Alliance Center: Denver, CO

The Building Already Built

When the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado bought a century-old converted warehouse in 2004, the nonprofit had barely moved in before it started tinkering to improve building performance. The organization, which seeks to advance sustainability, renovated the space into a multi-tenant nonprofit center, reducing energy use to 42 kBtu/ft2, despite increased occupancy. The project provides examples of ongoing, cost-effective and relatively simple measures to reduce building energy consumption and reduce environmental impact. Several hundred visitors a year learn about the building’s strategies during tours, and monthly “dine-a-logues” bring interested people together for talks and conversations on sustainability-related topics.