Boulder’s SmartRegs program is a 2010 building performance standard that requires all rental housing in the city to demonstrate that it is about as efficient as buildings built to the 1999 Energy Code. The program applies to all long-term licensed rental housing, ranging from single-family homes to large apartment buildings. Compliance can be demonstrated in one of two ways: (1) achieve a score of 120 or better through the Home Energy Rating System (HERS), a nationwide scoring system; or (2) achieve at least 100 points on a prescriptive scoring checklist the City of Boulder developed based on energy and carbon savings for specific measures. Boulder also requires two water efficiency points.
As of the end of 2018, the city estimated the program had saved about 1.9 million kWh of electricity, 460,000 therms of natural gas, $520,000 in energy costs, and 3,900 million metric tonnes of CO2.
The SmartRegs were adopted by multiple ordinances. Ordinance 7726 created baseline energy efficiency requirements for existing
rental housing. Ordinance 7725 updated provisions for new and renewal rental licenses.