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4CORE & Partner Events
Home Spotlight Event 602 Powder Horn Trail November 3, 4 - 7 PM Tour this Net Zero home and speak with the businesses that supplied the sustainable building materials.
Electronics Recycling Event
November 6 and 7, 9 AM-2 PM
La Plata County Fairgrounds
2500 Main Ave, Durango
Residents, businesses, government agencies and schools are encouraged to recycle their electronic products.
11th Annual REEL Environmental Film Festival November 7th, 5:15 PM Smiley Building Movie showing: Waste Land
Live art, food, and beer. Proceeds support the Environmental Center
Homebuyers Class
Regional Housing Alliance (RHA)
November 8, 5:30-8:30 PM
November 10, 8:30 AM -1:30 PM
4CORE will present info on how to make improvements and save money on bills.
Call for location and to sign up: 970-259-1418
Green Business Roundtable
What does a Resource Smart Business look like?
Amanda Saunders, 4CORE
November 14, 12:00-1:00 PM Strater Hotel Pullman Room 699 Main Ave, Durango |
| Sustainable Building Education Program
Seeks Your Input
Have you ever attended a 4CORE Brown Bag Lunch? You may have heard presentations about energy efficient lighting, historical energy efficient remodeling or passive solar design. If so, please consider completing our short, six question survey.
We appreciate your feedback as we evaluate the future of this program moving forward.
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| Nominate the Green Business of the Year
The Green Business Roundtable is soliciting nominations for its 2012 Green Business Leadership Award.
Nomination Criteria:
A for-profit business that demonstrates leadership, risk, & innovation in utilizing environmentally responsible, healthy & profitable business practices in the areas of:
- Energy & water
- Transportation
- Pollution & waste
- Manufacturing & purchasing
- Other contributions to the community
Link to nomination form
Deadline is November 16th
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Sponsor Opportunities
Sponsorship provides a direct channel of communication for you to connect with the community. Your support creates heightened awareness of energy efficiency in our community.
Newsletter Sponsorship
4CORE's newsletter reaches 2,000 subscribers who could be looking at your logo. Our open and click-thru rates are great, with 18% of email viewers clicking on links that could be taking them to YOUR website.
Email for more information.
Brown Bag Lunch- Session Sponsor
Includes your logo in all promotional materials leading up to the event (enewsletter, flyers) and on display before the session.
Email for more information.
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 Energy to Evolve
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Energy News you Can Use is published monthly
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Thank you to our Partners!
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Resource News You Can Use
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Do you drink your coffee out of a tin cup like a cowboy, or do you prefer a thermos or mug that will keep your coffee warm? Most of us prefer our morning beverage hot, as we prefer being cozy and comfortable in our homes during winter months. How do we achieve this? Insulation!
Easy Tip #1: Identify how much insulation you have in your attic by measuring with a ruler. Use this handy chart to find your R-value, or the measure of insulation's ability to resist heat traveling through it. The higher the R-Value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. The recommended R-value for attics in our region is R-49 to R-60.
Grab your coffee (in a mug, please), snuggle in, and read on for how to keep cozy as temperatures drop outside.
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5 Thoughts on Insulating Right
If chilly fall weather has you bundling up...
- Locate problem areas: Many older homes have little or no insulation in areas such as an attic space. These open spaces allow warm air to escape and your furnace will have to work overtime to fill this void.
- Check the 'R' value: An R-value specifies your insulation's resistance to heat flow - the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The recommended 'R value' for our region ranges from R-49 to R-60, depending on your local climate, elevation, and type of heating and cooling system.
- Select the right type of insulation: There are several types of insulation - each with properties and applications suitable for different areas of a home. A RESNET Qualified Home Energy Professional can guide you in making the right choice for your needs.
- Seal windows and doors: This is the easiest way to begin insulating your home. Many homes have doors and windows that don't have a proper seal. By using weather stripping you can stop the flow of air around these trouble areas. If you have an older home, a window or door replacement using ENERGY STAR rated materials will improve your home's thermal seal.
- Seal vents and ducts: According to ENERGY STAR, around 20 per cent of heat moving through the vent and duct system of a typical home is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections. Sealing those leaks will prevent heated or cooled air from being wasted.
Checking out this video about Insulation:
 | | Home Insulation Tips |
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 Net-Zero Home Tour
This Saturday!
November 3rd, 4-7 PM
Super insulated and super tight, this home is a great example of insulation done right!
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Some highlights include:
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- Solar Photovoltaic
- Solar Hot Water
- Geoexchange Ground Source Heating & Cooling
- Heat Recovery Ventilation
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- Passive Solar Design
- Growing Spaces Growing DomeŽ
- Xeriscape
- Natural Daylighting techniques
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Free shuttle provided by Road Runner Transit from the Durango Transit Center. Refreshments provided at the event. Shuttle runs every hour, starting at 3:30 PM, and ending at 5:30 PM.
RSVP here- It's FREE
Thanks to all our sponsors who are making this event happen!
 
  
 
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What's in Your Attic?
