appendix a
2012 community GHG inventory
gal.
Gas Light Truck (assumes 17.7 mpg): 29,213,934
Gas Heavy Truck (assumes 13.9 mpg): 642,634
Diesel Car (assumes 19.378 mpg): 46,097
Diesel Light Truck (assumes 16.859 mpg): 119,215
Diesel Heavy Truck (assumes 5.634 mpg): 1,625,120
Dth
Dth
gal.
gal.
gal.
gal.
gal.
170,174
Metric tons of CO2e
64,214
145,322
229,784
256,498
5,642
471
1,217
16,592
Usage
Scope 2 - Energy Indirect GHG Emissions
Electricity, Residenal: 489,623,227
Electricity, Commercial: 507,604,045
Electricity, Industrial: 461,480,570
Electricity, Street Lights: 8,526,396
kWh
kWh
Electricity, Traffic Signals: 575,314
Elec., Distribuon and Transmission Losses: 69,857,402
kWh
kWh
kWh
kWh
371,337
UsageCO2e Metric tons of
384,974
349,993
6,467
436
52,981
891,215
1,166,188
Scope 3 - Other Indirect GHG Emissions UsageCO2e Metric tons of
Recyclable Waste Embodied Emissions 44,221 tons 215,952
Community Air Travel 9,471,755 gal. 91,279
tons
172,123
Total Metric Tons of CO2e: 2,229,526
Benefit of RECs: -37,251
Benefit of Known Offsets: -308
Scope 3 Subtotal
Scope 2 Subtotal
Scope 1 Subtotal
Revised Total Metric Tons of CO2e: 2,191,967
Solid Waste 139,060 73,476
Natural Gas Subtotal 7,143,314 Dth 379,710
3/day
3/day 1,301
1,527
Electricity Usage Subtotal: 1,537,666,954 kWh 1,166,188
Water Treatment and Distribuon 8,955,457,500 gal. 5,841
Water Reclamaon Disgester Gas 95,479
Water Reclamaon Facility Emissions: 95,479
appendix a
2012 community GHG inventory
GHG emissions inventories are calculated using the city’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions management System (GEmS)
database system . the Quality management Plan (QmP) for community inventory is available at fcgov .com/
climateprotection . the 2012 community GHG inventory was calculated using the same approach as the 2005 baseline,
with updated methodologies applied retroactively back to the baseline year .
major projects in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable
energy, load management and financing to move the
initiative more rapidly towards achieving net zero .
Mason MAX Construction of the Bus Rapid Transit system
will be all but complete by the end of 2013, with the full
opening of the MAX transit system planned for May 2014 .
Waste to Clean Energy The feasibility of using the
landfill gas as a transportation fuel is being evaluated .
The proposal involves using the methane that is
currently captured and flared at the Larimer County
Landfill by building a new gas processing, compression
and transport system for the compressed natural gas
(CNG) and then selling it to local CNG users including
Transfort and others . In addition, roundtable discussions
will occur periodically involving the City of Fort Collins,
City of Loveland, CSU, Platte River Power Authority and
others, to discuss potential collaboration on combining
feedstocks for waste to clean energy processes .
2013 MAJOR
PLANNINIG INITIATIVES
Several major planning
initiatives will occur in 2013
that will offer pathways to
increased carbon reduction
for Fort collins .
Next Steps
challenges
While Fort Collins’ progress in reducing GHG emissions is measurable,
key challenges lie ahead to continuing progress at the recent rate .
Built Environment
Construction activity in Fort Collins is picking up significantly following
the 2008 recession . Over a billion dollars of construction activity
is anticipated in Fort Collins within the next 10 years . The built
environment is a major contributor to Fort Collins GHG emissions
and will continue to be in the future, as the life span of a building is
typically 50 years or more . New requirements must be developed
to enable future buildings to be as efficient as possible and to enable
continuous improvement in existing building efficiency . Expanded
participation in existing and new incentive programs is needed as well .
