Electrification Feasibility Reports
To help the city achieve net zero energy by 2040, the city amended the 2022 Denver Building and Fire Code for commercial and multifamily buildings to encourage the transition away from fossil fuels. As of March 1, 2023, Community Planning and Development no longer allows quick permits to replace the majority of gas-fired equipment in commercial or multifamily buildings. This means that you will need to provide additional information to the city, and most permits will go through the full review process. The Electrification Feasibility Report will be one of several paths to meet the new code requirements.
Who Does this Apply To?
Denver’s building code electrification requirements apply to all existing commercial and multifamily buildings regulated by the Denver Commercial Building Code. This includes apartments, residential condominiums, and townhouses more than three stories above grade plane in height.
If you have questions about whether or not your building is regulated by the Denver Commercial Building Code, please contact Community Planning and Development's Architectural/Structural Plan Review at archstruc.review@denvergov.org.
What is an Electrification Feasibility Report?
The Electrification Feasibility Report is a tool designed to assess the practicality and cost impacts of switching from gas to electric equipment.
Specifically, it will tell you:
- The estimated energy consumption of the gas and electric replacement systems
- The estimated energy and carbon savings for switching to an electric system
- The estimated energy bills with the gas and electric replacement systems
- The estimated costs for installing a replacement gas and electric system
You can use the Electrification Feasibility Report to make an informed assessment about whether converting your building heating and cooling systems to electric is cost-effective compared to a like-for-like gas-fired replacement.
Filling Out the Electrification Feasibility Report
While some building owners may be able to complete the report on their own, most owners will need to work with a contractor, engineer, or energy consultant to complete the Electrification Feasibility Report. A contractor, engineer, energy consultant, or your own dedicated facility staff will put information into the Electrification Feasibility Report about:
- The types and costs of both gas and electric replacement equipment
- Your utility rates
- Site-specific information on electrical, ductwork, or space constraints
The City and County of Denver hosted in-person trainings for contractors, engineers and energy consultants on how to fill out an Electrification Feasibility Report. A recorded version of this training is now available to watch on-demand.
If you are looking for someone to complete an Electrification Feasibility Report for you, you can refer to our list of contractors who have completed the training. These contractors are not preferred, and their work has not been vetted. They have attended our training and passed our comprehension quiz.
There are incentives available to help offset the cost of working with a contractor to complete an Electrification Feasibility Report.
Submitting the Electrification Feasibility Report
Submitting your Electrification Feasibility Report is easy. After your contractor, engineer, energy consultant, or facilities staff completes the Electrification Feasibility Report in the online tool, they will receive a PDF copy of the report. They will simply attach this PDF report to their online permit application. The Electrification Feasibility Report will get sent on to us, where we will review and approve it.
Electrification Feasibility Report Trainings
Prepare for the Energize Denver code changes with new tools from Energize Denver. Sign up to attend a free training and learn how to navigate the new code requirements while also delivering more energy-efficient solutions to your customers. The training will focus on the new codes and permitting process changes including Electrification Feasibility Report.
Be proactive and sign up now for a training date and location that works for you! The ball is in your court. Attend a training for a chance to win two free Denver Nuggets tickets. Space is limited, so don’t wait!
Meals, snacks, and beverages will be provided.
Spanish interpreters and other accommodations will be provided at training upon request.
If you have questions, or if none of the dates below work for you, please contact us at Electrification@DenverGov.org.
Sign up today!
What professionals can expect to gain from this training:
Contractors
- Knowledge: Understand how 2022 Denver Building and Fire Code requirements mandated by the Energize Denver Ordinance affect your work and your customers' needs. Learn about permitting changes and city resources. Learn how the Electrification Feasibility Report can help you and your clients comply with new code requirements and decide if replacing with electric equipment makes sense. Get ahead of the curve now by attending the training instead of getting stuck trying to figure out how to fill out an Electrification Feasibility Report on your own.
