Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator

Accelerate energy savings and put your building on the path to compliance with DC's Building Energy Performance Standards

The DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), in partnership with the District Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) and the DC Green Bank, is offering enhanced technical and financial assistance to owners and managers of qualifying affordable multifamily buildings that do not meet the District’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS). The District’s Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator program will help you:

  • Understand the BEPS and how they apply to your building(s)
  • Uncover energy-saving opportunities in your building(s)
  • Identify resources, including financial incentives and financing opportunities, to help you pay for upgrades that will reduce energy use
  • Choose a Compliance Pathway and get support towards compliance with the BEPS requirements as determined by DOEE
  • Cut your energy costs, run your building more efficiently, and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions

Apply early to ensure your building has access to program benefits. Applicants must complete the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator Training to be eligible.

What will the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator program offer?

Over the next five years, the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator program will offer a comprehensive suite of services designed to help owners of buildings that did not meet BEPS with identifying and addressing efficiency opportunities. The program may include:

  1. Training on BEPS and the Compliance Pathways
  2. ASHRAE Level II audit of your building and audit report, a value of at least $17,500, provided by the DCSEU at no cost to you
  3. Assistance with understanding and choosing the proper BEPS Compliance Pathway for your building
  4. Meetings with DCSEU Account Managers and Engineers to assess the opportunities in your building
  5. Access to direct financial and contractor support and enhanced incentives from the DCSEU and other programs to make energy efficiency upgrades
  6. Access to financing opportunities from the DC Green Bank
  7. And more.

Is my building eligible for the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator program?

Subject to funding availability, multifamily buildings over 50,000 square feet that do not meet the 2021 BEPS and that meet the multifamily affordable housing criteria below will be prioritized for assistance from the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator.

District commercial and multifamily buildings that do not meet the criteria for the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator and/or meet BEPS are still eligible to receive rebates and technical assistance from the DCSEU.

Affordable Housing means buildings that are primarily residential, contain 5 or more dwellings units, and one of the following below:

  1. Have restrictions or other covenants that require that at least 50% of all of the building’s dwelling are occupied by households that have household incomes less than or equal to 80% of the area median income (AMI); OR
  2. The building owner can demonstrate that the rent levels in at least 50% of the dwelling units are affordable to households with incomes less than or equal to 80% of the AMI.

Either subsidized or unsubsidized affordable housing are eligible for assistance if they can demonstrate they meet the above criteria.

1. Income Guidelines for 2023 (October 1, 2023 - September 20, 2024)

Household Size Maximum Annual Income
1 $85,200
2 $97,350
3 $109,500
4 $121,700
5 $133,850
6 $146,000
7 $158,200
8 $170,350

Household income amounts listed in this table are effective as of 07/01/2023 and are subject to change. Please visit the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) website for the most up-to-date numbers. Buildings meeting the above income amounts will remain eligible for assistance even if DHCD's income amount guidelines decrease during FY 2024.

2. Rent Level Guidelines for 2023 (October 1, 2023 - September 20, 2024)

Bedrooms Max Rent
Efficiency $2,130
1 br $2,430
2 br $2,740
3 br $3,350
4 br $3,950
5 br $4,260

Find out if you qualify for Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator assistance

Fill out the form below to find out if your affordable multifamily building qualifies for enhanced assistance under the District’s Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator program.

Building City:

WASHINGTON, DC *only buildings in the District are eligible

How do I know if my building meets the BEPS or not?

DOEE has published a Building Energy Performance disclosure that contains all buildings covered by BEPS and their evaluation status. Qualified affordable multifamily buildings with an ENERGY STAR score lower than 66 in calendar year (CY) 2019 are eligible for assistance in the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator. Buildings that do not meet the BEPS will be placed in a five-year compliance cycle to increase the energy efficiency of their building under a DOEE-approved Compliance Pathway.

What is BEPS?

Pursuant to Title III of the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2018 (D.C Law 22-257), DOEE established the Building Energy Performance Standard Program (BEPS). The BEPS are a minimum threshold of energy performance by property type created to drive energy performance in existing buildings to help meet the energy and climate goals of the Sustainable DC plan — to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by 50% by 2032. The Building Innovation Hub is a great resource for more information, including background on the BEPS, answers to frequently asked questions, in-depth information on the BEPS Pathways, and more.

Contact Us

For questions about the Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator, please contact us at 202-479-2222 or [email protected].