Montgomery County is recruiting! The Building Performance Improvement Board is seeking new members to help guide implementation of the County’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS).

🛠️ Priority vacancies include:

• Nonprofit building owners
• Energy, engineering, and design professionals

📅 Apply by Dec. 5, 2025: https://cexbcc.montgomerycountymd.gov/board/4471

Join DEP and the Montgomery County Green Bank for a webinar, Hidden Dollars in Your Building: How Energy Audits Unlock Savings, on Wednesday, November 19 from 2 - 3 pm.

Energy audits shine a light on hidden opportunities and deliver practical, low-cost solutions to cut costs and improve comfort. From scheduling and controls tweaks to retrocommissioning existing equipment, these improvements can reduce energy use immediately—often with paybacks measured in months, not years. In this webinar, we’ll show how energy audits uncover real savings, highlight case studies from apartments, condominiums, and worship facilities, and provide simple steps you can take now to capture opportunities to get the most out of the equipment in your building.

Register today!

Montgomery County requires covered buildings to undergo data verification of their energy benchmarking data every 3 years to ensure accuracy, improve data quality, and support compliance with building performance standards. This process must be completed by a qualified professional—such as a licensed engineer or certified energy manager—who reviews the data in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

Accurate benchmarking data empowers building owners to make informed decisions about energy upgrades, capital planning, and long-term compliance strategies. Building owners are advised to treat verification seriously, and take the time to ensure that benchmarking results accurately capture the building's characteristics (especially accurate gross floor area) and complete energy consumption.

Read more about common data errors in this timely article from Steven Winter Associates or book time with DEP staff to review your own benchmarking data. 

The Maryland Energy Administration is now accepting applications for the FY26 Commercial & Industrial (C&I) Grant Program, offering up to $8.4 million in funding for energy efficiency projects in new and existing facilities. Projects that enhance energy efficiency and displace fossil-fuel-consuming equipment qualify for funding—especially those serving low-income populations, which may receive up to 100% of project costs covered.

Applications are reviewed on a competitive basis and accepted until January 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM, or until funds are exhausted. MEA encourages early submissions and offers additional financing through the Jane E. Lawton Conservation Loan Program. Learn more and apply at the MEA C&I Grant Program page.

This program provides Maryland community-serving buildings with the opportunity to request funding for projects that facilitate the efficient electrification of existing building systems, which may result in lifecycle cost reductions as well as zero onsite emissions. Funding will help more Marylanders cover a portion of upfront costs related to building electrification efforts and help facilities whose primary function is to serve the public shift from wasteful fossil fuel-powered equipment to greener electric alternatives. Eligible building types include hospitals, schools, multifamily housing, houses of worship, and other community buildings.

Learn more and apply by December 31, 2025.

The Montgomery County Council unanimously approved legislation to establish a Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), a major step toward expanding access to clean, renewable energy for residents and small businesses. Sponsored by Council President Kate Stewart, Expedited Bill 27-25 empowers the County to purchase electricity on behalf of customers, offering more renewable energy options at competitive and stable prices. This initiative aligns with the County’s Climate Action Plan, which identifies CCA as one of the most impactful strategies to meet its 2035 climate goals.

To learn more about the legislation and its impact, view the full press release.

Check out DEP’s Green Job Portal for open positions in climate and sustainability jobs! 

E.P.A. Retreats From Plans to End the Energy Star Program (New York Times)

Maryland’s EmPOWER efficiency program not meeting low-income goals: OPC (Utility Dive)

Energy: The Most Critical 7% of America’s GDP (Power)

Renewing the case for energy efficiency: a grid resource, customer trust tool and economic engine (Utility Dive)

What is electrotech and what will it mean for geopolitics and energy security? (The Electrotech Revolution)

Sustainability as risk mitigation in real estate investing (USGBC)

Sustainability continues to pay dividends in the hospitality industry (USGBC)

What we're listening to: Secretary McIlwain on meeting Maryland’s climate mandates (Maryland Energy Talk)