Energy & Sustainability

CCOB has implemented a variety of projects to reduce emissions and support sustainable living in the community. Here are a few highlights:

• Earth Day Celebration: Broomfield’s annual Earth Day Celebration, held each spring, brings together residents, local organizations and CCOB departments to celebrate sustainability and environmental stewardship. A tradition started locally in the early 2000s and continuing today, the event features hands-on activities, educational booths and family-friendly programming. It helps residents learn practical ways to reduce their environmental impact while building community.
• CCOB Building Upgrades: Explore a summary of facility upgrade projects that CCOB has completed or is actively working on. These projects advance sustainability and GHG emission reduction goals by boosting energy efficiency, cutting emissions and modernizing aging city infrastructure. Highlights include:
  • Replacing outdated HVAC and boiler systems with high-efficiency, low-emission equipment (99% efficient condensing boilers, RTUs with VFDs, etc.)
  • Ongoing upgrades at Paul Derda Recreation Center and Police/Courts to complete full HVAC modernization
• Solar Installations on Municipal Buildings: Beginning in 2008, CCOB installed solar panels on and around nine municipal buildings to reduce energy costs and GHG emissions. These systems generate clean electricity that directly powers city facilities. The project was one of the earliest installations of solar panels for a government entity in the area and demonstrates local leadership’s support and importance of renewable energy.
• Switch Together Solar Program: Switch Together is a community solar group-buy program that helps residents go solar at a discounted rate through bulk purchasing. The program simplifies the process by providing vetted installers, transparent pricing and education. It lowers upfront costs and makes rooftop solar more accessible for Broomfield households. Broomfield started participating in the program starting in Fall 2022.
• CCOB has partnered with Xcel Energy and its contractor, CLEAResult, since 2023 to offer free Home Energy Squad® assessments to residents to help them understand how to lower energy their home’s use and where savings could be found. These assessments include in‑home or virtual evaluations with diagnostic testing, energy‑saving installs and a personalized summary of recommended upgrades, all designed to boost comfort and efficiency. By identifying air leaks, insulation gaps and other potential opportunities, the program helps residents reduce their energy bills and improve home performance and comfort.
• EOC Weatherization Program: CCOB has partnered with the Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) Weatherization Program since 2024 to help income-qualified residents improve home energy efficiency. The program provides free upgrades like insulation, air sealing and heating improvements. These upgrades reduce energy bills, improve comfort and enhance health and safety in homes.
• EV Resource Hub Webpage: The EV Resource Hub webpage was launched in 2025 to provide residents with a one-stop shop for electric vehicle (EV) information. It includes details on rebates, charging options, cost comparisons and local resources. The page helps residents make informed decisions about EV ownership and supports the transition to cleaner transportation.
• Charging Smart Cohort Designation: CCOB earned Silver Charging Smart designation in 2025 by participating in a regional cohort focused on improving EV readiness. The program recognizes communities that streamline EV permitting, expand charging access and provide clear information to residents. This designation helps make EV charging easier and more affordable for people who live and work in Broomfield.
• Residential Waste Services: Launched in Spring of 2025, Broomfield’s single-hauler Residential Waste Services program offers curbside pay-as-you-throw trash and recycling collection for single-family homes, townhomes, duplexes, and multi-family complexes with 7 units or less. The program is designed to reduce landfill waste, increase recycling and recycling access and reduce the number of trash trucks driving on neighborhood roads, all while supporting Broomfield’s zero waste and GHG emission reduction goals.

In April 2022, Broomfield City Council adopted Broomfield’s first Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan. Broomfield’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan outlines how the community can reduce climate-polluting emissions over time while supporting a healthy, resilient city. The plan focuses on the largest sources of emissions, energy use in homes and buildings, transportation, and waste, and identifies practical strategies to reduce emissions in each area.

The plan emphasizes community participation by highlighting actions residents, businesses, and the City can take, along with programs, incentives, and resources that make climate-friendly choices more accessible. Progress is tracked over time, with updates shared as new projects and initiatives move forward.

You can read more about the completed planning process, including how the community was involved, by reviewing the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan page on Broomfield Voice.

In 2021, the community weighed in on Broomfield’s energy and sustainability future. Broomfielders participated in dialogues, shared their ideas for reducing GHG emissions and ranked potential actions. Engagements included:

• Business outreach: meetings with large businesses and institutional players to find leaders and hear concerns
• Stakeholder focus groups: three small group conversations identified barriers to sustainability
• Public workshops (online and in person): community members participated in large group dialogues and ranked potential actions. Workshops were held July 14, July 22, Aug. 25 and Aug. 26.

Feedback from these engagements directly shaped the action recommendations in Broomfield’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan.

Resolution No. 2020-169 is a formal action adopted by the Broomfield City Council on Sept. 22, 2020 that established ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets for the community and the City government. It lays out clear goals for reducing climate-warming emissions across the community and for municipal operations.

This resolution is part of Broomfield’s broader sustainability effort focused on lowering carbon emissions, improving air quality, and helping the city contribute to global and state climate goals. It serves as the official policy foundation for planning, prioritizing, and tracking emissions reductions.