By Dave Harris, chief operating officer at Collective Clean Energy Fund (CCEF)
Climate investments can play a vital role in preserving historical buildings by providing the resources needed to make these structures energy-efficient — without compromising their unique architectural features. Historic buildings often face challenges related to outdated insulation, inefficient heating and cooling systems, and poor energy performance, leading to high operational costs and environmental impacts. Climate-focused financing can support the careful retrofitting of these structures, enabling sustainable technology like high-efficiency HVAC systems, low-impact insulation, LED lighting, and renewable energy sources that blend seamlessly with historic elements.
These sustainable-focused funding sources can help restore and repurpose historical buildings, transforming them into community centers, museums, hotels, or other public spaces that serve modern needs while retaining cultural heritage. Renovations can protect the buildings from future climate impacts, such as extreme weather, making them more resilient for future generations.
Initiatives like those at the Foothills Art Center in Golden and the All Inn Hotel in Denver showcase how impactful, community-driven climate investments can protect infrastructure for years to come. Additionally, federal funding programs such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) offer exciting pathways to support our historic structures across the state.
Foothills Art Center: Merging Heritage and Sustainability
The Foothills Art Center has been a cornerstone of Golden’s arts and culture scene and a focal point for the community since 1968. They worked with the city of Golden to rehabilitate the historic Astor House, known as one of the oldest buildings in Colorado. Built in the late 1860s, the Astor House had been vacant for almost eight years before Foothills Art Center began renovations to create an art gallery space and community hub. As Foothills approached the need for energy upgrades, they worked with Collective Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) to provide gap financing to their $4.2 million renovation.
With support from various community partners, the Foothills Art Center and the Astor House will feature energy efficiency technologies including solar, insulation, new windows, LED lighting, and heat pump HVAC units. This project exemplifies how historic structures can evolve to meet today’s sustainability needs without compromising their historic significance. These improvements not only support energy efficiency but also enhance comfort and functionality for visitors and staff, making the space a more welcoming environment for the thousands who visit each year.
“Our mission is to create community through art. Unlike traditional lenders, we were able to move forward with a lower interest rate [and] favorable terms,” said Sherry McEachran, Finance Director of Foothills Art Center.
The All Inn Hotel: Reimagining Denver’s Historic Landmarks
In Denver, the All Inn Hotel, which holds a place on the National Register of Historic Places, has become a shining example of what historic preservation looks like in urban spaces. With the support of various financing, including CCEF’s Clean Conversion Loan, this historic hotel is receiving a series of clean energy upgrades designed to bring it into the modern era while honoring its place in Colorado’s history.
Each hotel room will include efficient mini-split heat pumps, low-flow plumbing, low U-factor windows, LED lighting, and increased insulation to improve comfort and retention with the changing seasons. The hotel owner will also install Tesla EV charging stations to support the rise in EV ownership. This project involved strong cooperation with various funding partners like PACE Equity, Denver Urban Renewal (TIF), State Historic Tax Credits, Colorado Historic Foundation, borrower equity, and CCEF. The All Inn Hotel will continue to serve the community as it has done for the last 65 years.
Climate Investments: Creating a Lasting Impact in the Community
Both the Foothills Art Center and All Inn Hotel represent the growing importance of climate investments for the community, which address sustainability challenges at a local level. These projects ensure that sustainable transformation doesn’t just serve environmental goals but also the needs within the community.
In Golden, the Foothills Art Center embodies how energy efficiency and cultural preservation can work together to enrich community art resources. In Denver, the All Inn Hotel’s upgrades will support job creation, stimulate economic growth through tourism, and demonstrate how climate investments can be deployed in historic preservation, benefiting the city at large. These projects have become catalysts for long-lasting, community-centered improvements.
Amplifying Impact with the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) is an unprecedented opportunity to fund projects that preserve history while achieving significant environmental impact. As a model for leveraging the GGRF, the Foothills Art Center and All Inn Hotel projects serve as powerful examples of how climate investments can bring communities together to make significant strides in reducing carbon emissions, preserving local history, and strengthening economies.
Interested in accessing low-cost financing for retrofit projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Click here to view Collective Clean Energy Fund’s Request for Information (RFI) enabled by the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) National Clean Investment Fund and submit your project for consideration.
