Who’s covered
Building Performance Colorado, created by HB21-1286, applies to commercial, multifamily and public buildings of 50,000 square feet or more, which must benchmark energy use annually and meet performance targets. Energize Denver applies within the City and County of Denver to commercial and multifamily buildings of 5,000 square feet and up, with different requirements for buildings under and over 25,000 square feet.
Target years, exact thresholds and penalty rules have been amended since the programs launched. Check the Colorado Energy Office and the City of Denver for your building’s current requirements.
Why the metric matters for solar
Many building performance targets are expressed as site energy use intensity — total energy used on site per square foot. In the standard ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager accounting, site energy generally includes solar power produced and consumed on site, so rooftop solar may not lower a site-EUI score the way it lowers your bill.
Programs can and do adjust for on-site renewables, and some targets are emissions-based, where solar helps more directly. Ask your compliance consultant or the program how on-site generation is credited for your building before counting on it.
Where solar clearly helps
Even when it doesn’t move the compliance metric, solar lowers operating cost, which frees budget for the efficiency upgrades — HVAC, lighting controls, envelope — that usually do. For owners electrifying heating to meet targets, solar offsets the added electric load.
We coordinate with your energy consultant rather than replace them. Our job is the solar and storage; theirs is the compliance pathway.
Sources & dated facts
- Energize Denver covers commercial and multifamily buildings ≥5,000 sq ft (small: 5,000–24,999; large: ≥25,000).As of Sep 23, 2026 · source
FAQ
Questions we hear
Does rooftop solar help my building meet Energize Denver targets?
It depends on how your building’s target is measured and how the program credits on-site renewables. Under standard site-EUI accounting, on-site solar consumed in the building may not reduce the score. Confirm with the city or your consultant.
What size buildings does Building Performance Colorado cover?
Commercial, multifamily and public buildings of 50,000 square feet or more, under HB21-1286. Some building types and uses are treated differently; check the Colorado Energy Office’s current rules.
Is my small Denver building covered by Energize Denver?
Energize Denver covers commercial and multifamily buildings from 5,000 square feet, with separate requirements for buildings under 25,000 square feet. Check the city’s site for what applies to yours.
Should I do efficiency upgrades or solar first?
For compliance, efficiency and electrification usually move the metric more. For operating cost, solar often has the clearer return. Many owners do both, sequenced by their compliance deadline.