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SustainableBreck Plan

High Impact Complex High Cost 3+ Years

Project Overview

In 2011, the Town of Breckenridge implemented its inaugural SustainableBreck Plan. The plan primarily focused on broad sustainability goals paired with solutions for community and residential issues. The 2022 iteration of the plan was built through large-scale community engagement. Gathering feedback from residents and visitors over a six-month period helped determine which goals and strategies were included. The updated plan features five focus areas: energy, water, materials management, climate action, and mobility. Each focus area has its own targets and strategies to reach them. The plan also outlines the co-benefits of each action for the community, including resource savings, operational cost savings, public health, and resilience. Ultimately, the SustainableBreck Plan aims to take Breckenridge to a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 and an 80% reduction by 2050.

As of 2026, Breckenridge has made good progress on the initiatives in the SustainableBreck Plan. For energy, town facilities now run on 63% renewable energy, and home electrification rebate programs are available to residents. For transportation, the town installed 44 new public EV charging ports, introduced 5 battery-electric Free Ride buses, and installed 38 e-bike hubs for shared mobility. For climate action, Breckenridge protected 4,800 acres of open space for wildlife, carbon storage, and recreation.

These achievements have been made possible through resident and visitor events and communications, research and planning based on local interest, and collaborations and partnerships both locally and externally. For example, the e-bike program included targeted outreach to help residents and visitors learn about the service, local data on community needs determined where e-bike hubs were placed, and partnerships with other organizations brought in the funding needed to complete installations.

Breckenridge is still actively working toward its climate goals through the strategies set out in the plan while staying adaptable to current resources and priorities. As a result, some targets, like the town’s water and waste diversion goals, have had their target years updated to reflect realistic expectations and keep the town on a path toward long-term progress.

Progress by Focus Area

Energy

  • Partnered with the High Country Conservation Center (HC3) on the Solarize Summit program, offering incentives and rebates to residents installing solar panels, as well as energy assessments.
  • Partnered with Xcel Energy to help the community improve energy efficiency through electrification programs and assessments.
  • Partnered with HC3 to implement EnergySmart Colorado’s electrification program, which includes site visits, energy assessments, and equipment rebates for commercial and residential customers.
  • Adopted the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code, with above-code provisions for large homes to encourage building electrification and require new developments to make infrastructure energy and water efficient.
  • Adopted the Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (REMP) in 2023 to address mitigation strategies for outdoor energy use.

Water

  • Implemented Municipal Code Title 12-1-21, which prohibits irrigation at designated hours and days to reduce water consumption and conserve water supplies.
  • Offered WaterSmart assessments in partnership with HC3 to review irrigation systems and provide rebates, fixes, inspections, and efficiency recommendations. The program was released alongside the Water Efficiency Plan in 2018.
  • Updated the Water Efficiency Plan to incorporate water conservation into the town’s comprehensive planning process.

Materials Management

  • Established a Universal Recycling Ordinance for commercial properties and HOAs, requiring each location to have a recycling setup with at least 50% of the capacity of its regular trash containers.
  • Implemented a Pay-As-You-Throw program, where a customer’s garbage bill depends on the size of their trash container, formalized under Ordinance No. 24, Series 2022.
  • Established partnerships for recycling various materials, including cooking grease, glass, and food scraps.
  • Adopted plastic pollution Ordinance No. 12, Series 2023, banning single-use plastic to-go containers and utensils and water bottles under 1 gallon in size.
  • Implemented Bring-Your-Own (BYO) programs for bags and water bottles as an extension of Ordinance No. 12, Series 2023. Breckenridge has installed water filling stations, and partner businesses take $0.25 off for each disposable bag a customer avoids.

Climate Action

  • Became a member of Colorado Communities for Climate Action (CC4CA), a coalition that advocates for state-level climate policy on behalf of member communities, with Breckenridge’s Jessie Burley serving as Board Chair.
  • Joined the Summit County Wildfire Protection Plan, which helps communities build wildfire resilience through grant programs, actionable prevention and emergency plans, and preparedness recommendations.
  • Adopted the Summit County Climate Action Plan, which offers additional resources and pathways to reduce emissions across sectors.

Transportation and Mobility

  • Partnered with Xcel Energy on public EV charging infrastructure, for a total of 48 town-owned charging ports plus two Xcel-owned DC fast chargers available for public use at the South Branch Library.
  • Implemented the Free Ride bus system, including five electric buses, giving visitors and residents a sustainable way to get around town, with routes designed to cover all main access points and frequently used areas.
  • Implemented the Breck E-Ride system, which lets visitors and residents rent e-bikes for short trips around town from May through October.

Lessons Learned

Pairing Strategies with Co-Benefits

Each strategy in the plan is tied to a co-benefit, a reason residents support it beyond the environmental benefits alone. By showing that strategies deliver multiple benefits at once, this approach helps avoid pushback that can come from focusing only on climate change.

Tailoring Messaging to Diverse Audiences

Breckenridge gained support for sustainability initiatives by using targeted messaging and engagement to reach residents, business owners, and visitors. Targeted messaging is more effective and increases the chances of success for programs and projects.

Designing Programs that Prioritize Residents

Some of Breckenridge’s transportation programs, like the Breck E-Ride system, were built with residents in mind rather than tourists. Bike hubs were placed near workforce housing, and pricing was structured to make short daily trips affordable for locals while encouraging those seeking longer recreational rides to visit local bike shops. Prioritizing residents also helped avoid competing with existing local businesses.

Funding through Grants

Electrification and other sustainability projects tend to be expensive and require large investments. Applying for and winning external grants can significantly increase available funding and improve a project’s potential for long-term success by expanding its scale or timeline. Grants that have funded these programs include the Colorado Department of Transportation’s Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options Fund and the Colorado Energy Office’s Energy Code Adoption and Enforcement Grant.

Reinforcing Programs with Legal Action

When local governments pair programs with ordinances or mandates that support emission, waste, and consumption reduction goals, residents and businesses are more likely to take the required actions. Policy also creates room for enforcement, which wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Examples include Ordinance No. 24, Series 2022 and Ordinance No. 12, Series 2023.