What the Law Says
DENVER’S ENERGY BENCHMARKING ORDINANCE
The Energize Denver Ordinance requires owners of large buildings to benchmark their building’s energy Benchmarking, usage and report it to the City of Denver. The City will then publish this data online so that owners can see how each building compares to its peers. The City and County of Denver set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 80% by 2050. In response to this overarching target, Denver set sector-specific goals to establish a clear path to 2050 with a strong emphasis on measurable carbon reductions from all key sectors. Denver determined that commercial and multifamily buildings produce 51% of local GHG emissions, the largest contributor of any sector. To combat these emissions, Denver set the goal to reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings 10% by 2020, 30% by 2030, and 50% by 2050.
Who is Required to Comply
The Energize Denver Ordinance covers buildings in the City of Denver and Denver County over 25,000 square feet in size.
Deadlines
June 1st.
How to Report
The ordinance established an energy efficiency program that requires covered building owners to Denver Energy Benchmarking performance and make that energy performance information publicly available to raise awareness and drive action. As of 2017, the ordinance requires buildings 25,000 square feet or larger to annually assess their energy performance using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager and report it to Denver. Denver publishes the building energy performance data annually at www.energizedenver.org to enable the market to better value energy efficiency.
What are the fines Like?
Fines: Any buildings not in compliance by the June 1st deadline may be charged a $2,000 penalty.