Transportation Sector
Transportation has long been the most challenging sector to reduce local
emissions, in part because major aspects of transport emissions (fuels
and vehicle fuel efficiency) are regulated at the federal level . In addition,
Fort Collins is not a high density urban area, making it difficult to build
a high density transit system . The coming of the Mason Corridor MAX
BRT will launch a new area of transportation in Fort Collins . In order
to capitalize on MAX, significant funding support is needed to build
the Enhanced Travel Corridors envisioned in the City’s Transportation
Master Plan . Capital is also needed to expand bike lanes and trail
networks, sidewalks, and green streets that optimize mobility efficiency
and to facilitate a transition to cleaner fuels such as electric vehicles .
Energy Supply
Electricity use now represents 48% of community emissions and
natural gas represents 16% . As Fort Collins moves down the pathway
towards 80% reduction below 2005 levels by 2050, fundamental
changes in the sources of energy will be needed . While efficiency
will continue to help reduce energy use, it will not alone enable Fort
Collins to meet its current goals . Fort Collins must work closely with
Platte River Power Authority to expand clean sources of electricity and
find ways to fund additional onsite renewable energy capacity .
Solid Waste Sector
Finding ways to fund and implement a comprehensive composting
system for Fort Collins’ organics waste offers both an important
challenge and opportunity to reduce waste in Fort Collins .
Sulfur Oxides* 194 tons
Carbon Monoxide** 58 tons
Particulates ** 7.4 tons
transportation Programs
The Mason Corridor includes a new bicycle and pedestrian
trail as well as a planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in a
fixed guideway for the majority of the corridor . The transit and
trail components of the Mason Corridor will have significant
impacts on the environment . As people utilize alternative
modes, congestion and pollution levels in our City will
decrease, and GHG emissions will decrease .
2012 Highlights
• MAX guideway construction gets underway.
• Troutman underpass construction began in July 2012.
• Mason Street in downtown was converted to
two-way traffic .
Bicycling
Almost ten percent (9 .9%) of Fort Collins’ work force cycles
to their jobs each day, making it the third highest bike
commuter city in the nation according to the U .S . Census
Bureau’s 2009 American Community Survey . Bicycling is
promoted locally through a strong network of 280+ miles
of bike lanes, 32+ miles of multi-use trails, 18 local bicycle
retailers, and 14 local bicycle manufacturers . In addition,
the Fort Collins Bike Co-op collects and refurbishes bicycles
locally, and the FC Bike Library offers free bike check-outs for
residents and visitors . To date, over 4,000 residents, students,
and visitors have become members of the FC Bike Library .
Looking Ahead for Transportation Programs
• MAX BRT service is scheduled to begin in May 2014.
• Transfort will be re-routing several current route
alignments to better coordinate with the new MAX BRT
route in May 2014 .
• Continual expansion of transit services in accordance with
the Transfort Strategic Operating Plan .
• FC Moves will provide transportation planning that includes
active living/multi-modal programs encouraging bicycles,
pedestrians, and transit use .
many Goals, many Benefits
Air Pollution Reduction
Community efforts to reduce GHG emissions also provide
a wide range of other community benefits . Reducing
energy use reduces air pollution emissions . The carbon
reduction efforts identified in this report are estimated to
have avoided over 211,000 MWh of electricity and over
10,300 decatherms of natural gas . In addition to reducing
greenhouse gas emissions, these improvements helped
prevent emissions of other air pollutants that are harmful
to human health and the environment . Nitrogen oxides
contribute to ground level ozone formation . And Fort Collins is
part of the Front Range region that is out of compliance with
the national health standards for ground level ozone .
22 23
>>Bicyclists in Old town Fort collins
* Calculated using regional marginal emission factors
** Calculated using regional average emission factors
>> Future Look of max
of future generations without compromising the ecosystems
upon which we depend . This study will look at opportunities to
increase mode shifts away from single use vehicles .
