Energy Efficiency Day is next week Oct 4th!

September 25, 2023 By SBC staff

We are less than two weeks out! Are you ready for Energy Efficiency Day?

Energy Efficiency Day shines light on the many advantages of adopting efficient measures and behaviors that enable us to save money, reduce pollution, and create jobs. By participating in #EEDay2023 on October 4th, you can join us in highlighting how individuals can take small steps that add up to lasting comfort, better health, and lower energy costs.

Energy efficiency doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice, but it does enable us to use less energy to get the same job done. When we prevent energy waste, we also avoid the need to generate more power produced from fossil fuels to meet our needs, as well as the climate-warming pollution that accompanies it. Using less energy leads to cleaner air and enables us to stretch the electricity produced from emissions-free sources, such as wind and solar, further to keep our homes comfortable and businesses operating.

How can you support efficiency?

You can sign on as a supporter now for free. We also invite you to dive into EEDay blogs and energy saving stories that provide great tips on how to reduce energy waste and your utility bills.

You can urge your workplace to sign on as well. Many organizations that support EEDay use the opportunity to publicize their good work, products or services, while sharing information on how to become more involved. See current participants.

You can ask your elected officials to issue a proclamation that officially recognizes the first Wednesday in October as Energy Efficiency Day. These proclamations, which elected officials and other leaders promote, bring even more attention to the benefits of efficiency and spur more people to make easy energy-saving changes in their lives.

Join the conversation on October 4th!

Be sure to follow EEDay on Facebook and Twitter and use the hashtag #EEDay2023 to share your own energy-saving tips, success stories, and why energy efficiency is important to you.

Become a Supporter Today

Follow @EfficiencyDay on Twitter, or @EnergyEfficiencyDay on Facebook, and use #EEDay2023 to let us know how you’re celebrating!

Register now for PSE EnergyCAP Trainings

September 19, 2023 By SBC staff

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) are offering free online training for building owners and managers who need assistance completing enrollment in EnergyCAP automated exchange of natural gas data for annual energy benchmarking and reporting. This training is best for participants who are new to the benchmarking process and have not yet enrolled in PSE’s automated data exchange services for benchmarking. If you already have an EnergyCAP account and are experiencing issues with data that was migrated from MyData to EnergyCAP, or if you have incomplete consumption data in EnergyCAP, please email energycap@pse.com for specialized assistance.

PSE EnergyCAP Overview Trainings for New Users:

September 21, 1:00 PM- 2:00 PM (Register Here)
September 28, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Register Here)
October 5, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Register Here)

Please note: Users attending the PSE EnergyCAP trainings must complete registration for an EnergyCAP account if they have not already done so.

EnergyCAP is a tool for commercial customers to monitor and manage PSE energy use, and allows automated benchmarking to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

Lighting Design Lab offers two classes next month!

September 11, 2023 By SBC staff

Design for Off (TM)

When: Thursday, October 5, 2023 –10:00 to 11:30

A key to successful electrification is limiting building loads by adopting passive strategies, targeted systems, and deep efficiency strategies. During the webinar, we will discuss a systematic approach to take advantage of climate characteristics, building performance features, and distributed systems to minimize building loads and simplify equipment operations strategies. This session will include numerous case studies emphasizing successful high-performance building approaches and Ecotope’s Design for Off™ principles.

Audience

Design Engineers and Architects
Mechanical and Electrical Contractors
Building Owners/Operators

The Inflation Reduction Act: One Year Later

When: Thursday, October 19, 2023 –10:00 to 11:30

In this session, we will provide guidance on navigating the updated tax benefits provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, a year after its implementation. We will also discuss other tax laws affecting the energy and building industries. Our focus will be on explaining how to capture the incentives available for HVAC systems and other energy-efficient upgrades that can significantly reduce the upfront costs for building owners. Additionally, we will explore the renewed incentives for alternative energy generation systems and energy-efficiency improvements. We will delve into the tax-exempt project categories that have been eligible for EPAct tax benefits for a year now. Our discussion will also touch on the legacy tax incentives available for designers and how energy companies and building owners can access them. Our objective is to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of how to incorporate these incentives into energy and building project ROI calculations.

Audience

General Contractors
Architects and Design Engineers
Building Owners/Operators

USGBC Smart Buildings Summit, 10/26 & 10/27

September 7, 2023 By SBC staff

USGBC is proud to announce this years Smart Buildings Summit taking place October 26th and 27th. Learn more about this exciting event below, you can also register at the link provided or click here to view the USGBC website.

From Oct. 26 to 27, USGBC will host its 2023 Smart Building Summit, bringing together diverse players for conversations around optimization, interoperability and market transformation. Join us with other industry leaders for our second annual event to explore opportunities to advance how smart buildings can support climate, health, equity and resilience.

Today, we’re pleased to share some program updates and announce that early bird registration is live.

Smart Building Summit program preview

We invite you to preview the summit program.

In addition to the sessions below, the summit will present four keynote sessions and host four engaged breakout conversations with attendees. Stay tuned for additional keynote and speaker announcements in the coming weeks.

In all, the summit will provide a possible total of 8 Green Business Certification Inc. and American Institute of Architects continuing education hours to accredited professionals.

9/28 Clean Buildings Symposium

September 5, 2023 By SBC staff

Register now or learn more about Clean Buildings Symposium East, being hosted at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue 7:30 - 11:30 9/28

Building Owners: Clean Buildings expansion law rulemaking workshop

August 29, 2023 By SBC staff

BUILDING OWNERS, YOU MIGHT BE IMPACTED BY THE NEW LAW: Initially addressing buildings over 50,000 square feet, the 2022 Clean Buildings expansion law added a new second tier (Tier 2) of buildings between 20,000 and 50,000 square feet. Reporting for this new tier is expected to begin July 1, 2027. Buildings over 20,000 square feet include schools, businesses, municipal buildings and multi-family housing.

Don’t miss out – participate in the rulemaking: Register to participate, review the proposed language, and submit comments. The proposed language will be emailed to registrants and later posted on the Clean Buildings webpage. This is your opportunity to provide input to shape energy efficiency requirements and understand the financial incentives offered to assist with compliance.

Workshop #6 – Tier 2 Comprehensive Draft Review (4 session options)

Each session includes a comprehensive review of all proposed rules and feedback we’ve collected throughout the rulemaking process.

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 @ 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PT – VIRTUAL only
Register for Sept. 7 session
Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 @ 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PT – Virtual or SEATTLE in-person
Register for Sept. 11 session
Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023 @ 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PT – Virtual or SPOKANE in-person
Register for Sept. 12 session
Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023 @ 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PT – KENNEWICK in-person only
Register for Sept. 13 session

We hope you can join to provide your perspective, expertise, and insights. If you have questions, you may email the Clean Buildings team at buildings@commerce.wa.gov.