Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) & Benchmarking
The District has some of the most aggressive climate goals in the nation. With buildings in DC responsible for more than 70% of the emissions citywide, benchmarking and building performance are more important than ever to reducing greenhouse gas and energy consumption by 50% by 2032.
Benchmarking in DC
Benchmarking is the process of tracking a building's energy and water usage, using a standard metric to evaluate its relative efficiency over time as well as to compare the building's efficiency to its peers nationwide. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) free benchmarking software, ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager, has become standard as cities look to drive energy efficiency and utility transparency.
The Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008 established that all large private buildings over 50,000 gross square feet and District government buildings over 10,000 gross square feet, must annually benchmark and report their energy and water consumption to the Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) for public disclosure.
The annual reporting deadline is April 1st of each year. Starting calendar year 2021 all privately owned buildings over 25,000 square feet will be required to benchmark (due April 1, 2022) and starting calendar year 2024 all privately-owned buildings over 10,000 square feet will be required to benchmark (due April 1, 2025), as mandated under the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018.
DOEE publishes summary results for each building on its website. DOEE also shares all benchmarking data collected with the DCSEU to help the DCSEU in its mission of driving energy efficiency improvements throughout the city.
Reporting Requirements
Building Size |
Reporting Requirement Begins |
---|---|
50,000+ ft² |
2014 (with 2013 data) |
25,000-49,999 ft² |
2022 (with 2021 data) |
10,000-24,999 ft² |
2025 (with 2024 data) |
What are the BEPS?
Resources
Take advantage of the following resources that can help you navigate benchmarking and BEPS
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Houses of Worship Roundtable Recording
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Co-op & Condo Owners Roundtable Recording
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FY 2025 Income Qualified Efficiency Fund Info Session Recording
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Train Green Course Recording: Introduction to Commercial & Multifamily Energy Audits
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Train Green Course Recording: Introduction to Retro Commissioning
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Multifamily Property Owner Roundtable Recording
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