Building energy performance standards in DC, Maryland & Montgomery County
A building’s energy record can be more than a management tool. The District, Montgomery County and Maryland have performance-standard programs with different coverage, measurements and calendars. Start by identifying the program before choosing the work.
What a performance standard is
A building energy performance standard, often shortened to BEPS, sets a threshold for energy performance. DOEE’s explanation of the District’s standards describes minimum levels by property type, no lower than the local median ENERGY STAR score or the equivalent source energy-use intensity. The question is how the building performs against that threshold. A design-stage label answers a different question; it should not replace an examination of operating data.
Energy-use intensity, or EUI, expresses energy use relative to building area. Montgomery County defines its EUI as energy used per square foot per year. Pay attention to the full metric name: the District’s overview refers to source EUI, while its Performance Pathway refers to site EUI. When comparing requirements, retain those distinctions rather than treating every energy number as interchangeable.
The District’s BEPS
DOEE’s helpdesk traces the program to Title III of the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018. It supports the Sustainable DC goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by 50% by 2032. The policy connects those broad goals to existing-building performance, with coverage expanding across successive periods.
The District’s coverage article lists private buildings of at least 50,000 square feet and DC-owned buildings of at least 10,000 square feet for Period 1. Period 2 brings the private threshold to 25,000 square feet, with the DC-owned threshold unchanged. Period 3 covers both groups from 10,000 square feet. The first evaluation used 2019 benchmarking data against the 2021 standards. Buildings below the standard must complete a compliance pathway; buildings meeting it have no energy-performance requirements for the remainder of that period, but face reevaluation when standards are next established.
According to DOEE’s timeline, the first standards were established January 1, 2021. The first compliance cycle ends December 31, 2026, and end-of-cycle reporting is due May 3, 2027. The next standards are to be established by January 1, 2029, then every six years. Later compliance cycles last five years. Setting a standard, completing a cycle and reporting results are separate milestones; keep all three visible in a project calendar.
The pathway overview describes a Performance Pathway with a 20% reduction in site EUI and a Prescriptive Pathway involving an audit, action plan, efficiency measures, monitoring, evaluation and verification. It also describes a Standard Target Pathway for certain high-performing property types and Alternative Compliance options subject to criteria. The article carries a September 2026 warning that its overview refers to a past guidebook version. Read these as framework descriptions and confirm detailed pathway requirements with DOEE.
Montgomery County
Montgomery County’s program covers most buildings of 25,000 square feet and larger. Each covered building receives interim and final EUI standards. Owners can meet them through the Performance Path or file a Building Performance Improvement Plan, abbreviated BPIP, if meeting the standard by the deadline is not practical. Buildings already below their target continue annual benchmarking and reporting.
The county lists interim/final evaluation years of 2028/2033 for county-owned buildings from 50,000 square feet and non-residential buildings from 50,000 square feet. Non-residential buildings from 25,000 to 50,000 square feet and multifamily buildings from 250,000 square feet use 2030/2035. Multifamily buildings from 25,000 to 250,000 square feet use 2031/2036. Each evaluation covers the full calendar year, reported by June 1 of the following year. Identify the building group before selecting a pair of dates.
Maryland statewide
The Maryland Department of the Environment says owners of commercial or multifamily buildings of 35,000 square feet or larger must take action under the state BEPS, including annual benchmarking. Improvements may be needed to meet performance standards in the 2030s. That threshold differs from Montgomery County’s; a county summary alone is not a complete description of the state program.
The state page lists exemption categories including agricultural buildings, hospitals, K-12 schools, demolished buildings, manufacturing, individually designated historic buildings and federally owned buildings. Treat category and size as questions to check together, rather than assuming that a general description establishes a particular property’s status.
What it means for owners
Begin with measurement. DOEE’s benchmarking notice says District buildings over 10,000 square feet must track energy and water annually through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Its first-time-reporter notice for 2026 gives a May 1, 2026 reporting deadline and says results will eventually be publicly disclosed. That annual reporting date is distinct from the BEPS end-of-cycle date above.
A useful working record separates coverage, reporting, the performance target, the chosen pathway and the evidence of completion. Put the relevant dates beside those items, and keep the agency’s metric names intact. Then use the getting-started sequence to organize the investigation and the energy-efficiency guide to frame technical questions. A clear record makes the next decision more specific: what must be measured, what must improve, and how will the result be demonstrated?