Energize Denver in Scaler – Scaler

Purpose of this article

Explains how Denver's Energize Denver Building Performance Standard is represented in Scaler, which buildings are in scope, and how compliance is evaluated against an energy-use limit rather than an emissions limit.

Overview

Building Performance Standards (BPS) are local laws that require large buildings to meet progressively stricter performance limits over time.

Energize Denver is Denver's Building Performance Standard. It sets Site Energy Use Intensity targets that buildings must meet on the way to a final target, with interim targets along the timeline. It is administered by the City and County of Denver.

Tip: The easiest way to view Energize Denver compliance for your portfolio is the Local Regulations page in Analytics Portal. This article explains the methodology behind what you see there.

What Energize Denver measures

Energize Denver evaluates Site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) — the energy a building consumes at the site per unit of floor area per year. It does not measure greenhouse gas emissions.

This matters for how you improve compliance:

Emissions-based standards (LL97, Boston BERDO, Seattle BEPS) improve when a building switches to cleaner energy.

An energy-based standard like Energize Denver improves when a building uses less energy overall, regardless of source.

Because Energize Denver is energy-based, emission factors do not affect the compliance result. Scaler evaluates the asset on its site energy use, not its carbon.

Which buildings Energize Denver applies to

Energize Denver applies to commercial and multifamily buildings at or above a gross floor area threshold set by the city. Applicability criteria, interim and final targets, and penalty rates are set by the City and County of Denver and may be revised over time — for the authoritative current source, see the Energize Denver page.

How Scaler evaluates Energize Denver

Scaler identifies assets in scope from location and size, then evaluates each one against the Site EUI target for the relevant year.

Applicability is detected from Country, Postal code or City, and Gross floor area.

Performance is the asset's Site EUI, derived from its energy consumption and floor area.

Result is Compliant, Non-compliant, Missing data, or N/A, shown per year on the Local Regulations page.

For mixed-use buildings, Scaler applies a weighted target across the property types in the building's Building Units.

Penalty estimates

Energize Denver penalties are charged per unit of energy use above the target, within a range set by the city. Scaler estimates exposure using Denver's published methodology. Rates are set by the City and County of Denver and may change — see the Energize Denver page for the authoritative current rate.

What you need for each asset

The setup is the same as for other Building Performance Standards:

Asset Country, Postal code, and Gross floor area

Building Units with an ESPM-aligned Property type and Unit floor area

At least one year of energy consumption data

Note on energy data: because Energize Denver is energy-based, complete and accurate consumption data drives the result directly. Emission factor configuration does not change Energize Denver compliance.

Known limitations

Per-property-type applicability thresholds are being refined. Scaler uses a single size threshold per ordinance today, so an asset near a threshold boundary may occasionally be included or excluded at the margin. Confirm borderline assets with your Scaler representative.

Where to go next

Using the Local Regulations page — track compliance and penalty exposure across your portfolio

Supported BPS jurisdictions in Scaler — full list of covered performance standards and what each measures

DC BEPS in Scaler — another energy-intensity (EUI) standard

NYC Local Law 97 (LL97) in Scaler — an emissions-based standard, for contrast

Property type mapping (GRESB, CRREM, ULI, ESPM) — how property types determine thresholds