179D

The §179D tax deduction for energy-efficient commercial buildings will no longer apply to construction projects after June 30, 2026. To qualify for the §179D deduction, construction must begin before June 30, 2026, as mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. The current deduction amount for buildings placed in service in 2025 is set at $5.81 per square foot when the project meets or is exempt from prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements. Deduction amounts will continue to increase annually based on inflation adjustments through June 30, 2026. The deduction may still be immediately claimed in the year the property is placed in service....

The IRS has updated its Practice Unit on the §179D Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction. While not official guidance, these units provide valuable insights into IRS audit and enforcement approaches. The latest §179D updates introduce new eligibility rules, compliance requirements, and higher deduction limits. Given the complexity of these provisions, non-compliance can increase audit risks. Engaging qualified tax professionals and engineers is crucial to ensuring compliance and maximizing deductions....

The IRS released final regulations and related guidance regarding bonus credits and deductions for taxpayers that satisfy prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements. The regulations apply to certain “green” energy tax provisions, such as the §179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction and the §45L Energy Efficient Home Credit, as well as others like the §48 Energy Investment Credit, which were modified or enacted by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022....

The IRS recently released Announcement 2024-24, notifying taxpayers that Reference Standard 90.1-2022 is the applicable reference standard required under the §179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction for ‘Energy Efficient Commercial Building Property’ (EECBP) placed in service after December 31, 2028, and the construction of which did not begin by December 31, 2022....

The §179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction is a federal tax incentive encouraging energy efficient construction by providing building owners and designers with substantial financial benefits. An exciting aspect in 2024 is the inflationary increase of the maximum §179D Deduction to $5.65 per square foot for projects meeting the prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements and $1.13 per square foot for those that do not. In 2023, the maximum deduction was $5.36 per square foot and $1.07 per square foot, respectively. In 2022 and prior years, the maximum deduction ranged between $1.80 to $1.88 per square foot....

The IRS recently published Form 7205 and the corresponding Instructions for taxpayers claiming the §179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction. In prior tax years, the §179D Deduction was listed as an Other Deduction, but the new Form 7205 allows qualified business entities and individuals to claim the deduction under section 179D....

The §179D Deduction requires energy modeling whereby the building is compared to the same building constructed to the minimum requirements of a specified ASHRAE 90.1 Reference Standard. In Announcement 2023-1, the IRS affirmed ASHRAE 90.1-2019 as the new Reference Standard. The new standard will be applicable for any projects placed in service after 2026. The IRS also clarified that ASHRAE 90.1-2007 will remain the Reference Standard for any projects placed in service before the newer standard goes into effect. In addition, taxpayers who began construction before 2023 may utilize Reference Standard 90.1-2007 regardless of when the building is placed in service....