Building Performance Standards

December 2025 update: Building Performance Standards (BPS) went to a first reading with City Council on Dec. 2, 2025. At that time, council voted not to proceed with a second reading. That means the proposed policy will not move forward at this point.

The vote was tied, with Councilmembers Julie Pignataro, Tricia Canonico, and Melanie Potyondy voting for adoption. Councilmember Kelly Ohlson, Mayor Pro Tem Emily Francis, and Mayor Jeni Arndt voted against the proposed policy. Councilmember Susan Gutowsky was absent.

If upcoming council priorities include regulatory methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, BPS (or similar policies) may be a possibility in the future.

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 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 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.