While Doug Jones is no stranger to dusty attics and dark crawl spaces, he’ll tell you that the future is bright. As the Energy Program Director at the Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG), he leads a team that helps hundreds of locals make their homes energy efficient in the face of frigid Rocky Mountain winters. The result? Reduced energy use and significant savings on heating costs.

When Doug started at NWCCOG in 1999 as an insulation and air sealing technician, the Energy Team focused solely on supporting extremely low-income homeowners. He quickly realized that he shared his family’s passion for helping people in need. He also discovered that more residents needed help weatherizing their homes.

“If we’re going to make a difference on climate change, it’s not just very low-income residents who need our support,” said Jones.

Over time, Doug worked his way through increasing roles and responsibilities at NWCCOG. Upon becoming the Director of the Energy Program in 2016, he brought his vision to life by expanding the Teams’ work to support more residents and more income levels than ever before. Today, his team of 31 weatherizes more than 200 homes each year across Summit County and the region.

While he’s quick to credit his staff for that success, they in turn point to Doug’s leadership as the catalyst for their increasing impact.

“Doug inspires our whole team to do the best we can, to help people save energy and have safer homes,” said Dan Mayberry, CARE Program Manager for NWCCOG.

The NWCCOG’s Outreach Manager Emily Hoskins also noted that Doug is very passionate about fighting climate change and really cares for his employees. “He leads by example and I love working for him.”

Doug recognizes that the time to act on climate is now. He enjoys his work supporting both his team and the community.

“I look forward to my day. I look forward to helping people save energy and save greenhouse gas emissions.”

Thanks to local leaders like Doug, the future is bright indeed.

Doug Jones is the 2024 recipient of the Tim McClure Lifetime Achievement Award, which annually recognizes a dynamic leader who has contributed to the greater sustainability of our community. Read more about all the 2024 Green Scene Award winners, and see how you can work with HC3 to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.