Proposed Changes to the 2027 Denver Building Code

Appendix U, Embodied Carbon is proposed to become part of the Denver Building Code in early 2027. The version shown below will be sent out for public review and comment in November of 2026 {need to confirm with the Denver Planning Department (DPD) and Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency CASR}.

CECC is considering to recommend the change shown in red in section U301.1.1, and adding Table U301.1.1. The purpose of these recommendations is to clarify what category 7, Insulation, in section U301.1.1, includes. There are a large number of insulation types and uses, and it would be a burden on those who have to comply with Appendix U to determine what types and uses they should include. CECC wants this code appendix to be successful, and believes that these recommendations will contribute to it’s success. In the recommended changes we have narrowed the insulation to those used in the following categories: Exterior Walls, Roofs, Attics, and Foundations. Using these use categories resulted in fourteen insulation types for consideration, that was reduced to ten types when the code exceptions were used.

One notable insulation type that has not been included due to a lack of an industry-average EPD is XPS.

This DRAFT copy is being provided for review by interested parties.