Transfort
Transfort is a municipal transit agency that provides bus service
in Fort Collins and the region along 20 local and one regional
route . Transfort’s mission is to provide exceptional, customer
focused service that meets our community’s present and
future transit needs . The Transfort Strategic Operating Plan
sets forth phased transit improvements with the following six
system goals:
1 . Develop an expanded transit system focused on productivity
and performance to meet the Transportation Master Plan and
City Plan Policies .
2 . Meet and exceed the 2008 Climate Action Plan Goal for
Transportation CO2 reductions by 2020 .
3 . Provide enhanced mobility for seniors, youth, disabled, and
transit dependent .
4 . Develop a public transportation system that reduces
roadway related costs for maintenance, right-of-way
acquisitions and construction .
5 . Provide funding recommendations to fully implement
the Transit Strategic Operating Plan .
6 . Stimulate the local economy through investment in
public transportation infrastructure and operations .
2012 Highlights
• Ridership levels in 2012 reached over 2.2 million trips, a
53% increase from 2005 .
• Transit trips on the Transfort system reduced vehicles
miles traveled by over 3 million miles in 2012, resulting
in fuel cost savings and road wear and tear as well as
reducing GHG emissions by over 1,400 MTCO2 .
• Thirteen new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses
were ordered in 2012 .
• Construction began on the North Front Range’s first
Bus Rapid Transit line known as the MAX .
Mason Corridor
A major element of the City’s transit system is the
development of the multi-modal Mason Corridor, a five
mile north-south byway within Fort Collins which extends
from Cherry Street on the north to south of Harmony Road .
The corridor is located adjacent to the Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Railway property, a few hundred feet west of
College Avenue (U .S . 287) . The Mason Corridor Plan was
initially approved by voters in 1997 . The Plan envisioned
a multi-modal corridor that included a bicycle/pedestrian
trail, now nearly built out as the Mason Trail, and a Bus
Rapid Transit system, for which construction began in 2012 .
By pursuing many different funding sources for the Mason
Corridor, Fort Collins has been able to leverage limited
local dollars with state and federal grants for the Mason
Corridor project .
>>compressed Natural Gas Powered transfort Bus
Looking Ahead:
• Completion of the meter installation phase and roll-out
of the customer web portal . The web portal will enable
customers to more easily manage their utility account,
pay bills and have access to their home or business’
electric and water usage information .
Electronic meters that
will enable two-way
digital communication
between the meter and
the utility for timelier
customer service
18 19
>> Solar Pv on New Belgium Brewing
>> installation of new advanced meters
FortZED is a collaborative project
that creates a zero energy district
within Fort Collins.
over 23,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) in annual electricity
use, or 1 .5% of the community’s electric use (Figure 9) .
This is equivalent to the annual electric use of over 2,500
typical Fort Collins homes .
• Efficiency programs saved electricity with a lifecycle cost
of-conserved energy of 2 .3 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh),
compared to an average wholesale electricity cost of 5 .0
cents per kWh .
• Efficiency programs generated over $20 million in local
economic benefits through reduced utility bills, incentives,
leveraged investment and other economic activity .
• Fort Collins was the only utility highlighted in a new study
on the benefits and potential savings of energy efficiency
programs, published by the Southwest Energy Efficiency
Project (SWEEP) . The report notes that “Fort Collins is a
leader in energy efficiency,” and that “Fort Collins Utilities
serves as a successful model for smaller public utilities
throughout the region .”
Looking Ahead:
• Development of efficiency programs targeting the
multi-family sector .
• Update of the Energy Policy with the Fort Collins
Energy Board .
Figure 9. Electricity Savings from
Fort Collins Energy Efficiency Programs
16 17
City Council approved a
pilot Fort Collins Solar
Power Purchase Program
>> Solar Pv array on the roof of the
Larimer county courthouse Office
>>Fort collins museum of Discovery is seeking
LEED Platinum certification
2012 Highlights
• City Streets Department recovered over 110,000 tons
of asphalt, concrete, and aggregates at the crushing
facility, to be made into new road-base materials .
• Higher volumes of wood waste were diverted from landfills
from construction sites, reflecting 2012’s new green building
code requirements for recycling at construction sites .
