Building Performance Standards

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Local buildings create more than two-thirds of our community’s carbon emissions. To help tackle climate change, improve air quality, and drive economic opportunities locally, the City of Fort Collins is exploring Building Performance Standards (BPS). BPS are a targeted way to cut pollution, reduce energy consumption, and create a heathier and more resilient environment both indoors and outdoors. Explore the project's background.

BPS are considered by many experts to be the most powerful and direct tool(External link) for driving improved energy use in existing buildings. Typically, they require commercial and multi-family buildings to meet energy performance targets and deadlines set by local policy.

Over the course of 2023 and 2024, we partnered with the local community to develop detailed BPS policy recommendations, which you can review in the Proposed Policy Specifics section. Policies that impact our local buildings affect nearly all of us, and voices across our community are critical to inform the policy development process. Learn how the community is participating.

Follow the project! Click here(External link) to sign up for communication updates.


Local buildings create more than two-thirds of our community’s carbon emissions. To help tackle climate change, improve air quality, and drive economic opportunities locally, the City of Fort Collins is exploring Building Performance Standards (BPS). BPS are a targeted way to cut pollution, reduce energy consumption, and create a heathier and more resilient environment both indoors and outdoors. Explore the project's background.

BPS are considered by many experts to be the most powerful and direct tool(External link) for driving improved energy use in existing buildings. Typically, they require commercial and multi-family buildings to meet energy performance targets and deadlines set by local policy.

Over the course of 2023 and 2024, we partnered with the local community to develop detailed BPS policy recommendations, which you can review in the Proposed Policy Specifics section. Policies that impact our local buildings affect nearly all of us, and voices across our community are critical to inform the policy development process. Learn how the community is participating.

  • Common Questions

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    31 Jul 2024

    Curious about the proposed BPS policy? Check out the questions and answers below.

    1. If City Council approves a BPS policy, who would need to comply?
      Building owners are responsible for making sure their buildings meet proposed targets. If a building owner’s property does not meet energy efficiency targets for their building type, they would need to make changes to the building.

    2. Does a BPS policy mean I need to electrify my building?
      No, Fort Collins BPS does NOT propose fuel switching (e.g., gas to electricity) or electrification. Building owners may choose to meet proposed targets by changing to high efficiency electric equipment, but that is not a requirement in Fort Collins’ proposed BPS.

    3. What is an energy efficiency target?
      Energy efficiency targets are based on your unique building. Building types have distinct energy efficiency targets, meaning you wouldn’t have the same target as a completely different kind of building (e.g., multi-family apartment complex and bookstore). Proposed targets are measured in ‘Energy Use Intensity,’ meaning they are based on how much energy is used per square foot of your building. Energy efficiency targets account for variable weather conditions.

      Energy efficiency targets allow owners to choose how to reduce their energy use. There are many ways to make a building more efficient and a building owner can choose what’s best for them.

      Want to know your building’s current efficiency? You can find your Energy Use Intensity on our Benchmarking Transparency map at fcgov.com/Benchmarking-Map.

    4. Does everyone have to make a 25% Energy Use Intensity reduction?
      No! The proposed policy has a maximum reduction of 25% for any building.

      For large buildings (10,000 square feet and above), the average reduction would be 13% to reach proposed targets. About one-third of large buildings already meet their targets so they would not need to make any changes to their building.

      For small buildings (5,000-10,000 square feet), the maximum reduction is 15%. The average reduction for small buildings would be 9% to reach proposed targets. About one-third of small buildings already meet their targets so they would not need to make any changes to their building.

    5. What if my building is already efficient?
      About one-third of local buildings are already meeting their proposed efficiency targets, and if the BPS policy is approved, they wouldn't have to take any action. If your building is very efficient, it is likely it already meets the proposed target. Congratulations!

