Compliance Guide

Understanding the different steps you need to take to comply with the Energize Denver Benchmarking and Performance Requirements can be challenging. We have developed this guide to help you understand what steps you need to take to stay on track to meet your goals. Still have questions? Feel free to contact us at energizedenver@denvergov.org or call our help desk at (844) 536-4528.

If you are looking for help with compliance for buildings 5,000-24,999 sq. ft., we recommend that you visit the Compliance Guide for that program. 

1. Confirm Your Performance Target

Every building in Denver 25,000 sq. ft. and larger has a target Energy Use Intensity (EUI) that they must reach by 2030. This target EUI is based on the building's use-type. Mixed-use buildings have a blended target based on the percentage of gross floor area assigned to each building type. In addition, every building has interim EUI targets that they must meet in 2024 (or 2025 if you received the timeline extension), and in 2027. You should have received a letter in February 2023 confirming your building's 2024 and 2027 interim targets as well as your 2030 EUI target. If you did not receive this letter or would like to double-check your building's EUI target, you can look your building up in the Performance Requirements Look Up Tool. Each building's baseline and interim EUI targets are unique to that building. However, you can find the 2030 EUI target for each building type below:

To comply with the Energize Denver Performance Requirements, all you need to do is meet the EUI target by the deadline and prove it with 12 months of benchmarking data. For example, you will prove that you have met your 2030 EUI target when you submit benchmarking data from January 1, 2030 to December 31, 2030. This benchmarking report will be due to the city by June 1, 2031.

2. Decide on Your Strategy to Meet Your Compliance Deadline

We designed this program to be flexible. Since each building is unique, a "one-size-fits-all" approach was never going to get all of Denver's largest buildings into compliance. Instead, we offer a variety of options to help buildings get into compliance. These option include:

• Target Adjustments, which buildings can seek for a variety of reasons, such as operating hours, swimming pools, or parking lots.
• Renewable Credits, which give credit to buildings powered by renewable energy.
• Electrification Adjustments, which give credit to buildings that have fully electrified.
• Compliance Assistance for Equity Priority Buildings, which include human service providers or low-income housing.
• Alternate Compliance Options, which offer additional compliance pathways for special circumstances.

Our goal is to work with buildings and help them meet their Performance Targets, rather than penalize them for non-compliance. Buildings that work with us and put in a good-faith effort to meet their targets are unlikely to be penalized. Look through the flexible compliance options and figure out a strategy that will work for you and your building's unique circumstances.

3. Double Check Your Benchmarking

Benchmarking your building accurately can be challenging. We recommend that you go back to the year's benchmarking report to double check that you completed it correctly. Are your square footage and energy use correct? Do you have your high intensity building types and square footage broken down? Did you exclude electric vehicle charging stations and parking energy use? 

If you aren't sure, review our Benchmarking guidance, or refer to the Technical Guidance document for more detail about how to adjust your benchmarking report to account for items like swimming pools, parking lots, or electric vehicle parking. Learn how to get an aggregated energy use import from Xcel Energy if your building has multiple units on separate meters. Or learn how to account for multiple building uses correctly by accurately breaking down the square footage in your building.

If you still aren't sure that you've benchmarked correctly, please reach out to our helpdesk at energizedenver@denvergov.org or call (844) 536-4528.

4. Consider an Energy Audit

An energy audit is a great way to understand the biggest energy uses in your building and the most effective ways to reduce your energy intensity. Your energy auditor can give you a plan and next steps towards meeting your EUI targets. This is the best way to understand the ins and outs of your unique building, and to get a plan hand-tailored to your situation. 

There are several different kinds of energy audits, depending on your building type, size, and use-type. Xcel Energy’s Business Energy Assessments can help you figure out the best audit for you to get, and may even be able to refer you to free or deeply discounted audit services. Our list of trained service providers shows professionals who have completed training about the Energize Denver Benchmarking process and the Performance Requirements. Please note: this list of service providers just shows those who have completed the trainings. Denver has not vetted their business or the quality of their work. We are not endorsing any of the listed providers, but informing you of the providers who have completed our training. 

5. Get Inspiration and Instruction

Check out the Resource Center for Building Owners where you will find:

• Step-by-step playbooks
• Case studies
• Trainings
• Other guidance

These resources will give you a deeper understanding of the Performance Requirements. They will show you other buildings that have successfully reduced their EUI in creative ways, and will help you find new ways to improve your own energy performance. On our Energize Denver Map, you can find buildings similar to yours for comparison. You can also look up your building’s targets in our new Lookup Tool. And the Forecasting Calculator allows you to input different options and see the effect it will have on your EUI. This will help you calculate different energy reduction plans and  examine the effects of different decisions on possible future penalties.

6. Learn How to Save on Your Upgrades

The City and County of Denver, the State of Colorado, Xcel Energy, and a number of our partners around the Denver area offer rebates, incentives, and other ways to money on equipment replacement and project financing. 

If your upgrade plan includes replacing space or water heating and cooling equipment, check out Denver’s Commercial Building Equipment Rebates. Denver's rebates are applied directly to the invoice from your contractor, which means there is no need to pay full price and then wait for the rebate to be refunded! Additionally, Xcel Energy recently launched prescriptive rebates for HVAC equipment, including heat pumps. Together, these programs could save you thousands of dollars when you install an electric heat pump. You can also get a 10% electrification bonus on your 2030 target if your building is more than 80% electrified!

Xcel Energy also provides rebates for over 20 other kinds of upgrades, including lighting (one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your building's efficiency), food service equipment, commercial refrigeration, and more. Check out the Xcel Energy Business Rebates Center to see what programs might apply to your building.

Once you know which rebates you qualify for, you can investigate below-market rate financing programs for energy improvement projects through C-PACE and the Colorado Clean Energy Fund.

7. Revisit the Flexibility in Compliance

Once you have your plan in place to meet your performance targets, you can revisit the various options we provide to allow for flexibility in getting into compliance. For example, Does your capital improvement plan extend past one of your target deadlines? Do you have a special situation that needs more time to comply? Check out the timeline adjustment process, which may allow you to customize the deadlines to your building’s needs.    

Some buildings have to reduce their EUI quite a lot. After upgrading equipment, installing building controls, and improving processes to be more efficient, you may still have a gap between your projected EUI and your 2030 Performance Target. If this is the case, you should investigate how you can use renewable credits to close that gap. Investigate your solar options through Energy Sage or check out renewable programs through Xcel Energy.