MAI Buildings
Manufacturing, Agricultural and Industrial Buildings Have a Different Path to Compliance
Buildings where energy is used primarily for manufacturing, agricultural, or industrial processes have unique needs. Learn how to apply for MAI designation and choose a compliance path tailored to how your building uses energy.
What is an MAI Building?
Your building may qualify for the MAI designation if a portion of its energy goes to process loads — energy used for manufacturing, agricultural, or industrial activities such as making products, treating water, or running a data center, rather than for routine building operations like heating, cooling, lighting, and office equipment.
This classification also includes:
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Buildings with Class A data centers
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Food manufacturing facilities
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Drinking water treatment and distribution plants
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Wastewater treatment plants
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Other utilities
Distribution Centers and Warehouses do not qualify as MAI Buildings unless a portion of their energy use is consumed for MAI process loads. Contact us for more information.
How to Join the MAI Program and Set Your Target
1
Apply for an
MAI designation
Once designated, you gain access to the MAI Alternate Compliance Option.
You can check whether your building already has the MAI designation using the Performance Requirements Lookup Tool.
3
Get your
energy target
Once your building has benchmarked as an MAI, you will be assigned one of the default energy efficiency target options below, based on whichever is more achievable for your building: 
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A 30% energy use intensity (EUI) reduction from your baseline, or
​
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Achieving an EUI score of 52.9.
Are you designing a new MAI Building?
New construction MAI building projects have more compliance options and other considerations to integrate in their planning. We strongly urge you to engage with our Help Desk as soon as possible.
This conversation will help you prepare early for the transition from "new construction" to an "existing building," which will happen after one calendar year of operation.