Boulder Commons

Boulder Commons is a net zero energy development located in Boulder, CO and the home of Rocky Mountain Institute’s Boulder office. It sets a new paradigm for net zero energy lease structures, alternative mobility and high performance speculative buildings.

Photo courtesy of Morgan Creek Ventures

What is Boulder Commons?

Located just two miles from downtown Boulder, Colorado, Boulder Commons is a new net-zero energy (NZE) development set for completion in fall, 2017. The project consists of two commercial buildings totaling roughly 100,000 square feet of professional office space, a restaurant, coffee shop, and community gathering flex space—accessible by Boulder’s trails and public transportation network.

Photo courtesy of Morgan Creek Ventures

Why it Matters

Net-zero energy buildings have experienced a boom in popularity. But despite industry progress, the number of leased NZE buildings lags significantly behind owner-occupied projects. Over half of commercial buildings nationally are leased, so this presents a significant impediment to meeting carbon reduction targets. Boulder Commons boasts Colorado’s first NZE lease, and the first NZE lease in the country for a project of this size, setting a new precedent for other landlords and tenants to follow.

Rendering of new Boulder Commons. Image courtesy of Morgan Creek Ventures

Who's Involved

At Boulder Commons, Morgan Creek Ventures worked with RMI and its counsel, the legal team at Holland & Hart, to develop a first-of-its-kind lease structure that built a strong business case for both tenants and landlords to actively contribute to meet the development’s goals.

Boulder, Colorado, USA - August 5, 2007: Shoppers in the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder Colorado on a beautiful summer morning.

What We've Accomplished

The Institute for Market Transformation (IMT) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Alliance awarded Boulder Commons as a Green Lease Leader, a designation that recognizes companies or brokerage teams that are successfully implementing green or “energy-aligned” leases.