The City of Lakewood Building Energy Benchmarking Ordinance is a citywide energy benchmarking & disclosure program requiring owners of existing buildings to report energy use annually, using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®. Effective as of February 2026, this program provides building owners insight into their building’s energy efficiency and helps meet the City of Lakewood’s Climate Action Plan goals.
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WHAT BUILDINGS ARE COVERED UNDER LAKEWOOD BENCHMARKING?
Property Size
Commercial, multifamily, and public buildings 10,000 Sq. Ft. or larger.
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED FOR BENCHMARKING?
Annual benchmarking reporting requires 12 calendar months of whole-building energy and building use data. For example, in 2025, building owners must report 12 months of 2024 data.
Note: Lakewood buildings that need to comply with the State’s Building Performance Colorado, can continue reporting according to the state’s schedule and simply add Lakewood as another reporting entity.
WHEN ARE LAKEWOOD BENCHMARKING REPORTS DUE?
December 31, 2026 and every June 1 thereafter. Benchmarking reports must be submitted on an annual basis using the previous year’s data via ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®. This is the EPA’s benchmarking tool that is used for compliance reporting in most ordinances across the country.
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED FOR BPS?
Building Performance Standards (BPS) are often considered Phase II of these building energy use ordinances. After reporting your benchmarking data, many ordinances require you to make changes to the building’s operations or equipment to lower energy use over time.
Lakewood is currently developing its Building Performance Standards program and is expected in 2027.
WHEN ARE LAKEWOOD BPS REPORTS DUE?
BPS Due Date
Lakewood BPS is expected to be adopted in 2027.
WHAT IS THIRD-PARTY DATA VERIFICATION?
Third-party data verification requires owners/managers of covered buildings to hire a third-party expert who will independently review and verify the building’s benchmarking data.
Under Lakewood’s policy, data verification is not currently required. However, third-party data verification is often a key aspect of confirming compliance with building performance standards.
WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF YOU DON'T COMPLY WITH LAKEWOOD BENCHMARKING?
Failure to comply with Lakewood’s benchmarking policy can result in a fine up to $2,000. If a building owner fails to pay the fine, the City can place a lien on the property.
HOW DO I COMPLY WITH LAKEWOOD BENCHMARKING?
CONTACT US HERE to learn more and get started with compliance.
Lakewood Benchmarking compliance can be confusing and hard to navigate. Bringing on a consultant like VCA Green streamlines the entire process while ensuring accurate reporting. We also offer free consultations with our benchmarking clients to review the reports and identify inefficiencies to improve.
WHEN SHOULD I START LAKEWOOD BENCHMARKING COMPLIANCE?
Ordinances such as the Lakewood Energy Benchmarking Ordinance are already in effect across the country, and deadlines are rapidly approaching. Retrieving historical building data will take time, especially when coordinating with property managers and utilities.
Waiting until the last minute risks missing compliance windows resulting in fines and enforcement penalties. VCA Green takes every measure to ensure complete and accurate data collection. The sooner you reach out, the sooner you will reach compliance.
LAKEWOOD BENCHMARKING RESOURCES
Climate Policy
Lakewood Sustainability
Bill Text
Lakewood Title 14, Chapter 30
Ordinance Homepage
Lakewood Energy Benchmarking Ordinance
VCA GREEN PROCESS
With every phase of the process, VCA Green’s experienced and knowledgeable team is here to guide you on the results, options, and path forward to meet your compliance goals.
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