Code Status: Colorado

This page contains information about current energy codes in the state of Colorado. Information for all 50 States is also available. Colorado Code News.

Current State Codes
Code Adoption & Change Process
Energy Consumption Estimates
Construction Activity
Web Links
State Energy Code Contacts

Current State Codes

Residential Code: 2003 IECC or any successor edition is the minimum energy code for any jurisdiction that has adopted a building code; can use REScheck to show compliance.
Commercial Code: 2003 IECC or any successor edition is the minimum energy code for any jurisdiction that has adopted a building code; can use COMcheck to show compliance. In any area that does not adopt or enforce local codes, the 1993 MEC is mandatory for hotels, motels, and multifamily dwellings.
Code Change Cycle: No set schedule. Most recent code update July 1, 2007.
Jurisdictions: (Information last updated August 13, 2008. See ICC Online for up-to-date jurisdictional adoption information).
- 2006 IECC: Adams County, Arapahoe County, Arvada, Aurora, Basalt, Castle Rock, Centennial, Collbran, Colorado State Buildings, Cortez, Craig, DeBeque, Denver, Durango, Edgewater, Englewood, Fort Lupton, Frisco, Fruita, Golden, Grand Junction, Greeley, Greenwood Village, Hotchkiss, Lakewood, Larimer County, Longmont, Louisville, Mesa County Regional, Palisade, Parker, Salida, Thornton, Westminster
- 2004 IECC Supplement: Trinidad
- 2003 IECC: Boulder, Boulder County, Broomfield City, Broomfield County, Brush, Carbondale, Central City, Colorado Division of Housing, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Delta, Eagle, Eagle County, El Paso County, Estes Park, Federal Heights, Fort Morgan, Fountain, Gunnison, Gunnison County, Ignacio, Jamestown, Jefferson County, Johnstown, La Plata County, Lafayette, Moffat County, Morrison, Northglenn, Orchard City, Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Pueblo County, San Miguel County, Sheridan, Snowmass Village, Superior, Teller County, Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Rescue, Vail, Wheat Ridge
- 2000 IECC: Cherry Hills Village, Nederland
- Other local codes: Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, Mancos, Pueblo

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Code Adoption & Change Process

Process Type: Legislative

Code Change Process: Local jurisdictions can and do adopt their own energy code requirements, but a statewide energy code would have to be promulgated by the state legislature. The legislature meets in regular session on the second Wednesday of January each year, unless the previous year's legislature amends the date of next convening through a joint resolution.

State Code History: The Colorado legislature passed a law in 1978 requiring all jurisdictions that have adopted building codes to include energy efficiency requirements for both residential and commercial buildings. The energy requirement at that time was based on Chapter 53 of the 1979 Uniform Building Code (UBC) -- a codified version of ASHRAE Standard 90-1975. A sunset provision was included for commercial buildings requiring the legislature to specifically extend the provisions for those buildings. The legislature failed to act and the commercial requirements were terminated in 1980, except for jurisdictions that had adopted this code prior to the termination.

On May 3, 2007, the state legislature passed HB 07-1146, improving the energy performance of the state's new buildings as part of a comprehensive energy strategy that begins with energy efficiency and incorporates renewable energy technologies. HB 07-1146 calls for all Colorado jurisdictions that have a building code in place to adopt a minimum energy code standard of the 2003 IECC or 2006 IECC by July 1, 2008. Jurisdictions without building codes will be exempt.

The Colorado Governor's Energy Office has posted its plans for spending ARRA SEP funds.

Enforcement: Local municipalities enforce building codes. As directed by HB 07-1146, the Governor's Energy Office (GEO) works in close partnership with building departments to provide energy code training, information and other resources to support local adoption and implementation of the 2006 IECC. GEO currently offers energy code workshops, featuring full day training on both commercial and residential energy codes, specifically the 2006 IECC. Training is delivered by a nationally recognized code training organization, International Code Council (ICC), and be offered at no cost to local code officials, homebuilders, developers, architects, engineers and other building industry professionals.

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Energy Consumption Estimates

The consumption estimates below are derived from the total end use of residential and commercial energy consumption in the United States in 2006, and are not limited to energy consumption based on building code-related factors. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Residential Sector: 319.4 Trillion BTU
Commercial Sector: 286.5 Trillion BTU
Total Energy Consumption: 605.9 Trillion BTU

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Construction Activity

Residential:

Population (2000 US Census)¹: 4,301,261
Total Housing Units²: 1,929,092
2004 New Housing Units Authorized by Permit (Privately Owned)³:
- total units: 46,360
- 1 unit: 39,196
- 2 units: 538
- 3 and 4 units: 965
- 5+ units: 5,661
- structures of 5+ units: 395

References:

Green Building Initiatives

95 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings
ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes Market Index between 3% and 11%
276 ENERGY STAR Labeled Buildings and Plants

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Code Funding Opportunities

There are two funding opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA): Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants and State Energy Program. Please reference the U.S. Department of Energy for Colorado's allocated amount and updated information.