Commercial & Multifamily Buildings

Grants & Rebates

Get up to $200,000 to advance your energy-saving project.

Our region's commercial building sector emitted 190,700 MT CO2 in 2020.

That’s equivalent to consuming more than 21 million gallons of gasoline. 

Electrification projects in our commercial and multifamily building sector have the potential to make the biggest impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reaching our climate action goals. Energy efficiency projects can also produce meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Rebates

Rebates Criteria & Fine Print

  • Who can apply?

    Funding for commercial and multifamily building electrification projects is available to community members living in Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Valley portion of Eagle County. Rebates are available for existing buildings unless otherwise noted. Multifamily buildings are defined as complexes with four or more units in the building. Multifamily projects must be in the common area of the building and/or every unit of the building. 

  • How much funding is available?

    CORE rebates can help cover 50% of the overall project cost for up to $15,00. If you are considered a Community Priority Participant, you are eligible to receive a rebate to cover 50% of the overall project cost for up to $30,000.

  • FAQs

    Find answers to other frequently asked questions about rebates on our FAQ webpage.


What types of projects are eligible for rebates?

  • Space Heating, Water Heating, Snowmelt & Ventilation Systems

    Adding or improving control systems, such as:

    • Replacing constant-temperature thermostats on a fossil fuel (natural gas, propane) heating system with a smart or programmable thermostat. A majority of all thermostats in the building must be replaced.  
    • Changing the supply temperature of a boiler or water heater based on the outdoor temperature (“outdoor temperature reset”).
    • Demand controlled ventilation.
    • Replacing a constant-speed motor or pump with a variable-speed replacement.
    • Adding or improving a Building Automation System (BAS); AKA: Building Management System (BMS).
    • Recommissioning existing systems.
    • Doing a tune-up on an existing system.

    Installing a heat pump for space heating, water heating, or snowmelt, if switching from fossil fuel or electric resistance (an electric baseboard or electric tank).* 


    Replacing an existing fossil-fuel-heated ventilation system with a heat-recovery or heat pump ventilation system.



  • Insulation & Air Sealing in Roofs, Attics, Walls, Crawlspaces, Floors, Pipes, & Ducts

    Learn more about the importance of tightening your building envelope.


    Review our list of additional criteria for more information. 


  • Appliances & Cooking

    Heat pump clothes dryers that replace natural gas clothes dryers and are located in the commercial or multifamily common area.

    Commercial induction cooktops or stoves [link to blog] that replace natural gas cooktops or stoves. 

  • Level II or III Energy Audits**

    In a Level I audit, the auditor takes a high-level view of the commercial building’s operations and energy usage. Level II audits are a step above Level I, and Level III are a step above Level II. Level II and Level III audits are performed by certified engineering firms. 


    CORE can help you navigate which audits are best for your situation.

  • Design assistance and commissioning for major renovations or new construction.

    Energy modeling. The report must be shared with CORE staff.**


    Engineering design peer review. The report must be shared with CORE staff.**


    Commissioning when not required by code.


  • Custom Rebates**

    Custom rebates are considered, at the discretion of CORE staff, for projects that do not fall within the project types listed above and that produce meaningful energy savings. 


    Contact our Energy Concierge team to begin the conversion. 

  • More Requirements

    Review our list of additional criteria for more information. 


    *Design costs and/or electrical capacity upgrade costs associated with a completed heat pump project can be included in the project cost that is used to determine the rebate. 


    **Pre-approval by CORE staff is required.


Grants

Grants Criteria & Fine Print

  • How do I apply?

    Contact our Energy Concierge team to discuss your interest in applying for a grant.

  • Who can apply?

    Funding for the implementation of commercial and multifamily building electrification projects is available to community members living in Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Boundary of Eagle County. Design work is not eligible for grant funding, although it is eligible for rebate funding. Grants are primarily available for existing buildings, but new construction projects are considered. Multifamily buildings are defined as complexes with four or more units in the building. Multifamily projects must be in the common area of the building and/or every unit of the building. 

  • What is the deadline to apply?

    Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis as funds allow. CORE staff works with interested parties to analyze the greenhouse gas impact of a project before an application is submitted. In some cases, for the applicant, there may be a cost associated with the analysis and that cost can be partially mitigated with a CORE rebate.

  • How much funding is available?

    CORE grants can help cover a portion of the overall project cost for up to $200,0000. Grant allocation up to $50,000 is determined at the discretion of CORE staff. Grant allocation of more than $50,000 is determined at the discretion of the volunteer CORE Program & Services Committee with recommendations from CORE staff.

  • What types of projects are eligible for grants?

    Grants are intended for larger, longer, or more impactful building projects where rebates are not enough to fulfill the project needs and where grants can make the difference in completing the project. Grants will not be awarded to projects that have already been completed.

  • How are grant applications evaluated?

    Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria and scoring. The higher an applicant’s score, the more likely a grant will be awarded and the more likely it will be awarded at the amount requested. Applications with a score of six or below are not eligible. 

    • The level of greenhouse gas emissions reduction or prevention. Scores can be 0, 1, 3, or 5. 
    • The likelihood that the applicant can complete the project on time, within 18 months of the application being submitted. Scores can be 0, 1, 3, or 5.  
    • The potential of the project being used as a case study for future projects. Can the project be replicated? Can CORE learn from the project process to guide future participants to do similar projects? Scores can be 0, 1, or 2.
    • What are the community and social benefits? Scores can be 0 or 2. Community Priority Participants receive a score of 2.
    • How will a CORE grant influence the future of the project? Can the project be completed without a CORE grant? Scores can be 0, 1, or 2.

  • More Requirements

    Review our list of additional criteria for more information. 


    *Design costs and/or electrical capacity upgrade costs associated with a completed heat pump project can be included in the project cost that is used to determine the rebate. 


    **Pre-approval by CORE staff is required.

  • FAQs

    Find answers to other frequently asked questions about grants on our FAQ webpage.


Apply for Grant & Rebates

Grant & Rebate Funding


CORE is here to help you through every step of your energy-saving project plan, including alleviating some of the financial burden that can come with doing a building improvement project.


CORE offers up to $30,000 in rebates and up to $200,000 in grant funding to eligible commercial and multifamily unit building projects. 


CORE’s rebate and grant programs are subject to change at any time. 

CORE Rebates

Complete our application to the right to submit your rebate request. Find a list of rebate criteria below.

CORE Grants

Contact our Energy Concierge team to inquire. Find a list of grant criteria below.

More Funding

In addition to receiving funding from CORE for energy-saving projects, you may be eligible for additional funding through Holy Cross Energy, the State of Colorado, or the federal Inflation Reduction Act. 


If you are a Holy Cross Energy customer, submit your request for rebates to CORE and Holy Cross in a single application for commercial projects here.

Questions?

Contact our Energy Concierge team.

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