DC BEPS Changes 2024

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As of December 17th, 2024, DC’s Building Energy Performance Standards (DC BEPS) have been amended. Among these are important deadline changes property owners should be aware of. 

Timeline Updates:

  • The new benchmarking report deadline has been moved from April 1st to May 1st of each year. 
    • This added month allows property owners vital time to compile their data in preparation for the report, as the data is usually received in short notice for the April deadline. 
    • Third-party verification will only be required every 6 years as opposed to every 3. 
    • This amendment allows for breathing room between verifications and will allow property owners more time to improve their energy efficiency as prescribed by DOEE
  • The second and third BEPS cycles will be starting on January 1st, 2028, and January 1st, 2034 respectively. 
    • Previously, these dates were a year earlier, and the new timeline allows the DOEE time to process the data they collected and revise their process in future BEPS cycles. 
    • This also provides property owners in the first BEPS cycle another year to meet their energy performance requirements.

DC BEPS Eligibility Changes

  • Full cycle amnesty for qualifying buildings. 
    • Previously, qualifying buildings had 3 year exemptions. The properties that are considered exempt from BEPS requirements typically are in some sort of duress that prevents them from complying with those requirements in the first place–hence the exemption. However, the previous 3 year grace period proved to be insufficient for property owners, prompting DC’s council to amend its duration. 
  • Qualifying Buildings
    • Previously, DOEE considered buildings that were “vacant” exempt from requirements. However, in the recent amendment, this section was revised to specify that this exemption (for the issue of vacancy) would only be given to buildings “below sufficient occupancy thresholds for either of the 2 years preceding the compliance cycle”. 
    • Furthermore, the DOEE will exempt buildings with financial distress and “other acceptable circumstances determined by DOEE by regulation”. These other circumstances would likely be cases of “change of ownership, major renovation, [or] pending demolition”, as they were specifically listed in the revised amendment. 
      • It’s important to note that the legislation also makes it clear that the exemptions will only be distributed in cases which the DOEE deems these conditions to be satisfactory to its qualifications. There may be other cases in which buildings may receive exemptions from BEPS cycles, but they will be determined on a case by case basis. 
  • Payment Vs. Penalty
    • Buildings failing to comply with BEPS requirements by the end of a cycle are now required to pay “an alternative compliance payment established by DOEE”. Previously, the punishment for compliance failure was listed as a “penalty” rather than a “payment”. This allows for collaboration between certain other parties involved in a building’s energy usage to remend the punishment for compliance failure. As with most aspects of this legislation, the criteria and extent of this collaboration will be determined by DOEE. 
DC BEPS - The City of DC has had some changes in their regulations during 2024

BEPS Historical Context

The Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) were originally established as part of the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018. This legislation aimed to address climate change and improve energy efficiency in the District of Columbia by targeting energy consumption in buildings, one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in urban areas. The act was uniquely ambitious, and introduced performance thresholds for energy use in large buildings and mandated compliance cycles to ensure gradual progress toward its energy efficiency goals. Furthermore, it introduced incentives to switch to renewable energy sources through the use of energy credits, tax rebates, and providing solar energy to low-income households at no cost. This act mandated that all electricity sold in DC must come from renewable sources by 2032, and the recent amendments reflect DC’s continued commitment to its ambitious goals, and being a trailblazer in sustainable development and environmental responsibility.

How Workflow Control Can Help

You can stay up to date on all the latest updates on DC’s regulations on our Compliance Hub page or subscribe to our newsletter. If you are a DC building owner, portfolio manager, or property manager, let Workflow Control help you tackle all these changes. Our software provides assistance with energy compliance, energy benchmarking, and capital planning. Don’t let DC’s regulations catch you off guard!

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