Local Government Buildings
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Maryland’s state and local government-owned buildings provide an opportunity to lead by example through the investment of energy efficiency, electrification, and onsite renewable energy. Lowering energy use can help local governments shift funds towards better serving their constituents.
Many public buildings may be subject to
Maryland’s Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS), which covers buildings 35,000 square feet and larger. Owners of covered buildings under the regulation are required to annually report their energy use and emissions.
Maryland’s local governments can tap into a range of state, federal, and utility incentives to help defray the costs of energy efficiency, electrification, or onsite renewable energy measures to existing or new buildings. The Maryland Clean Buildings Hub is committed to help building owners and operators understand the range of incentives for which they may qualify.
State - Maryland Energy Administration:
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Sec. 179D Energy Efficient Buildings Tax Deduction: Provides federal tax deductions for placing in service (installing) eligible energy-efficient property in commercial buildings. Please note the 179D commercial building tax deduction shall not apply to property the construction of which begins after June 30, 2026.
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Sec. 48E Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit: The credit is available to taxpayers with a qualified facility and energy storage technology placed in service after Dec. 31, 2024. The Clean Electricity Investment Credit phase-out starts for the later of 2032 or when U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from electricity are 25% of 2022 emissions or lower.
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Sec. 45Y Clean Electricity Production Tax Credit: The credit is available to taxpayers with a qualified facility and energy storage technology placed in service after Dec. 31, 2024. The Clean Electricity Production Credit phase-out starts for the later of 2032 or when U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from electricity are 25% of 2022 emissions or lower.
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HUD Choice Neighborhoods Program: Supports locally driven strategies that address struggling neighborhoods with distressed HUD housing through a comprehensive approach.
Utility:
Looking for technical assistance for your local government building upgrades?
The Hub offers guidance and support to help Marylanders take the next step toward cleaner, more efficient energy solutions.
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Montgomery County Green Bank Technical Assistance Program: Supports studies for commercial sector owners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including ASHRAE Level I, Level II, Level III/ Investment Grade audits and/or targeted analyses into benchmarking, energy efficiency, renewable energy (e.g., solar PV), electrification, EV charging infrastructure, and resiliency measures. Eligible property types include but are not limited to office, industrial, retail, hospitality, common ownership communities, multifamily rental (market rate and affordable), and nonprofit-owned properties such as faith-based and educational institutions.
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Montgomery County Benchmarking Ambassadors: Montgomery County’s Department of Environmental Protection curates this list of stakeholders, volunteers, and energy service companies who have received an orientation to the County’s Benchmarking Law on how to properly benchmark in Portfolio Manager. Please note that inclusion in this list does not confer certification, an official endorsement, or approval from the Montgomery County Government or any of its agencies.
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Green & Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI) Technical Assistance: Provides a variety of technical assistance services to clients, such as community-based organizations; state, county, and city governments; and healthcare providers and payers. Offerings include programmatic capacity building; innovative financing; coordinated delivery of housing, health, and energy services; and healthy housing policy.
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ESPC Campaign: Engages public sector building owners and other market stakeholders in technical assistance and peer-to-peer learning opportunities to expand the use of ESPCs as a building decarbonization tool.
The Hub invites you to explore the materials below to help guide your next steps. Use these resources to help move your building decarbonization project forward with greater confidence. Suggestions for additional resources can be directed to
[email protected].
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Benchmarking: The process of tracking a building's annual energy use and using a standard metric to compare the building's performance against past performance and to similar building types. Benchmarking improves understanding of energy consumption patterns; helps identify energy saving opportunities within a portfolio of buildings; and manages business bottom line through consistent data collection and tracking.
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Energy Audits: Conducting an energy audit is a recommended first step in a building’s electrification and decarbonization journey.
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Maryland Green Building Council: The Council is composed of private sector and State agency membership. It makes recommendations regarding implementation of the High-Performance Building Program to the Department of General Services, the Maryland Governor and General Assembly.
