A building tune-up goes beyond HVAC. It's a comprehensive energy optimization of your entire building, covering mechanical systems, lighting, controls, and building envelope, all funded through EmPOWER Maryland.
Both programs are funded by EmPOWER Maryland at no cost to you, but they cover different scopes. Understanding which one your building needs, or whether you should do both, depends on your building's size, systems, and energy goals.
Focused on heating and cooling equipment only. Best for buildings with straightforward HVAC systems that haven't been serviced recently.
Comprehensive energy optimization covering every system in your building. Best for larger buildings or those seeking maximum savings and BEPS compliance.
A building tune-up is a systematic evaluation and optimization of every energy-consuming system in your building. The goal is to find and fix the operational issues that are costing you money without requiring major capital investment.
Complete tune-up of all heating and cooling equipment, plus analysis of system interactions, simultaneous heating and cooling, and zone control issues.
Audit of lighting levels, scheduling, and controls. Identification of overlighting, inefficient fixtures, and areas where occupancy sensors could reduce waste.
Review and optimization of building automation systems, programmable thermostats, and scheduling. Most buildings have control settings that haven't been updated in years.
Identification of air leakage points in the building envelope that allow conditioned air to escape and unconditioned air to enter, forcing HVAC systems to work harder.
For buildings with walk-in coolers, freezers, or commercial refrigeration, the tune-up covers door gaskets, defrost controls, and condenser maintenance.
Evaluation of domestic hot water systems including temperature settings, insulation, and recirculation pump scheduling to eliminate unnecessary energy use.
The building tune-up process is more comprehensive than an HVAC-only tune-up and typically takes 2-3 months from start to finish. Here's what to expect at each stage.
We verify your utility account and building qualify, then enroll you in the program with your utility. All paperwork is handled by Maryland Smart Energy.
Our team conducts a thorough on-site assessment of all energy-consuming systems. We collect data on equipment, operating schedules, and building conditions.
We analyze the assessment data and identify energy conservation measures (ECMs) with the highest return. You receive a report with prioritized recommendations and projected savings.
Approved measures are implemented by our licensed technicians. This includes HVAC optimization, controls reprogramming, lighting adjustments, and air sealing work.
We verify the energy savings through post-implementation monitoring and file all final rebate paperwork with your utility. You receive a complete project report.
Maryland's Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) require buildings over 35,000 sq ft to meet energy performance targets. A building tune-up is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your building's energy performance and move toward compliance.
The energy conservation measures identified and implemented during a building tune-up directly reduce your building's energy use intensity (EUI), which is the metric BEPS uses to measure performance. Many buildings can achieve significant progress toward their BEPS targets through operational improvements alone, without major capital investment.
Maryland Smart Energy is a State of Maryland BEPS-approved third-party contractor for baseline benchmarking and implementation of energy measures. Learn more about our BEPS compliance services →
Your utility is funding building tune-ups for Maryland commercial properties. Let's get yours scheduled.