The Mountaineers
Last month, we received the incredible news that The Mountaineers has been awarded a $324,000 Commercial & Industrial Decarbonization Grant from Puget Sound Energy for our Seattle Program Center (SPC) building electrification project.
When combined with the $150,000 grant secured from the City of Seattle’s Office of Sustainability & Environment in 2024, we now have full funding to convert the SPC’s natural gas furnace to high-efficiency heat pumps. We’re poised to begin work on this landmark energy reduction project in the coming months thanks to many years of tireless effort and leadership by our volunteer Carbon Footprint Reduction Committee and staff support from across the organization.
Transitioning to heat pumps will not only further decarbonize the Program Center and reduce our carbon footprint by eliminating the use of fossil fuels, it will provide air conditioning in key programing spaces like the Goodman and Cascade rooms. Upon completion of the project, Seattle-based summer camps and other events and activities will be held in much cooler, wildfire smoke-free spaces, like at our Tacoma Program Center.
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint One Project at a Time
As an organization that cares deeply about a healthy future for our lands, waters, and communities, we recognize our obligation to respond to the climate crisis by aggressively reducing our impact on the environment. The Mountaineers is committed to reducing our organizational carbon footprint toward the ambitious goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions for our facilities and operations.
We’ve already made significant progress in Tacoma - our first net zero facility - Seattle, and at our lodges. Reaching net zero carbon emissions for the Seattle Program Center will save an estimated 7,260 therms of natural gas and 85,000 lbs of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere each year. This carbon savings is equivalent to taking eight gas-powered cars off the road each year.
Funding the transition to heat pumps in Seattle and securing a key milestone for our organizational carbon footprint reduction efforts wouldn’t be possible without the vision, expertise, and grant application support from the Carbon Footprint Reduction Committee (CFR), including CFR Chair Geoff Lawrence and founding members Jim Burke and Charlie Michel.
“I’m deeply grateful to the Carbon Footprint Reduction Committee for their steadfast commitment to this important project,” says Mountaineers CEO Tom Vogl. “The committee's tenacity and hard work directly contributed to a stronger grant application and set us up for success in finally securing full funding for this project.”
Our successful application to Puget Sound Energy garnered high marks from reviewers and yielded strong support from Seattle Parks and Recreation and the City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment. These local government partners recognize The Mountaineers dedication and ongoing work toward net zero and the importance of projects like these to meeting building energy performance standards set by the city and state. In addition to strong external support, our application was celebrated for the comprehensive study, design, and scope of the project and our organizational commitment to equity and inclusion.
Achieving Net Zero for the Seattle Program Center
Following the installation of solar panels on the SPC’s roof in 2019, heat pump installation represents the last major piece of decarbonizing the Program Center. Securing these grants from Puget Sound Energy and the City of Seattle allows us to begin the long-anticipated transition away from gas-powered heating. Completion of the project will be an important step toward establishing the SPC as a community resilience hub capable of providing essential services to our community and neighbors during disasters and extended outages.
We intend to seek additional funding to undertake the following additional projects that will allow us to fully convert the Seattle Program Center to net zero facility:
- Adding solar capacity to our existing solar array and installing a battery backup system. During sunny months, our enhanced solar panel system is expected to generate more electricity than it consumes.
- Installing restroom occupancy sensors, reducing energy use by allowing the fans to turn off when spaces are unoccupied.
- Replacing the electric resistance water heater with a more energy-efficient heat pump water heater.
“Our decarbonization progress continues to be an example of what’s possible for other community-based organizations seeking to turn their climate values into action,” says Carbon Footprint Reduction Committee Chair Geoff Lawrence. “I look forward to the work ahead to finally achieve net zero at the Seattle Program Center.”
Forward Together
We expect work on the heat pumps installation project to begin later this spring. We’ll keep our community updated as that project progresses and we secure funds for these additional energy upgrades.
All of our progress to reduce the carbon footprint of Mountaineers facilities and operations wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community, and we’re truly grateful. By Mountaineers like you choosing to make carbon footprint reduction a part of your Mountaineers journey, we can continue to build a community where recreationists shape a better future for our climate and communities. Support this important work today by making a gift to The Mountaineers Net Zero Fund.
The Mountaineers greatly appreciates the investment and support of Puget Sound Energy and the City of Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment in our efforts to decarbonize and achieve net zero carbon emissions at the Seattle Program Center.
