Cycle 1, private buildings
Privately owned buildings of 50,000 square feet and larger.
Washington, DC Building Energy Performance Standards
DC BEPS Cycle 1 closes December 31, 2026. Is your building on track?
Buildings below the District's standard had to improve during Cycle 1. Falling short can cost up to $10 per square foot of gross floor area, capped at $7.5 million per building and scaled to how far short the building falls. We help owners close out Cycle 1 and get ready for Cycle 2.
Who is covered
BEPS applies to buildings that benchmark in the District and fall below the standard for their property type.
Cycle 1, District buildings
District-owned buildings of 10,000 square feet and larger.
Cycle 2 and after
The threshold drops to 25,000 square feet in Cycle 2 and to 10,000 square feet in Cycle 3.
How we help
Fast, low-cost savings first, and evidence your filing can stand on.
BEPS gap check
Where the building stands against the standard, which pathway it is on, and what is still reachable before December 31.
Retro-commissioning
Controls, schedules, setpoints and sequences tuned and verified device by device. Usually the fastest way to cut energy use intensity.
CommissioningASHRAE Level II audit
The energy audit the Prescriptive pathway is built on, with our partner PE where a seal is required.
Energy modeling and auditsEvidence for your DOEE filing
Measures, dates, photos and before-and-after data from our record, organized for the Completed Actions Report.
How we prove itBenchmarking verification
We prepare your 2026 data and coordinate the third-party verification with a qualified, licensed verifier.
Cycle 2 roadmap
Measures, timing and capital plan for the next standard, so Cycle 2 does not start with a gap.
From now to May 2027
What the close-out looks like with us.
Week 1
Gap check
Benchmarking history, pathway of record and the size of the remaining gap.
Before December 31
Measures and pathway
RCx and quick measures in place, and any pathway change applied for.
January to March 2027
Evidence package
Every completed measure documented with dates, photos and data.
By April 1, 2027
Requests
Delay or exemption request prepared, if the building needs one.
By May 3, 2027
Filing
Completed Actions Report and verified 2026 benchmarking submitted.
On site within 48 hours in DC
One team for the close-out and the next cycle
We are on site in Washington, DC within 48 hours of the first call. The same engineers who tune your systems for Cycle 1 build the plan for Cycle 2.
DC BEPS questions
Which pathway is my building on?
Performance, Standard Target, Prescriptive or the Alternative Compliance Pathway. Your pathway of record is in the BEPS portal; we confirm it and check it still fits in the gap check.
What if we cannot meet the target by December 31?
You can still apply to change pathways by December 31, 2026, request a delay or exemption by April 1, 2027, and penalties scale with progress, so every measure completed lowers the amount at risk.
Do you do the third-party data verification?
We prepare the data and coordinate the verification with a qualified, licensed verifier who meets DOEE's requirements, so the verification stays independent.
Does retro-commissioning count toward BEPS?
Retro-commissioning lowers the energy use intensity the Performance and Standard Target pathways measure, and it is usually the fastest and least costly first step.
When does Cycle 2 start?
January 1, 2028, with the threshold lowered to buildings of 25,000 square feet and larger.
Book a 15-minute BEPS check
Tell us the building and the pathway you are on. We reply within one business day and can be on site in DC within 48 hours.
Prefer to talk? +1 (646) 296-8091 or [email protected]
Dates and thresholds from DOEE guidance and the Building Innovation Hub as of November 2026. Confirm your building's requirements in the DC BEPS portal.