Alpine Bank offsets 100 percent of electricity with “Green Power”

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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. – All Alpine Bank locations across western Colorado have offset 100 percent of their electricity usage by purchasing ‘green’ power from local utility providers and through the Colorado Carbon Fund. 

Said John Gitchell, Alpine Bank’s Green Team environmental consultant and local business owner of Sustainable Business Solutions, “The emission of CO₂ from the combustion of fossil fuels is widely recognized as the leading cause of global warming.  Green power is generated from renewable sources of electricity, like wind, solar and hydropower – not from coal-fired power plants.  Through the purchase of available green power for electricity and carbon offsets through the Colorado Carbon Fund, Alpine Bank is effectively eliminating 3,396.73 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.”  

Alpine Bank operates 37 bank locations, one operations facility, and employs 550+ employee-owners throughout western Colorado. Operations include banking functions, cleaning and maintenance, renovations, and constructing new banks. Since 2005 the Green Team has been working to implement the Bank’s Environmental Policy, which states:

“We endeavor to continuously improve our environmental performance, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent pollution by adopting and promoting:

*Renewable Resources,

*Resource Efficient Products, Services and Practices, and

*Community Outreach, Awareness, and Education.”

Alpine Bank’s energy strategy consists of several action plans working in concert to 1) improve resource efficiency, 2) invest in renewable resources, and 3) provide education and training to encourage broader community action.

Actions completed and underway include:

·        Measure and monitor monthly utility invoices for consumption and related CO₂ emissions at each location, setting 2006 as our baseline for comparison.  In line with the state, we’ve set the goal of 20 percent reduction by 2012. 

·        Energy audits are underway to reduce energy, cost and carbon emissions.  Some of the audits include a “blower door test” to calculate air infiltration, an “infrared camera test” to visually locate the air infiltration or heat loss, and complete analysis of heating and cooling systems.  To date 15 building audits are complete, 7 are in process, and the remainder are scheduled for completion in 2009.

·        New banks and renovations will meet LEED criteria for resource efficient design, construction, technologies and materials.  Alpine Bank in South Rifle has recently attained its LEED certification.  The new bank in Ridgway and a major renovation in Telluride are awaiting LEED certification.  The South Rifle location has a 2 KW solar electric system to help offset electric use in the building.  In Ridgway and Montrose ground source heat pumps provide efficient heating and cooling.

·        Offset of the bank’s CO₂ emissions and support investment in renewable energy by purchasing 100 percent green electric power (~5 million kWh) from our local utility providers.

Where green power is not yet an option with utility providers (~500,000 kWh) the Bank will purchase Carbon Offsets through the Colorado Carbon Fund (CCF).  CCF provides high quality carbon offsets to consumers, as a way to support new energy efficiency and renewable energy projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our state.  They partner with local governments, community groups and businesses across the state via their Project C outreach and education campaign.  CCF returns up to 20 percent of green purchases back to local environmental nonprofit groups and projects.  In Eagle County the 20 percent from Alpine’s offsets purchase will be donated by CCF to the Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability, providing education and local environmental project opportunities outside the purview of the Carbon Fund criteria.

“Purchasing green, renewable power is just one of the many things our Alpine Bank Green Team has accomplished that make a huge impact.  We’ve made a commitment to our communities and our customers to do what we can to protect and sustain our natural environment, and we plan on sticking to our promise,” said Alpine Bank Green Team Chair David Miller.

Alpine Bank is a $2.7 billion asset organization chartered in 1973 with headquarters in Glenwood Springs, Colo.  With 37 western and southwestern Colorado banking offices, Alpine Bank serves over 100,000 customers providing retail, business, trust, asset management, mortgage, and electronic banking services.

Alpine Bank has earned ISO 14001:2004, an internationally recognized environmental management certification.  Alpine Bank is a member of the US Green Building Council, and was recently awarded ‘Gold’ certification by the State of Colorado for the Bank’s acceptance into the State’s prestigious Environmental Leadership Program. 

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