Rules and Technical Guidance

In 2024 and 2025, the city engaged with more than 2,000 building owners, property managers, and service providers. The goal was to hear the challenges for buildings and come to a clear, shared understanding. 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.  

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