The ordinance now advances to the full Denver City Council for two final votes in the coming weeks.
DENVER — The Denver City Council safety committee unanimously approved an ordinance Wednesday that would require all large commercial and multifamily buildings in the city to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy performance.
The ordinance now advances to the full council for two final votes in the coming weeks.
In Denver, commercial and multifamily buildings produce 49% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency.
“We are not on track to achieve our climate goals of cutting building energy use 30% by 2030. Instead, building energy use continues to go up,” said Katrina Managan, who leads the office’s Buildings and Homes Team.
If passed, the ordinance would require buildings 25,000 square feet or larger to achieve 30% energy savings by 2030, with interim goals set in 2024 and 2027.
