As Colorado charges ahead into a cleaner, more energy-efficient future, one thing is becoming clear: the state’s energy codes are not just evolving—they’re fundamentally reshaping the way we design, document, and deliver buildings. For architects, these aren’t just compliance checkboxes—they're design catalysts. They touch every discipline and offer opportunities to rethink systems integration, optimize space planning, and contribute more directly to the performance and longevity of the built environment.
These codes signal a shift. Not just in electrical infrastructure—but in how architecture and technology must now work in lockstep to meet the demands of a smarter, more sustainable future.
Colorado currently enforces the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), the Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code, and is aligned with the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC). These frameworks already influence active projects across jurisdictions like Denver, Boulder, Broomfield, and Aurora as municipalities integrate them into their local code amendments.
For architects, the implications go beyond MEP coordination. These codes influence early decisions about core-and-shell design, electrical room sizing, roof layout and loading, parking design, and site utility planning. In short: energy code considerations now belong at the table from day one of schematic design.
Colorado’s energy code updates have been reshaping how architects and their teams must collaborate across disciplines. Here's how these changes are transforming key areas of the design process:
As Colorado moves away from combustion-based systems, the Electric Ready requirements prepare buildings for an all-electric future. This includes:
Additionally, Section 405.12 of the 2021 IECC introduced a powerful new requirement: energy consumption monitoring for buildings over 25,000 SF. Where traditionally only overall utility metering was necessary, now electric sub-metering is required for each major building load category, like HVAC, interior/exterior lighting, and plug loads. These code requirements call for separating different load types in electrical metering. The goal is to give building owners a clearer picture of how specific systems impact overall energy use. With this insight, owners and tenants can identify what’s driving utility costs and develop smarter strategies to reduce consumption where possible.
Even if PV systems aren’t immediately installed, the energy code requires provisions for solar-ready zones, including conduit pathways, reserved panel space, and coordinated structural planning for future installations.
For architects, this means early collaboration with power system designers is key. You'll need to allocate physical space for PV components like inverters and combiner panels, while ensuring roof layouts and structural loads are accounted for. It’s a puzzle that blends architecture, engineering, and sustainability, and getting it right early saves massive costs and rework down the road.
The Colorado Model Electric Ready and Solar Ready Code introduced robust EV charging requirements. A percentage of parking spaces must be outfitted with EV chargers or infrastructure to support future chargers. This can significantly impact electrical service design and parking space planning, especially when accounting for ADA-compliant charger locations or the possibility of needing a separate electrical service to handle the load.
Lighting and power coordination around EV areas becomes crucial, especially for safety, visibility, and code compliance in parking lots and garages. These details belong early in your site and civil coordination drawings to support a smoother permit process and help limit the challenges typically encountered during CA.
We’re already seeing jurisdictions prepare for the next wave of changes. The Colorado Model Low Energy and Carbon Code (based on the 2024 IECC) is set to roll out in summer 2026, bringing a greater focus on low-carbon design, energy efficiency, and a push towards electrification. Luckily, these updates and adoptions are no surprise, typically operating on a 3-year cycle.
Meanwhile, the City of Denver recently started the implementation of its 2025 Denver Building and Fire codes. Even though they have decided not to formally adopt the 2024 IECC this code cycle, they are updating their amendments to the 2021 IECC to more closely align with the upcoming 2026 Colorado energy code intent.
And let’s not forget the Colorado Model Green Code, a voluntary option emphasizing water efficiency and broader sustainability metrics. Architects who plan for it now will have a competitive edge as more clients seek buildings that go beyond the minimum.
These code changes are more than regulatory hurdles; they’re strategic levers to build smarter, more resilient, and future-ready buildings. For electrical and technology system designers, it’s a chance to lead with innovation, align with sustainable goals, and provide real value to owners and occupants alike. For architects, this evolution is an opportunity for architects to claim leadership in building performance.
As Colorado continues to blaze a trail in energy code evolution, we’re putting our innovative foot forward and reimagining how buildings work. From EV-ready infrastructure to integrated lighting controls and solar-ready systems, we have the chance to shape a built environment that’s efficient, electric, and designed to last.
So, the next time you're sketching a core layout or reviewing a site plan, ask yourself: Are we just meeting code—or are we designing for what’s next? Here in Colorado, the answer increasingly lies in smart infrastructure, forward-thinking architecture, and systems that are ready for a connected, electrified future.