Statement
Statement from Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich on the Groundbreaking Passage of the Building Energy Performance Standards Legislation
For Immediate Release: Tuesday 19 April
Today’s unanimous vote by the County Council to establish the Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) is a monumental step toward realizing our Climate Action Plan goals of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. I want to thank County Council President Gabe Albornoz and the entire Council for enacting these 21st-century building energy standards that are critical to combatting our climate emergency.
When I submitted this legislation to the County Council in April 2021, Montgomery County was among the first local jurisdictions in this nation to embark on this type of aggressive, game-changing legislation. My proposed legislation gained the attention of President Biden and environmental activists across the country. Other jurisdictions, like Denver, Colorado, specifically credited this proposal as their model. I want to thank our Department of Environmental Protection, led by Acting Director and County Climate Change Officer Adriana Hochberg, for their leadership on developing this legislation and helping to get it to the finish line. Their dedication and perseverance throughout this process has paid off.
My Administration is proud to have collaborated with the commercial and multi-family building sector in developing this legislation. This new law will lead to energy improvements for residential and commercial buildings that will save money and create new local jobs. I also want to thank the many residents, activists and community groups who advocated for this bill. They are an example that the voices of everyday people can influence positive change.
Now the hard work begins. We will be working closely with our building owners to educate and engage them on these new requirements. We have expanded programming, such as Commercial PACE financing, and allocated funding for building owners and developers to upgrade and retrofit their buildings. The County can’t do this without them, and I look forward to their partnership and collaboration to effectively implement this new law.
I knew from the beginning that combatting climate change and achieving our goals outlined in the Climate Action Plan would not be easy. This is why I wanted our goals to be so aggressive from the start. My Fiscal Year 2023 Recommended Operating Budget prioritizes funding for climate implementation, including support for these critical new standards.
Climate change is something we must address with a sense of urgency and today our County took a big step forward. I cannot think of a better way to celebrate Earth Month and Earth Week than taking action on meaningful climate change policy that will improve the quality of life for all County residents for years to come.
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Release ID: 22-013