Denver Has a Moral and Economic Imperative to Continue Climate Leadership. Will It
Last year, I received a pamphlet from Denver Water that outlined ways to conserve water at my house and suggestions for drought-tolerant plants with spring on the way. As a Denver homeowner, a sustainability professional, and a rookie gardener, I was excited to dive in. With expanded commitments like Colorado’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap, which outlines how the state plans to reach its goal of 50% greenhouse gas emissions cuts by 2050, I remain encouraged by Colorado’s focus on creating sustainable communities. However, much has happened since I received that pamphlet last year and Governor Polis expanded the reduction roadmap: Mainly, the U.S. administration’s shifting views on the federal government’s role in the clean energy transition.
In the face of national uncertainties, state and local progress must continue. And Denver, along with the rest of Colorado, has a moral and economic imperative to step up in the absence of federal leadership. Denver can double down on climate initiatives and assume the leadership mantle by decarbonizing the built environment, which will create healthy and resilient communities, jobs, and economic prosperity in the process.
Buildings and homes are responsible for 64% of Denver’s greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond reducing GHG emissions, decarbonizing the built environment makes buildings more comfortable, occupants healthier and more productive, and our physical structures more resilient in the face of a growing number of extreme weather events, like frequent and intense heat waves that leave Denver residents at risk. Decarbonizing the built environment refers to lowering and/or eliminating GHG emissions from buildings through emissions reduction technologies and practices. In the wake of national actions like FEMA dropping out of the latest effort to improve building codes, cities will need to take the lead more than ever.
Denver is already a leader in the building decarbonization movement, and I am hopeful that we will continue to be. Starting with the Energize Denver Building Performance Policy passed in November 2021, more than 25% of larger buildings in Denver already meet their 2030 Energize Denver targets. Through rebate programs for heat pump installation, all-electric affordable housing, energy audits, building electrification, and more, developers, building owners, and contractors can take advantage of millions in funding to go green. Changing tides from the federal level should not deter Denver and its leaders from doing what is right both for our city and the planet. Continued prioritization of these rebate programs funded by Xcel Energy and the city of Denver is one way to continue the momentum.
These subsidized investments in decarbonizing Denver’s buildings not only benefit the environment but also help people and businesses thrive. Aside from creating more resilient assets in the face of extreme weather, these efforts can lower utility bills for occupants, providing an estimated $6.4 billion in economic benefits between 2024 and 2050 alone. For Denver building owners, these retrofits lower operating costs, improving their bottom lines. And when all is said and done, these improvements actually raise the value of the property.
There are several exciting projects in Denver that illustrate the success of these policies and programs. The Populus Hotel shows just how easy that can be. The first carbon-negative hotel in the nation, it used sustainable building materials and has planted 70,000 trees to offset carbon emissions. Beyond the construction phase, it continues to prioritize sustainability, using 100% renewable energy for day-to-day operations. Another example is T3 RiNo, a 235,000-square-foot timber office building that opened in 2023. Using timber allowed the building to significantly reduce its embodied carbon, and the wood itself actually sequesters carbon instead of releasing more into the atmosphere. Tenants enjoy natural light, optimal air quality, and other healthy features that have come to be expected in buildings post-COVID.
As we have seen with the recent extension of Energize Denver’s energy reduction targets for buildings, meeting emissions reduction compliance can be challenging, especially when the building owner and operator do not know where to begin on their sustainability journey. That is where net zero certifications come into play. Finding one that is flexible, incremental, and guides you through the process is key to achieving lasting success. My organization, the Global Network for Zero, utilizes the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which 92% of Fortune 500 companies use in their own GHG accounting, to ensure our net zero certifications are widely trusted and recognized while accounting for the design, construction, and operational phases of a building.
I love living in a city whose vision for a sustainable, resilient future aligns with my own. Denver’s approach demonstrates how cities can protect their residents and build climate resilience—even in the increasing absence of federal support.
Based in Denver, Sonja Trierweiler is the vice president of community development for the Global Network for Zero, the world’s premier independent net zero certification body. She applies her forward-looking communications expertise and business marketing background to build community and enact change. Sonja champions GNFZ’s mission, guiding partners to conceptualize emissions-cutting plans’ positive impact on their business’s bottom lines, on the planet, and human health for generations.