Green Buildings Ordinance: Energy Program

Summary Presentation June 2019

Green Roofs to Green Buildings

Cool Roof Required

+ONE of the Following

Compliance Options

Pay for Offsite Green

Green + Solar or Energy Efficiency 

Solar or Energy Efficiency

CertificationEnergy Program

Buildings over 25,000 sqft

Compliance Options for New Buildings

Compliance Options for Existing Buildings

Green Roof / Space

Pay for Offsite Green

Certification

Green Roof / Space

Green Buildings Ordinance

Solar or Energy Efficiency

The Energy Program A flexible program with energy efficiency and renewable options to reduce operational costs

The Energy Program:

• A Green Buildings Ordinance compliance option for Existing Buildings

• Take advantage of recent energy improvement projects

• Participants have 5 years to reach compliance  

Building Owner/Manager Benefits

Save green• Retain & attract tenants • Lower energy expenses• Improve net operating

income (NOI)= Increased Valuation

Plan for the future• Avoid increased costs from

run-to-fail replacements • Comply early so if hail hits you

can replace your roof with no additional requirements

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY‐SA

• Healthy, productive employees through lower CO2

• Happy employees due to natural daylight

• Reduce allergies via better air quality

• Better thermal comfort

Value to Occupants & Tenants

$1.3 billion opportunity in Denver

Source:  “United States Building Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Market Sizing and Financing Models.”  Rockefeller Foundation and Deutsche Bank Group.  March 2012.  Numbers scaled to City and County of Denver.

Increased Benefits• Urban Heat Island• Green Spaces• Water and Storm 

Water Management• Greenhouse Gas 

Emission Reductions

Green Buildings Ordinance Details

Buildings of 25,000 square feet or more:

1. New buildings

2. Existing buildings – only if recovering/replacing roof

o Early enrollment into Energy Program

o At roof replacement

3. Additions

o 25,000–49,999 sq. ft.

o ≥ 50,000 sq. ft. or more

Green Buildings Ordinance

Exemptions – Ordinance does not apply

• Buildings or additions under 25,000 square feet

• Parking structures

• Temporary buildings, air-supported structures, greenhouses

• Single-family homes or duplexes

• Groups of 3 or more attached dwelling units in which each unit extends from the foundation to roof and is not more than 3 stories above grade plane

• Roof replacements of less than 5% of the roof or roof section area (annually)

Partially Exempt – Must still do a Cool Roof

Exempt from the compliance options:

• Residential buildings 4-5 stories, or under 62.5 feet in height

• Roof recover only

• Existing green roof or the building/campus has already met the ordinance

• Emergency roof replacement (wind or fire damage, not hail)

• Hail damage with insufficient insurance coverage (ONLY until Nov. 2, 2019)

Built‐up Roof (BUR)Modified Bitumen

*some

PVC/KEE

EPDM TPO

Low Slope Black Roofs: Low Slope Cool Roofs:

Cool roofs cost 0.3%-1.5% more than black roofs

Urban Heat Island~70% of buildings in Denver have a cool 

roof today

Insulation means roof color has little effect on heating and cooling costs for the building

Cool roofs are about outdoor comfort, keeping the outside temperatures a little lower in our City on the hottest summer days

Green Buildings Ordinance: Compliance Options for NEW BUILDINGS

Cool Roof Required* Plus ONE of the Following Options:

* If the proposed roof is a character-defining roof, CPD may allow alternative roof materials

Green Roof / Green SpaceAnywhere on building or zone lot

Green area equivalent to the lesser of:• 10% of gross floor area of the

building• 60% of the total roof area• Available roof space

Pay for Offsite GreenPayment to Green Building Fund of:• $50.00 per square foot of green

space coverage required but not provided

Green Plus Solar or Energy Efficiency Anywhere on building or zone lot, or off-site for solar

Green area equivalent to the lesser of:• 3% gross floor area• 18% of total roof area• Available roof spaceCOMBINED WITH ONE OF THEFOLLOWING: 1) Onsite solar equiv. to the lesser of:• 7% of the floor area• 42% of total roof area 2) Offsite solar equivalent to theonsite solar plus a minimum 2.5% energy cost savings from energy efficiency above code3) 5% energy cost savings from energy efficiency above code

Solar or Energy EfficiencyAnywhere on building or zone lot, or off-site

Onsite solar or other renewable equiv. to your choice of:• 70% of the total roof area• 100% of annual average

electricity used at the building• Proof that the building is Net

Zero OROffsite solar equiv. to your choice of: • 100% of building electricity use• Amount equivalent to required

onsite solar plus minimum 6% energy cost savings from energy

ORMinimum 12% energy cost savings from energy efficiency above code

CertificationOne of the following: • LEED Certification, minimum

gold• Enterprise Green Communities

certification• National Green Building

Standard ICC/ASHRAE 700• Equivalent certification approved

by the building official

Green Buildings Ordinance: Compliance Options for EXISTING BUILDINGS

Green Roof / Green SpaceAnywhere on building or zone lot

Green area equivalent to the least of:• 2% of floor area of the building• 18% of the total roof area• Available roof space

