On September 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded a $5.5 million grant to BE-Ex & IMT to advance the implementation of equitable building performance standards through standardized and replicable alternative compliance pathways.

We are excited to share that Building Energy Exchange (BE-Ex), in partnership with the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), has been awarded a $5.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as part of the Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation (RECI) program, established through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 

At BE-Ex, we understand that achieving ambitious energy efficiency goals requires a collective effort. With this grant, we aim to work with IMT to grow our impactful, cross-sector Building Performance Partnership network and continue sharing knowledge and best practices with building stakeholders through educational resources, trainings and events. Our focus is clear: to empower under-resourced project teams with the tools needed to navigate the complexities of stringent building performance standards.

Building performance standards are a key tool in addressing the climate crisis, but compliance can often be challenging and confusing. Through this grant, we will work to ensure that (1) every building has a clear path to decarbonization and (2) all communities can benefit from improved building performance, including creating localized training and implementation resources.

We look forward to the launch of the Building Performance Standard Pathway Alternatives and Training Hubs (BPS PATH) project in early 2025, in which IMT, BE-Ex, Slipstream and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory will collaborate with local governments to develop a standardized, replicable framework for building performance standard alternative compliance pathways. Our team will be working an incredible group of state and local governments who will contribute to project outputs and receive tailored technical assistance, including: State of California; State of Oregon; Berkeley, CA; Boston; Chicago; Denver; Kansas City, MO; Montgomery County, MD; New York City; San Francisco; St. Louis; and Washington, DC.

Our Building Performance Partnership network will play a pivotal role in this initiative. These independent energy efficiency hubs serve their regions as local resources, facilitating knowledge exchange and providing technical assistance tailored to the needs of each community, with the overarching goal of improving the health, comfort and performance of their buildings.

Stay tuned for updates on our progress, and join us in this vital mission to transform our built environment for a more resilient, sustainable future.

Read IMT’s press release to learn more about our forthcoming BPS PATH project. 

Learn more about the Building Performance Partnership (BPP), the collaborative initiative between IMT and BE-Ex that supports the creation and operation of resource hubs that accelerate sustainable action to improve quality of life, reduce costs, and drive steep GHG emissions reductions across local communities.