Steven Winter Associates Selected to Implement Ambitious Plan to Reduce DC Building Emissions
(Washington, D.C., November 11, 2020) Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA) has been selected by Washington, D.C.’s Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) to perform a detailed analysis of costs and benefits associated with the Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) program, which will allow DOEE to implement the District’s plan to encourage energy performance improvements in existing buildings. BEPS will be the first program in the nation to introduce energy efficiency standards to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, which account for 75 percent of the District’s emissions.
“This ground-breaking program puts DC ahead of many of the country’s largest cities in terms of leading on climate change and we’re proud to be part of it,” said Andrea Foss, Sustainability Director at SWA’s DC office. “It is imperative for everyone from building owners, operators, and tenants, down to even smaller condominium owners to understand how BEPS will impact them and what they need to do to comply. The cost benefit study for DOEE is a critical component.”
SWA, along with grant partners the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington (AOBA) and the New Buildings Institute (NBI), will perform a review of District buildings to identify costs and benefits associated with energy efficiency measures included in the BEPS program. The study will be used to support the development of a detailed education plan for building owners, operators, and occupants, and will inform an outline for implementation by DOEE and its partners. The education plan will be targeted to those impacted by the standards and will identify specific educational resources needed to help plan for BEPS.
BEPS was set forth in Title III of the Clean Energy DC Omnibus Act of 2018 and requires all private buildings over 50,000 square feet to benchmark energy use and demonstrate energy performance above a median baseline beginning January 1, 2021. DOEE has extended the BEPS compliance requirement from 2026 to 2027 in draft regulations due to COVID-19. The standards were created to drive energy performance in existing buildings and help the District meet its stringent energy and climate goals outlined in the Sustainable DC plan. The plan calls for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by 50% by 2032 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
Steven Winter Associates Inc. (SWA) has provided innovative sustainability, energy efficiency and accessibility solutions for new and existing buildings since 1972 in Washington, DC and across the Mid-Atlantic region. For more information, contact us.