Denver’s work to improve building performance is a critical part of the city’s plan to reduce carbon pollution. The Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency is working with our most vulnerable communities to ensure they also have access to building improvements that will improve:
- Energy efficiency
- Building comfort
- Quality of life for occupants
Equity Priority Buildings can qualify for larger rebate amounts, additional services, and more.
Equity Priority Buildings serve and/or house climate vulnerable communities with less access to resources. These communities may face more barriers adapting to a changing climate.
What Buildings Qualify as Equity Priority?
We have developed refined criteria to determine which buildings qualify as Equity Priority Buildings, making them eligible for the Compliance Assistance Program and other CASR-wide initiatives. Buildings that meet the following criteria will be eligible for the Compliance Assistance Program:
- Multifamily Affordable Housing. These are defined as multifamily buildings where at least 2/3 of the units are classified as deed-restricted affordable housing.
- Affordable Apartment Buildings. These are apartment buildings where at least 2/3 of residential units have rents at or below 80% of HOST rent limits.
- Income Qualified Residential Condominiums. These are residential condominiums where at least 2/3 of unit owners meet one of the following criteria:
- Commercial Buildings Housing Small Businesses. We consider these to be commercial buildings with operating revenues under $800,000 per year.
- Nonprofit Organizations. These are organizations that:
- Have a 501c(3) Letter of Determination from the Internal Revenue Service
- Offer critical services in the City and County of Denver
What are Critical Services?
Simply put, Critical Services help people meet their basic needs, such as homeless shelters, food pantries, or senior centers.
Your organization might be considered a human services provider if it is a(n)...
- Advocacy Organization
- After-School Provider
- Childcare Center
- Community Center
- Disability Service Provider
- Domestic Violence Center
- Emergency Service Agency (fire, police, Red Cross)
- Family Support Agency
- Food Pantry
- Homeless Shelter
- Housing Service Provider
- Immigration and Refugees Service Provider
- Job Training and Workforce Development Service
- Mental and Behavioral Health Facility
- Rehabilitation Provider
- Senior Center
- Social Service Agency (including unemployment and social security offices)
- Transitional or Supportive Housing (including for teens and LGBTQ+)
- Women's or Children's Shelter
- Veteran Services
- Other providers serving under-resourced communities
What are Climate Vulnerable Communities?
Climate vulnerable communities are populations that are disproportionately at risk from the adverse impacts of climate change than other communities. This is due to their heightened sensitivity, exposure, or lack of capacity to cope with climate-related hazards. These communities often face greater risks from extreme weather events, rising sea levels, heatwaves, and other climate-related disruptions. This can be due to a combination of factors like social, economic, geographic, and environmental factors.
Key characteristics of climate vulnerable communities include:
- Socioeconomic Status: Low-income communities often have limited resources to adapt to or recover from climate impacts, such as poor access to healthcare, housing, and emergency services.
- Geographic Location: Communities in areas prone to floods, hurricanes, droughts, or coastal erosion are at a higher risk due to their physical location.
- Health and Age: Elderly individuals, children, and people with pre-existing health conditions are more vulnerable to climate-induced health impacts such as heat stress, respiratory issues, and disease outbreaks.
- Infrastructure Quality: Poorly built or maintained infrastructure in vulnerable areas can increase exposure to climate hazards, particularly in communities with aging buildings or inadequate utilities.
- Limited Access to Information: Lack of access to climate-related information, emergency planning, and resources can prevent timely response and adaptation efforts, particularly in marginalized communities.
- Cultural or Language Barriers: Indigenous populations, immigrants, and other cultural or linguistic minorities may face barriers to accessing disaster relief or climate adaptation resources, increasing their vulnerability.
These communities are groups that face the effects of climate change at higher rates than those with more resources. Climate Vulnerable communities have less access to health, income, and resources. People who have had less access to wealth and resources also have less ability to adapt to a changing climate. These communities are our priority as we work to make Denver more sustainable and resilient.
At this time, Equity Priority Buildings will have to submit a separate application for each program they wish to participate in. We are currently developing a more streamlined approach to this process.
For Buildings 25,000 sq. ft. and Larger
Equity Priority Buildings that are 25,000 sq. ft. and Larger can receive additional support to help meet their Energize Denver Building Performance Standards.
The first step is to gather the right materials:
Multifamily Affordable Housing
In order to verify that your building falls into this category, your application must include:
- A copy of the regulatory agreement OR affordable housing covenant that specifies the number of units in the building that are deed-restricted affordable housing.
