Intermountain Health’s Denver hospital and medical clinics face significant challenges in complying with the city and state’s mandates aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
The organization operates a diverse array of buildings, including the always-open Saint Joseph Hospital, where managing energy efficiently is critical for patient care.
Natan Simha, the senior energy engineer at Intermountain Health, highlighted the complexities involved: “We can’t just go turn things off at night; we have to be careful about even making small changes.”
As Denver, followed by Colorado, mandated commercial buildings to cut carbon emissions, Intermountain Health began its quest for compliance.
The operational demands of a hospital differ notably from those of a standard office building, making it difficult to implement blanket energy-saving measures.
Recent adjustments to Denver’s Energize Denver building performance policy reflect the city’s recognition of such challenges after receiving widespread business complaints.
These adjustments, which were introduced earlier this month, afford businesses additional time for energy audits and the development of action plans while reducing penalties for non-compliance.
Denver’s approach mirrors broader tensions between building owners and regulators, who aim to balance economic health with environmental responsibilities.
In early 2024, the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission adopted a state policy mandating a reduction in emissions, a decision currently under litigation.
This lawsuit, involving four trade associations representing large building owners, is pending in federal court, raising questions about the future of green building rules in Colorado, as the state legislature is also reviewing proposed changes.
House Bill 1269 could signify a shift towards accommodating building owners’ concerns by creating a board to offer compliance assistance and resetting deadlines for meeting emission reduction goals.
As the legislative session approaches its May 7 deadline, supporters of the bill express confidence in its passage.
Earlier this year, a judge ruled that the lawsuit filed against the state did not present a sufficient case, but extensions were granted pending the legislative session’s outcome.
While local and state regulations strive for similar emissions reduction goals—30% by 2030 for Denver, and 6% and 20% by 2026 and 2030 respectively for Colorado—the implementation of these regulations has met significant opposition.
Building owners argue that such mandates threaten their financial stability, which is exacerbated in the wake of recent economic uncertainties.
Environmental advocates, on the other hand, lament the slow progress in reducing emissions, stressing the urgent need for action to address climate change and public health concerns.
Ean Tafoya from GreenLatinos expressed disappointment at the leniency shown toward noncompliance, emphasizing the necessity for governments to be more stringent in pursuing climate goals.
Buildings account for nearly 50% of greenhouse gas emissions in Denver, and the deteriorating air quality has serious public health implications, with the metro area recently ranked as the sixth-worst in the nation for ozone pollution.
To combat these challenges, Colorado has set ambitious goals of achieving a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and complete elimination by 2050, with Denver aiming for zero emissions by 2040.
Effective regulation of building energy consumption is a critical component of this strategy.
Upon enacting the green building policy in 2021, the Denver City Council faced immediate backlash from building owners, which led to a rethinking of the original compliance-driven approach.
Elizabeth Babcock, executive director of the Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency, underscored that the revised policy focuses on means of assisting compliance over imposing fines.
Feedback solicited from over 2,000 building owners led to crucial adjustments in timelines, extending interim compliance deadlines to 2028 and final ones to 2032.
Sharon Jaye, who manages building performance policy, noted some structures would need added time due to factors like rising tenant vacancies and financial challenges impacting their ability to invest in necessary upgrades.
With a reduction in penalties, compliance has been made more manageable, a move aimed at maintaining engagement without financial burden.
Stephen Shepard of the Denver Metro Building Owners and Managers Association praised the city’s revised approach, which alleviates the pressures related to compliance timelines and penalties which had previously stymied investment.
Reflecting on their experience, Intermountain Health has successfully implemented energy-saving strategies in one of its non-medical office buildings, achieving a 30% reduction in energy use by adjusting operation hours.
However, for facilities like Saint Joseph’s Hospital, compliance will necessitate more extensive upgrades over a longer timeline as they deal with medical requirements.
Some building owners have embraced these environmental mandates as a fundamental business practice; Traci Lounsbury, a CEO of a design store, shared examples of her efforts to retrofit her building to be more sustainable.
But rising property taxes complicate the ability for small businesses to invest further in facilities.
“We care about sustainability, but it’s a balance with economic realities,” Lounsbury explained, emphasizing the dual responsibility toward ecological stewardship and economic viability.
Amid the tensions between financial pressures and environmental regulations, the evolving situation underscores the complexity of creating sustainable urban environments.
While many stakeholders are concerned about the economic implications of stricter regulations, others recognize the imperative of addressing climate change and improving public health through better energy practices in buildings.
As the city and state work towards their ambitious carbon emission reduction targets, collaboration among business owners, health systems, and government entities will be vital to forge pathways toward sustainable compliance.
image source from：https://www.denverpost.com/2025/04/28/denver-colorado-green-buildings-energy-performance-rules/
