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Green briefs

Staff report
Aspen Skiing Co.'s Elk Camp restaurant at Snowmass Ski Area earned LEED Silver designation for its energy-efficient design.
Jeremy Swanson/courtesy photo |

Elk Camp earns LEED Silver

Aspen Skiing Co.’s Elk Camp Restaurant has received its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver Designation.

The structure at Snowmass Ski Area is Skico’s fifth building to get recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Sundeck Restaurant on Aspen Mountain was one of the first 11 structures to get LEED certification in the world. It received a bronze designation in 1999.



Skico other award winters are the Snowmass Golf Clubhouse, silver, (no longer owned by the company), Holiday House employee housing, platinum and Sam’s Smokehouse, gold. Skico’s new Limelight Hotel in Ketchum, Idaho, is also expected to earn LEED designation.

“LEED certification means Elk Camp uses only the energy it needs. It helps ensure responsible operations, and it minimizes impact on the surrounding environment,” said project manager Mark Vogele.




Elk Camp beats 2009 International Conservation Code by 32 percent, in large part through a computerized energy-management system, high-efficiency glass and building envelope, 95 percent or greater mechanical equipment efficiency, and LED and fluorescent lighting.

Red fox takes center stage

An expert on the red fox will share what he has learned through his research as part of the Naturalist Nights series in Carbondale and Aspen.

Patrick Magee, director of Thornton Biology Research Program at Western Colorado University and his students have studied the red fox population around Gunnison for decades. They have used radio telemetry, tracking and genetics to compile a comprehensive data pool.

“Because humans are their most prominent threat, he will discuss the tensions that have emerged between the two species and possible solutions,” said promotional material about the event. “Additionally, he will demonstrate how to interpret signs imprinted in the snow by foxes during the winter months, and what this tells us about their cold weather habits.”

The Naturalist Nights series is presented by Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Wilderness Workshop and Roaring Fork Audubon. The presentation will be at the Third Street Center in Carbondale on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and at ACES at Hallam Lake on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Tie your flies at Basalt

A friendly little fly-tying competition will be launched in Basalt at the Riverside Grill Jan. 28 just for the heck of it.

The Iron Fly Competition will be held Thursday, Jan. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. The competition is free, but participants should register in advance by emailing Tom Skutley at rfvffc@gmail.com.

The organizers will provide competitors with secret materials that must be used in each fly. All competitors must bring what they need to tie flies and be willing to share some of their supplies.

The event is being hosted by the Roaring Fork Conservancy and Roaring Fork Valley Fly Fishing Club.

CORE provides rebates for efficiency

The Community Office for Resource Efficiency is reminding residents of the Roaring Fork Valley that $1,000 rebates are available per household for energy efficiency upgrades and $6,000 per household for renewable energy systems.

The upgrades can range from swapping out inefficient lights to retrofitting a heating system.

“We’ve added a few new rebates, including rebates for Energy Star refrigerators and ductless heat pumps,” CORE said in a news release. “We also have custom rebates available for projects that are projected to greatly reduce energy usage.”

For more information on the rebate rules, go to http://www.energysmartcolorado.com/rebates/?utm_source=New+Rebates+and+a+New+Years+Resolution+for+your+Whole+Family&utm_campaign=June+2015+Newsletter&utm_medium=email.