Taking it to Zero, one household at a time

FortZED is an initiative using Smart Grid and renewable energy technologies to create a zero energy district centered in Downtown Fort Collins. The Community Energy Challenge is FortZED's first campaign to reach residential energy consumers - challenging them to be more energy efficient. On a tight budget, Toolbox needed to create a sense of identity and foster friendly competition among the residents of 31 sections of the district.

On their honeymoon trip to Italy last year (the furthest they've been from work in 8 years) Toolbox principals Dawn and Tom visited Sienna, which is divided into 17 parishes with mascots that range from dragons to turtles. These parishes proudly display their mascots and compete in a madcap 75-second horse race in the center or town.

If it's worked in Sienna since the Renaissance, it could fly in Fort Collins. The 31 sections were assigned animal mascots, pack leaders were recruited and we posed the question: what pack do you run with? Launched in mid-September, the FortZED Community Energy Challenge has been enthusiastically received and is well on it's way to signing up 1,000 households.