State of Colorado, Department of Corrections

The Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC), part of the state government, manages correctional facilities across Colorado. Responsible for a significant utility budget, DOC partnered with EnergyCAP for utility management since approximately 2010. 

The State of Colorado has redefined energy management by adopting EnergyCAP, a comprehensive utility management software, through the Colorado Energy Office. By transitioning from outdated methods focused solely on cost expenditures to a statewide, integrated approach, Colorado has achieved measurable improvements in operational efficiency, cost savings, and environmental impact.

Challenges

Prior to implementing EnergyCAP, Colorado’s energy management practices centered around paying utility bills with little focus on analyzing energy usage patterns or understanding their implications. This lack of insight limited the state’s ability to make informed decisions about energy consumption and sustainability goals. 

Joan Chavez, Utility Program Manager and key member of the Department of Corrections (DOC) Utility Team, emphasized the need for a more sophisticated system: “Before using EnergyCAP, our energy management was just about paying the bills without a real connection to usage patterns and implications.”

Process

The journey to integrated energy management began when EnergyCAP was introduced through the Colorado Energy Office, ensuring a consistent statewide implementation. The DOC Utility Team played a pivotal role in the transition, particularly during the data migration phase. Their expertise ensured a smooth shift from spreadsheets to EnergyCAP’s advanced platform.

According to Joan, “EnergyCAP was introduced through the Colorado Energy Office, pushing it statewide for consistent and effective energy management. Transitioning to EnergyCAP allowed us to move from spreadsheets to a sophisticated system where dashboards deliver immediate insights.”

Solution

EnergyCAP’s implementation introduced advanced reporting tools and intuitive dashboards, providing real-time insights into utility usage and costs. Automated reporting streamlined previously manual processes, allowing teams to focus on strategic initiatives. With the availability of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding, the state leveraged EnergyCAP to facilitate Level Four energy audits, enabling engineers to identify actionable changes to reduce carbon footprints with ease. 

Joan highlighted the impact: “Using EnergyCAP, we’ve automated several key reporting processes and now have real-time access to our data, which enhances not just operational efficiency but also our strategic planning capacity.”

Results

Since adopting EnergyCAP, Colorado has realized several key benefits:

• Operational efficiency: Automated reporting has freed up staff time, allowing for better focus on critical tasks. Joan noted, “I’ve been able to take things off my to-do list, like sending automated reports for staff who need to fill out trackers for the Department of Health.” 

• Cost savings: Detailed analytics and real-time insights have driven informed decision-making, resulting in substantial reductions in utility costs. 

• Environmental impact: By identifying usage patterns and implementing data-driven changes, the state has showcased significant reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions. 

• Enhanced audit support: EnergyCAP has simplified the process of providing engineers with the necessary data to complete Level Four audits, accelerating sustainability initiatives.

Since fiscal 2015, Chavez reports, “Normalized for weather, we are down 19% on our electric, down over 20% on our water.” EnergyCAP facilitated a significant uptick in utility awareness and efficiency, automating complex billing procedures and enabling cost avoidance quantification. “We’ve got a lot of successes that aren’t being tracked as such,” Chavez concluded, underscoring the potential for further efficiency gains.

Conclusion

The State of Colorado’s adoption of EnergyCAP has transformed its approach to energy management. By moving beyond cost expenditure tracking to integrated energy analysis, the state has set a benchmark for operational efficiency, cost savings, and environmental stewardship. 

As Joan concluded, “EnergyCAP has changed how we manage energy. The transition to this platform has been instrumental in helping us achieve our sustainability goals while improving operational efficiency.”