• Overall volumes of recycling rose over 16%
due in part to more involvement by
businesses and multi-family generators, the focus
of programs such as Waste Reduction and Recycling
Assistance Program and ClimateWise .
• Cartons (beverage containers, shelf-stable packaging
for soups, etc .) were added to the single-stream recycling
program in 2012 . At Poudre School District facilities
alone, this means 2 .5 million milk/juice cartons per
school year are being recovered from the waste stream .
• Partnering with Catalog Choice, the City helped
register 1,608 new participants who opted out
of junk mail, preventing an estimated 20 tons of
unwanted mail from being delivered in Fort Collins .
Looking Ahead:
• In March 2013, City Council amended the Municipal
Code to prohibit the disposal of cardboard in Fort Collins’
waste stream; the volume of cardboard buried in local
landfill is anticipated to drop significantly from current
levels (12,000 tons per year) .
• A community involvement process in 2013 is likely to
help the City Council set new goals for waste diversion
and recycling; the “Road to Zero Waste” plan is aimed at
setting a course for the next 10-20 years .
14 15
>> campaign signs being hung to announce
new carton recycling option
>> city crushing operation at Hoffman mill road
• A ClimateWise Business Plan will be developed from information gathered during a 2013
visioning session with 35 new and seasoned Advisory Committee members . Participants
discussed what they’d like to Achieve, Avoid and Preserve from now through 2023 .
• Staff will also be looking to 2020 for the new GHG reduction goal, as aligned with the Climate Action Plan.
During the program’s annual mid-year survey, staff will be adding new questions to define World-Class and learn how
partners want to be recognized, and more . The answers will assist staff in planning for 2013 and future years .
Figure 7. ClimateWise Partner GHG Reductions Figure 8. ClimateWise 2012 GHG Reductions by Source
>> ClimateWise 2012 EnvirOvation
Solid
Waste
63.8%
Renewable
Energy
18.7%
Electric
Energy
Efficiency
11.1%
Transporta?on
3.6%
Natural
Gas
Energy
Efficiency
2.8%
2012
Breakdown
of
CO2e
Reduc?ons
by
Source
12 13
ClimateWise’s emissions
reduction goal has been
exceeded four times
in the last five years.
HS with new 95% efficient units .
• PSD installed a building automation system at Fullana
that resulted in annual utility cost savings of over 20% .
community Leadership
Poudre School District Looking Ahead:
• PSD will identify areas in which technology can
improve utility efficiency, such as building automation
and power management shutdown scripts for
computer hibernation during nights and weekends .
• Bacon Elementary School will install data loggers to
monitor electrical usage, aid in establishing baselines
and set ting goals, and finding areas of improvement .
Colorado State University
Colorado State continues to implement energy efficiency,
conservation and renewable energy projects to reduce GHG
emissions . Challenges arise as the campus grows both in
building and population; however the university is still on
track to meet their 2050 goal to become climate neutral .
2012 Highlights
• GHG emissions dropped 6% from FY11 to FY12.
• Over 1 million gross square feet of lighting
retrofits during FY12 completed; expected to
reduce energy by 3 .7 million kWh/year .
• Six PV systems on campus produced 333,000 kWh in 2012.
• Building tune up (retrocommisioning) yields 23%
reduced electric usage savings in pilot program .
• Received sponsorship from the Arbor Day Foundation
and Toyota to plant 27 American Elm
trees around the historic Oval .
Looking Ahead:
• CSU is investigating the feasibility of additional
renewable energy projects including: wind
power, solar PV, biomass, and geo-exchange.
• CSU has established an Energy Reserve Fund and has
committed $624,000 for energy efficiency projects in FY14.
• CSU has partnered with Drive Electric
Northern Colorado to accelerate the adoption
of electric vehicles in northern Colorado .
10 11
Colorado State University
continues to implement
energy efficiency,
conservation and
renewable energy projects
>>Electric vehicle charging stations at city Hall
>>Solid Waste management Station
at Fossil ridge High School
volumes of trash to the landfill and associated GHG
emissions . However, community emissions still show
a statistically significant drop from 2005 to 2012 .
