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Greenprint Denver
What is Greenprint Denver?
The Mile High City has a long and proud history of environmental innovation.
 First “Green Fleet” program in the nation in the early 1990s
 First North American international airport to attain ISO 14001 certification for its
Environmental Management System
 Pioneering use of energy-efficient LEDs in traffic signals
 First city in the country to voluntarily create an ISO 14001-certified Environmental
Management System that covers each municipal agency
 First city to have a hydraulic hybrid trash truck in its fleet
 First city in the state with a methane-gas-to-electricity plant, implemented at the
Denver Arapahoe Disposal Site
 One of the first cities nationwide to have a comprehensive bike sharing program
 The first city to host a green political convention
Denver’s commitment to becoming one of the greenest cities in the country was
institutionalized in 2006 with Mayor John Hickenlooper’s creation of the Greenprint
Denver office. Greenprint Denver developed a community-wide sustainability plan
demonstrating that local government can be an effective force for innovation and
leadership to improve the environment. The City of Denver’s first Climate Action Plan
was adopted by Mayor Hickenlooper in 2007, and the Greenprint Denver Office works to
ensure that the City reaches its Climate Action Plan goal of reducing carbon emissions
25% by 2020.
Greenprint Denver creates programs to help Denver residents, businesses, and city
government
 Conserve resources
 Save money
 Protect the environment
These efforts are accomplished through water and energy conservation, waste reduction,
alternative transit development, renewable energy installations, green building and green
economic development opportunities.
Initiatives
Neighborhood Collaborative Program
A consortium of city agencies, nonprofit organizations and the state energy office is
helping residents reduce energy use, save money on utility bills and improve home
comfort by bringing weatherization services to residents’ doorsteps, one neighborhood at
a time. The collaborative connects residents to federal weatherization assistance for lowincome families; free or subsidized energy audits; service rebates and contact information
for weatherization and water efficiency assistance; free CFL porch bulbs; recycling
service signups; household hazardous waste collection information; and free tree
plantings in the right of way, as part of the Mile High Million program.
Denver Bike Sharing
Building off the momentum from the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the City of
Denver is creating a community-wide bicycle sharing program to encourage multi-modal
transportation. Bike sharing provides a low-cost alternative transportation option for
Denver residents and visitors to get around town without burning fuel and increasing
carbon emissions. Look for the launch of Denver B-cycle in the late summer of 2009.
Bicycles will be available at 20-25 stations around the City, including Denver’s two
major university campuses. Bikes will be available through annual membership cards or
credit cards with nominal hourly charges after the first free half hour. 2009 marks just
the beginning of this program, building from the core downtown area into a regional
network.
Renewable Energy
Denver received a Solar America City award from the U.S. Department of Energy in
2008, and is committed to increasing renewable energy penetration in the residential,
commercial and government sectors. Solar arrays can already be found at four city
facilities, including DIA, the Colorado Convention Center, Museum of Nature and
Science, and the Human Services Building. The City is now reviewing the next round of
buildings for solar investment. In an effort to further increase access to renewable
energy, Greenprint Denver is working to reduce the upfront costs of energy projects for
homeowners and businesses. This effort will allow low-income homeowners, middleincome business owners, public schools and nonprofit organizations to invest in
renewable energy.
Expanding Recycling
Denver is moving forward on several programs to reduce waste, including a recently
launched compost collection pilot program for Denver residents; a reusable bag campaign
with major grocery stores; the replacement of plastic bags with reusable ones at all
Denver Public Library branches; and Denver Public School students selling reusable bags
as a fundraiser. Just in time for the 2009 festival season, event planners can now check
out recycle bins, courtesy of Corporate Express, from the Denver Parks and Recreation
Department to help vendors and festival goers cut down on waste.
Green Building
Denver plans to adopt the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code standards by
early 2010. These standards will allow Denver to show leadership in energy efficiency by
helping builders go 15% above current standards. The City is partnering with the EPA
and the Governor's Energy Office to provide significant education and incentives to
encourage builders to adopt the Energy Star for New Homes standards, and is leading a
regional effort to adopt a common green building standard across the Front Range. As
part of the City’s commitment to green building, a City sustainability committee is
spearheading sustainable design and construction of all municipal construction and
renovation projects, helping projects reach LEED Silver or equivalent. The City has a
new green standard for all City-supported affordable housing, and Denver’s Building
Department is developing a green remodeling guide to help residents and contractors use
the most sustainable products and services available.
Also in 2009, the City is exploring best practices to reduce energy, water use and reduce
utility bills in municipal buildings through energy audits and performance contracting.
Water Conservation
Denver Water has partnered with the City of Denver to install water-efficient fixtures in
the City and County Building, Colorado Convention Center, police and fire stations,
libraries and recreation centers. The retrofits completed in the City and County Building
alone save over a million gallons of water each year. Denver Water is partnering with
Denver Parks to replace acres of irrigated bluegrass with natural grasses as part of the
Sustainable Landscape Initiative, helping to reduce water use by 50 percent; increase
wildlife habitats; and improve water quality from less chemical fertilizer use.
Mile High Million Tree Planting
Mayor Hickenlooper challenged the Denver Metropolitan Region to plant one million
trees by 2025. Trees help reduce the urban heat island effect, provide natural insulation
for homes and buildings, and absorb stormwater runoff, thereby aiding in the
improvement of water quality in the Platte River. The city of Denver is leading this
effort. To date, over 130,000 trees have been planted.
Green Economic Development
Denver is one of seven cities across the country participating in the Climate Prosperity
Project, an effort led by Global Urban Development and the Rockefeller Brothers
Foundation. Recognizing economic prosperity and environmental sustainability are
intertwined; the City’s Office of Economic Development is launching a business outreach
program to promote sustainability practices, green workforce training programs, and is
assisting business districts in energy and water efficiency, transit connections, bicycle
parking, and street recycling.
Green Fleet
As part of Denver’s ongoing commitment to invest in alternatively fueled vehicles, the
City of Denver entered a formal partnership with the City of Chongqing, China, Ford
Motor Company and Changan Auto Group to develop an Eco-Partnership under the U.S.
Department of Treasury’s Strategic Economic Dialogue Program with China. Both cities
have committed to plan for and procure electric and plug-in electric vehicles for their
municipal fleets. Denver is taking this commitment a step further by also planning for
the development of electric charging stations in municipal garages as well as cultural
center garages to prepare for community plug-in electric vehicle use. This ties into a
broader regional effort to develop 200+ charging stations across the Front Range,
encouraging a reduction in petroleum use across the metropolitan region.
For more information, please visit www.greenprintdenver.org