Leading by Example: How the Town of Vail Is Driving Climate Action Through Innovation 

In the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Town of Vail is doing more than protecting the environment, it’s reimagining what’s possible when a community leads with purpose. Known for its natural beauty, deep-rooted commitment to stewardship, and bold climate goals, Vail has taken another significant step forward in its sustainability journey. Facing the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions with goals of 50% reduction by 2030 and future-proof its infrastructure, the Town didn’t wait for solutions to come to it. Instead, Vail charted a proactive path, one that is already delivering measurable benefits for its people, its economy, and the planet.

In summer of 2024, McKinstry was competitively selected to perform an Investment Grade Audit of the Town of Vail’s facilities to identify key measures to implement through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC). This process will help to progress the Town’s climate action plan, electrify key facilities, develop the Town’s first geothermal system, deploy additional EV charging, and address deferred maintenance and end-of-life equipment throughout the municipal facilities.

Most importantly, the ESPC will lay the foundation for the Town’s first Energy District node at the Dobson Ice Arena and Vail Public Library which will help to support a long-term vision to create a decentralized, resilient energy network across Vail’s municipal footprint. These projects represent more than infrastructure upgrades, they are proof points of Vail’s leadership, demonstrating what a future-focused, climate-conscious community can accomplish with a thermal energy network (TEN). 

The Town of Vail has contracted with The Grey Edge Group to perform initial engineering efforts around the envisioned TEN that would extend beyond just the library and ice arena. McKinstry is working alongside the Town and The Grey Edge Group on a parallel path to develop a business model, governance structure, and ownership model for the larger TEN effort. At the heart of this effort is a deep partnership with McKinstry and a holistic blueprint for energy transformation across the entire community.

Both efforts have kicked off and will move into subsequent phases in late 2025. The ESPC is expected to be funded through energy savings, grants, investment tax credits, and rebates.

The proposed ESPC project is developing measures with the potential to have the following results:

• An anticipated 1,180 to 1,295 metric tons of carbon offset annually
• 11%–12% reduction in carbon emissions
• 22%–23% decrease in overall energy use
• Net-zero emissions achieved at the Vail Public Library
• Town’s first geothermal system installed at the library
• Battery storage pilot launched at the Donovan Pavilion
• EV charging infrastructure expanded to multiple key locations
• Improved lighting quality in parking garages with modernized LED systems
• Over $1M in avoided equipment replacement costs at end of life
• $5M in projected lifecycle energy savings
• More than $3M reinvested into the local economy through local contractors

What sets Vail apart is not just its ambition, but its action. These projects are the result of clear vision, strategic investment, and authentic collaboration. By prioritizing sustainability not only as an environmental value but as a community and economic imperative, Vail is setting a powerful example for other mountain towns and resort communities across the country.

McKinstry is proud to be walking alongside Vail as a strategic partner, helping to bring technical expertise, data-driven planning, and real-world implementation to the Town’s forward-thinking goals. But the true hero of this story is Vail itself: a town that proves climate action is not only necessary, it’s possible and that local leadership can spark lasting, meaningful change.

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