Buildings are one of the top-five leading sources of Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Improving efficiency and replacing gas-powered appliances and equipment with electric options are essential strategies to reduce emissions from buildings to meet the state’s pollution reduction targets. As Colorado’s electric grid is increasingly powered by renewable energy, making the switch to electric appliances will not only protect Colorado’s environment and make homes safer and cleaner, but will also save people and businesses money on energy bills.
In 2023, the U.S. Green Building Council ranked Colorado among the top ten states in the nation for LEED Building Energy Efficiency.
State of Colorado Buildings – Goals & Actions
Colorado is working towards the adoption of technologies that reduce the GHG footprint of its 2.5 million existing buildings and to enable advances in technical and policy solutions that enable the cost-effective construction of zero carbon new buildings.
Key Priorities
- Expand energy efficiency investments to improve building envelopes, which include building walls, windows and roof, purchasing electric appliances and key mechanical elements, such as Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC). To accomplish this goal, use both state efforts like State Clean Heat Plans and federal opportunities like the Inflation Reduction Act’s Home Efficiency Rebate Programs.
- Require large commercial and multifamily buildings to track energy use and make progress toward energy and greenhouse gas performance standards.
- Support the adoption of advanced building energy codes.
- Assist programs and other efforts that promote consumer adoption of electric heat pumps and other forms of beneficial electrification.
- Expand access to financing programs for building retrofits by capitalizing a green bank, expanding existing programs and advocating for utility on-bill finance programs. Efforts include offering Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) and working with such programs as Colorado Clean Energy Fund and Colorado Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE).
- Work with utilities to expand their energy efficiency work, in part, by developing Clean Heat Plans.