Pay for Performance

Eligible Projects

The following eligibility requirements are handled on a case-by-case basis. Consult with a DCSEU Account Manager to establish a personalized path to savings.

• Target project savings must be greater than 100,000 kWh of electricity or 500 MMBtu of natural gas saved.
• If you currently have a project in progress with the DCSEU at your facility, please contact your Account Manager to discuss if P4P makes sense for your facility.
• Since at least 1 year of metered baseline energy use data is needed to calculate savings, newly constructed buildings may not qualify for participation in the P4P program. In such cases, the DCSEU will work with you to find the right fit for your project among our other commercial programs and services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who determines whether my project is a fit for the Pay for Performance program?

The DCSEU Account Manager, in collaboration with the DCSEU Engineering Consultant, will determine if your site and project are good candidates for Pay for Performance.

What is the incentive structure?

The incentives offered differ based on energy savings as well as factors including project cost, scope, and DCSEU funding availability. The DCSEU pays incentives per megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity saved and million British Thermal Unit (MMBTU) of gas saved and will issue a participation agreement after establishing baseline energy use within the facility. The incentive will be capped at project cost. Please contact us to learn about current typical incentive rates.

Who receives the incentive?

The default recipient of the incentive is the customer paying for the project. If the customer wishes to send the incentive directly to the contractor, there is a specific “3-Party” payment authorization form to authorize that transaction.

Are there any incentives to assist with any upfront costs or fast track a project?

No, incentives are paid after a post-project evaluation period once energy savings have been measured and verified.

As a customer receiving rebates from other DCSEU programs, am I still eligible for incentive money through the P4P program?

Yes, your Account Manager, in conjunction with your assigned Engineering Consultant, will determine if this is possible on a case-by-case basis. The estimated savings achieved from another incentivized project may likely be subtracted out of the savings estimated in the P4P analysis. incentivized project may likely be subtracted out of the savings estimated in the P4P analysis.

What customers are excluded from this program?

Customers with less than 100,000 kWh annual electricity usage, 500 MMBtu of annual natural gas usage if the project concerns natural gas, or a facility less than 50,000 square feet are likely ineligible for the P4P program. Additionally, if a baseline energy model cannot be created for your facility, the facility will be ineligible for the program. Any unexpected events or variations in energy use or occupancy can also impact eligibility.

Do participating contractors bring customers into the program, or does the DCSEU bring customers to participating contractors?

Participating contractors are encouraged to bring current and potential customers to the DCSEU for program consideration. When customers contact the DCSEU for advice, and when the DCSEU identifies opportunities in the field, the list of preferred contractors will be used to facilitate customer action.

What type of information will I be asked to release to the DCSEU?

The DCSEU asks that the customer/contractor share:

• Scope and timeline
• Site energy use data (dating to at least 1 year before the project and at least 9 months after the project)
• If applicable, sub-meter data (dating to at least 1 year before the project and at least 9 months after the project)
• Documentation of energy efficiency measures implemented
• Occupancy rates on a weekly (or more frequent) basis as well as the reporting of unexpected events or variations in energy use (i.e. equipment failures, tenant moveouts, renovations, significant changes in tenant activity, modifications to efficiency measures, etc.) as these can impact eligibility
• Total cost of the project (material and labor cost breakdown/line items)

Is the P4P Program available to multifamily buildings?

Yes, the P4P program is available to residential multifamily buildings, but master-metered only due to the resources it would take to collect/analyze multiple utility bills on individual units.

Get Started

Fill out the form below to connect with the DCSEU on a potential Pay for Performance project in your DC building.