| name | energize-denver |
| description | Use when working with Denver's Energize Denver Article XIV building performance regulations. Provides compliance requirements, pathways, deadlines, penalties, MAI production efficiency metrics, benchmarking rules, and performance targets for commercial and multifamily buildings in Denver. Use when the user mentions Energize Denver, Denver Article XIV, MAI buildings, compliance pathways, performance targets, or Denver building performance requirements. |
Energize Denver Article XIV Compliance Reference
Regulatory reference for Denver's High-Performance Existing Buildings Program — Article XIV requirements, compliance pathways, deadlines, penalties, and the MAI production efficiency pathway.
Authoritative Sources & Freshness
This skill's content was last verified on 2026-04-13. CASR rules were most recently updated in 2025. If the current date is more than 6 months past the verification date above, re-verify rates and deadlines against the authoritative sources below before quoting anything to a client.
Canonical sources (in order of authority):
- Denver Revised Municipal Code, Chapter 10 — the legal text. Verbatim text is bundled in ordinance/ — start there before reaching out to external sources. Mirror source (for cross-checking amendments post-verification-date):
https://library.municode.com/co/denver/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TITIIREMUCO_CH10BUCO_ARTXIVHIPEEBU
- CASR Rules and Regulations — implementation detail beyond what's in the ordinance (updated 2025)
- energizedenver.org — current program announcements and forms
- CASR direct contact —
energizedenver@denvergov.org — for anything CASR hasn't published (e.g., pre-approved production metrics, ACO review timelines)
Before answering a question about rates, deadlines, or procedures, check these sources in order. When referencing the ordinance, prefer the bundled ordinance/ text over a paraphrase. Flag any skill content that conflicts with a more current source and recommend the user contact CASR directly for gaps.
Quick Reference
Building Categories
| Category | Requirement |
|---|
| 25,000+ sf (non-MAI) | Annual benchmarking (June 1); 2024/2027/2030 performance targets; ~30% EUI reduction by 2030 from 2019 baseline |
| 25,000+ sf (MAI) | Prescriptive or Performance pathway; 4 performance metric options; ACO application due Dec 31, 2025 |
| 5,000–24,999 sf | LED lighting OR 20% solar; staggered deadlines Dec 31, 2025/2026/2027 by size tier |
Key Deadlines
| Date | Requirement |
|---|
| June 1 (annual) | Benchmarking submission (25k+ sf) |
| June 1, 2025 | Demonstrate 2024 interim target |
| December 31, 2025 | MAI ACO application; small buildings 15k–25k sf LED/solar |
| December 31, 2026 | Small buildings 10k–15k sf LED/solar |
| December 31, 2027 | Small buildings 5k–10k sf LED/solar |
| June 1, 2028 | Demonstrate 2027 interim target |
| June 1, 2031 | Demonstrate 2030 final target |
Penalty Rates (verify against current CASR guidance)
| Rate | Applies to |
|---|
| $0.15/kBtu | Standard updated timeline |
| $0.23/kBtu | Opted into 2028/2032 timeline |
| $0.35/kBtu | Timeline extension granted |
| +$0.10/kBtu | Surcharge: extension requested after target year ends |
Penalty = kBtu shortfall × rate. MAI buildings use the same rates applied to production efficiency shortfalls (converted to kBtu).
Full Regulatory Detail
Two complementary references, with different use cases:
- ordinance/ — the verbatim text of Chapter 10 (all 15 Articles) extracted from the Denver Municipal Code DOCX. Use when you need the exact legal language. Start with ordinance/README.md — it's a section-level index so you only load the Article you need, not the whole Chapter. Article XIV is the Energize Denver program itself; Articles II (electrification requirements), XII (green buildings), and XV (C&D recycling) contain cross-references that may matter for compliance questions.
- article-xiv-requirements.md — synthesized reference with commentary the raw ordinance doesn't have: MAI production efficiency pathway (baseline/target/metric definition), penalty-rate calculation examples, decision criteria for pathway selection, timeline extension process, and a "Known Gaps and Limitations" list of questions CASR hasn't published answers for. Use when you need interpretation, examples, or procedural guidance beyond the ordinance text itself.
Rule of thumb: when quoting requirements verbatim, cite ordinance/. When explaining how to navigate the program in practice, cite article-xiv-requirements.md.
Example Compliance Plans
See examples/ for Markdown replications of the CASR compliance plan form, populated for:
lighting-compliance-plan-example.md — small-building LED lighting pathwayrenewable-compliance-plan-example.md — small-building 20% solar pathway
Use these as structural references when drafting a compliance plan for a client.