See an Example Affordable Housing Covenant(PDF, 175KB)
Affordable Apartment Buildings
In order to verify that your building falls into this category, your application must include:
- A rent roll that lists the following for all rental units:
- Unit number
- Monthly rent
- Number of bedrooms
- End-date of current lease
See an Example Rent Roll(PDF, 23KB)
Income Qualified Residential Condominiums
In order to confirm that the building falls into this category, one of the following is required for each unit owner that meets the above criteria:
- Cover page of the previous year's Form 1040, line 9
- Your Form SSA-1099
- Proof of enrollment in Xcel Energy income-qualified demand side management program
- Proof of enrollment in Xcel Energy’s income-qualified Community Solar Gardens program
- Proof of enrollment in the Denver Property Tax Relief Program
- Proof of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
- Proof of Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Proof of Old Age Pension (OAP)
- Proof of Support from any of the following:
- Aid to the Blind (AB)
- Aid to the Needy Disabled (AND)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Section 8 Housing
- Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)
- LEAP (Utility Bill Assistance)
See an Example of Form 1040(PDF, 279KB)
Nonprofit Organizations
In order to verify that your building falls into this category, your application must include:
- Your 501c(3) Letter of Determination from the Internal Revenue Service
- A written description of what your nonprofit organization does. Narratives should include:
- Number of people served annually
- Types of critical services offered
- Neighborhoods you serve
See an Example Letter of Determination(PDF, 54KB)
Commercial Buildings
In order to verify that your building meets this criteria, your application must include a copy of the previous year’s tax return that details the building owner’s total operating revenues, typically a Form 1040 Schedule C. Personal info such as social security number should be redacted.
See sample Form 1040 Schedule C(PDF, 157KB)
Once you have gathered the materials you will need for your application, you are now ready to start the application! We will follow up with you after we receive your application to talk about next steps.
Fill Out Your Application
Don’t Meet the Criteria?
If your building does not initially qualify, you will have the opportunity to appeal your case. We are working on setting up an appeal process. Once we have finalized it, we will post it here and announce it in our newsletter.
As of October 7, 2024, Equity Priority Buildings 25,000 sq. ft. and larger now have access to more support than ever before. These services are designed to provide comprehensive support that will help Equity Priority Building owners:
- Achieve their energy efficiency goals
- Create more comfortable and reliable spaces for communities
- Boost their bottom line
- Meet Energize Denver's compliance requirements
- Build a more equitable and sustainable city for all
All confirmed Equity Priority Buildings (EPBs) will receive tailored compliance assistance to address their unique needs. This process starts with a comprehensive energy assessment and offers step-by-step guidance through compliance. This includes:
- Assistance filling out Benchmarking forms
- Onsite energy audits to understand energy efficiency opportunities
- Assistance with implementing recommendations from the energy audit
- Engaging with tenants to inform them of building updates
- Help with securing rebates, tax incentives, and financing
Compliance assistance services include:
- Benchmarking Assistance
- Assistance in uploading and verifying energy data in ESPM
- Assistance in submitting the annual benchmarking report
- Assistance in identifying and submitting Target Adjustments
- Onsite ASHRAE Level 2 Audit:
- Comprehensive Feasibility Analysis: Conduct a detailed evaluation of energy-saving opportunities and develop a compliance plan tailored to your building's needs.
- Project Implementation Support: Get help in executing the recommended projects from your audit.
- Electrification Feasibility Reports (EFRs): Receive in-depth reports on the feasibility of electrification within your building.
- Navigation Services:
- Audit Results Interpretation: Understand the actionable insights from your energy audit.
- Tenant Engagement: Assistance in engaging tenants with energy efficiency improvements, including data sharing and equipment upgrades.
- Financial Coaching: Get support in identifying and applying for financial resources, including rebates and incentives.
- Renewables Coaching: Receive guidance on applying for and managing resources for renewable energy projects.
- Guidance for Contractors: Help in selecting contractors, requesting, and understanding bids.
- Rebate Program: We are still finalizing the rebate design. Once we have finalized the program, we will post them here and announce them in our newsletter.
- Health and Safety Improvements: Incentives for improvements that enhance your building’s health and safety, laying the groundwork for energy efficiency and electrification upgrades.
- Energy Efficiency Rebates: Rebates for implementing energy-saving measures.
Between April and November 2022, we held a series of community meetings, virtual listening sessions and one-on-one conversations. We talked to building owners, managers, tenants, community leaders, and critical external stakeholders in the Equity Priority Building community. Our goal was to build trust with the community, gather insights and feedback directly from the people who will use our additional services, and identify critical resources that the community is missing. Together with the groups we met with, we were able to hear directly from the community and co-create a plan for services and incentives that will help Equity Priority Buildings meet their Performance Requirements.
Previous Meetings: Community Connections Insights
Building Tenants and Community Leaders Meetings
Property Owners and Managers Meetings
The Equity Priority Buildings Equity Index
To better identify potential Equity Priority Buildings, CASR developed the Equity Index—a robust tool that ranks each census tract in Denver based on key environmental and socioeconomic indicators. This index, created in collaboration with stakeholders, community members, and Denver's Office of Social Equity and Innovation, has proven invaluable in prioritizing areas of greatest need, targeting outreach efforts, and guiding the development and implementation of equitable policies. By focusing on these indicators, the Equity Index helps ensure that resources are directed where they are most needed, fostering a more just and resilient Denver.