The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the earthquake performance of structures with passive energy dissipators. This paper addresses the following issues: (1) evaluation of seismic intensity levels at which frames incorporating the energy dissipating system (EDS) remain elastic; (2) performance evaluation of frames incorporating an EDS for high-intensity ground shaking; and (3) evaluation of SEAOC Blue Book provisions. Linear time-history analyses indicate that frames with an EDS generally remain elastic during earthquake events that do not greatly exceed the UBC Zone 4 response spectrum. Nonlinear time-history analyses indicate the following: (1) the frames with an EDS can provide “immediate occupancy performance” for high-intensity earthquakes; (2) the performance level of the frames with an EDS exceeds that of frames without an EDS; and (3) the performance of the frame with an EDS, which was designed per Blue Book provisions, can exceed life safety performance.