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July 11, 2024 | Department of Environmental Protection
The deadline for submitting calendar year 2023 energy benchmarking reports was June 3. To date, over 75% of covered buildings have submitted benchmarking reports. Over 87% have filed reports or requested extensions.
Group 5 (multifamily properties between 25,000 and 25,000 square feet) are reporting for the first time this year. So far, 80% of Group 5 buildings have been reported or have extensions filed.
DEP's benchmarking status report provides more information on the compliance status of each covered building and is updated weekly.
DEP would like to thank building owners, managers, and benchmarking service providers for your efforts to submit accurate and timely reports.
What's next?
DEP will be continuing with outreach and enforcement in the coming months. Notice of Violation letters are planned for early August and citations will follow.
The annual benchmarking report and data disclosure will be published and benchmarking scorecards emailed to reporters before October 1.
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Save the date! The 2025 Montgomery County Energy Summit will be held April 8 and 9, 2025 at the Silver Spring Civic Building. The Summit website will announce opportunities for exhibiting, presenting, and registering in the coming months. |
Commercial property owners are eligible to receive federal funding for EV charging infrastructure. Metro-Washington Council of Governments has released a Request for Proposals to build charging at publicly accessible sites. Federal grants will pay for up to 80% of the costs of equipment, installation, operation, and maintenance. Please respond directly to MWCOG by 2:00 PM ET, July 25, 2024.
If you have questions about EV charging and this federal grant opportunity, please contact Brian Booher.
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Join the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) on July 18 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm to discuss the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the next round of the DOT/FHWA Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant. MCEC is looking to bring together a collaborative group with shovel ready projects for electric vehicle charging station installation throughout the state. The focus of the application will be on rural areas and underserved communities in Maryland with EV Charging helping to fill in gaps and benefit Justice40 communities. Register here.
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Check out DEP’s Green Job Portal for open positions in climate and sustainability jobs! Featured opportunities this month include two based in Bethesda:
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General News
3 Steps to Decarbonize Buildings: Energy efficiency, electrification, renewable energy (Facilities Net)
How has energy use changed throughout U.S. history? In 2023, 94 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) was consumed in the United States, a 1% decrease from 2022 and renewables exceeded coal for the first time in about 140 years. (EIA)
Federal News
Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship: The U.S. Treasury and IRS released final prevailing wage and apprenticeship regulations required to receive a 5x increased incentive for certain IRA clean energy tax credits including 179D. The final rules provide clarification on how to meet apprenticeship rules or demonstrate a "good faith effort" exception, require that prevailing wage rates be set by the Department of Labor, and outline robust documentation and reporting requirements for PWA.
Green and Resilient Retrofit Program: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced more than $142 million in new grant and loan awards to 17 properties under the IRA-funded Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP). This is the third set of Comprehensive category awards made under GRRP, and the announcement brings the total funding awarded under this program to more than $754 million. The final application deadline under the GRRP program is July 31 for the Elements funding category.
How New Federal Policy Raises the Bar for Energy-Efficient Housing: New standards and incentives encourage the construction and renovation of homes that consume less energy, reducing carbon emissions and utility bills and improving indoor air quality and resilience to climate impacts. (RMI)
What Exactly is a Zero Emissions Building? The Department of Energy has created a specific definition for zero emissions buildings. (Facilities Net)
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July 23, 1 - 2 pm | EPA ENERGY STAR Program
Verifying the ENERGY STAR Certification Application
Sept 10, 2 - 3 pm | EPA ENERGY STAR Program
Energy Efficiency Innovation Hub: Disrupting the Status Quo to Overcome Barriers
*SAVE THE DATE* April 8 - 9, 2025 | Montgomery County DEP
2025 Montgomery County Energy Summit
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