One growing concern that directly impacts many buildings either now or in the future is Building Performance Standards (BPS). Several states and cities have already adopted energy performance standards or carbon reduction initiatives, and additional mandates in other cities and states are expected to be approved in 2024 and upcoming years. Due to all the questions we have received on this topic and the prevailing concerns from building owners and operators in general, we wanted to discuss these standards and provide additional insight on how to address them moving forward.
Due to the nature of these new energy and carbon standards, it is critical to start planning for how to address these standards as soon as possible. Statewide legislation has already been approved in the following locations, and there are over 30 additional jurisdictions throughout the country that are part of a national BPS coalition that are also expected to pass legislation soon.
- Washington, Colorado, Oregon, and Maryland statewide
- New York City
- Boston
- Washington DC
- Denver
- Seattle
What does this mean for buildings in these targeted areas?
Building Performance Standards are more stringent than other mandates such as energy audits, benchmarking, etc. because they mandate usage and/or carbon reductions, so this is performance-based legislation. Buildings must reduce energy usage to new target levels or meet new carbon reduction thresholds over time, and the standards will get much stricter in future years with an end goal of net-zero emissions in some areas. Depending on the city or state, this could be done through a variety of energy reduction, electrification, renewable energy, or other initiatives, including renewable energy credits in some cases. It is important to know the implications for not meeting the requirements of each legislation since significant penalties may be assessed, and owners and operators should have strategies in place that make sense for their buildings to meet these new energy and carbon standards.
How can Burton assist?
Burton has direct experience in helping clients, many with large portfolios of buildings, with the following:
- Stay informed about legislation as it is passed;
- Determine the status of buildings in each location;
- Determine strategies and pathways for compliance; and
- Inform owners and operators of potential penalties associated with non-compliance, which can be severe.
Burton develops compliance strategies through a recommended phased approach by leveraging our team of experienced energy engineers and analysts. Since this can take time to implement, we typically discuss with facilities as early as possible to determine the best approach and the level of effort that would be involved.
It is a complex exercise to determine what is needed to meet the legislative requirements of each facility and location since all standards are different. Due to our knowledge of energy efficiency best practices and the ever-changing national landscape, Burton is uniquely qualified to assist in evaluating different types of facilities and constructing the appropriate roadmaps for compliance throughout the country.
Do you know if these regulations should concern you, where your buildings stand that are in these areas, and what steps you should take next to comply or minimize penalties? If not, you’re not alone since many owners and operators are struggling with these same issues. The penalties can be severe, and it can be intimidating to know where to start, so let us know if you need assistance. After all, it’s been said that “no man is an island”, so let us know how Burton can help navigate these requirements and walk through this process with you.
