2025 Smart Buildings Exchange Recap

Smart Buildings Center

Energy Efficiency Innovation Center, Tool Library & Data Visualization

REMINDER: Join the Retrofit “Reality Check” Webinar June 14th! Part of Net Zero Buildings Week

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Last week we posted about the exciting events happening this week as part of Net Zero Buildings Week! We don’t want you to miss out so here’s a friendly reminder to check out all the events happening this week as well as the Retrofit Reality Check Webinar, more details for that below.

On June 14 – as part of Net Zero Buildings Week – Slipstream will host a webinar that confronts the realities that experts who deliver building retrofits encounter.

Click here to register now.

Wednesday, June 14

11:00 a.m. to noon Central Time

For more information be sure to follow the New Buildings Institue and our partners at SlipStream.

Next Week is Net Zero Buildings Week!

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Did you know? Net Zero Buildings Week is the 12th through the 16th of June! There’s lots of ways to engage and share your ideas, stories, and experiences, let’s take a look at what you can expect this year and ways you can contribute.

Sign-up & Participate on Social Media

Net Zero Buildings Week is a social media campaign aimed to showcase and promote the benefits of net ​zero buildings for a clean energy future. ​​Our theme this year is Decarbonize For Good – to showcase how reducing emissions from the built environment can benefit people and communities as a whole. Use the hastag #Decarb4Good to share your stories with the community!

Wednesday is the Retrofit Ready Reality Check Webinar. Don’t miss the opportunity to be a featured part of this event! You can submit your content here.

A Full Week of Content!

Each day from the 12th through the 16th will have it’s own theme and events! We don’t want you to miss any of them so here’s a quick rundown of what to expect, you can find more details at the link above.

Who’s Participating?

You can find a complete list of partners and participants at the link above. Interested in adding your organization to the list? You can contact the organizers here. For more information be sure to follow the New Buildings Institue and our partners at SlipStream.

 

We hope to see lots of engagement on social media next week for this exciting weeklong event! Don’t forget to use the hasthag #Decarb4Good to tell your stories and join enlightening discussions during Net Zero Buildings Week!

A Tool for the Future: Commercial and Industrial Energy Rating Label

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Energy Rating labels for commercial and industrial pump systems were created by the Hydraulic Institute in 2020 to foster an easier, streamlined way to determine the efficiency of a pump. Prior to the creation of the label, purchasers had to manually calculate efficiency based on multiple factors, which could lead to missed opportunities for improved energy performance and savings.

The label, also known as the Commercial & Industrial or C&I Pump Label, features numbers and measurements that indicate how much more efficient a specific pump is, compared to the federal baseline for pumps allowed to be sold in the United States. The primary feature of the label is the Energy Rating (ER) number. This number is derived from the Pump Energy Index—written as PEI on the label—a metric from the U.S. Department of Energy that is based on a uniform performance procedure all pump models are tested against.

This information is reflected in a numerical range from Most Consumptive to Least Consumptive. The higher the number, the less consumptive—or the more efficient—the pump. For example, a pump with an ER60 is 60% more efficient than the minimum required by law, or ER0. This number not only represents the lab-tested performance, but also allows you to calculate exact performance for your specific situation, based on pressure, flow, and run hours.

Even though the pump’s estimated annual savings is not provided, it can be calculated by using the information provided on the label, the net positive suction head required, run hours, and other features. Each of these elements are crucial to determine the pump’s function, operation, and savings.

Read on at BetterBricks Blog for more information on how this label is changing how we visualize energy use data!

Don’t Miss Protecting Puget Sound Tomorrow, 5/31!

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Join the Seattle 2030 District tomorrow 5/31 for an invigorating discussion that will help our members and other landowners meet the district’s stormwater challenges and support the recovery of Puget Sound. Larry Epstein, Deputy Director of the Puget Sound Partnership will discuss the state of the sound and the importance of engaging the private sector in the goals for recovery. Jeremy Febus, Civil Engineer with KPFF; and Rachael Meyer, Landscape Architect for Weber Thompson will share case studies of progressive stormwater projects for commercial sites. Ellen Southard, the 2030 District’s stormwater consultant will discuss ways for zero lot line projects to meet the goals of stormwater reduction through our new Watershed Investment Fund.

Get your tickets here!

Webinar: HVAC Building Operations and IAQ at Pandemic’s “End”

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HVAC Building Operations and IAQ at Pandemic’s “End”

Unraveling pandemic, policy, and other guidelines to understandHVAC best practices and efficient building operations

WSU Energy Program is teaming up with the Smart Buildings Center to offer a no-cost webinar for Resource Conservation Managers, Energy Managers, Sustainability Managers, and others at public facilities in Washington State (others welcome to attend)

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

2:00 to 3:00 PM Pacific Time

via Zoom

Click here to register

How does the end of pandemic emergency rules affect HVAC building operations and indoor air quality (IAQ)? Can we have healthy IAQ while fulfilling Washington State Clean Building Standard requirements? Measures such as higher grade filters, flushing out buildings, and maximizing outdoor air intake helped mitigate infection risk, but also resulted in the increase of energy waste and reduced building energy efficiency.

Attend this webinar to hear how an eastern Washington K-12 RCM and King County Metro Transit facility energy manager navigate changes in HVAC operations due to the pandemic. Hear about IAQ guidelines from a state Department of Health specialist, and about the intersection of IAQ with energy efficiency from a state Department of Commerce building performance specialist.

When you register, you’ll have an opportunity to submit a question for the panelists. There will also be a Q&A session during the webinar.

Speakers:

  • Nancy Bernard, Washington State Department of Health
  • Travis Bown, Mead School District
  • Luke Howard, Washington State Department of Commerce
  • Nicole Laky, King County Metro Transit

Contact Karen Janowitz or Rebecca Sheppard for more information.

WA Department of Commerce: 5/9 Public Hearing & 5/18 Tier 2 Workshop

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Public hearing May 9

Emergency rules exemption timeline

Commerce filed an emergency rule to lengthen the window for building owners to apply for an exemption under the Clean Buildings Performance Standard. The public hearing date has changed from April 25 to May 9.

Public hearing: Tuesday, May 9, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. PT.

Please register in advance to receive a calendar reminder or save the meeting information below.

REGISTER

 

Rulemaking workshop May 18

Tier 2 Buildings: Customer Outreach, Technical Support & Energy Benchmarking

You’re invited to participate in the first rulemaking workshop for Tier 2 buildings on Thursday, May 18. This workshop will discuss customer outreach, technical support, and energy benchmarking.

The proposed draft rules for energy benchmarking will be available on May 11 on the Clean Buildings homepage to review before the workshop.

We hope you can join us to provide your perspective, expertise, and insight.

“Customer Outreach, Technical Support & Energy Benchmarking”

Thursday, May 18, 10:0 a.m. – 12 p.m. PT

Please register in advance to receive meeting information. More information is posted on the Clean Buildings homepage.

REGISTER

Contact Us

Smart Buildings Center
Pacific Tower
1200 12th Ave. S., Suite 110
Seattle, WA 98144

206-538-0832

[email protected]

Smart Buildings Center is a project collaboration with Building Potential