Polis Administration Announces Funding to Support Large Building Energy Efficiency and Electrification Measures

First round of grant awards will accelerate high-impact decarbonization and electrification projects

Denver - Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026 - The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) announced $7.2 million in grants Wednesday to support cost-effective emission reductions across Colorado's large buildings. These awards, issued through the Large Building Decarbonization (LBD) Showcase Grant Program, will help 15 building owners whose buildings currently comply with Building Performance Colorado (BPC) scale up or develop high-impact decarbonization solutions. Specifically, this first round of funding will support 10 high-level planning projects and five major implementation retrofits.

"I am excited to see how these grants reduce emissions from more buildings in Colorado, protecting our air and environment for generations to come. By investing in cost-effective, innovative technologies, we are moving closer to meeting our climate goals, and saving Coloradans money on energy bills. Helping Colorado buildings reduce pollution protects our air, strengthens businesses, and saves money on energy," said Governor Polis.

These grants play a critical role in meeting the state's 2030 goal to reduce pollution from large commercial, multifamily, and public buildings by 20%, while helping building owners to improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs.

"Helping large building owners implement high-performance building upgrades is an important part of Colorado's work to meet its climate goals," said CEO Executive Director Will Toor. "These showcase projects are valuable proof that, by modernizing infrastructure, large buildings can deliver lower utility bills and healthier indoor environments. These buildings are vital to their communities and these upgrades mean they can remain reliable and safer for years to come."

CEO prioritized awards for projects demonstrating high technical merit, construction readiness, and significant potential for documented greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Notably, the program will reimburse up to 65% of project costs for under-resourced buildings with limited access to capital or those facing financial hardship. Of the 15 awarded, 12 support under-resourced buildings, ranging from affordable senior housing to essential healthcare centers to nonprofits serving individuals with disabilities. For example:

• Walnut Place - Boulder Housing Partners: As Colorado's first-of-its-kind project to replace central boilers with electric heat pumps in senior housing, this upgrade will cut pollution while notably improving indoor air quality for low-income senior residents.
• Town of Hayden: This project will transform Hayden's 60,000-square-foot community center with a zero-emission energy network, proving that rural coal-transition communities can lead the state in clean energy innovation.
• Intermountain Health: This work modernizes a major hospital by replacing an outdated heating and cooling system with high-efficiency electric technology that cuts 188 metric tons of annual pollution while ensuring 24/7 reliability for patient care.

To ensure these successes can be replicated across the state, CEO will publish case studies and step-by-step playbooks highlighting proven strategies and new technologies. The first round of grant awards includes the following 15 projects:

Implementation projects

• Intermountain Health - $669,721.10
• Walnut Place - Boulder Housing Partners - $1,323,707.00
• Mercy Housing Mountain Plains - $2,000,000
• Adams County Sheriff's Substation - $2,000,000
• The Resource Exchange - $732,712.50

Planning projects

• 1450 S Havana LLC - $50,000
• AdventHealth Porter - $50,000
• Boulder Valley School District - $50,000
• Laradon - $49,544
• Lockheed Martin - $50,000
• Mortenson Properties, Inc. - $50,000
• Nycon Resources Inc. - $50,000
• Town of Hayden - $50,000
• UCHealth - University of Colorado Hospital - $47,280
• Embassy House Condominiums (emissions reduction assessment only; did not request funding for planning phase)

CEO anticipates launching at least one additional implementation funding round in summer 2026. For more information regarding eligibility and program updates, visit the LBD Showcase Grant Program website.

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