City of Durango Discounts 4CORE Services to Improve Energy Efficiency

4CORE is partnering with the City of Durango on residential and commercial energy efficiency, offering a $100 discount toward 50 4CORE HomeRx energy assessments, and a $200 discount for 25 commercial energy assessments. Additional matching funds of up to $500 will be available for 20 homes and businesses who implement energy efficiency upgrades while the funds last. Additional incentives may also be available through Amerigas, LPEA and Atmos Energy.

“City Council knows that this is the place where energy savings begins,” said Dick White, Mayor of Durango. “With energy prices increasing, return on investment for efficiency improvement grows. These incentives will benefit our residents, our environment, and our local economy.”

4CORE has developed expertise in energy efficiency recommendations for homes and

businesses. The Home Performance Prescription Program (HomeRx) is a streamlined process, which helps homeowners along every step of the way. 4CORE makes homes and buildings efficient, safe, and comfortable, while also helping occupants save money on utility bills. Detailed energy, health, and safety assessments are performed and a consultation is provided, complete with a report and recommendations. 4CORE also offers radon testing and post-upgrade inspections as additional options.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our community,” said Gregg Dubit, 4CORE Executive Director. “With these incentives in place and our HomeRx program up and running, we believe 2014 will be ‘the year of energy efficiency.’ We're working to make our region a leader in energy efficiency.”

In addition to the discounts being provided by the City of Durango, financing options are available through the First National Bank of Durango to help with energy efficiency improvements.

4CORE trains and works with certified local contractors to assure a high quality work and is focused on supporting local job creation. The organization has coordinated assessment and efficiency improvement services for over 645 homes and businesses. More information can be found on the 4CORE web site at www.fourcore.org, or by calling 970-259-1916.  

4CORE Launches Home Performance Prescription Program (HomeRx)

4CORE is pleased to announce an innovative program now available for Southwest Colorado homeowners. The Home Performance Prescription (HomeRx) program lowers utility bills by identifying primary areas for home energy improvement, prescribing upgrades, linking area residents with incentives, financing, and contractors, and providing inspections for quality assurance

Building on the success of 4CORE’s HomeRx Program pilot, this initiative is for homeowners who are interested in improving home comfort and making smart investments in proven energy efficiency upgrades. HomeRx offers financing options and local contractors to create a package that pays for itself in a short amount of time. The homes in the HomeRx pilot are saving an average of $481 annually in utility bills, in addition to improving health, safety, comfort, and quality of life for families. 

"Many area residents are paying too much to heat their homes, and a surprisingly high number of homes have serious health and safety problems," said Gregg Dubit, Executive Director for 4CORE.  "We are excited to help area homeowners of all income levels get on the path to higher performing, more comfortable homes. This is an area that 4CORE has solid expertise in, having assisted over 630 homeowners already." 


4CORE will be using the latest diagnostics available from the Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score to evaluate homes. This system scores homes and compares them to national averages. In addition to energy improvements such as air sealing and insulation, HomeRx addresses the health and safety of combustion appliances for gas leaks, performance, and general indoor air quality. Radon testing is also available. 

4CORE’s HomeRx Program links homeowners with financing options, including loans through local lending institutions, rebates, and other incentives. First National Bank of Durango is providing HomeRx-specific loans for homeowners. 

"We are excited to be offering this loan program as part of 4CORE’s HomeRx Program," noted Steve Emrich (NMLS ID # 787887), Vice President of First National Bank of Durango, equal housing lender, member FDIC. "We anticipate this program becoming more popular as homeowners come to understand the value of long-term energy savings."  

In addition to assisting individual residents, the HomeRx Program will benefit Southwest Colorado’s economy by boosting job creation through referrals to local contractors, and saving energy dollars that would otherwise go to providers outside of our region. 

Tom Zajicek, nationally certified building science expert, is coordinating HomeRx and is now taking reservations for home assessments. For additional information or to sign up, please email Tom at 4CORE or call (970) 259-1916 ext. 113.