Get your building back on track with an energy audit.
Save up to $15,000 off a commercial energy audit. Get your facility on the path to long term reduced energy costs and maximum performance.
Savings upfront for long term benefits
Do you own or manage a building that is 50,000 square feet or more and yet to meet District Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS)? You could qualify for up to $15,000 toward an American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Level II audit. An energy audit is essential to identifying how your building uses energy. It can provide valuable feedback to help you reduce energy use through new energy-efficient equipment as well as operations and maintenance strategies. These strategies can optimize the life, performance, and efficiency of current and future equipment, ultimately cutting costs and emissions at your facility.
ASHRAE Audit Types
There are several different types of audits that can be performed in a building to uncover savings opportunities. The DCSEU is providing incentives for qualifying ASHRAE Level II audits.
Level I – Walkthrough Analysis
Basic "walkthrough" audit that provides a high-level overview of opportunities for increased building performance. In addition to a site visit, a staff questionnaire and utility bill review are common.
Level II – Energy Survey and Engineering Analysis (Incentivized)
Includes the elements of a Level I audit plus detailed analysis of the building energy systems, external and internal conditions affecting building performance and comfort, utility rates. Level II audits provide a qualitative and quantitative analysis that will help identify implementation cost, savings, payback, equipment life-cycle cost information, as well as recommendations for changes in operation and maintenance strategies to increase building performance.
Level III – Detailed Analysis of Capital-Intensive Modifications
Includes many, if not all, of the steps found in audit levels I and II. The most time-intensive and detailed of the three, Level III audits are used to help conduct a cost-benefit analysis of capital-intensive upgrades through long-term data collection and analysis.
Audit Incentive Offer
As of January 1, 2024, the audit incentive offer is fully subscribed. If you are in the process of completing or have completed an energy audit and are considering implementing efficiency measures, please contact one of our Account Managers or submit our custom incentives form.
Audit Assistance & Audit Type | Building Requirements | BEPS Status | Incentive (per square foot) |
---|---|---|---|
ASHRAE Level II | ≥ 50,000 sq. ft. | Does not meet BEPS | 5 cents per sq. ft. up to $15,000 |
ASHRAE Level II | ≥ 50,000 sq. ft. | Meets BEPS | 2.5 cents per sq. ft. up to $7,500 |
All buildings at or over 50,000 square feet are eligible for:
- Optional benchmarking data analysis to ensure accuracy*
- Custom preliminary incentive analysis provided by the DCSEU after audit completion
*Rebates for the select equipment above are subject to change based on potential future programmatic changes pending the District of Columbia Public Service Commission's regulatory proceedings.
Eligibility
Your building may be eligible for commercial audit assistance if it is located in the District of Columbia and is at least 50,000 square feet. Buildings not meeting DC’s BEPS are eligible for higher incentives.
Audit incentive requirements:
- Must have a 211-2018 ASHRAE Level II audit
- Please note: Customers pursuing the BEPS Prescriptive Pathway will need to complete an audit that complies with the requirements outlined by the District Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE). The DCSEU cannot guarantee that an incentivized audit will meet these requirements. Please notify your auditor of the BEPS Pathway you plan to pursue before completing an audit.
- Limit of two audit incentives per company per fiscal year unless approval is granted by the DCSEU.
- Audit must be completed by a DCSEU Participating Auditor.
How to Apply
- Complete the program interest form below. A DCSEU Account Manager will contact you.
- Complete the Audit Incentive Participation Agreement supplied to you by your DCSEU Account Manager.
- Choose a DCSEU Participating Auditor from the supplied list.
- Sign the Participation Agreement to reserve your audit incentive funds.
- Complete a qualifying ASHRAE Level II audit with a DCSEU Participating Auditor.
- Provide the following to receive your incentive:
- Copy of ASHRAE audit and all associated savings calculations
- Copy of the invoice for the audit
- Proof of completion of a 1-hour meeting with your DCSEU representative and auditor to review and prioritize potential projects.
- W9 and copy of Pepco and Washington Gas utility bills
- Utility release forms for energy usage data
Start the Process, get your building back on track
As of January 1, 2024, the audit incentive offer is fully subscribed. If you are in the process of completing or have completed an energy audit and are considering implementing efficiency measures, please contact one of our Account Managers or fill out the form below and the DCSEU will contact you if and when incentives become available.
Interested in becoming a Participating Auditor with the DCSEU?
Certified professional contractors providing ASHRAE Level II Audit Services within the District of Columbia are encouraged to apply. Participating Audit Firms must employ one or more certified professionals to complete the Energy Audit.
For the purposes of this offer, a certified professional shall be an employee who holds one or more of the following credentials:
- Multifamily Building Analyst (MFBA) certification from the Building Performance Institute (BPI)
- Certified Energy Manager (CEM) certification from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
- Certified Energy Auditor (CEA) certification from the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
- Building Energy Assessment Professional certification from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE)
- High-Performance Building Design Professional (HBDP) certification from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning (ASHRAE)
Additional relevant ASHRAE, BPI, or Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) certifications may be submitted for DCSEU consideration but will require DCSEU preapproval in writing prior to acceptance as a Participating Auditor. If interested, please email us to receive a copy of the enrollment form for this program.
From the Resource Library
Take advantage of our resources to help property owners and managers plan and prepare for whole building upgrades.
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Train Green Course Recording: Introduction to Commercial & Multifamily Energy Audits
Read more -
Multifamily Property Owner Roundtable Recording
Read more -
Co-op & Condo Owners Roundtable Recording
Watch the June 2023 roundtable for multifamily property owners and managers. Explore capital improvement challenges, incentives, programs, and tips for navigating ownership changes.
Read more