Frisco Sustainability Initiatives and Programs

Contact Info

Hilary Sueoka

Environmental Programs Coordinator
970-668-4571
Email

The Town of Frisco has long shown thoughtfulness around sustainability issues and expressed this through efforts such as zero waste events, installing solar on Town buildings, the purchase of hybrid town vehicles and more. In their 2019-2020 Strategic Plan, Frisco Town Council committed to doing even more to collaboratively protect and sustain our treasured environment by ensuring that new development achieves a balance between the natural and built environment and implementing initiatives to address climate change and protect our vibrant mountain resources.

Summit Community Climate Action Plan

In April 2019, Frisco Town Council adopted the 2019 Summit Community Climate Action Plan through a resolution. The Plan is the product of the Summit Climate Action Collaborative, a group of communities, businesses and organizations who funded and provided input on the plan. In addition to allowing Frisco to help fulfill its own sustainability goals, the Climate Action Plan project was intended to help the Town meet its Compact for Colorado Communities commitments, which Frisco signed on to in September 2017. The Plan sets overall goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Summit County 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050, and outlines key priorities:

  • Renewable energy: Reduce emissions from electricity use 100% by 2035.
  • Building energy: Reduce emissions from building energy use 21% by 2030 and 36% by 2050.
  • Transportation: Reduce emissions from transportation 25% by 2030 and 91% by 2050.
  • Waste: Reduce emissions from waste 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050.
  • Forests: Maintain forest cover county-wide and improve forest resilience to climate impacts.

Energy Action Plan

The Town of Frisco works closely with High Country Conservation Center (HC3) and Xcel Energy to conserve energy resources and move towards a renewable energy future. To build on these efforts, the Town developed an Energy Action Plan through Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy with an energy vision, goal, and strategies to guide Town staff, residents, and businesses. This Energy Action Plan supports the Town’s existing resolution to reach 100% renewable energy by 2035 and its support of the 2019 Summit Community Climate Action Plan. In addition to plan development, the two-year program is designed to support Frisco in motivating action, tracking progress, and celebrating and promoting successes. This plan also offers opportunities for Frisco to leverage additional resources, identify cost savings, support economic development, and save energy. The Energy Action team selected four focus areas to prioritize strategies and resources: residents, businesses & institutions, municipal facilities, and regional partnerships. The team also identified several strategies to include education, outreach, support, expanded rebates, and expansion of the Solarize Summit program to meet energy goals.

Read the Energy Action Plan

Energy Conservation Programs

Save your energy for the mountains and check out the programs offered by the Town of Frisco, HC3, and Xcel Energy that can help you save money!

The Resource Wise Business Program is a voluntary free program that recognizes and encourages businesses to add sustainability strategies into their day to day operations. The program promotes energy savings and waste reduction opportunities for businesses, which in turn also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To find out more visit the Resource Wise Business Program page on HC3’s website or call HC3 at 970-668-5703.

Take advantage of energy assessments, equipment rebates, energy use tracking and cost savings programs from Xcel Energy when making improvements to your business.

The Energy Smart Program partnership between the Town of Frisco and HC3 is a voluntary residential program to assist homeowners in making energy improvements. An Energy Smart auditor will perform a home safety and energy audit of your home, after which, the program will assist homeowners in implementing energy upgrades to their homes.

To find out more visit the Energy Smart Program page on HC3’s website or call HC3 at 970-668-5703.

Wind and Solar

Frisco residents and businesses are eligible to participate in the Solarize Summit program to receive up to $1,800 in rebates for installing solar energy systems through this program. More information for 2023 is coming soon, and a waitlist signup for 2023 is available.

Not ready for a solar installation? Homeowners, renters, and business can still benefit from solar and wind energy by signing up for solar or wind subscriptions and save money on their Xcel energy bill!

Learn more about our solar initiatives

Water Conservation

The Town of Frisco is committed to protecting the quantity and quality of our water, and offers several programs that empower and incentivize Frisco residents and businesses to conserve water and lower their water bill.

Explore water efficiency programs

Electric Vehicle Readiness

In an ongoing effort to transition to and encourage use of electric vehicles, the Town of Frisco added two new dual-port electric vehicle charging stations on 3rd Avenue between Main Street and Granite Street for a total of five dual-port charging stations. In addition to the new and existing EV chargers on 3rd Avenue, there are EV chargers at the Frisco Bay Marina by the playground and at the Frisco Adventure Day Lodge. Frisco was awarded a grant from Charge Ahead Colorado to install the multi-port stations.

On January 1, 2023, the Town of Frisco began implementing a fee of $.25 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the use of the Town’s electric vehicle charging stations. An overstay charge of $20/hour after four hours (up to $50) will also apply in order to promote turnover at the charging stations and allow more users to charge their vehicles. While all charging stations have been free to users up until December 31, 2022, the intent has always been to transition these stations to fee-based usage after an initial promotional period.

The stations locations are listed on charging station location apps like ChargePoint and PlugShare.