From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: How Owners Are Advancing Building Performance Standards

Across the country, building owners are taking significant steps to prepare for the next generation of Building Performance Standards (BPS). In 2025, progress accelerated as owners engaged early, explored incentives and began shifting compliance requirements into long-term portfolio value.

What is becoming clear is that many building owners are not waiting for deadlines. Instead, they are using this moment to strengthen asset performance, reduce emissions and future-proof facilities.

“Building owners are navigating an increasingly complex set of responsibilities and decisions for their facilities. Many are using Building Performance Standards and McKinstry’s consulting as tools to advance their own long-term goals, from more proactive operations and maintenance to lower utility bills and building electrification,” explains Scott Foreman-Murray, McKinstry’s National Program Manager for Building Performance Standards. “Our role is to meet owners where they are, supporting their priorities with holistic solutions that move their buildings forward, instead of just checking the box on a compliance obligation or selling them expensive projects.”

Maryland: Planning for Better Performance

Building owners with portfolios in Maryland are beginning to plan for the state’s emissions-based performance program, which includes third-party verification of benchmarking by June 2026 and emissions targets beginning in 2030. Owners of buildings larger than 35,000 square feet are using this lead time to evaluate building data, identify emissions drivers and map compliance strategies well ahead of deadlines.

Washington: Turning Incentives Into Action

Washington building owners are turning compliance planning into action by pairing regulatory readiness with incentive-driven investment. Many are tapping into newly released Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS) incentive programs, totaling $32.4 million, to support benchmarking, energy management planning, audits and capital improvements. Rather than treating audits as one-off exercises, owners are moving from findings to implementation, advancing energy efficiency measures (EEMs) across entire portfolios. County governments are also leveraging remaining funding for ASHRAE Level II audits, helping position public buildings for smoother CBPS compliance.

Early adopters, particularly owners of buildings between 20,000 and 220,000 square feet, are capturing incentives ranging from $0.30 to $2 per square foot, reducing upfront costs while accelerating progress. With the first CBPS compliance deadline for buildings over 220,000 square feet approaching in June and the next tier following in 2027, proactive owners are acting now to lock in improvements ahead of upcoming measurement periods.

In Seattle, owners are already preparing for the city’s forthcoming Building Emissions Performance Standards (BEPS). By addressing energy use and emissions today, they are reducing future compliance risk and avoiding last-minute, high-cost interventions, reinforcing Washington’s broader shift from planning to performance.

Oregon: Collaboration Driving Results

Oregon building owners are actively engaging in benchmarking and performance planning, particularly for public facilities, higher education and commercial properties. Several large portfolios completed their first benchmarking reports in late 2025, giving owners clearer visibility into asset performance and next steps.

Through collaborative working groups, including the Oregon Public Facilities Alliance, facility leaders are sharing lessons learned, aligning strategies and building a shared understanding of how building performance standards can support long-term asset management goals.

Colorado: Momentum Through Partnership

In Colorado, building owners are leveraging growing state support to advance decarbonization plans.

Funds raised through the Colorado Decarbonization Enterprise are creating new opportunities for incentives, education and technical assistance tied to Building Performance Colorado.

Owners submitted multiple applications for the Large Building Decarbonization Grant in late 2025, signaling strong interest in pairing compliance with meaningful emissions reductions.

Early engagement with state and local agencies is helping owners better align utility incentives with performance goals.

Looking Ahead

As building performance standards expand and mature, owners who engage early are gaining a competitive advantage by accessing incentives, improving building performance and spreading investment over time.

Compliance does not have to be reactive. Building performance standards can serve as a tool for smarter buildings, lower risk and stronger portfolios in 2026 and beyond.