DC BEPS Blog Series: Key Dates to Keep in Mind (Part 2)
2 min read The District of Columbia’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) is now in full effect. This blog series will give you a breakdown of BEPS, its requirements, deadlines, compliance pathways, and strategy and implementation. In Part 2 of the DC BEPS blog series, we explain the current BEPS cycle and upcoming milestones for DC’s benchmarking regulations….
DC BEPS Blog Series: An Introduction (Part 1)
5 min read The District of Columbia’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) is now in full effect. This blog series will give you a breakdown of BEPS, its requirements, deadlines, compliance pathways, and strategy and implementation. In Part 1 of the blog series, we will explain what BEPS is, how to determine if your property complies with BEPS,…
What You Need to Know About the New Montgomery County Energy-Efficient Buildings Tax Credit Program (Part 2)
7 min read As of January 1, 2022, Montgomery County began its transition to the new Energy-Efficient Buildings Tax Credit Program. To be eligible for the tax credits under the new program, buildings need to first demonstrate energy reduction above code requirements. The tax credits can then be further increased by a variety of green building certifications. As…
Montgomery County Green Building Tax Credit Blog Series: Upcoming Deadlines You Need to Know (Part 1)
3 min read Introduction The Montgomery County Council approved the new Energy-Efficient Building Tax Credit legislation that improves upon the County’s existing LEED Green Building Tax Credit Program. The new program will be put into effect on January 1, 2022, and aims to incentivize building owners to receive higher levels of property tax credits for high-performance buildings. However,…
BEPS – Time to Roll Up Your Sleeves
4 min read The City of Washington DC has finalized the regulations for the implementation of its innovative building energy performance standards (BEPS). The regulations were developed over several months and included opportunities for community involvement along the way. With the regulations established, it is time for building owners, building managers, consultants, and contractors to roll up our…
DC BEPS: Updated Draft Rules and Enforcement Guidebook
5 min read Since Baumann’s last DC Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) update in June 2021, the DC Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) published updated draft rules and the enforcement guidebook. The public comment period for the Second Proposed Rulemaking ended on 08/22/21, while the public comment period for the Building Energy Performance Standards Compliance Guidebook is…
‘Wood’ You Like to Build Sustainably Series: Why Are Wood Buildings a Current Trend?
4 min read Have you recently read an article or seen any videos about sustainable buildings? If yes, you probably heard the term “wood” mentioned at least once. Why is that? Where is this interest coming from? Why don’t we just keep on building as we do? Everyone knows wood burns, right? What about deforestation? There are so…
Let There NOT Be Light!
< 1 min read Air leakage through the windows, walls, and building envelopes is one of the leading causes of building energy wastage putting an unnecessary burden on the HVAC system. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Building Technologies conducted a 2005 research on the Impact of Infiltration on Heating and Cooling Loads for the U.S. Office Building….
The Value of a Comprehensive EEM Simulation
< 1 min read When implementing energy efficiency measures (EEMs) for existing buildings, whether it is due to new regulations that push owners of existing buildings to reduce energy use or financial or ideological decisions, it is often not expedient to implement energy efficiency measures without developing a comprehensive strategy first. While some manufacturers and contractors may promise 10%,…
Using RETScreen for an Early Stage Energy Modeling
< 1 min read Over the years, building codes have become very stringent, increasing the complexity of a project’s design, overall timeline, and budget. During this time, the energy modeler needs to make necessary changes to the simulation model and update it as the project progresses. Hence, there is a strong need to optimize the process to consume less…
Airflow Testing is Not Always a Standard Procedure
< 1 min read As Commissioning providers, we typically spot–check diffuser airflow rates in rooms to verify the testing & balancing (TAB) report. In one case, we discovered that the design airflows were not being achieved even though the TAB report showed compliance. Upon comparison with the TAB contractor’s airflow measuring device, we discovered that their device was not calibrated. They then recalibrated, remeasured, rebalanced, and ensured proper airflow rates and indoor air quality. On…
DC’s BEPS Update: Performance Requirements and Revised Penalty Structure
2 min read The DC Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) is continuing its work on the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) and as it is getting closer to finalization, it is time for another update. After posting the 2021 Building Energy Performance Standards on January 1, 2021, in the DC Register and incorporating public comments, the 2021…
