Liberty School District J-4 Secures $1.9M in Geothermal Funding from the Colorado Energy Office, with Millig Design Build Partnership

DENVER, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Colorado Energy Office (CEO) has awarded Liberty Schools J-4 School District a total of $1.9M in funding as part of a State initiative to support geothermal HVAC projects across Colorado.

Funding from CEO was made available through three sources; The Geothermal Energy Grant Program (GEGP); The Geothermal Energy Tax Credit Offering (GETCO); and The Public Buildings Electrification Grant (PBEG). The district received funding from all three sources.

GEGP and GETCO funding is specifically designated for HVAC renovations that utilize geothermal technology. The awarded PBEG funds will support the cost of transitioning from fossil fuels to high-efficiency electric heat pumps that will serve as the building's primary heat source.

Liberty School District selected Millig Design Build as their comprehensive turnkey service provider. Millig will be responsible for the complete project cycle; including initial design development, full-scale implementation of the geothermal HVAC systems, and ongoing post-construction support.

"Partnering with Millig Design Build from the onset of this project has been seamless and the best decision for our district" said Rhonda Puckett, Liberty's Superintendent, "Millig was instrumental in securing nearly $2M in grant funding through the Colorado Energy Office. Millig guided Liberty School District through every step of the process, and we truly could not have done any of this without them. It's clear that Millig understands the unique needs of our district and has truly invested in our school and our vision for a sustainable future."

Liberty School's facilities currently include several failing systems that require immediate attention. These include a completely failed gymnasium's heating unit and an outdated hydronic system. Additionally, the absence of both a cooling system and a ventilation system raises concerns about the comfort, health, and safety standards within the building.

"Unfortunately, hydronic heating systems in these older school buildings were not designed for adequate cooling or ventilation, a challenge Liberty School District has faced for many years," said Aaron Tilden, PE, Senior Project Developer, Millig Design Build. "We are proud to be selected as their turnkey service provider for this crucial initiative. It is time to bring this facility into the 21st century with a state-of-the-art ground-source HVAC system that will help provide a healthy, safe, and comfortable learning environment."

The Millig team performed a thorough facility analysis and is moving forward with plans to install a new Ground-Coupled Variable Refrigerant Flow system which will provide energy-efficient heating and cooling, while Energy Recovery Ventilators will ensure optimal indoor air quality and a new Packaged Rooftop Unit for the gymnasium will address the previous heating unit failure.

The project will be completed in two phases, all construction is scheduled to be completed by Fall of 2025.

About Millig Design Build
Millig Design Build is an integrated engineering, design, and construction firm specializing in turnkey facility improvements that address energy efficiency, building health and safety, and core infrastructure needs. We serve clients nationwide from four strategic offices in Kansas; Colorado; Oregon; and Washington; For more information, visit milligdb.com

Media Contact Information:
Veronica Guerrero | [email protected]

SOURCE Millig Design Build