    6. What if I can’t meet my target?
      Efficiency targets are based on your unique building, and the proposed standards were developed to fit your building type. But, we know some buildings just aren’t used like others, and there may be reasons why an efficiency target doesn’t work. Don’t worry, the policy has alternate pathways, or ‘safety nets,’ built in for special cases. Alternate pathways can include:

      -Caps: A limit on the amount of reduction a building would need to make to reach its target. Buildings that are far away from their target won’t have to make energy use reductions that exceed a certain amount.
      -Waivers: Exemptions. For example, buildings that will be demolished or are in financial distress wouldn’t need to participate.
      -Renewables: Onsite renewables may provide a credit toward your target.
      -Timeline adjustments: Provide more time to reach targets.
      -Target adjustments: Provide a unique target for buildings that just can’t meet targets or caps.

    7. Are there penalties for doing nothing?
      If adopted by City Council, BPS would be a regulatory policy and there would be penalties for inaction. Any action you take that makes your building more efficient would reduce the penalty. Alternate pathways (see number 6) help building owners find ways to meet requirements and avoid penalties.

    8. How is the City supporting me?
      The City recognizes the change BPS would bring to the community, and we are here to support you! The proposed policy includes significant resources to help building owners. They include technical support, project management, educational resources, additional incentives, and help finding and accessing financial resources.


    Have other questions? Reach out to Project Manager Katherine Bailey at kbailey@fcgov.com(External link).

  • Community Benefits

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    19 Apr 2024
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    BPS focus on increased building efficiency, plugging into a larger effort of climate change mitigation policies across Colorado, nationwide, and beyond. Investing in the built environment, where we spend 90% of our time, beneficially impacts health, safety, comfort, and resilience.

    BPS are a critical tool to mitigate and adapt to impacts of climate change both at the utility level and for community members. Better air quality benefits all residents, as do improvements resulting in increased health, safety, comfort, and resilience. Utility customers stand to benefit directly from BPS through lower utility bills. Multi-family tenants and property managers benefit from reduced operations and maintenance costs, and increased occupancy and tenant retention. Businesses benefit from higher productivity of on-site staff. Building owners benefit from the higher property value of efficient buildings and the value of efficiency investments.

    More efficient buildings can also lead to:

    • Lower utility bills
    • Improved indoor and outdoor air quality
    • Increased occupancy and tenant retention
    • Higher productivity in employees
    • Higher property values
    • High-paying jobs and a more competitive economic environment


  • Structural Recommendations

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    19 Apr 2024
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    Below are a few key takeaways from the Task Force recommendations(External link) and Community Contributor recommendations(External link).

    Buildings Proposed to be Included (Covered) under BPS:

    BPS policy recommendations center on increased efficiency demonstrated through decreased Energy Use Intensity (EUI). Based on committee recommendations, staff recommend covering commercial and multi-family buildings 5,000 square feet and above. The proposed BPS would include just below 1,400 buildings, 32% of which already meet proposed targets. Covered buildings account for 40% of all Fort Collins building electricity use (including residential and industrial properties).

    BPS Targets:

    Staff recommends adopting an EUI target for individual covered buildings(External link). EUI is typically measured by thousand British thermal units (kBTU/square foot) and is a common metric that includes multiple fuels (often natural gas and electricity) used for energy in a building within a single metric. EUI is tracked through Utilities' existing benchmarking program, ensuring objective targets are easily monitored. A common metric for tracking BPS compliance around the country, and used in both Denver and the State of Colorado, EUI provides an objective comparison of all energy use accounting for weather, building size, and property use type.

    Staff recommend buildings between 5,000-10,000 square feet have more-attainable targets.

    Compliance Timeline:

    Staff recommend implementing a BPS with 2027 as the interim timeline and 2030 as the target deadline. For the smallest cohort of covered buildings, those 5,000-10,000 square feet, staff proposes an extended timeline. These dates ensure time for community education, engagement, and action, and also are timely enough to contribute to Our Climate Future 2030 emissions reductions goals.

    Alternative Compliance Pathways:

    Staff designed alternatives to ensure buildings are not tasked with meeting unachievable targets. Recommended “off-ramps” include EUI reduction caps which limit the maximum energy savings a building would need to achieve, timeline and target adjustments, waivers, and the potential for providing additional help for under-resourced buildings.

    For more details, watch the April 23, 2024 City Council Work Session here(External link).

