Benchmarking Standards for Montgomery County, MD Buildings
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Montgomery County Building Energy Performance Standards
Performance Metrics
Normalized Site Energy Use Intensity (EUI)
Performance Targets/Standards
Trajectory approach, numerical values still to be set.
Compliance Pathways
If owners believe they will be unable to meet the standards by the deadline or will be exceptionally burdened by doing so, they may propose an alternative compliance plan for consideration by the Building Energy Improvement Board.
Exemptions
Single family homes. Buildings where 10% or more of their total floor space is used for warehousing or self-storage. Exemption criteria was updated to exempt covered buildings for which more than 50% of the total floor space is used for industrial uses where the majority of energy is consumed for manufacturing, the generation of electric power or district thermal energy to be consumed offsite; public assembly in a building without walls; or transportation, com- munication, and utilities infrastructure.
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Montgomery County Building Energy Performance Standards
Policy Name
Building Energy Use Benchmarking and Performance Standards (Bill 16-21)
Year Enacted
2022
Covered Buildings
Public/Gov’t, Comm, & MF buildings ≥ 25,000 sq. ft.
Compliance Cycle
5 years. Uses IMT’s trajectory approach. Requirements phase-in by building type/size. Properties will have to meet 1 interim standard five years from their start date and a final standard 5 years after that.
Enforcement
Still to be determined. Currently, the County has the authority to assess a fine of up to $1,000. State legislation that would allow the County to increase fines above the statutory capped and increase the amount up to $10 per square foot of gross floor area to enforce local building energy performance laws failed in 2022 session.
