Rules and Technical Guidance

Over the past six months, the city engaged with more than 2,000 building owners, property managers, and service providers to hear the challenges for buildings and come to a clear, shared understanding that upgrading a building’s performance and reducing its energy use to meet Energize Denver targets takes time, planning, and funding. The city wants to support your efforts.  

We’ve increased the options available to help put compliance within reach. The city is making the following updates to Energize Denver to support buildings with a more practical, achievable compliance process: 

• Program Timeline Extension: Interim and final target deadlines extended to 2028 and 2032 for all buildings 25,000 sq. ft. and larger.  
• Timeline Extensions: Options for buildings to extend deadlines beyond 2032 through developing a long-term plan for compliance. Reasons include: 
  • End of HVAC system service life
  • Energy service capacity limitations
  • Downtown steam loop system infrastructure planning
  • Major renovations to building
• Compliance Holds: New option for buildings to place a two-year hold on compliance requirements due to short-term circumstances. 
  • Financial Distress & Vacancy: Buildings facing financial hardship or high vacancy rates can receive a two-year compliance delay, with annual check-ins.
  • Redevelopment Areas: Buildings within formally designated redevelopment zones may delay retrofits for up to two years if a redevelopment plan is in place.
  • Lease Expirations: Buildings with major leases expiring near target deadlines can receive a hold until the new tenant moves in.
• Tailored Adjustments for Condos & HOAs: Homeowners associations (HOAs) receive greater flexibility in compliance planning to align with fundraising and capital improvement schedules.
• HVAC System Flexibility: Buildings are not required to replace HVAC systems before the end of their useful life. If HVAC equipment has exceeded 50% of its useful life, owners receive flexibility in replacement timing while still meeting efficiency targets.
• Electrification Feasibility Report Requirement Removed: Buildings are no longer required to submit an electrification feasibility report as part of a timeline extension request.
• Penalty Rates Cut in Half: Possible financial penalties for non-compliance cut in half by reducing rates and reducing the amount of compliance deadlines to ease cost concerns on buildings. No penalties will be levied until late 2029 based on compliance.
• Practical Energy Target Reduction: No building is required to reduce its energy usage by more than 42%, ensuring realistic and achievable targets.
• Custom Target: Creating ability to adjust a building’s energy efficiency target beyond standard target adjustments.
• Incentivizing Reuse: For adaptive reuse projects, adjusting energy efficiency targets when converting buildings for new uses. 
• New Incentive for Decarbonized Thermal Networks: Additional target incentive for buildings that connect to non-emitting thermal energy networks (e.g., district geothermal systems and other types).
• Expanded Renewable Credit Options: Off-site solar investments can now be located anywhere in Colorado (previously limited to Denver). On- or off-site renewables owned within Denver now count at a 1.5x credit multiplier instead of 1:1.
• Adjusted Energy Use Floor Target for Manufacturing, Agricultural and Industrial (MAI) Buildings: Increased from 30 kBtu/sqft/year to 52.9 kBtu/sqft/year, recognizing sector-specific energy needs.
• Fair Processes: Increasing avenues for buildings to make adjustments to their plans or appeal decisions including corrective action planning to avoid penalties if buildings are within 5% of their energy efficiency targets. 

You can sign up for a virtual briefing on the changes on March 14, 2025 at noon.

Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Rules and Regulations Governing the High-Performance Existing Buildings Program by the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency  

All interested parties are hereby given notice that the City and County of Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency, through the authority set forth in DRMC § 2-404, will hold a public hearing to consider the proposed Rules and Regulations Governing the High-Performance Existing Buildings Program.  

The hearing will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, through a virtual hearing via ZOOM. Click here to register for the public hearing. Public comment during the hearing will be limited to three minutes.  

Submit comments in writing to EnergizeDenver@Denvergov.org by Monday, March 31, 2025.  Comments can also be mailed to the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency, Attn: Energize Denver team, at 201 W. Colfax, Dept. 704, Denver, CO 80202, no later than close of business, Thursday, March 27, 2025. 

The proposed Rules and Regulations Governing Energy Efficiency can be viewed on this page.  They can also be viewed in person at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office located in the Wellington Webb Building (201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80202).