Madison Launches the Second Year of the Building Energy Savings Program
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~ Madison Launches Second Year of Building Energy Savings Program

The City of Madison has officially kicked off the second year of its Building Energy Savings Program (BESP), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at reducing energy waste and cutting carbon emissions in commercial buildings. Adopted by the Common Council in 2023, BESP requires large commercial buildings to benchmark their energy use annually and complete building tune-ups every four years.

The program, which is being phased in between 2024 and 2027, has already seen participation from commercial buildings over 100,000 square feet. This year, the program is expanding to include buildings over 50,000 square feet. According to the 2025 Covered Buildings List released by the city, owners of these buildings must benchmark their energy use by June 30th.

To assist building owners with this process, the City has launched a Building Owner Portal that provides step-by-step guidance for benchmarking and reporting. Additionally, a help desk is available for any questions or concerns that may arise.

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In addition to benchmarking, BESP also requires building tune-ups every four years. These tune-ups involve checking and adjusting energy systems such as lighting and HVAC controls to ensure they are running efficiently without wasting energy or money. The compliance deadline for tune-ups has recently been extended to provide building owners with more time to plan and prepare. Buildings over 100,000 square feet now have until October 30th, 2026 to complete their first tune-up, while those between 50,000 and 99,999 square feet have until October 30th, 2027.

To offer flexibility for building owners, the City is also introducing an early bird submission option in 2025. This allows building owners to submit their tune-up results or apply for an alternative compliance pathway by October 30th of that year. This option is particularly beneficial for buildings eligible for an alternative compliance pathway in 2025 but not in 2026.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway expressed her enthusiasm for the program, stating, "The Building Energy Savings Program is making a real impact by reducing energy waste and improving efficiency across Madison." She also noted that with more buildings joining the program in 2025, it will continue to help owners take meaningful action to lower their energy costs and cut carbon pollution.

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The benefits of benchmarking and tune-ups are well-documented. Buildings that consistently benchmark have been shown to reduce their annual energy use by up to 10%, while tune-ups can cut energy use by an average of 12%. With commercial buildings accounting for approximately 45% of Madison's greenhouse gas emissions, the energy savings from BESP will make a significant impact in reducing emissions by over 91,000 tons of CO₂ annually – equivalent to removing nearly 18,000 cars from the road.

To support building owners in this process, the City is hosting virtual training sessions over the next four months. These sessions will walk participants through the benchmarking and reporting process and are available at multiple times to accommodate different schedules.

As BESP continues to expand and make a positive impact on energy efficiency and emissions reduction in Madison, it serves as a model for other cities looking to implement similar programs. With the support of building owners and city officials, BESP is well on its way to achieving its goals and creating a more sustainable future for Madison.

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