The board will advise on implementation of the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS), which were proposed by County Executive Marc Elrich and recently approved by the County Council. The standards set the minimum threshold for energy performance at existing commercial buildings and multifamily residential buildings, such as apartment buildings and condominium communities.
“Passing BEPS was critical toward meeting our Climate Action Plan goals of reducing 100 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions by 2035,” said County Executive Elrich. “Our new Building Performance Improvement Board is important toward the implementation of this process. I encourage all residents who are eligible to please apply for this board.”
County Executive Elrich will appoint members to the board after July 31. Nominees must then be confirmed by the County Council. Applicants of diverse backgrounds, professions, genders, geography, abilities, ethnicities and ages are encouraged to apply.
To be eligible to serve on the board, applicants must be County residents or:
- Representatives of local electricity or natural gas utilities.
- Providers of energy efficiency, building resilience and/or renewable energy services or consulting.
- Owners or managers of affordable housing.
- Owners or managers of multifamily residential buildings containing market-rate units.
- Nonresidential building owners or managers.
- Nonprofit building owners or managers.
- Technical building design or operations professionals.
- Providers of facilities, mechanical or similar engineering services.
- Commercial or multifamily residential construction finance or investment professionals.
- Representatives of nonprofit organizations dedicated to climate action, resiliency, public health, green building, economic development or building decarbonization.
- Representatives of nonprofit organizations dedicated to racial equity or environmental justice.
Energy use in the building sector is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the County, representing nearly 50 percent of emissions communitywide. To address the climate emergency, Montgomery County has set a goal of an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2027 and 100 percent by 2035.
The County is leading the way in the region and the nation in setting goals to combat climate change. It is among the first localities in the country to propose BEPS requirements on commercial and multifamily buildings. The program has caught the attention of President Biden’s Council on Environmental Quality, as well as environmental activists across the country. Other jurisdictions are looking at the County’s BEPS policy framework as a model.
To learn more about the county’s Building Energy Performance Standards, visit https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/green/energy/beps.html.
