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Regional agencies and utilities form Building Decarbonization Network to coordinate incentives, messaging and contractor supports
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Summary
DRCOG outlined the Building Decarbonization Network (BDN), a regional coordination effort among DRCOG, Xcel Energy, the Colorado Energy Office, Rewiring America, Collective Clean Energy Fund and others to align program design, messaging, contractor lists and workforce training as major federal and utility funds are deployed.
DRCOG staff described a new collaborative called the Building Decarbonization Network (BDN), a cross‑sector effort to coordinate program design, market‑shaping messaging and workforce and contractor supports as large federal, state and utility funds flow into Colorado for heat pump and efficiency programs.
DRCOG staff member Mac said the network includes DRCOG, Xcel Energy, the Colorado Energy Office (CEO), Rewiring America, the Collective Clean Energy Fund and other regional partners. He noted major investments across the state — the Colorado Energy Office’s $140 million award tied to Inflation Reduction Act programs, Xcel Energy’s approximately $441 million Clean Heat plan and DRCOG’s $200 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant — and said the scale of funding makes coordination essential to avoid duplicative or confusing programs.
Clay and other staff described how the BDN convened in November and has since formed three working groups focused on program mechanics, market shaping and messaging, and workforce/contractor support. The groups have worked on journey mapping, a shared contractor list, common application and technical specifications and aligning contractor training and quality‑installation verification standards. Clay said the effort aims to “streamline the customer experience” and to treat contractors as a key customer group.
Participants discussed workforce pipeline and contractor capacity. DRCOG noted five green workforce hubs are being launched in the region with the goal of adding 3,800 new workers to the industry; Xcel Energy has launched a clean energy careers program and other trainings have seen substantial contractor attendance. Sergio Cordova of the local Pipefitters Union described the union’s apprenticeship program and said interest is strong; he reported the union is conducting ongoing interviews for new apprentices and works with dozens of service and mechanical contractors across the metro region.
BDN participants said they have mapped 12 program mechanics issues to resolve — from shared contractor lists to consistent equipment specifications and quality installation verification — and plan a May in‑person workshop and continued frequent meetings. DRCOG staff said they are working toward hosting an aggregated contractor list on DRCOG’s website as a single resource for consumers and contractors across programs.
Why it matters: multiple large funding streams and program administrators operating in the same geography can create market confusion, inconsistent technical requirements and administrative burden for contractors. The BDN’s explicit goal is to coordinate program rules, messaging and workforce supports to accelerate market transformation without fragmenting the contractor marketplace.
