Fort Collins Building Energy and Water Scoring (BEWS)
What is Fort Collins's Building Energy and Water Scoring program?
Fort Collins benchmarking is required by the City’s Building Energy and Water Scoring (BEWS) ordinance. It requires owners of commercial and multifamily buildings of 5,000 square feet or more to benchmark their energy use every year and report it to the City.
With a 5,000 sq ft threshold, BEWS reaches smaller buildings than almost any other U.S. program. Reports are due every June 1, and results appear on the City’s public benchmarking map.
What buildings must comply in Fort Collins?
- Commercial buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more
- Multifamily buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more with three or more stories above grade
Row homes, townhomes, multifamily buildings under three stories, and industrial and agricultural facilities are exempt. Owners can request a waiver for public buildings, average occupancy below 60%, sensitive business data, or other unique circumstances approved by the City.
Buildings of 50,000 sq ft or more may also need to report to the State of Colorado.
What is the penalty for non-compliance?
- Warning first: the City usually starts with warnings and notices.
- Fine: missing the June 1 deadline can result in a fine of up to $3,000.
- Public disclosure: building performance appears on the City’s benchmarking map.
What is the compliance process?
Fort Collins owners report through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and the City’s Benchmarking and Utility Data Access Portal:
- First, log in to the City’s portal, which launched in 2026, and confirm your building.
- Next, send electric data from Fort Collins Utilities straight to Portfolio Manager through the portal.
- Add natural gas data from Xcel Energy using its benchmarking process, or get it from your other gas provider.
- Then enter 12 full months of data (January 1 to December 31) and run the Data Quality Checker.
- Finally, submit your report to the City by June 1.
Water data is not required. You can ignore Portfolio Manager warnings about missing water or waste data.
What is the deadline for Fort Collins benchmarking?
Fort Collins benchmarking reports are due June 1 every year and cover the previous calendar year.
Next deadlineJune 1, 2027 for calendar-year 2026 data
Request any waiver through the portal before the deadline.
Fort Collins BEWS vs. Colorado's state program
Colorado also requires large buildings to benchmark and meet state performance standards. Here is how the two compare:
| Requirement | Fort Collins BEWS | Colorado state program |
|---|---|---|
| Who’s covered | Buildings 5,000+ sq ft | Buildings 50,000+ sq ft |
| Deadline | June 1 each year | June 1 each year |
| Performance targets | None | Yes, state performance standards |
| Reported to | City of Fort Collins | Colorado Energy Office |
What about a local BPS? Fort Collins considered its own building performance standard, but in December 2025 City Council voted not to move it forward. Buildings of 50,000+ sq ft still follow the Colorado Building Performance Standard.
What utilities are required for benchmarking reporting?
- Electricity
- Natural Gas
- Propane
- District Energy
- Any other purchased fuel
Water reporting is not required under BEWS.
What is the purpose of Fort Collins's program?
Fort Collins has set ambitious climate and energy goals. BEWS supports them in two main ways:
Help owners save. The City reports that benchmarking helped electric customers save about $1.4 million in 2024.
Make performance transparent. The public benchmarking map helps tenants and buyers compare buildings. Efficient buildings can earn ENERGY STAR certification.
See our guides for Energize Denver, Boulder and Lakewood, or our full energy benchmarking compliance guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Fort Collins benchmarking deadline?
June 1 every year. The next deadline is June 1, 2027 for 2026 data.
Is my 6,000 sq ft building covered?
Yes, if it is a commercial building, or a multifamily building with three or more stories. The threshold is 5,000 sq ft.
What is the fine for missing the deadline?
Up to $3,000, usually after warnings and notices.
Does Fort Collins have a building performance standard?
No. Council declined to advance a local BPS in December 2025. Buildings of 50,000+ sq ft must still meet the Colorado state standard.
Can Energy Fave file my Fort Collins report?
Yes. Energy Fave can connect utility data, submit your BEWS report, and handle Colorado state reporting for larger buildings.
Interested in benchmarking help?
Fort Collins BEWS at a Glance
- Who's covered
- Buildings 5,000+ sq ft
- Next deadline
- June 1, 2027The 2026 report was due June 1, 2026. Not filed yet? We can file it now →
- Late penalty
- Up to $3,000
- Water
- Not required
- Reporting tool
- Portfolio Manager + City portal