As climate change fuels more frequent extreme weather and older buildings increasingly pose health risks, Boulder is turning to residents, workers, and business owners for input on creating a safer, healthier, and more equitable built environment.
City officials have launched a public questionnaire, open through June 1, to gather community feedback on enhancing indoor air quality, increasing energy efficiency, and boosting resilience in aging homes and businesses. This survey is part of Boulder’s “Healthy Buildings, Stronger Community” initiative, which aims to upgrade structures that often fall short of modern standards, particularly in neighborhoods disproportionately affected by climate change and health inequities.
“Buildings are where we spend most of our time, and how we design and maintain them has a direct impact on our health, comfort, and quality of life,” said Carolyn Elam, Sustainability Senior Manager with Boulder’s Climate Initiatives Department, in a press release. “This project is about understanding what people need to improve their spaces, and how the city can support those efforts.”
Research highlighted in Boulder’s Healthy Buildings roadmap shows that Black, Latino, and Native American communities face higher housing and energy cost burdens and are more likely to live in homes vulnerable to extreme weather and poor indoor air quality. These conditions contribute to worsened health outcomes, including asthma and other respiratory illnesses. To tackle these disparities, the city’s roadmap prioritizes support for renters, manufactured home residents, low-income households, and small businesses, while focusing building upgrades on shelters and affordable housing.
Boulder’s strategy includes targeted policies and resources designed to promote equitable outcomes while minimizing economic strain and displacement risks for vulnerable groups such as renters, older adults on fixed incomes, and families with limited financial means.
Research and community engagement will continue through spring 2025. The final roadmap will be released in summer 2025, and implementation is planned through 2035.
City leaders say insights gathered from the questionnaire will shape a comprehensive, long-term plan focused on public health, energy savings, and equity. Survey participants also have the chance to win one of twenty $100 grocery gift cards.
This effort is a key part of Boulder’s broader climate action plan, which aims to reduce emissions and prepare the city infrastructure to withstand the increasing challenges posed by climate change.
Residents and workers can complete the survey online at bouldercolorado.gov.
