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Colorado

State Profile

Code Type: Commercial Residential
Current State Code Home Rule Home Rule
Effective Date
Adoption Date
State Amendments No No
State Code Analysis*
Enforcement
Can use COM/REScheck Yes Yes

Certifications

Commercial Residential
Current Model Code ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007 2009 IECC
Yes Yes

Model Code Savings Potential

Statewide Savings Potential (2010-2030) Residential Commercial
Cost $1.43B $1.24B
Energy (primary) 143MBtu 142MBtu

Consumer Cost Savings

Consumer Cost Savings Residential
per Home
Commercial
per 1,000 ft2
Annual ($) $337 $107
Annual (%) 19.6%
Life-cycle (30 year) $4491 $1430
Simple Payback 4.7 years 6.4 years
Positive Cash Flow 0.7 years

Compliance

Code Type: Residential Commercial
Field Study Yes No
Training Program Yes No

Additional Information

Colorado

    Background

    The Colorado legislature passed a law in 1978 requiring all jurisdictions that have adopted building codes to include energy efficiency requirements for both residential and commercial buildings. The energy requirement at that time was based on Chapter 53 of the 1979 Uniform Building Code (UBC) - a codified version of ASHRAE/IES Standard 90-1975. A sunset provision was included for commercial buildings requiring the legislature to specifically extend the provisions for those buildings. The legislature failed to act and the commercial requirements were terminated in 1980, except for jurisdictions that had adopted this code prior to the termination. Since that time, no state-wide energy code has existed for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings and multi-family residential buildings three stories or less in height, although local jurisdictions can and do adopt their own energy requirements. For example, the city of Fort Collins adopted a modified version of the 1995 MEC and ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1-1989 effective July 1, 1996.

    On May 3, 2007, the state legislature passed HB 07-1146, improving the energy performance of the state's new buildings as part of a comprehensive energy strategy that begins with energy efficiency and incorporates renewable energy technologies. HB 07-1146 calls for all Colorado jurisdictions that have a building code in place to adopt a minimum energy code standard of the 2003 IECC or 2006 IECC by July 1, 2008. Jurisdictions without building codes will be exempt.

    The Colorado Energy Codes Support Partnership (now called the Colorado Energy Codes Collaborative (CECC)) was established in 2010 and includes the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA/DOH), the Colorado Energy Office (CEO), Shums Coda Associates, the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), and the International Code Council (ICC). The purpose of the CECC is to provide information to members of the collaborative on updated energy code requirements across the state, connect members with resources that will support energy code adoption and enforcement, and provide additional information and analysis to members on the latest energy codes and stretch codes. 

    In 2019, the Colorado Legislature passed HB19-1260 that applied a new requirement for energy codes to jurisdictions in the state.  When a jurisdiction updated any building code after the effective date, they were required to adopt a newer energy code.  This energy code could be any of the three latest IECC’s released by the ICC. This bill created an ongoing requirement for energy code adoptions. This bill became effective August 2, 2019, and ceased to be effective on July 1, 2023 due to the passage of HB22-1362.

    In 2022, the Colorado Legislature passed HB22-1362, which updated the energy code requirements for jurisdictions passed in HB19-1260. The new law requires jurisdictions that update any building code after July 1, 2023 and before June 30, 2026 to adopt the 2021 IECC along with the state's model electric ready and solar ready code. It further requires jurisdictions that update any building code after July 1, 2026 to adopt the state's model low energy and carbon code. Both the model electric ready and solar ready code and the model low energy and carbon code are developed by the state Energy Code Board, a 21-member board established in HB22-1362 and appointed by the directors of the Colorado Energy Office and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.

    State-Owned/Funded Buildings

    Senate Bill 07-51 and Senate Bill 08-147 require that all projects funded with 25% or more of state funds conform with the High Performance Certification Program (HPCP) adopted by the Office of the State Architect if: the new facility, addition, or renovation project is greater than 5,000 square feet,  includes an HVAC system, and in the case of a renovation project, the cost of the renovation exceeds 25% of the current value of the building. The HPCP requires that projects achieve the highest possible LEED certification with the goal being LEED Gold. More information on the HPCP policy, including summaries, FAQs and project forms can be found at the Office of the State Architect's website.

    With the passage of HB22-1362, the Colorado legislature directed the Office of the State Architect to adopt the 2021 IECC and the state's model electric ready and solar ready code no later than January 1, 2025. The law further directed the Office of the State Architect to adopt the state's model low energy and carbon code no later than January 1, 2030.

    Adoption Process

    Adoption of Colorado's minimum energy code requirements is mandatory for jurisdictions updating or adopting any building code after July 1, 2023, pursuant to HB22-1362. However, the ultimate decision to update any building code that would trigger the adoption of the state's minimum energy code requirements remains with local jurisdictions. Efforts through DOLA/DOH, CEO and DOE are directed toward informing local jurisdictions of the benefits of energy efficiency standards and providing materials and training to support code implementation.

    Enforcement Process

    Energy codes are not enforced at the state level. Local enforcement agencies in jurisdictions that have adopted building codes are required to enforce the provisions of the residential energy code at the local level, but may adopt their own requirements without state approval. Inspections are required as a part of the established building inspection process. No special inspection requirements exist for state-owned and -funded buildings. These inspections are handled by the local enforcement agencies.

    C.R.S. 30-28-201 requires the board of county commissioners of a county that has enacted a building code to adopt and enforce a building energy code that meets or exceeds the standards in the 2003 IECC pursuant to section 30-28-211.

    Compliance Process

    The Colorado Compliance process is based on the use of the compliance and reporting tools developed by BECP.