Larimer County says internal sustainability plan is showing progress across facilities, fleet and water use

Larimer County staff told commissioners Monday that the county’s Internal Climate Action, Resilience, and Education plan is posting measurable progress across building operations, fleet, purchasing, water conservation and employee programs, with updates largely falling into the plan’s “on track” and “emerging” categories. Sustainability coordinator Abby Stapleton said 15 county departments are involved in the effort, which is aimed at making county operations more sustainable.

Stapleton’s update highlighted several facilities and infrastructure projects already underway. She said the county completed an HVAC evaluation at the jail and is moving forward with a direct-air mechanical system, installed a new air curtain at the Fleet campus, and used reflective white roofing material on a Blue Arena project at The Ranch. She also said the county expects its Emergency Services geothermal project to be up and running in August, while longer-term work continues on replacing aging infrastructure at The Ranch with higher-efficiency systems.

The presentation also pointed to visible changes in county equipment and transportation. At The Ranch, Stapleton said handheld and walk-behind landscaping equipment has fully transitioned to battery power, with robotic mowers now covering large areas and another added this year for an event lawn expansion. She said installation of a charging station at the Blue Spruce campus is underway, and the county is planning to add two more electric vehicles after adding three last year, bringing the fleet to six fully electric vehicles and 26 hybrids. Heidi Vilhauer, director of Fleet Services, said maintenance costs on the electric vehicles have been "incredible" and that staff feedback has been positive.

Some measures showed mixed results rather than straightforward gains. Stapleton said environmentally friendly spending through Amazon and Office Depot dropped to 7.4%, but the number of eco-friendly products purchased rose by 5%. She said 26% of county requests for proposals included sustainability-related criteria last year, down from 76% in 2024, and said she is continuing to work with purchasing staff to encourage departments to include those questions.

Water use and landscaping updates showed some of the clearest numeric progress. Stapleton said average annual irrigation use at a set of nine county facilities fell from 12,563,817 gallons in 2021-23 to 11,502,381 gallons in 2024-25, a drop of about 1 million gallons. She said three turf replacement projects were completed this year, including work at Behavioral Health, the county administrative building and the Sheriff’s administration site. At the Loveland campus, staff reported a 49% reduction in water use tied to turf reduction work.

The update also covered employee-focused programs and community preparedness. Stapleton said a county commute survey found 13% of employees already use an alternative commute mode two or more days per week, with a goal of reaching 15% by 2030. Secure bike parking is set to be installed at the Blue Spruce campus within weeks, and a solution is still being developed for 200 W. Oak Street. In emergency preparedness, the Office of Emergency Management reported attending 16 community events so far this year and providing four educational sessions, after logging 17 events and 10 sessions in 2025.

Commissioner John Kefalas said he was "really heartened" by the update and praised the county for trying to "walk the talk." Commissioner Kristin Stephens said the work helps the county set an example for residents and businesses by showing it is willing to take the same steps it encourages in the broader community.