Navigating DC’s BEPS: A Strategic Approach to Compliance and Sustainability in 2025
Washington, DC stands as a national leader in urban sustainability, setting ambitious goals to combat climate change through progressive energy policies. At the heart of these efforts lies the Building Energy Performance Standards (DC’s BEPS), a cornerstone of the city’s Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018. These standards are not merely regulatory hurdles—they represent a transformative opportunity for building owners and property managers to modernize operations, reduce environmental impact, and improve long-term property value. As we approach the next compliance cycle in 2025, understanding the nuances of BEPS and preparing proactively is more crucial than ever.
BEPS isn’t just about meeting a government mandate—it’s about shaping the future of energy use in the built environment. It offers a clear framework to guide buildings toward greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental responsibility. As the pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions increases globally, those operating in the DC real estate and facilities sectors have a unique opportunity to lead by example. For owners and managers of commercial and multifamily buildings, mastering BEPS can result in operational resilience, increased tenant satisfaction, and a stronger competitive position in an increasingly green-conscious market.
Understanding DC’s BEPS: The Foundation for Smarter Energy Management
BEPS was established under the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018 with the aim of cutting citywide greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2032. The legislation set minimum energy performance thresholds for privately-owned buildings over 50,000 square feet (now phased down to include smaller buildings in future cycles), using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager scores or site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) as benchmarks.
If a building does not meet the established performance threshold, the owner must improve the building’s energy performance within a specified compliance cycle—typically five years—or face financial penalties. The compliance cycles are set in phases, allowing property owners time to evaluate, plan, and implement necessary changes. The intention is to drive continuous performance improvement while offering flexibility and support through a variety of compliance options.
The standards are tailored to building type and use, ensuring fair and relevant benchmarking. This means a commercial office space and a hospital, for example, would be assessed using different performance metrics based on their unique energy demands. This approach provides a more accurate picture of energy use and supports more targeted improvement strategies.
Key BEPS Amendments as of December 17, 2024
To make BEPS more manageable and responsive to real-world conditions, the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) introduced several important updates in late 2024. These amendments reflect feedback from stakeholders and aim to make the compliance process more practical and effective.
- Extended Benchmarking Deadline: The annual benchmarking report deadline has been shifted from April 1st to May 1st. This one-month extension gives property managers additional time to gather and verify data, especially helpful when coordinating with multiple vendors or stakeholders.
- Revised Third-Party Verification Schedule: Verification of benchmarking data, previously required every three years, is now required every six years. This change reduces administrative burden and allows owners to focus resources on actual performance improvements rather than frequent documentation cycles.
- Adjusted Compliance Cycles: To improve the implementation process, the second and third BEPS compliance cycles will now begin on January 1st, 2028, and January 1st, 2034, respectively. These adjustments provide the DOEE time to assess previous cycles, refine metrics, and implement more effective compliance tools. Building owners now also have a more predictable planning horizon to prepare their budgets and retrofit strategies.
BEPS Compliance Pathways: Tailoring Your Strategy
Recognizing the diversity of building types and ownership structures, BEPS offers multiple compliance pathways. Each path offers a tailored method for reaching compliance depending on a building’s current performance level, retrofit potential, and available resources.
- Standard Pathway
Buildings must meet or exceed the set ENERGY STAR score or equivalent metric for their property type. This is ideal for buildings already performing near or above the standard, as minimal improvements may be required. - Performance Pathway
Requires a reduction of 20% in site Energy Use Intensity (EUI) over the five-year compliance cycle. This path allows more flexibility in how savings are achieved, including operational improvements, equipment upgrades, and behavioral changes. - Prescriptive Pathway
Owners follow a set list of energy conservation measures provided in the BEPS Compliance and Enforcement Guidebook. This is suitable for buildings with limited benchmarking data or when a straightforward approach is preferred. - Alternative Compliance Pathway (ACP)
This flexible path allows owners to work directly with the DOEE to create a custom plan. It’s ideal for unique buildings or portfolios with specific constraints or for projects aiming for deep energy retrofits that don’t fit neatly into the standard pathways.
Selecting the right pathway is critical to ensuring compliance while minimizing disruption and maximizing investment return. It’s advisable to perform an in-depth building energy audit and financial analysis before selecting a path.
Tools and Resources: Empowering Smarter Decisions
To support building owners and managers, a number of tools and platforms have been developed to simplify the BEPS journey:
- Building Innovation Hub
This central resource provides educational materials, case studies, and up-to-date regulatory guidance. - BEPS Compliance Pathway Wizard
An online tool that helps determine the most suitable compliance pathway based on building type, performance, and owner objectives. - Energy Audit Scopes of Work
Pre-approved templates that align with BEPS expectations, ensuring energy audits are comprehensive and effective. - Find-A-Vendor Portal
A curated list of energy service providers in the DC area, making it easier to find qualified professionals for audits, retrofits, and commissioning.
These resources are instrumental in navigating the complexities of BEPS. They allow for informed decision-making and foster collaboration between building owners, consultants, and city officials.
Workflow Control’s Role in BEPS Compliance
At Workflow Control, we recognize that BEPS compliance requires more than a checklist—it requires a strategic, integrated approach. Our platform empowers building owners to stay ahead of deadlines, track energy performance metrics, and align capital improvement plans with regulatory requirements.
Key features of our platform include:
- Automated Energy Benchmarking: Streamline data collection and reporting with seamless integration to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
- Compliance Tracking Dashboard: Monitor progress toward compliance goals in real time, receive alerts for milestones and deadlines, and generate required reports with ease.
- Capital Planning Integration: Identify high-impact efficiency projects, prioritize based on ROI and BEPS impact, and align funding sources and timelines.
By simplifying the compliance process, Workflow Control helps building owners make smart decisions that go beyond meeting minimum requirements—they position properties for long-term operational success and environmental leadership.
Conclusion: Turning Compliance into Opportunity
Meeting the requirements of BEPS isn’t just about avoiding penalties—it’s about investing in the future of your building and the city as a whole. The standards offer a structured path toward efficiency that also delivers cost savings, improves tenant satisfaction, and supports DC’s climate goals.
By leveraging the tools, pathways, and expert support available, building owners can transform BEPS compliance into a strategic advantage. Whether you’re just beginning your BEPS journey or deep into planning your retrofit projects, now is the time to act.
At Workflow Control, we’re here to be your trusted partner in that journey—helping you make sense of the regulations, find the best strategies for your building, and ensure long-term compliance and sustainability success.
- Standard Pathway
Explore our full suite of BEPS compliance tools and resources today. Let Workflow Control help you streamline your path to sustainability and regulatory compliance. Together, we can shape a greener, smarter Washington, DC—one building at a time.
