Colorado § 24-38.5-403 - Energy code training - energy code adoption - grant writing assistance.

§ 24-38.5-403. Energy code training - energy code adoption - grant writing assistance.

(1) (a) The Colorado energy office shall provide energy code training to assist local governments, divisions in the executive branch of state government, builders, and contractors in adopting and implementing the 2021 international energy conservation code, electric ready and solar ready codes, and low energy and carbon codes. The training itself and the materials provided along with this training must be in both English and Spanish.

(b) If the Colorado energy office is able to obtain funding, the Colorado energy office shall provide financial assistance through an application process to support the adoption and enforcement by local governments of the 2021 international energy conservation code, an electric ready and solar ready code, and a low energy and carbon code.

(2) The Colorado energy office shall adopt policies and procedures as necessary for the creation and administration of a grant program to award the grants described in subsection (3)(a)(I) of this section, including policies and procedures that at a minimum establish the application process and the grant award criteria.

(3) (a) Within three days after June 2, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer three million dollars from the general fund to the energy fund created in section 24-38.5-102.4. The Colorado energy office shall expend the money transferred by the general assembly pursuant to this subsection (3)(a) for the purposes of:

(I) Issuing grants, not to exceed a total of one million eight hundred seventy-five thousand dollars, to local governments to support their adoption and enforcement of the 2021 international energy conservation code, an electric ready and solar ready code, and a low energy and carbon code and to cover the direct and indirect costs associated with issuing these grants; and

(II) Providing energy code training and technical assistance, including grant writing assistance, not to exceed a total cost of one million dollars, to assist local governments and divisions in the executive branch of state government in adopting and enforcing the 2021 international energy conservation code, an electric ready and solar ready code, a low energy and carbon code, or a green code and covering the direct and indirect costs associated with aligning energy codes and with providing this training and technical assistance.

(b) Within three days after June 2, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer one million dollars from the general fund to the energy fund created in section 24-38.5-102.4. The Colorado energy office shall expend the money transferred by the general assembly pursuant to this subsection (3)(b) for the purpose of providing energy code training to assist architects, builders, contractors, and designers in implementing the 2021 international energy conservation code, electric ready and solar ready codes, and low energy and carbon codes. The training and materials provided along with this training must be in both English and Spanish.

(c) Within three days after June 2, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars from the general fund to the energy fund created in section 24-38.5-102.4. The Colorado energy office shall expend the money transferred by the general assembly pursuant to this subsection (3)(c) for the costs associated with administering the energy code board established in section 24-38.5-401 (2).

(4) Notwithstanding subsection (3) of this section, the Colorado energy office may use funding provided through subsection (3) of this section to cover the costs of the following:

(a) The energy code board convened pursuant to section 24-38.5-401 (2);

(b) The task force created in section 25-7-142 (8.5); and

(c) The costs to the Colorado energy office for participating in rule-making that the air quality control commission engages in pursuant to section 25-7-142.

Source: L. 2022: Entire part added, (HB 22-1362), ch. 301, p. 2172, § 1, effective June 2. L. 2024: (3)(a)(I) and (3)(c) amended, (SB 24-214), ch. 191, p. 1096, § 9, effective May 17. L. 2025: (4) added, (HB 25-1269), ch. 216, p. 993, § 6, effective May 20.