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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.  

Smiling auditor takes and image of an outdoor LED fixture on the roof of a commercial building.

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.

Commercial Audit Assistance Incentive Offer Table

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
  • 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. 
Auditor inspects heat pump compressors on the maintenance roof of a building.

How to Apply

  1. Complete the program interest form below. A DCSEU Account Manager will contact you.
  2. Complete the Audit Incentive Participation Agreement supplied to you by your DCSEU Account Manager.
  3. Choose a DCSEU Participating Auditor from the supplied list.
  4. Sign the Participation Agreement to reserve your audit incentive funds.
  5. Complete a qualifying ASHRAE Level II audit with a DCSEU Participating Auditor.
  6. 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

Fill out the form below and start the process to get an audit incentive for your building.

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. 

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Building auditor taking a picture of a variable frequency drive label.

From the Resource Library

Take advantage of our resources to help property owners and managers plan and prepare for whole building upgrades.