Denver cracks energy list

City places 10th on list of big U.S. cities in e∞ciency results

Denver made its debut among the top 10 big U.S. cities for energy-efficiency programs.

OK, Denver slipped in at No. 10, according to the annual City Energy Scorecard. But still, it’s a notch higher than last year’s 11thplace ranking.

Just making the top 10 was an effort — because even though the city is adding efficiency programs, its growing population uses more energy, said Jerry Tinianow, the city’s chief sustainability officer.

“Our population is growing 2.5 percent to 3 percent a year,” Tinianow said. “Our growth is swamping energy efficiency.”

The scorecard is compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based American

Top 10 big cities for energy-efficiency programs and policies

1. Boston 2. New York 3. Washington 4. San Francisco 5. Seattle Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The nonprofit council graded 51 cities on local government operations, community initiatives, building policies, utilities and transportation.

Denver scored 58.5 of a possible 100. The median score was 38.5.

Boulder, although not listed as a big city in the survey, scored 69.25.

Boston posted the top score, 82, followed by New York, 78, and Washington, 76.5.

Denver performed poorly 6. Chicago 7. Minneapolis 8. Portland, Ore. 9. Austin, Texas 10. Denver in building policies, scoring 9.5 of a possible 29. But Tinianow said the city is working improve such policies.

For its building standards, Denver had been using the International Energy Conservation Code for 2009, but the city will now adopt the 2015 IECC, Tinianow said.

Boston, which scored 27 in building policies, adopts every update of the IECC within 12 months.

Denver also has launched the Denver City Energy Project, which is targeting 6,045 commercial and multifamily buildings of more than 10,000 square feet.

The city estimates there are $1.3 billion of energy savings to be harvested from the buildings.

“The project can be a big win for Denver,” said Jim Meyers, director of building programs for the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, a nonprofit advocacy group. “Denver is trying.”

Denver also is working on an ordinance to implement a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program, or C-PACE. The program enables building owners to finance energy-efficiency improvements through a voluntary property-tax assessment.

“We want to be the first municipality in Colorado with a C-PACE program,” Tinianow said.