• 303-447-2848
  • Español: 303-444-3043

Environmental Sustainability Commitment

Built in 2010, Via’s facility at 2855 N. 63rd Street, on the eastern boundary of the city of Boulder, was designed and built to maximize the use of the most recent green building technology available and to minimize operating costs.

In June 2013, as part of the Boulder Earth Conference, Via was awarded the Green Building Star Award in the area of Best Green Commercial New Construction in recognition of demonstrated excellence in sustainable construction and design for its facility.  The award was given by the Colorado Green Builders Guild, an organization of building professionals dedicated to the education and promotion of high standards of green building design and materials use.

Via’s 53,000 square-foot facility incorporates green building features including:

  • a 97KW grid-connected solar photovoltaic system
  • low-VOC interior finishes and extensive daylight harvesting
  • extensive use of recycled materials
  • a radiant heat floor slab in the maintenance area
  • a heat recovery wheel and indirect and direct evaporative coolers as the HVAC system
  • domestic water heater utilizes no gas or electric source of energy
  • self-dimming and occupancy sensing lighting throughout the building
  • building envelope exceeds all compliance standards for wall and roof insulation and window glazing properties
  • a computerized Energy Management Control system provides 24-hour monitoring of all mechanical and plumbing systems

Via hired MKK Consulting Engineers to conduct a retro-commissioning of all the energy systems in the building in 2012.  The retro-commissioning was done to evaluate and ensure that all systems were optimized and working as promised by the original energy modeling recommendations.

Fleet

Via’s fleet utilizes electric, hybrid electric, compressed natural gas, clean diesel, and conventional gasoline as fuel sources.

Our paratransit fleet is comprised of 53 vehicles including 11 Prius hybrids, 26 traditional wheelchair accessible paratransit vehicles, and 16 MV-1 vehicles.

In 2018, Via worked with Lightning Systems to convert a 2004 diesel HOP bus into the fleet’s first electric bus.

We have made a commitment to reach net-zero transit:
1. By 2030 the City of Boulder’s HOP public transit buses, operated and maintained by Via, will be transformed to operate with near-zero tailpipe emissions. As of August 2022, Four of the 17 buses are electric.

2. By 2035, Via’s smaller paratransit vehicles will also operate with net-zero emissions.

In order to power these vehicles, Via will capture and store solar energy onsite. Our Boulder facility will build a microgrid equipped with a solar panel carport structure and charging stations.

 

Resiliency Hub

In 2016, Via was named Boulder’s first Resiliency Hub, leading to a partnership between Via, the City of Boulder, Boulder County and Pos-En, a sustainable engineering firm.

Through grants provided by the City of Boulder and Boulder County, Via was able to purchase the solar battery storage and natural gas generator required for off-grid operation, allowing Via to operate independently of the larger utility system to sustain a sheltering facility during a wide-scale disruption.

Sign up for the latest transportation news and service updates. Subscribe
🕭 Bypass phone calls and schedule your trips on our website or Via Colorado app!