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If things go as planned, The Learning Source building in Lakewood will get a makeover that will reduce its energy costs by 50 percent. According to executive director Susan Lithgoe, it will mean a savings of $20,000 a year.
"Any cost savings can be redirected into programs and for every $1,000 we save per year, it will educate three adults for an entire year," Lithgoe said.
The nonprofit provides family literacy programs in Aurora, Denver and Lakewood. The Lakewood location is the former Villa Library, a near 12,000 square-foot building constructed in 1968.
The brick and glass building was the focus of attention last week when the Greening Lakewood Business Initiative was introduced by Mayor Bob Murphy and George Valuck, director of the Alameda Gateway Community Association.
The goal of the initiative, which includes several businesses and nonprofits, is to retrofit existing buildings in Lakewood to make them more energy efficient, provide training and jobs and increase potential reinvestment.
TLS is the first one to get the fixes, which Lithgoe said would happen in 2010. She said a response to a grant proposal from the Governor's Energy Office was expected to come in mid-November.
Red Rocks Community College came on board to offer classes on how to do energy audits, something adjunct professor Deacon Taylor is teaching to military veterans
"We strongly oppose tearing down buildings and replacing them," said Taylor, who trains students on how to evaluate old buildings for energy upgrades. Each class of 12 will inspect three buildings during the semester.
Inspections include checking the heating, electrical, mechanical and roofing systems.
"Our objective is to work with what the owners are using the building for. The real benefit is that the clients are able to use the buildings more effectively, because they are more comfortable," said Taylor.
Taylor said the exterior of the TLS building would be wrapped in two inches of rigid foam insulation with a stucco finish and the lighting system would include a photo sensor and solo tube skylights.
For more information about the Greening Lakewood Business Partnership, contact Valuck at 303-274-1807 or e-mail
agcagv@qwestoffice.net.