The city of Madison has launched the third year of the Building Energy Savings Program.
According to a city press release, in 2025, 345 commercial buildings successfully benchmarked their energy use, with 92% of required buildings in compliance, on par with leading peer cities nationwide.
The program now expands to its final cohort covering commercial buildings over 25,000 square feet. BESP requires large commercial buildings to benchmark their energy use annually and complete building tune-ups every four years.
In 2026, owners of commercial buildings over 25,000 square feet are required to benchmark their energy use by June 30. Benchmarking measures how much energy a building uses and anonymously compares it to similar buildings in Madison.
Each building then receives a report highlighting energy use and how to improve performance.
The 2026 Covered Buildings List includes all buildings required to participate.
This year also marks the start of the tune-up phase of the program where commercial buildings over 100,000 square feet are required to complete a building tune-up, with a deadline of Oct. 30.
“The Building Energy Savings Program continues to deliver results for our community,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “Last year, 345 buildings successfully benchmarked their energy use and received tailored information about ways to save energy and money. BESP shows what’s possible when building owners and local government work together to tackle climate change. We are excited to welcome the final group of commercial buildings into the benchmarking program.”
Buildings account for 65% of Madison’s greenhouse gas emissions.
To support building owners, the city is hosting virtual training sessions over the next four months.