Progress on the community GHG reduction goal is
tracked through changes in total emission levels, not
by estimated annual GHG reductions .
Footnote: The inventory is measured in metric
tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) . Each
greenhouse gas has a “global warming potential”
which refers to its heat-trapping ability relative to
carbon dioxide . Methane is at least 21 times more
potent that CO2, and nitrous oxide is 310 times more
potent . CO2e refers to the summed impact of gases
quantified, in terms of carbon dioxide .
Figure 4. Fort Collins GHG Emissions and
Population and Sales and Use Tax Revenue
-20.0%
-15.0%
-10.0%
-5.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
% Change from 2005
Fort Collins Greenhouse Gas Emissions,
Sales & Use Tax, and Population
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Population
Does not include the Keep Fort collins Great tax increase
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
2005 2012
Metric Tons CO2e
Fort Collins Community GHG Emissions
Solid Waste
Air Travel
Recyclable
Materials
Natural Gas
Ground Travel
Electricity
8.6% reduction
Figure 5. Fort Collins GHG Emissions, by Source
health in some areas of the world
i know what small changes i could make in
my life to combat climate change
Human caused emissions are causing climate change
i feel that small changes i make
can affect climate change
Governments should enact legislation and
regulations intended to reduce climate change
i know about the impacts that climate
change is having in colorado
i know about the connection among methane,
composting and climate change
many of the people i personally know in Fort collins
will NOt be willing to change their day-to-day habits to
combat climate change
i know about the community’s greenhouse gas goals
Governments should not be involved
in addressing climate change
technology will solve climate change without any
changes needed in individual behavior
Figure 2. 2011 Fort Collins’ Citizen Survey Responses
Percent “Strongly” or “Somewhat agree”
2011 2007
of the 1999 and 2008 Climate Action
Plans, and adoption of the 2003 and
2009 Energy Policy . In January 2012
the City created a new Sustainability
Services Area dedicated to optimizing
economic health, social well-being, and
environmental stewardship .
All City departments, businesses,
citizens, educational institutions, non-
profits and other stakeholders play a
critical role in achieving the community
greenhouse gas reduction goals .
Fortunately, multiple benefits
are realized from greenhouse
gas reduction . These often include costs savings,
growing green jobs and associated business retention,
expansion or attraction, reduced air pollution and other
environmental emissions, less trash filling our landfills,
increased transportation choices, and more
efficient buildings .
Figure 1. Fort Collins Community
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals
Fort Collins GHG Goals
0
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
2026
2030
2034
2038
2042
2046
2050
Metric Tons CO2e
2005
2020
2050
The 2020 and 2050 goals depicted in Figure 1 also align
with goals established for the state of Colorado.
Energy efficiency programs avoided more than
161,000 metric tons of CO2e in 2012 .
Per capita electricity use dropped by 7%.
5.2% of our electricity investments
provide clean, renewable energy .
Tons of waste sent to the landfill
dropped by 42%.
The Non-Industrial Community Waste
Diversion Rate rose to 42%.
ClimateWise partners avoided over
163,000 metric tons of CO2e while
saving more than $14M in 2012 .
Transfort saw more than 2.2 million
riders in 2012, a 53% increase
from 2005 .
2012 climate mitigation actions also
reduced air pollution in Fort Collins:
237 tons nitrogen oxides avoided
194 tons sulfur oxides avoided
28 tons of carbon monoxide avoided
Good News by the Numbers
The Fort Collins community collectively avoided almost
425,000 metric tons of CO2e in 2012 .
These estimated reductions are comparable to avoiding:
• Annual GHG emissions of over 88,000 passenger cars
• Emissions from the energy used in 21,000 homes for one year
• GHG emissions avoided by recycling over 159,000 tons
of material each year
*Total is corrected for double-counting across programs .
** These GHG reductions are calculated according to
Green-E protocols for reporting carbon equivalents .