Pay for Offsite GreenPayment to Green Building Fund of:• $50.00 per square foot of green

space coverage required but not provided

SolarAnywhere on building or zone lot

Onsite solar or other renewable equivalent to the least of:• 5% of the floor area• 42% of the total roof area• An area equal to an amount

required to provide 100% of building electricity use

CertificationOne of the following: • LEED Certification, minimum

silver• Enterprise Green Communities

certification• National Green Building

Standard ICC/ASHRAE 700• Equivalent certification approved

by the building official

At Roof Replacement: Cool Roof Required* plus ONE of the Following Options:

Energy ProgramEnroll in a flexible energy program that includes various energy efficiency and renewable options designed to achieve similar greenhouse gas emission reductions as the on-site solar option. • Comply with one of many

pathways in the Energy Program within 5 years.

• Can enroll early to “bank” efficiency projects for next roof replacement

* If the roof is a character-defining roof, CPD may allow alternative roof materials

Energy Program Details

Enroll early to lock in your savings before it’s time for a roof replacement! 

• Choose a “baseline year” from the last five years

• Get credit for recent energy‐efficient improvements

• Be prepared if there is hail damage

• Enrollment is valid for 20 years or through one roof replacement(whichever is longer)

• Can enroll early OR at roof replacement 

• Enroll now:  www.denvergov.org/EnergizeDenver > Energy Program

Energy Program Enrollment

ENERGY STAR Score

Score of 85 or higher• Maintained annually• Energize Denver Benchmarking

Map for recent data at energizedenver.org

Onsite / Offsite Solar

Anywhere on building or zone lot, or off-site

Onsite solar or other renewable equiv. to your choice of:• 5% of the floor area • 42% of the total roof area• 100% of annual average

electricity used at the buildingOROffsite solar equiv. to: • 100% of building electricity use

Green Building CertificationOne of the following: • LEED Certification, minimum

silver• Enterprise Green Communities

certification• National Green Building

Standard ICC/ASHRAE 700• Equivalent certification approved

by the building official

EUI Improvement

Annual weather normalized site EUI

Buildings 25,000 - 49,000 gross floor area (GSF): • 10% EUI improvement Buildings 50,000 GSF or larger: • 15% EUI improvement

EUI + Offsite SolarBuildings 25,000 - 49,000 GSF• 5% EUI improvement • Offsite solar equiv. to 10% of

building energy useBuildings 50,000 GSF or larger• 7.5% EUI improvement • Offsite solar equiv. to 15% of

building energy use

Energy Program: Compliance Options for Existing Buildings

At Roof Replacement: Cool Roof Required* plus ONE of the Following Options:

* If the roof is a character-defining roof, CPD may allow alternative roof materials

Does Your Building Already Comply?

• Over 260 buildings already qualify

• Energize Denver Benchmarking data‐ ENERGY STAR score of 85 or higher

‐ 10%‐15% improvement in energy use intensity (EUI)

‐ Energize Denver Benchmarking Mapenergizedenver.org

• Annual reporting is required for the Energy Program• The building’s annual energy benchmarking report is 

used for also tracking the Energy Program • The report is sent to the City via ENERGY STAR 

Portfolio Manager

Annual Reporting

Energy Program Timeline

Specify Baseline Year

• Baseline year = calendar year used for savings

• Default year is prior year to enrollment • Baseline can be specified up to 5 years

earlier• Data for the baseline is submitted through

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager

Financing, Outreach, & Awards

New Way financing that provides C&I building owners a smarter way to modernize 

their buildings or build new buildings smarter:

• 100% financing for retrofits• Energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation• 15‐20% total construction budget financing for new construction• Meet or exceed IECC 2015• Long term financing, up to 25 years• Special purpose assessment (akin to sewer assessment) • Lower energy costs

C-PACE Financing Pays 100% of Improvements

Charge Ahead Colorado: Charging Station Installation Grants available to cover 80% of the cost, up to $9,000

Applications accepted each 

February, May & October

Evaluation Notification of Award

Awardee MeetingProcurement Approval

Project Implementation

Reimbursement!

https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/energyoffice/charge‐ahead‐colorado

Awards and Outreach

Energy Efficiency Awards Smart Leasing

Contact Us! Web: www.denvergov.org/EnergizeDenver Energy Program Program email: energyprogram@denvergov.org

Email: amber.wood@denvergov.orgPhone: 720-865-5451