Riverbend Retreat Center in Glen Rose

Alton Belew’s Riverbend Retreat Center will host 27,000 campers this year. The campground has been hosting retreats and campers for more than 40 years. While the center has been aggressive integrating energy-efficiency building standards into new buildings, it’s still updating some of the older buildings.

Belew applied for a First Choice Power Reduce Your Use Grant to add a radiant barrier to a cabin that will be updated for use next spring.

Radiant barriers repel about 60 to 70 percent of the heat from the sun that ordinarily would be absorbed in the attic.

“We’ve already seen one-third savings so far,” Belew said noting one of the cabin’s that was built with a radiant barrier.

Todd Clift of First Choice Power  also came out to inspect the efficiency ratings of some of the older AC units at Riverbend Retreat Center.

Belew added that he encourages all his campers to practice a “no-cost" energy-efficient tip: close the cabin doors.

“We could hire two full-time door closers at this camp,” he said.

Energy-Saving Tips

Find out ways you can save energy in your attic and other areas in your home.

View the video below where Alton Belew of Riverbend Retreat Center explains the benefits a radiant barrier provides to his cabins.