Resources Archives - Smart Buildings Center

The Best Solutions Come in Easy-to-Use Packages

December 1, 2023 By SBC staff

Packaged systems offer all the benefits without the complexity.

Central heat pump water heater (CHPWH) systems serve the domestic hot water needs of a building in one central plant. Though they have become a key decarbonization technology by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy and costs, their complex design and installation requirements can pose barriers to widespread adoption.

Packaged CHPWH systems reduce this complexity by simplifying design and installation. With pre-made sizes based on storage capacity, packaged systems reduce the need for plumbing and electrical site work to minimize complexity for designers, installers, and maintenance staff, while offering flexibility to meet unique site conditions. Even with all this significant added value, packaged solutions are often cheaper to install than non-packaged CHPWH systems.

Learn more at betterbricks.com

Creative Funding Strategies for Better Buildings, 12/4 12-1PM

November 28, 2023 By SBC staff

Getting started on the path to improving your building’s performance and finding the capital for the projects can be challenging. In this webinar, learn about resources to scope and implement a project, and innovative ways to fund it. Speakers will provide a comprehensive overview of tools to meet Clean Building Act standards, as well as illustrate how lease structures and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing can be leveraged to reduce upfront and operational costs.

Focus:
– Creating strategies for funding, managing and paying for building upgrades and better buildings
– Examples of support and resources for project development and compliance
– Leveraging lease language to capture the most value from sustainability and performance driven upgrades
– Repositioning the landlord/tenant relationship to minimize risk and support sustainability and ESG goals
– Best practices to avoid penalties and conflict over lease ambiguity

Presenters:
– Nicole DeNamur, Climate Aligned Law, Attorney, Hon. AIA, WELL AP and Faculty, LEED Green Associate, Fitwel Ambassador and EcoDistricts AP
– Erik Jennings, Pacifica Law Group LLP
– Rachel Brombaugh, Washington State Managing Director, PACE Equity
– Rebecca Sheppard, Senior Project Manager, Smart Buildings Center / Building Potential / NEEC

Decarbonization via Grid-Interactive Buildings – But how?

November 22, 2023 By SBC staff

Decarbonizing our existing building stock is an integral part of reaching carbon reduction targets of net-zero carbon emissions. Connecting buildings to the grid and utilizing grid-interactive building technology poses a great opportunity for reaching that target. Taking action can be a complex undertaking and intimidating.

ASHRAE’s Task Force for Building Decarbonization has released its new Grid-Interactive Buildings for Decarbonization guide to help building owners on this journey. This manual gives best practices, design consideration and operational guidelines to help reduce carbon emission, find strategies to save on operational costs, and increase your building’s resiliency.

For more information check out the release here: ASHRAE Releases Guide on the Role of Grid Interactivity in Decarbonization | ashrae.org

Better Buildings: Workforce Accelerator Completed

November 1, 2023 By SBC staff

DOE Better Buildings

Cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades in U.S. buildings could save $100 billion each year in energy bills. From 2020-2023, the Better Buildings Workforce Accelerator convened and supported more than 40 workforce partners from across the country working to raise the level of building science and energy efficiency knowledge in the nation’s building-related workforce. The Accelerator focused on activities that build interest, streamline career pathways, and improve skills and we are proud to have played a partner role in the success of this program! Read more about the Workforce Accelerator here at the US Department of Energy Better Buildings Solutions site.

What does this look like in real terms? The US Department of Energy, NEEC and the BOC program have completed a case study that identifies the challenges, solutions, lessons and impact of the building accelerator. Join us as we analyze the outcomes of the Building Accelerator in the case study here.

PSE Presents EnergyCAP Training Webinars

October 24, 2023 By SBC staff

Do you need to benchmark your building but have questions about Puget Sound Energy’s EnergyCAP system? Do you need training on how to use the ECAP website? Puget Sound Energy is launching five new training sessions starting this week! You can join using the links below where you’ll get a crash course in the ECAP system and learn how to benchmark your building. This is a valuable resource for anyone who needs to benchmark their energy reporting for City of Seattle, or if you just want to learn more about the Benchmarking process in general.

Here’s a list of the dates of the training and the links you will need to access each lesson:

Thursday Oct 26th: Week One Training Link

Thursday Nov 2nd: Week Two Training Link

Thursday Nov 9th: Week Three Training Link

Thursday Nov 16th: Week Four Training Link

Thursday Nov 23rd: Week Five Training Link

WA State Clean Buildings Performance Standard News

October 24, 2023 By SBC staff

Next phase of rulemaking is underway

Now that the Clean Buildings Team has concluded rulemaking workshops related to the Clean Buildings expansion bill (SB5722), they enter the next phase of rulemaking. They’ve collected and reviewed all comments from the workshops and are preparing to draft the proposed rules for the CR-102 form.

The CR-102 form will include:

Proposed rules
Agency contact information
Intended adoption date
Public hearing details
Small Business Economic Impact Statement

The CR-102 is expected to be filed this month and will be shared through Commerce’s bulletin and the Clean Buildings webpage.

Public hearing and comments

An opportunity for public comment will follow publication of the CR-102. The next significant event is a public hearing on Nov 21, 2023 at 10 a.m.

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Upcoming Events

Workshop: Developing guidelines for Tier 2 incentive program
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