Eagle County joins Pitkin, Garfield counties in putting together goals for net-zero building

Eagle County is working on a regional plan that would make all new construction adhere to net-zero energy requirements by 2030. Getting there won’t be easy.

The Eagle County Board of Commissioners held an April 8 work session on the topic to hear about possible regional approaches that could create a standard set of regulations across Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin counties.

Gina McCracken of Walking Mountains Science Center said the effort is being coordinated via a grant from the Colorado Energy Office to develop a regional roadmap toward a more energy-efficient future.

That regional approach is getting a boost within the county. At the moment, Eagle County’s participation in the net-zero effort includes the towns of Avon, Minturn and Eagle. Communities in Garfield County are also participating, but Pitkin County at the moment has customized building codes that will require adaptation to international and state standards to match what’s being done elsewhere.

The roadmap includes a new definition of net zero. According to the presentation, the old definition includes allowances for fossil fuels. The new definitions discard those allowances, replacing them with renewable energy from either the grid or onsite generation. The new definition also includes the ability to store energy onsite or shift energy use to reduce demand on the electric grid.

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Getting started is the key if the county is to meet its goal of a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from a 2014 baseline by 2030, and an 80% reduction by 2050.

That drive has already begun, with the Adam’s Way, Edwards Commons and Haymeadow Phase 1 projects all meeting net-zero standards.

Also important is getting the building industry on board with those standards.

Several local contractors and architects have been involved in meetings and conversations regarding net-zero standards. According to the presentation, responses have included:

• Set the code and we will build to it
• But it isn’t (the industry’s) job to sell the benefits of electrification
• There is a demand for heat pumps and electrification
• Regionally aligned codes support code compliance

Eagle County building inspector Rick Weinman told the commissioners he’s fielding phone calls and emails from builders and architects about building requirements, asking what they need to do.

Most of those who call just want direction, Weinman said, adding that sometimes permit submissions may need to go back to architects for revisions.

Weinman said county building inspectors are working to stay up to date with training. And, he added, he and other inspectors are able to get builders to comply with standards, if sometimes that compliance takes a bit more time.

Bill Gibson, the county’s community development Director, said a lot is coming for his department over the next couple of years. Between the net-zero regulations, the county is also working on a complete rewrite of its land use codes. In addition, Gibson said there’s an area-wide group working on regulations for the “wildland-urban interface,” the areas where homes meet forested areas.

But in terms of policy, county resiliency director Tori Franks said all these areas are where the county and towns “can really make headway” in terms of climate and other goals. But the ultimate message, she said, is one of “unity” in terms of what everyone wants to achieve.