- Hands-on Training: Participate in hands-on exercises with sample reports on various types of buildings and walk away with the confidence to begin using the Electrification Feasibility Report the next day. You will also learn about heat pump technologies, allowing you to confidently bid projects as the city moves toward requiring heat pump technology.
- Competitive Advantage: By completing the training course, your name will be included in Energize Denver’s list of contractors who have completed the training. You can also add Electrification Feasibility Reports to your offerings, allowing you to broaden your services, be a leader in the market, communicate Denver's requirements with confidence, and provide more competitive bids.
- Learn About Incentives: During the training you will learn about Denver’s electrification pilot and forthcoming programs. Taking advantage of the incentives for Electrification Feasibility Reports and building electrification will help you sell jobs. You’ll also be invited to provide input on Denver’s pilot and programs to make sure they are easy for you and your customers to navigate.
- Learn About Permitting Changes: As quick permits go away, contractors will be required to submit Mechanical and Electrical drawings prepared by a design professional or Professional Engineer for review. Learn how to submit the Electrification Feasibility Report and other requirements for permitting space heating and cooling, and water heating in the Denver.
Energy Professionals
- Knowledge: Understand how 2022 Denver Building and Fire Code requirements mandated by the Energize Denver Ordinance affect your work and your customers' needs. Learn about permitting changes and city resources. Learn how the Electrification Feasibility Report can be used in capital planning and facility assessments and audits. Understanding the costs to electrify now will help your customers plan when electrification is required by the city (phased in by equipment type starting in 2025). The Electrification Feasibility Repot can also be used as a tool for compliance with the city’s energy performance requirements.
- Hands-on Training: Participate in hands-on exercises with sample reports on various types of buildings and walk away with the confidence to begin using the Electrification Feasibility Report the next day.
- Competitive Advantage: By completing the Electrification Feasibility Report training course, your name will be included in Energize Denver’s list of contractors who have completed the training. You can also add Electrification Feasibility Reports to your offerings, allowing you to broaden your services and be a leader in the market.
- Learn About Incentives: During the training you will learn about Denver’s electrification pilot and forthcoming programs. Informing your customers of these incentives will allow them to plan for electrification and include YOU in their plan to electrify. You’ll also be invited to provide input on Denver’s pilot and programs to make sure they are easy for you and your customers to navigate.
Design Engineers
- Knowledge: Understand how 2022 Denver Building and Fire Code requirements mandated by the Energize Denver Ordinance affect your work and your customers' needs. Learn about permitting changes and city resources. Learn how the Electrification Feasibility Report can help you and your clients comply with the new code requirements and decide if replacing with electric equipment makes sense. Get ahead of the curve now by attending the training instead of getting stuck trying to figure out how to fill out an Electrification Feasibility Report on your own.
- Hands-on Training: Participate in hands-on exercises with sample reports on various types of buildings and walk away with the confidence to begin using the Electrification Feasibility Report the next day.
- Competitive Advantage: By completing the Electrification Feasibility Report training course, your name will be included in Energize Denver’s list of contractors who have completed the training. Learn where your knowledge and services will be needed for permitting review. You can also add Electrification Feasibility Reports to your offerings, allowing you to broaden your services, be a leader in the market, and provide more competitive bids.
- Learn About Incentives: During the training you will learn about Denver’s electrification pilot and forthcoming programs. Taking advantage of the incentives for Electrification Feasibility Reports and building electrification will help you sell jobs. You’ll also be invited to provide input on Denver’s pilot and programs to make sure they are easy for you and your customers to navigate.
Upcoming Contractor Trainings
Design Engineers
Virtual Contractor Training
If you were not able to make it to one of our in-person contractor trainings, we now have a virtual version available for you. The virtual training contains the same information as the live training, and gives you the opportunity to take the quiz demonstrating your understanding of the content. Once you have passed the quiz, you will be added to the list of contractors who have completed the training and who are eligible to receive incentives to complete Electrification Feasibility Reports for building owners.
See the training