Rules and Technical Guidance

Update as of February 11, 2026

Joint Announcement from Building Performance Colorado and Energize Denver: State and City Align Building Performance Standards for Denver Buildings  

The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) and City and County of Denver are pleased to announce that buildings in compliance with Denver’s building performance policy, known as Energize Denver, will be deemed in compliance with part of the State’s Building Performance Colorado (BPC) program. 

This means that for Denver buildings subject to both programs, compliance with Energize Denver’s energy efficiency requirements will count as compliance with the State’s BPC performance targets.  

Building owners will no longer need to track and meet separate State and local performance targets. Approved target adjustments, timeline extensions, or other alternate compliance options granted by Energize Denver are acceptable to CEO and will not prevent a building from being in compliance with BPC. 

What this means for benchmarking and enforcement 

• Denver building owners must continue to submit separate annual benchmarking reports to both the city and the State
• Benchmarking in Denver continues to be free, and the State’s annual benchmarking and building decarbonization fees still apply
• The State will not begin enforcement of performance targets until after 2030. Denver buildings that are not in compliance with Energize Denver at that time may be subject to enforcement by the State. 
• Most Denver buildings received an approved timeline extension that extended the final target to 2032. The State recognizes these timeline extensions and will consider these buildings in compliance with BPC performance targets in 2030 and 2031. 

CEO and Energize Denver will work to develop a process for building owners to communicate their Energize Denver compliance status with CEO prior to 2030.  

If you have any questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions.

Update as of July 7, 2025

Adaptive Reuse: Do you believe your building qualifies for the adaptive reuse target adjustment? Are you unable to find supporting evidence? Reach out to the Energize Denver Helpdesk for assistance. We are making the process more efficient and effective by lowering the administrative fee and processing time. A Zoning Compliance letter from CPD is no longer needed.

Updates as of April 1, 2025

The city made the following updates to Energize Denver on April 1, 2025. These changes 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. Do this by developing a long-term plan for compliance.  
• Compliance Holds. New option for buildings to place a two-year hold on compliance requirements. This can be due to short-term circumstances like vacancy or financial distress.  
• Tailored Adjustments for Condos & HOAs. Homeowners associations (HOAs) can align compliance planning with fundraising and capital improvement schedules.
• HVAC System Flexibility. If HVAC equipment has exceeded 50% of its useful life, owners receive flexibility in replacement timing. They can still meet efficiency targets.
• Electrification Feasibility Report (EFR) Requirement Removed. Buildings are no longer required to submit an EFR as part of a timeline extension request.
• Penalty Rates Cut in Half. Possible financial penalties for energy efficiency target non-compliance cut in half. We did this by reducing rates and reducing the number of compliance deadlines. No performance penalties will be levied until late 2029.
• Practical Energy Target Reduction. No building is required to reduce its energy usage by more than 42%.
• Custom Target. A building can adjust their energy efficiency target beyond standard target adjustments.
• Incentivizing Reuse. Adaptive reuse projects can adjust energy efficiency targets.
• New Incentive for Decarbonized Thermal Networks. Additional target incentive for buildings that connect to non-emitting thermal energy networks. These include district geothermal systems and other types.
• Expanded Renewable Credit Options. Off-site solar investments can now be located anywhere in Colorado. On- or off-site renewables owned within Denver now count at a 1.5x credit multiplier.
• Adjusted Energy Use Floor Target for Manufacturing, Agricultural and Industrial (MAI) Buildings. Increased from 30 kBtu/sqft/year to 52.9 kBtu/sqft/year.
• Fair Processes. Increasing avenues for buildings to make adjustments to their plans or appeal decisions  

Watch a briefing that details these updates