Maryland's Building Energy Performance Standards
Maryland's Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) were established under the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022. They apply to approximately 9,000 commercial and multifamily buildings statewide that are 35,000 square feet or larger.
BEPS requires covered buildings to benchmark energy use through EPA's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, report annually to the Maryland Department of the Environment, and meet increasingly stringent greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets over time.
Non-compliant buildings face escalating penalties. The program also creates an opportunity — buildings that understand their energy performance can target the right improvements, qualify for utility rebates, and significantly reduce operating costs.
BEPS Key Deadlines
All covered buildings must complete energy benchmarking in EPA Portfolio Manager and submit to MDE.
Buildings must meet a 20% reduction in average GHG emissions per square foot compared to baseline. Non-compliance penalties begin.
Maryland's ultimate goal: net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from covered commercial buildings.
What Maryland Smart Energy Provides
EPA Portfolio Manager Setup
Complete account creation, building profile configuration, and utility data integration — so your benchmarking is done correctly the first time.
Benchmarking Data Collection
We coordinate with your utility (BGE, Pepco, Delmarva, SMECO) to automatically upload 12 months of energy consumption data into Portfolio Manager.
ENERGY STAR Score Analysis
We interpret your ENERGY STAR score, explain what it means compared to peer buildings, and identify which systems are driving poor performance.
BEPS Compliance Pathway
We develop a customized roadmap showing the specific improvements needed to meet your 2030 GHG emissions targets under BEPS.
Utility Rebate Integration
We identify EmPOWER Maryland rebates available for the improvements on your compliance pathway — often funding 75–85% of upgrade costs.
Annual Reporting Support
Ongoing support for required annual benchmarking data submissions to MDE and Portfolio Manager updates as your building makes improvements.
Does Your Building Need to Comply?
- Commercial buildings 35,000 square feet or larger in Maryland
- Multifamily residential buildings 35,000+ square feet with 5+ units
- State-owned buildings (separate compliance timeline)
- Approximately 9,000 buildings statewide are covered
- Some exemptions apply — contact us to confirm your status
Even if your building is under 35,000 sqft and not required to comply, voluntary benchmarking is a best practice that identifies energy savings opportunities and qualifies you for additional EmPOWER Maryland rebates.
How to Get Benchmark-Ready
- 1Compliance AssessmentWe confirm your building's BEPS coverage status, current benchmarking situation, and compliance timeline based on your building type and size.
- 2Portfolio Manager SetupWe create or claim your EPA Portfolio Manager account, configure your building profile accurately, and integrate your utility data feeds — often completed in one session.
- 3Score Analysis & RoadmapOnce data is collected, we analyze your ENERGY STAR score and create a written compliance roadmap with prioritized improvements, estimated costs, and available rebates.
- 4Improvement ImplementationWe connect you with the appropriate EmPOWER Maryland programs (HVAC tune-up, building tune-up, lighting) to implement the improvements — with rebate funding covering the majority of costs.