Washington State is taking strong measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a significant focus on energy efficiency in buildings. The Clean Buildings Act, originally passed in 2019 and related to Tier 1 buildings, has expanded to include Tier 2 buildings (more on this below). This expansion presents new challenges and opportunities for multi-site building owners and facility managers.
In this blog, we will explore what the Clean Buildings Law and its associated Clean Building Performance Standards mean for Tier 2 commercial and residential building owners, how utilities like Puget Sound Energy (PSE) are helping businesses, and how a smart thermostat energy system can help owners meet compliance standards.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents:
- What is Washington State’s Clean Buildings Act?
- What the Clean Buildings Performance Standards Mean for Owners & Managers of Tier 2 Buildings
- How Puget Sound Energy is Helping Businesses Comply
- How a Smart Thermostat System Can Helping Owners Meet Clean Building Performance Standards
1. What is Washington State’s Clean Buildings Act?
Washington’s Clean Buildings Law was enacted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from commercial and residential buildings, which account for about 27% of the state’s emissions. The law sets energy performance standards that large buildings must follow to improve energy efficiency and lower operational costs.
Expansion to Tier 2 Buildings
Originally, the law applied to Tier 1 buildings (over 50,000 square feet), but Senate Bill 5722 expanded the scope to include Tier 2 buildings - between 20,000 and 50,000 square feet. Compliance for these buildings focuses on energy benchmarking, energy management plans, and operations and maintenance programs. The compliance deadline is July 1, 2027.
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) Targets & Compliance Timeline
Unlike Tier 1 buildings, Tier 2 buildings are not required to meet specific Energy Use Intensity (EUI) targets, but they must engage in continuous energy tracking through benchmarking.
Mandatory reporting for Tier 2 buildings starts on July 1, 2027. Washington State’s Department of Commerce will complete rulemaking for Tier 2 buildings by December 2023.
2. What the Clean Buildings Performance Standards Mean for Owners & Managers of Tier 2 Buildings
For multi-site owners or facility managers, the Clean Buildings Law means that managing energy efficiency across multiple properties has become a legal requirement. This creates both challenges and opportunities.
Energy Benchmarking Across Multiple Sites
Benchmarking energy use across multiple locations can be a complex task. It requires collecting data on energy consumption and ensuring it is consistent across different properties. This process allows building owners to identify underperforming sites and prioritize energy-saving investments.
Energy Management and Operations & Maintenance Planning
Washington's Clean Buildings Law requires that Tier 2 buildings implement comprehensive Energy Management Plans (EMP) and Operation & Maintenance Plans (OMP) for all Tier 2 buildings under their control. These plans should outline strategies for:
- Reducing energy consumption
- Improving overall operational efficiency
- Conducting regular facility and equipment maintenance
3. How Puget Sound Energy is Helping Businesses Comply
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and other Washington utilities recognize the challenges businesses face in meeting these new standards and have developed support programs to assist with compliance.
Energy Incentives and Rebates
Through its Clean Buildings Accelerator program, PSE offers various incentives to businesses that improve energy efficiency in their buildings. These incentives help offset the cost of installing energy-efficient systems and equipment, such as smart thermostats, HVAC upgrades, LED lighting, and more.
Technical Assistance and Energy Audits
PSE also provides technical support, including connecting building owners with qualified energy auditors and consultations, to help building owners assess their current energy performance and identify areas for improvement. These audits are critical for Tier 2 building owners who need to benchmark energy use effectively.
Clean Buildings Incentive Programs
Washington State has allocated $150 million in financial incentives for Tier 2 building owners, with a focus on buildings in overburdened communities and low-income multifamily residential buildings. PSE is actively supporting this initiative through its energy management programs, like the PSE Clean Buildings Initiative.
4. How a Smart Thermostat System Can Help Owners Meet Clean Building Performance Standards
As Tier 2 building owners and facility managers work to meet the Clean Buildings Law requirements, a smart thermostat system like Mysa HQ can be a valuable tool for achieving compliance and improving overall energy efficiency.
Smart thermostat systems are integral to the success of these plans, as they allow for automated control and adjustment of energy settings, ensuring that the building’s energy management goals are met efficiently. By centralizing control, these systems streamline energy management and make it easier for building owners to meet regulatory requirements.
Easy Access to Benchmarking Data
A smart thermostat system like Mysa HQ allows facilities owners and managers to monitor their multi-site energy use in real time. Seeing live energy consumption data helps building owners or managers easily make adjustments that reduce energy wastage, especially in multi-site operations where energy use can vary across locations.
This helps building owners or managers meet the Clean Buildings Law’s benchmarking requirements by simplifying the reporting process - ensuring that compliance is maintained without extensive manual intervention.
Supporting Energy Management & Operations and Maintenance Plans
Mysa HQ delivers automated HVAC scheduling for multi-site facilities, reducing or eliminating the need for frequent manual interventions. This ensures consistent energy performance and simplifies the maintenance process, ultimately helping buildings maintain compliance with Washington’s energy performance standards.
Additionally, Mysa HQ alerts notify you when a space isn't reaching its set point, signaling a potential HVAC issue and giving building owners or managers time to send maintenance before a costly system failure. This data also gives more insight into underperforming HVAC units, which not only use more energy than they should to function and lead to higher operational costs, but can interfere with Clean Buildings Law compliance.
Conclusion
Washington State’s Clean Buildings Law marks a significant step toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy efficiency across medium and large commercial and residential buildings. For Tier 2 building owners, the law introduces new responsibilities, but also opportunities to modernize their energy use practices.
Utilities like Puget Sound Energy are providing essential support through incentives, energy audits, and technical assistance, while smart thermostat energy management systems like Mysa HQ offer a streamlined path to compliance. As the 2027 deadline approaches, multi-site owners must act now to ensure they are ready to meet the Clean Building Performance Standards.
Interested in how a smart thermostat system can help you meet your facilities’ Clean Buildings Law compliance requirements and reduce your energy costs? Connect with David Murray, Senior Business Development Manager, to learn more about Mysa HQ today!