  • Resources for Success

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    19 Apr 2024
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    While BPS can have significant positive impacts on our community, any policy can do further harm and perpetuate existing inequities if not thoughtfully designed around social equity. Recommendations seek to shape a policy that encourages benefits in health, safety, comfort, and resilience while working to reduce the risk of increased unaffordability. Community contributors have discussed recommendations with program staff to encourage maintained affordability in housing, and ongoing work focuses on relevant offerings directed to under-resourced building owners.

    Community contributors shared that successful implementation depends on resources for all buildings, with an emphasis on under-resourced buildings. This includes education on the benefits associated with BPS and their alignment with City and community goals, as well as robust and targeted educational, financial, and technical resources. Identifying and offering appropriate resources is an essential strategy to keep the policy from hindering economic growth.

    Staff continue to explore ways to build upon the robust federal, state, and local incentives currently available for energy efficiency projects. Acknowledging that there will still be a cost associated for many buildings, partnership with “green” financing providers such as Colorado PACE and the Colorado Clean Energy Fund is an essential path to assure payments for upgrades better align with payoff periods, and high upfront costs are minimized or avoided entirely. Utilities plans further education for covered building owners to demonstrate how green financing can overcome perceived barriers focusing on return on investment. Partnerships also help determine where the City can assist with financing gaps.

    While cost barriers may seem like the most profound, our informed community voices shared that technical and educational resources are no less critical. Educational resources set for development, if BPS policy is adopted, include training and on-demand recordings. A Help Center will be on hand to support building owners with compliance and provide assistance for both simple and highly technical questions and requests. An online hub will provide educational resources including technical and financial.

    Existing technical support is available to building owners to identify low- and no-cost improvements along with smart investments in energy efficiency. Staff are prepared to build upon existing resources with additional support for all covered buildings and advanced technical support for under-resourced buildings through an expansion of existing vendor partnerships. On-site, whole building assessments with targeted recommendations will help assure building owners understand their best options to meet targets, and encourage alignment with 2050 carbon neutrality goals.

    Staff continue to address workforce challenges by exploring a local scholarship program. Collaborating with local jurisdictions with adopted policies (Denver, Boulder, Aspen, and the Colorado Energy Office) allows shared learning and resources, extends opportunity to expand the workforce and partner for other resources including funding opportunities.

  • 2023 Community Engagement

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    13 Jul 2023

    Crafting a policy that reflects our local circumstances isn’t something City staff can do alone. We need community involvement to co-create this policy and assure proposed compliance pathways accommodate the various functions, sizes, and occupancy types of local commercial and multifamily buildings.

    Throughout 2023, a BPS Task Force comprised of local stakeholders met monthly to draft policy recommendations. A Technical Committee with knowledge of local building stock and building science best practices supported the Task Force and continues to met to determine how those recommendations can be put into practice in Fort Collins.

    Staff also work with the Climate Equity Committee(External link) (CEC) to assess how policy recommendation outcomes may impact people and organizations who:

    • Have historically not been given the opportunity to participate in policy development
    • May stand to experience disproportionately negative impacts as a result of policy implementation


    This team will reconvene after BPS are in place to identify any specific negative impacts and discuss how to address them. 

    If you aren't a part of the Task Force, Technical or Equity Committees, but still have input on local BPS or want to participate in the process, we want to hear from you.

    Join our communication list(External link) or check this site for announcements about upcoming meetings and feedback opportunities.
  • Background

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    13 Jul 2023

    Greenhouse gas emissions are driving climate change, which leads to more frequent and extreme weather events. Those weather events have cost our country nearly two trillion dollars, and the trend of increasing damage is projected to continue until we make drastic changes.

    Building upon existing programs including business efficiency rebates(External link) and the commercial Building Energy and Water Scoring(External link) program, the Our Climate Future plan specifically identifies “efficient, emissions free buildings” as one of the Big Moves(External link) toward achieving our ambitious community goals. BPS are a critical pathway to make significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

    The City is a proud member of the National BPS Coalition(External link). Dozens of state and local governments have committed to inclusively designing and implementing building performance policies and programs. The coalition’s communities have a goal to adopt localized BPS by Earth Day 2024.

Page last updated: 23 Oct 2024, 01:36 PM