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Cultivating a Green Denver

Cultivating a Green Denver

In 2010, local couple Melissa Baldridge and Tracye Herrington launched GreenSpot, working with homeowners and businesses to be more eco-friendly through green consultation and green real estate.

“Our mission is that we are reversing climate change through the built environment,” says Baldridge. “It can be as simple as a lighting change-out, or as complex as a macro development. We always encourage our clients to step up, even a little bit.”

Baldridge, who manages the green consulting side of GreenSpot, inspects homes and business, recommending methods and techniques to make the structure more energy efficient while cutting costs.

“Energy efficient homes and buildings make a huge difference for the planet,” says Baldridge, “because 40 percent of the energy we use in this country literally goes to heating, cooling, and powering our homes
and buildings.”

One of the biggest culprits of energy waste includes what Baldridge calls leaky homes. From gaps in window seals to cracks in door frames to holes in the insulation, these small leaks accumulate, creating drafts equal to that of leaving a window open all year long.

And leaky homes cost money, accounting for as much as 40 percent of energy costs. “Everybody gets an Xcel bill — look at your kilowatts hours. If that number is above 700, that’s above average in Colorado.”

Another contributor to high energy costs are refrigerators and freezers, especially supplemental freezers that usually end up in the garage. “They’re working against an outdoor space, especially when it gets warm in
the summer.”

Baldridge recommends purchasing Energy Star-certified refrigerators, freezers, appliances, and electronics which maximize energy proficiency and in turn reduce greenhouse gases. “Energy Star is constantly raising the bar on energy efficiency, and it’s an easy thing to do that pays for itself pretty quickly.”

Planting tree canopies around the home or business can reduced the temperature by as much as 8 degrees, and insulating your home or business is crucial — not just for winter.

“The spaces in an attic or a roof deck can get as high as 150 degrees,” explains Baldridge. “But 20 inches of insulation in an attic can create a thermal barrier between those hot spaces and the 70 degrees that we want to have in our homes and buildings.”

GreenSpot uses the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index to measure energy efficiency in a house. The lower the score, the more energy efficient the home. A score of 130 is average. “It’s not uncommon for us to see 200 routinely. Those are older homes, especially homes built mid-century.”

These scores are now being used by appraisers, making green homes more valuable in the housing market. In addition, Colorado offers incentives up to $8,000 for homes that work to lower the HERS index score.

But for Baldridge, saving money and energy isn’t the only motivation to being green. “You also get the great karma. Not only is my home or my building more comfortable, not only am I saving money, I’m helping the planet.”

Learn more about GreenSpot’s consulting services at yourgreenspot.com.


Check out our other green articles from this year’s environmental issue:
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