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  • Writer's pictureKyle J Wacyra, PE

BEPS - Prescriptive Pathway

Cycle 1 of the Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) pertains to buildings > 50,000 SF.

Compliance with BEPS is determined by the average ENERGY STAR Scores for the years 2019 and 2020*, known as the Baseline Years.


*Under the default COVID-19 PHE Delay, BEPS compliance is determined by the average ENERGY STAR Scores for the years 2018 and 2019.


The first step is to select a compliance pathway.

You must complete and submit a Pathway Selection Form by April 1st, 2022*


*Under the default COVID-19 PHE Delay, you must complete and submit the Pathway Selection Form by April 1st, 2023.


Depending on your performance requirement, there are four (4) compliance pathways:

  1. Performance Pathway

  2. Standard Target Pathway

  3. Prescriptive Pathway

  4. Alternative Compliance Pathway

Building owners may choose to opt for the Prescriptive Pathway under any performance requirement, however the Prescriptive Pathway is not recommended by Capital Efficiency.
For the Prescriptive Pathway, the building must earn points for completing prescriptive actions.

In addition to taking the same actions as under the Performance Pathway or Standard Target Pathway, the Prescriptive Pathway requires A LOT of administration and supporting documentation.

Failure to complete actions and reporting deadlines may result in the DOEE switching the building from the Prescriptive Pathway to the Performance Pathway or Standard Target Pathway
Failure to meet compliance will be subject to a financial penalty of $10/SF (Max $7.5MM)

The penalty will be reduced based on an 'Adjustment Factor' to reflect a portion of actions taken but has fallen short of all prescriptive actions.


DON'T PAY TO COMPLY!

Capital Efficiency provides turn-key services to upgrade your building to be more energy efficient with 100% project financing and no out-of-pocket expenses. We'll leave no stone unturned and based on your comfortability (invasiveness to the building and/or tenants) upgrade anything that has an impact on energy use:

  • HVAC & Controls

  • Lighting & Controls

  • Domestic Hot Water

  • Renewable Energy + Energy Storage

  • Building Envelope:

    • Windows, Roof, Insulation

We'll help with water efficiency too!:

  • Landscape irrigation

  • Low-flow fixtures

Rest assured.

We will satisfy either the Performance Pathway or Standard Target Pathway requirements of reducing site/source Energy Use Intensity (EUI) by 20%. In fact, we are confident in helping you achieve the Alternative Compliance Pathway (reducing Site EUI ≥ 36%), having identified energy savings of 93% on a building with an ENERGY STAR Score of 95!


You won't have to do a thing, our turn-key services handle everything for you, we'll even populate ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager on your behalf (satisfying the 3-year requirement of third party data verification requirement by a licensed PE), as we perform this service with all of our projects as part of our Measurement & Verification process.


Again, don't pay to upgrade for compliance!


100% Project Financing covers all hard and soft costs of the energy efficiency project and when provided the upfront financial capital, the project becomes a positive cash flow deal (you save more than you owe, i.e. the Savings-to-Investment Ratio (SIR) is greater than one). There's no need for CapEx Funds, and you no longer need to ask for the simple payback, Internal Rate of Return (IRR), or Net Present Value (NPV)... those financial metrics are N/A!


With 100% Project Financing that:

  • Transfers with the sale of the property

  • Passes thru to tenants in a triple net (NNN) lease

  • Off-balance sheet

  • Non-recourse

  • Non-accelerating, fully amortized

BEPS regulation aside, energy efficiency just makes good business sense.

Avoid the cost of delay and continuing to pay higher energy bills. Energy efficiency increases property value and net operating income (NOI), improves health and human comfort, attracts and retains more tenants, and reduces carbon emissions.

Contact us to get started saving energy (money) today!


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Note the Building Energy Performance Standard (BEPS) has routinely gone through periods of revisions after public comment. While the regulation is certainly official and in effect, the proposed rules and guidelines are still being finalized.


While this article is continuously being updated to reflect updates and changes, please refer to the following links for the latest official releases from the DC DOEE:


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