HomeIncentives by StateMaryland
Maryland pays for networked controls.
BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power and Potomac Edison all pay for them through EmPOWER Maryland. Send an address and we'll come back with the rate and your estimate.
EmPOWER Maryland programs as of October 2026. We confirm what your building gets before you buy. Sources
Why it adds up here.
BGE, Pepco and Delmarva Power pay per fixture for networked controls on the DLC list, with occupancy sensing on every fixture. Potomac Edison adds a networked-controls tier to its custom lighting incentive.
- The utility approves the project before you buy.
- At Pepco and Delmarva Power, an approved service provider files and installs prescriptive projects. Custom and new construction projects don't need one.
- New buildings have their own paths at each utility.
- The current program cycle ends December 31, 2026. A May 2026 state law lowers the targets for 2027 to 2029, and the 2027 incentives aren't published yet.
Upgrading lighting anyway?
Maryland is on the 2021 IECC, statewide since May 2023. Montgomery County uses ASHRAE 90.1-2022 for commercial buildings, and Howard County moved to the 2024 IECC in September 2025. A state update proposed in June 2026 was withdrawn in October.
Replace 10% or more of the fixtures in a space and the code calls for occupancy sensors that turn lights off within 20 minutes and continuous dimming near the windows. In garages, each fixture steps down when nobody's around, and fixtures near the open sides dim in daylight. The controls get tested before final inspection.
See how a project runs- GaragesEach fixture steps down when nobody's there, and dims near open sides in daylightCovered
- DaylightDim near the windows, all the way to 15%Covered
- ShutoffLights off within 20 minutes of a room emptyingCovered
BEPS asks buildings to track energy now and cut it from 2030.
Maryland's Building Energy Performance Standards cover buildings of 35,000 sq ft or more, not counting garage space. Owners report energy use to the state by June 1 every year, have it verified in 2026 and every five years after, and meet falling emissions targets from 2030 on the way to net zero in 2040. Lighting controls are one way to bring those numbers down.
Montgomery County runs its own standard instead, for buildings of 25,000 sq ft or more. Larger non-residential buildings meet their first target in 2028.
Your building can be anywhere in the US.
We design remotely and ship the kit set up and labeled by room. A local electrician installs it, and we test on site or remotely.
Questions owners ask.
Which utility pays in my area?
Whichever one sends your electric bill. BGE, Pepco, Delmarva Power and Potomac Edison all pay for networked controls. SMECO pays for lighting and controls too. We check yours from the address.
Does my contractor need to be approved?
For Pepco and Delmarva Power prescriptive projects, yes: an approved service provider applies and installs. BGE asks service providers to register before they apply. Custom and new construction projects at Pepco and Delmarva Power don't need one.
What happens to incentives in 2027?
The current cycle ends December 31, 2026. A May 2026 law lowers the targets for 2027 to 2029, and the 2027 incentives aren't out yet. As of October 2026.
Does BEPS apply to my building?
If it's 35,000 sq ft or more, not counting garage space, and outside Montgomery County, most likely. Montgomery County buildings follow the county's own standard from 25,000 sq ft.
Does this cover Washington, DC?
No. DC has its own programs, and this page covers Maryland only.
Tell us about your building.
An address is enough. Your free Lighting Controls Assessment comes back within 48 hours.
Networked lighting controls, start to finish.