Come and Party with 4CORE- We'll Light up your Holidays!

Save the date, because we have big plans for our holiday party this year:

On December 6th, from 5-7:30 PM we'll be highlighting two ENERGY STAR Certified homes at Three Springs.

Why should you attend? Here is our top 5:


#5: Safe transportation- Free ride leaving to and from the Durango Transit Center.
#4: Free food from Digs Restaurant (yum!).
#3: We promise to spike the eggnog, but discourage wearing any lampshades.
#2: Your chance to enter a drawing for a FREE home energy assessment from Annadel Building Solutions!
#1: Great information about ENERGY STAR-certified home efficiencies.

ENERGY STAR homes are special- they leave you with peace of mind that your utility bills will be low and you will be saving energy. That is good on a variety of levels- your pocket book, the environment (less pollution from energy sources), and our local economy- keeping money that would have gone to far away energy producers here!

ENERGY STAR Home Features:

• Air Sealing ENERGY STAR: certified homes deliver approximately 20% savings on annual utility bills through proper air sealing, saving thousands of dollars in maintenance cost.
• Properly Installed Insulation: It’s not just the amount of insulation; it’s the quality of installation that makes all the difference. Proper installation includes careful placement to eliminate gaps, voids, and compression; complete air barriers that prevent air from bypassing the insulation; and building techniques that minimize heat flow through framing. 
• High–Performance Windows: Protective coatings and improved frames help keep heat in during winter and out during summer. 
• Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment: High efficiency equipment delivers premium performance. This equipment uses less energy, operates at reduced noise levels, and often comes with extended warranty coverage.
• HVAC Design and Installation: Trained HVAC professionals design and install the heating and cooling systems in ENERGY STAR certified homes in accordance with best practices.
• Whole–House Mechanical Ventilation: The living space in ENERGY STAR certified homes has a constant source of filtered air to reduce indoor air pollutants in your home.
• Water–Managed Construction Details: Tried–and–true building practices, such as flashing, moisture barriers, and heavy–duty membranes, are employed to effectively drain water from the roofs, walls, and foundations of ENERGY STAR certified homes.
• Building Material: Proper storage and selection of materials helps prevent water– and mold–damaged materials in ENERGY STAR certified homes.
• Advanced Lighting: ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures and bulbs come in many shapes and sizes. ENERGY STAR lighting offers significant cost savings and longer lifetimes than standard products.
• ENERGY STAR Qualified Appliances: A comprehensive package of ENERGY STAR qualified appliances can reduce energy costs, while offering improved performance, quality, and durability. ENERGY STAR certified homes often include ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers, refrigerators, washing machines, ceiling fans, and ventilation fans.
• Climate-Specific Recommendations: Home Energy Raters are trained in local climate-specific energy saving techniques, and their knowledge and field experience help ENERGY STAR builder partners select the most appropriate energy-efficient features.
• Field Verification: Raters conduct onsite inspections and testing of ENERGY STAR certified homes to ensure they meet rigorous program guidelines. 
• Quality Assurance: Homes that earn the ENERGY STAR typically undergo significantly more systems engineering, inspections, and testing than homes built to code. This verification process helps to identify and correct mistakes before they become problems and holds builders accountable to higher standards.

Find more information on ENERGY STAR Homes

Are you feeling warm and cozy yet? If not, you'll have to visit one of these homes!

Find more information about the event here. We can't wait to wish you happy holidays in person!


Sponsored by: Three Springs, Bank of Colorado, Digs Restaurant, San Juan Drywall and Insulation, San Juan Trim Works, and SilverPick Contracting.

Durango’s West Building Earns EPA ENERGY STAR Certification

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded its ENERGY STAR® designation to Durango’s West Building, a four-story commercial office building located in historic downtown Durango.

Constructed in 1959, the iconic West Building is one of Durango’s oldest office buildings and likely the first of its kind constructed using a curtain wall system -- whereby the exterior walls are non-load bearing and merely keep out the weather.

In 2007, Marie Leslie, building manager of the West Building, contacted Jeremy Rivera Consulting, LLC to assess building efficiency and to make recommendations for improvements. An energy audit and analysis was performed using a computer model to predict the results of various energy efficiency improvements. The study revealed numerous opportunities to improve the building’s overall efficiency and comfort, as many of the building’s systems were at the end of their useful life.



Starting in 2008, the building underwent a significant overhaul to its Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, designed by Dan Hopper of Animas Engineering. The HVAC renovation provided significant energy savings and greatly increased comfort for the tenants, but building owners did not stop there. In 2010, they completed a comprehensive lighting retrofit, which immediately resulted in a considerable reduction in energy consumption.



As a result of the HVAC and lighting renovations, the West Building received its ENERGY STAR rating in January 2012, and is rated to perform better than 84-percent of commercial office buildings nationwide. The building has reduced its annual energy costs by 40-percent and provides a greatly improved environment for its tenants. Energy savings include a greenhouse gas reduction of 813,498 pounds of CO2 per year, equivalent to the amount of electricity consumed by 386 single-family homes.

“The West Building has made sustainability a core component of our goal to be a good steward of the environment,” said Marie Leslie, building manager for the West Building. “In addition to a building-wide recycling program, we purchase renewable energy credits from LPEA and 100-percent of our electricity consumption comes from green sources.”

In 1959, initial tenants at the West Building belonged to petroleum companies developing oil and gas discoveries in the San Juan Basin. Today, the West Building continues its tradition with energy-related occupants of a different variety. 4CORE, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, works with local municipalities and companies throughout Southwest Colorado to help residents save energy and energy costs, reduce the use of natural resources, and enjoy a better quality of life. 



“4CORE applauds the West Building (and our landlord) for investing in these vast improvements and receiving the prestigious ENERGY STAR award,” said Greg Dubit, Executive Director with 4CORE. “The energy efficiency measures create substantial savings on energy costs and the building is far more comfortable for the tenants that work here everyday as a result. The West Building provides an excellent example as a leader in energy improvements for other area businesses.”



Further improvements are being considered for the West Building, including installing occupancy sensors to further increase the lighting system efficiency. The West Building owners include Frank J. Anesi, Maynes Family LLC, Thomas Shipps and Janice Sheftel. For more information about the West Building, please contact Marie Leslie.