By 4CORE Inspector Tim DeLuca
 Winter is on its way and, with it, so come the frigid temperatures. Do you know what's in your attic?...or walls?...or floor? Hopefully the answer is insulation. In the United States, heating and cooling account for 50 to 70% of all energy used in the home. A lot of that energy is being wasted because of inefficient building practices. Ensuring proper insulation in your home can make you more comfortable, save money and reduce the burden our limited energy resources. Here are a few things that you should know about insulation.
How Insulation works
Heat naturally travels from warm to cold space through conduction, convection and radiation. In winter, heat moves from our living spaces to wherever it is colder, typically outdoors. This lost heat must be replaced by a heating system to maintain comfort. In the summer, heat moves from outdoors in and must then be removed by an air conditioner. Insulating decreases the heating and cooling that is needed by providing an effective resistance to the natural flow of heat. This thermal resistance is known as...
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Holiday Home Spotlight
Save the Date! December 6th, 5 to 7:30 PM
Celebrate the holidays with 4CORE!
This event will highlight the energy efficient homes being built at Three Springs. A free shuttle to and from the Durango Transit Center will be provided. Refreshments provided at the event.
Stay tuned to our 4CORE newsletters or our Facebook page to learn more!
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Winner to Benefit from Insulation
Does this sound familiar?
 Emily Lloyd of Durango has electric baseboard heat. She turns the heat off during the day but needs heat when she and her daughter are home in the evenings. This is her only heating source, and she pays over $300 per month in electricity bills during the coldest winter months. This winter utility prices are expected to increase, making her bills even higher.
Thanks to 4CORE, WeatherCo, and ProBuild, Emily's bills will likely decrease this winter. As the Grand Prize winner of the HomeRx Makeover Contest, Emily is receiving an energy audit, insulation, air sealing, and other weatherization measures to help decrease her bills.
"My daughter and I were fortunate enough to receive assistance from the Regional Housing Alliance to purchase our town home, but our electric baseboard heat costs over $300 in the coldest winter months," said Emily. "We are really looking forward to having our home 'made over' with energy saving, bill-reducing solutions."
For more information, contact 4CORE.
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Easy Way to Donate to 4CORE
Use your Alpine Bank Card!
4CORE is pleased to announce that we are now a beneficiary of proceeds from Durango's Alpine Bank Loyalty Check Card for the Environment.
Each time you use your card, Alpine Bank donates 10 cents per transaction to organizations (like 4CORE!!). These special cards are available with no annual fee to individuals with an Alpine Bank checking account.
4CORE is thrilled to have such a committed partner! Please head down to the bank today to open an account, (if you haven't already) and sign on to the Environment Loyalty Check Card. This will enable 4CORE to serve more local residents with energy saving information, weatherization services and resource conservation ideas to help individuals, families and businesses thrive.
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5 Gift Ideas for the Resource-Savvy
Ways to share your energy with the ones you love
 - Give the gift of warmth - utility prices are rising and now is a good time to "round up" on your utility bills. La Plata Electric Association, San Miguel Power, Atmos Energy and Source Gas all have programs for rounding up.
- Make a donation to 4CORE in the name of someone who is hard to shop for. We'll send them a gift card that lets them know how their gift is making a difference.
- Volunteer time to your favorite organization with a friend or family member. You will remember your experience for years to come.
- Stuff stockings with smart power strips so that your loved ones can $ave their own energy.
- Buy from locally-owned businesses to keep our economy thriving. The day after Thanksgiving is a free rider day on Durango Transit thanks to the Resource Smart Business Program- so take the bus to buy your presents from local businesses!
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Call 4CORE at 970-259-1916 if you have any questions or need assistance.
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As always, if you have any feedback or questions about becoming more energy efficient, please contact us. |
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About Our Newsletter Sponsors
San Juan Insulation and Drywall has been in business for over 21 years, our reputation of outstanding workmanship an d dependability is recognized throughout the Four Corners area. Specializing in the installation of drywall, insulation, suspended ceilings and steel stud framing at competitive prices while meeting your schedule needs. In the Durango area, call our residential estimator, Dean Hamilton at (970) 247-9394. In San Miguel County, call Alan Mathews at (970) 729-1746. We've offered dependable competitive quality work since 1978.
Foam Insulation Specialists specialize in open cell and closed cell spray foam insulation products. Stanley Maddux is experienced in spray foam and cellulose insulation installation. Call Stan at 970-749-5711 for questions on the best insulation products to use.
May Insulation has been offering great service and high quality work in the Four Corners region since 1977. They provide residential and commercial insulation options for attics, including ENERGY STAR and green products. Call Wes for a free estimate at (970) 247-4034.
SolarWorks is a full-service solar photovoltaic and solar thermal installation company serving businesses and residents in Southwest Colorado. Our clients trust our expertise, our products, and our knowledge to develop creative solutions to their energy needs. SolarWorks is Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (CoSEIA) certified and offer 25-30 year warranties, retrofits and remodels for residential and commercial.Take advantage of a free site assessment by calling (970) 382-2624 or emailing SolarWorks today.
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