Boulder Building Performance Efficiency Requirements
Efficiency Requirements
The Building Performance Ordinance requires each affected commercial and industrial building owner to implement efficiency actions over a phased timeline. These actions are:
- Perform Energy Assessments Every 10 Years;
- Implement One-time Lighting Upgrades;
- Perform Retrocommissioning (RCx) Every 10 Years;
- Implement Cost Effective RCx Measures.
Timeline
The efficiency requirements are phased in based on building size with June 1 deadlines of the year listed below.
| Requirement | Existing Buildings ≥ 50,000 sf, New Buildings 1 ≥ 10,000 sf, City Buildings ≥ 5,000 sf | Existing Buildings ≥ 30,000 sf | Existing Buildings ≥ 20,000 sf |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Assessments | 2019 | 2021 | 2023 |
| Lighting Upgrades | 2021 | 2023 | 2025 |
| Retrocommissioning | 2021 | 2023 | 2025 |
| Implement Cost Effective RCx Measures | 2023 | 2025 | 2027 |
1 New Construction Buildings are those permitted since January 2014.
Resources
- Efficiency Requirements How-to Guide
- Provides guidance and recommendations for completing the energy assessments. - Cost Estimation Tool
- A resource for building owners to estimate the costs of required energy assessments and retrocommissioning. - Service Providers - Information on finding and selecting a Service Provider.
- Deadline Extension Request - Deadline extensions may be available. Submit the request online for review.
- Exemption Request - Efficiency requirement exemptions may be available if a building can demonstrate a high level of performance.
Energy Assessments
Every ten years, affected building owners must perform energy assessments that meet or exceed the requirements below per the Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits as published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in 2011, and as updated periodically.
| Building Size | Energy Assessment Required Scope |
| Buildings < 50,000 SF | ASHRAE Level I assessment |
| Buildings ≥ 50,000 SF | ASHRAE Level II assessment |
For manufacturing buildings, an electrical utility’s process efficiency assessments and studies can meet this requirement, if the scope is approved by the City Manager.
Building owners must use a qualified service provider to complete a Level I or Level II energy assessment for compliance purposes.
Report Templates
Report templates are available that include current ASHRAE requirements and City Manager Rule requirements to ensure compliance with the ordinance. The use of these templates is not required, however they can be a reference to ensure all requirements are included in the report.
*Note: If completing the Level I Energy Assessment through Xcel Energy's Onsite Energy Audit Program, that report will suffice for compliance.
Cost Saving Opportunities
Level I Energy Assessments
- Xcel Energy offers an Onsite Energy Audit* for a small fee. These audits will be accepted for compliance with the Level I requirement of the ordinance as long as the audit covers both electricity and natural gas equipment.
Level II Energy Assessments
- Buildings 50,000 SF and larger must provide the capital to complete a Level II assessment. To help offset these costs, the city is offering rebates up to 30 percent for buildings required to complete a Level II energy assessment.
*Verify current program status at https://www.xcelenergy.com/programs_and_rebates/business_programs_and_rebates
Reporting Compliance
Submit your energy assessment report to the city through the online Submission Form.
Lighting Upgrades
Affected building owners must complete one-time lighting upgrades that meet the most current version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)* for interior and exterior lighting power, controls and sensors as outlined in the code sections below.
| Lighting Requirement | Code Section |
| Occupancy Sensor Controls | C405.2.1 |
| Time-switch Controls | C405.2.2 |
| Exterior Lighting Controls | C405.2.6 |
| Interior Lighting - Power | C405.3 |
| Exterior Lighting - Power | C405.4 |
*The current IECC code is IECC 2018.
**The IECC 2018 update has removed specific requirements for Exit Signs in C405.3. This is because the requirement is mandated by U.S. Federal regulation and a holistic lighting retrofit should include the cost-effective upgrade to LED lights for Exit Signs.
Electrical Permit
If lighting upgrades are necessary to meet compliance, an electrical permit may be required. To ensure your lighting project is reviewed against the BPO lighting requirement (and not the entire City of Boulder code), ensure you submit the Building Performance Ordinance Checklist and Electrical Permit together to Planning & Development Services .
Cost Saving Opportunities
Lighting rebates may be available through Xcel Energy and Boulder County PACE .
Reporting Compliance
Submit your lighting compliance through this Submission Form .
If lighting upgrades were required for compliance , complete the Lighting Upgrade Spreadsheet to submit with your COMcheck form.
COM check Guidance - A COM check report indicating 'PASS' for each ordinance-required code section is required to show compliance with the lighting requirements.
BPO and the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance
Building owners are encouraged to ensure any lighting upgrades completed for the Building Performance Ordinance on the exterior of the building also meet the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance requirements. The Outdoor Lighting Ordinance of 9-9-16 B.R.C. 1981, includes specific lighting standards that apply to all new development and newly proposed exterior lighting. Additionally, 9-9-16 also contains thresholds for incremental compliance (based on cumulative project valuation compared to existing structure valuation) that must be addressed at the time of building permit application for work that triggers such lighting improvements. Lastly, the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance includes an amortization deadline requiring compliance of all exterior lighting of July 15, 2018.
The BPO lighting deadlines begin in 2021 based on building size. However, with the Outdoor Lighting Ordinance amortization deadline in July of 2018, owners are encouraged to comply with both ordinance lighting requirements at the same time to capture economies of scale and realize cost savings for the exterior lighting upgrades required by both ordinances.
Retrocommissioning & Implementing RCx Measures
Every ten years, affected building owners must perform retrocommissioning, a process that improves the efficiency of existing building operations by “tuning up” and calibrating existing functional systems to run as efficiently as possible through low- or no-cost improvements.
Owners must implement the cost-effective measures (any measure with a payback period of two years or less with rebates) identified through retrocommissioning within two years of the study.
The scope of the requirements depends on the size of the building as shown below.
| Building Size | RCx Scope |
| Buildings < 50,000 SF | Owners can participate in the Xcel Energy Building Tune-Up Program or meet the scope  outlined in the City Manager Rules |
| Buildings ≥ 50,000 SF | Owners can participate in the Xcel Energy RCx Study Program or meet the scope outlined in the City Manager Rules |
Building owners must use a qualified service provider to complete the retrocommissioning.
Report Templates
If completing the RCx study through Xcel Energy's Building Tune-up or RCx Study Programs, the program report will suffice for compliance.
If completing the RCx study through a third-party service provider, a report outline is available for reference.
Cost Saving Opportunities
Retrocommissioning Study
Cost saving opportunities may be available through participation in Xcel Energy's programs.
- Xcel Energy's Building Tune-Up Program costs $250-$500.*
- Xcel Energy covers up to 75 percent of the study cost through its RCx Study Program if preapproved (up to $25,000).*
There may also be opportunities to realize cost savings through implementing services concurrently (e.g. completing the energy assessment and retrocommissioning study at the same time). Work with your service provider to determine if there are opportunities to capture economies of scale.
*Verify current program status at https://www.xcelenergy.com/programs_and_rebates/business_programs_and_rebates
Measure Implementation
Prescriptive and custom rebates may be available through Xcel Energy a nd Boulder County PACE to reduce the costs of measure upgrades.
Reporting Compliance
Retrocommissioning Study
Submit the final RCx report through the online Submission Form.
Measure Implementation
Provide the submission form (Coming Soon!) and paid-in-full invoices to the Program Administrator.