For the second year in a row, the Community Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) is hosting its highly anticipated Green Expo on Sept. 11 at Aspen Meadows. Free and open to the public, community members will explore practical solutions to reduce carbon emissions.

“The Green Expo really gives the community an opportunity to, in-person, meet local experts,” CORE Marketing and Community Outreach Coordinator Kimberly Marcum said. “They ask those questions and find real solutions they can apply in their own homes and businesses in our community.”

Kicking off the Green Expo is the Solutions Showcase where attendees can learn about climate action progress and opportunities by engaging with over 20 businesses and organizations. Hailing from across the climate, energy and built-environment industries, the exhibition will feature a number of reputable local organizations including WE-Cycle, Holy Cross Energy, Sunsense, Mtn Bio, Mountain Air Mechanical, Inc. (MAM), Familia Verde and Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. 

“We were inspired to select a wider range of exhibitors that are in some way contributing to the advancement of clean energy, electrification and reducing carbon emissions,” CORE Development Coordinator Kate LaMair said. “It takes a village to make these changes happen. We really wanted to represent as many different sectors as we could.” 

CORE also invited partnership organizations demonstrating the nonprofit’s direct impact. At the Town of Carbondale’s booth, representatives will highlight the new Aquatics Center. A massive hit this summer, the Aquatics Center was designed by local architecture firm Land+Shelter and is the region’s first all-
electric pool powered by 100% renewable energy. The town will discuss surprising energy efficient data, the dynamic use of green energy and how they are maintaining the pool as a zero-gas facility.

“We partnered with [CORE] for a grant to help supplement the costs,” Town of Carbondale Aquatics and Health & Wellness Coordinator Brian Froelich said. “We did work with [CORE Project Manager] Ofek [Bruhis] on site who provided us great feedback and questions to ask when we were first starting our system. It was information we hadn’t necessarily thought about.”

Following the exhibition is the Future of Sustainable Buildings panel discussion. Led by five climate action experts, including CORE Chief Executive Officer Tara Stitzlein and Colorado Communities for Climate Action’s Advocacy Director Anita Seitz, the panelists will examine the technologies, design strategies, policies, financial incentives and grid resilience driving building decarbonization.

“Our community buildings are the largest submitters of greenhouse gas emissions. The good news is there are many solutions available,” CORE Director of Development and Communication Brittany LaClair said. “This panel will offer different perspectives from each of these sectors and will hopefully enlighten the audience where we are at currently and where we need to go to reach a net-zero future.”

The Green Expo will end with a social hour for attendees to network with panelists and exhibitors. Ideally, the casual atmosphere will encourage attendees to ask questions about their specific projects and feel comfortable to adopt new solutions.

“This will bring the community together and show that there are a lot of people who are on board and want to take climate action,” LaClair said. “We want to create a feeling of inspiration and community.”

Climate action
affects everyone

For the second year in a row Green Expo event sponsor Atlantic Aviation — an aviation infrastructure operator with more than 100 fixed based operation locations including the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, and a general aviation leader in environmental stewardship and sustainability — is offering a $300,000 challenge grant. Atlantic Aviation’s grant matches every contribution by 50%; CORE needs to raise $600,000 to receive the grant and the $900,000 impact.

“CORE relies on philanthropic support. We just started fundraising in 2022 and it’s been a very important part of our funding strategy,” LaClair said. “We’re continuing to seek donations from individuals and corporate sponsors. The Green Expo has brought in a lot of great businesses, partnerships and business sponsors, including Holy Cross Energy and MAM.”

CORE envisions a near future where 100% of the buildings in Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield counties are electric, efficient and contributing to the region’s health, safety and resiliency. To do so they center community education and engagement by incorporating events like the Green Expo into the Randy Udall Memorial Educational Program (RUMEP). In memory of CORE’s first executive director, Randy Udall, RUMEP advances energy education and climate action.

“CORE’s work focuses on accessibility, whether that is through education, connections with local contractors and other resources or through our financial incentives,” LaClair said. “We are trying to make these programs and projects more accessible to everybody.”

A visionary leader, Udall developed critical partnerships with electric utilities and local governments to create Colorado’s first solar energy incentive program and the world’s first Renewable Energy Mitigation Program, a carbon tax on energy intensive development. CORE receives key funding from this initiative.

As a free event, CORE hopes the Green Expo will have a wide reach. Marcum said this work affects everyone, from homeowners to local leaders and building professionals.

“We don’t want any kind of [barrier] to entry,” Marcum said. “Everyone should be able to participate in this conversation.”

CORE’s Green Expo is happening on Sept. 11 from 1 to 6pm at the Aspen Meadows McNulty Ballroom. Registration is required for this free and open-to-the-public event. Visit aspencore.org/green-expo to learn more.