Montgomery County, Md. is generating significant buzz among U.S. jurisdictions interested in reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings.
After tightening eligibility requirements for an over-subscribed green building tax credit in September 2020, the Montgomery County council upped the ante last month by proposing a mandatory building energy performance standard (BEPS). The legislation was introduced May 4, with an initial hearing scheduled for June 15. If approved, the legislation requiring existing buildings to meet ambitious energy reduction goals by 2035 would make Montgomery County the first county in the nation to enact a mandatory BEPS. A handful of cities and states (St. Louis, Mo.; Washington, D.C.; New York City, and Washington State) have enacted similar measures. Montgomery County also was the first to adopt a mandatory energy benchmarking law in 2014.
