Fort Collins Building Energy and Water Scoring (BEWS)

Covers

Commercial and multifamily buildings 5,000 sq ft and larger in Fort Collins

Due annually

June 1, for data from January 1 to December 31 of the previous year

Reporting tools

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and the city portal (new in 2026)

Penalty

A missed deadline may result in a $3,000 fine

Quick facts

Building Energy and Water Scoring is Fort Collins’ annual energy reporting program, based on Chapter 12, Article XI of the Municipal Code. Owners enter whole-building energy data in Portfolio Manager, then submit through the city’s benchmarking portal using a city-issued Building ID. Water data is not required. Some larger buildings are also regulated by the state, so read the Building Performance Colorado page too. Send us the address and we will confirm what applies to your building.

Deadlines

• Annual report: June 1, covering January 1 to December 31 of the previous year
• Waiver requests: submitted through the benchmarking portal (the city’s page does not list a separate waiver deadline, so confirm with us or the city)
• Utility data: request it early, since gas data may need to come directly from your provider

Covered buildings

• Commercial or multifamily buildings of 5,000 sq ft or more
• Exempt: multifamily buildings under 3 stories above grade, row homes, townhomes, industrial buildings, and agricultural facilities
• Buildings over 50,000 sq ft may also be regulated by state benchmarking
• Buildings that meet certain criteria may qualify for an annual waiver (see below)

How to report

1. Set up Portfolio Manager. Create or log in to your account, identify the building’s main use, and gather energy, water, and square footage details with the ENERGY STAR worksheet.
2. Request your energy data. Find and claim your buildings in the benchmarking portal, then access your electric utility data.
3. Add data from other utilities. Include natural gas, for example from Xcel Energy; you may need to contact your gas provider directly.
4. Submit by June 1. Attach your city-issued Building ID, confirm the data covers January 1 to December 31, check for errors in Portfolio Manager, and submit through the portal.

Run the Data Quality Checker in Portfolio Manager before you submit. Water is not required, so you can disregard errors about missing or incomplete water and waste data.

Getting your utility data

Annual waivers

You may request a waiver through the benchmarking portal if your building meets any of these:

• It is a public building, as defined in the ordinance
• It was less than 60% occupied on average during the reporting year
• It is used primarily for industrial or agricultural purposes
• It contains sensitive or confidential business data
• It has unique circumstances approved by the City Manager’s Office

Penalties

• Missing the June 1 deadline may result in a $3,000 fine.
• The city generally starts with an initial warning or notices; unresolved cases may result in citations or penalties.
• The city offers free technical assistance, so ask for help before the deadline.

Source: City of Fort Collins, Building Energy and Water Scoring program page, and Municipal Code Chapter 12, Article XI.

Tools

• Fort Collins benchmarking and utility data access portal
• Find your Building ID
• Building performance map
• City BEWS how-to guide (PDF)
• Xcel Energy benchmarking guide (PDF)
• City of Fort Collins BEWS page
• City help center: BuildingScoring@fortcollins.gov, 970-416-2733