Fort Collins

Fort Collins Utilities transitioned from the Home Efficiency Loan Program (HELP) to the more comprehensive Epic Homes program in 2018. Epic Homes provides low-interest loans up to $25,000 for energy efficiency retrofits, rooftop solar PV, and water conservation, with repayments integrated into monthly utility bills. The program leverages partnerships with entities like the Colorado Clean Energy Fund and Vectra Bank to secure long-term capital, specifically targeting low- and medium-income households and rental properties to improve health and equity.

• Fort Collins established ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets: 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, 80 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, and a goal to be carbon neutral by 2050.
• Between 2013 and the time of the report, on-bill financing programs managed by Fort Collins Utilities issued 211 loans totaling $2,284,400 for energy efficiency investments, reporting zero defaults.
• The Epic Homes program provides loans up to $25,000 with repayment terms up to 15 years. Interest rates are tiered by repayment window: 2.95 percent for 3-5 years, 3.15 percent for 7-10 years, and 3.25 percent for 11-15 years.
• Epic Homes secures affordable long-term capital through partnerships, including $3.25 million over 15 years from Vectra Bank via the Colorado Clean Energy Fund, and $3.3 million from U.S. Bank and the Colorado Energy Office.
• The program targets residential properties including single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhomes, and rental properties, though multistory condo units are excluded. Loan eligibility requires a minimum FICO score of 640 and six months of utility payment history.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (n.d.). Fort Collins. https://www.eesi.org/obf/case-study/FortCollins

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Fort Collins. n.d. https://www.eesi.org/obf/case-study/FortCollins.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Fort Collins |url=https://www.eesi.org/obf/case-study/FortCollins |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitutendfort, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Fort Collins}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, url = {https://www.eesi.org/obf/case-study/FortCollins}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }