The Denver City Council voted unanimously to adopt new legislation requiring light-colored, reflective cool roofs on buildings exceeding 25,000 square feet. Developers also now have several options for meeting environmental goals, including building green space into the structure, paying a fee to fund green space elsewhere, incorporating renewable energy or meeting LEED standards.
The law, which applies to new construction and re-roofing projects, replaces a measure voters approved in 2017 that required rooftop greenery. It is expected to be more cost-effective and directly address the urban heat island effect.
