On August 17th, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission members approved the state’s first building performance standards, setting requirements for large property owners to cut energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions.
The building performance standards mandate a 7% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions from the sector by 2026 and a 20% reduction by 2030. They apply to covered buildings of at least 50,000 square feet gross floor area — a designation that will affect about 8,000 structures in the state.
Buildings can use a variety of methods to reduce energy usage or greenhouse gas emissions, and the costs of compliance will be significant.
Buildings that fail to comply with the designated standards face penalties of $2,000 per month for their first violation and $5,000 for future violations.
