SBC staff, Author at Smart Buildings Center

Help the Office of Sustainability and Environment design a new program to assist under-resourced building owners

January 17, 2024 By SBC staff

Our friends at the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) wanted us to share this exciting announcement, read on to find out how your voice can play an important role in the creation of a new program for Seattle based building owners!

Greetings and Happy New Year!

The Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) will be distributing $4.5 million to help building owners meet the Seattle Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS), which Mayor Harrell signed into law in December 2023. This funding was included in the 2024 budget as part of the City’s commitment to its Green New Deal. It is prioritized for capital improvements and/or engineering support to implement emissions-reduction upgrades in buildings that serve frontline communities.¹

OSE is currently designing a program to distribute the funds and as part of the design process, we are seeking input on elements such as applicant eligibility or scoring criteria, award sizes and distribution, and other topics. One way we’re gathering that input is through a brief survey we’re distributing to building owners, energy service providers, community organizations, affordable housing advocates, and others. Please complete the 14-question survey linked below to guide us as we build this important program, slated for launch in the first half of 2024. It should take only about 15 minutes.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V8HXQ66

The survey will close on January 31, 2024, so please don’t wait to share your thoughts. Thank you in advance for taking the time to provide us with your valuable insights.

Job Posting: City of Bothell, Building Operator Specialist

January 12, 2024 By SBC staff

Are you starting off 2024 looking for a new opportunity? If so, check out this new posting from the City of Bothell, WA!

The City of Bothell is looking for an experienced Building Operator Specialist, who can help modify and maintain City buildings, to join our team in our Public Works Department in the – Facilities division.

This position works a regular schedule; however, employees may be called in to work at irregular times in emergency situations.

What will you do in this position?

Perform regular building maintenance and repairs
Identify and prepare to work for repairs/upgrades
Knowledge in Building Automation Systems (BAS)
Works independently to diagnose and repair complex building maintenance problems
Collaborates with outside vendors on constructions and repair projects for City facilities as well as vendor contracts and operations.

Ready to learn more? Click here for the full description or to apply today!

Join us for the Energy Insights Forum on Jan 30th!

January 9, 2024 By SBC staff

Energy Insights Forum
January 30th | 3-5 pm
Smart Buildings Center, 1200 12th Ave S Seattle, WA 98144

Join us on January 30th at 3pm for the Energy Insights Forum! The Seattle and Bellevue 2030 Districts along with Building Potential (formerly Northwest Energy Efficiency Council) host this back-to-back panel discussion on how to reduce demand-side energy usage.

Learn about the policies that impact the industry and discover the incentives propelling sustainable practices forward. Hear from property managers and service providers as they delve into the practicalities of reducing building energy use. Gain valuable insights into successful strategies, implementation challenges, and collaborative approaches that are transforming the sector.

A networking break between the panels offers a unique opportunity to connect with fellow professionals, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. Following the panels, unwind and continue the conversation at the happy hour to continue the discussion.

We hope to see you there!

Register Here

January City of Seattle Webinars

January 3, 2024 By SBC staff

Residential Load Calculation Fundamentals and Insights (Manual J) and Equipment Selection (Manual S)

Thu, Jan 18 | 10am-11am | FREE

This webinar will cover how residential load calculations can transform residential heating and cooling sales. Load calculations can not only drive home comfort, energy efficiency, and excellent install planning–they can transform the customer experience, giving confidence in their selection of equipment.

https://www.lightingdesignlab.com/education/event/residential-load-calculation-fundamentals-and-insights-manual-j-and-equipment

Seattle’s Brand-New Building Emissions Performance Standard: What You Need to Know Now

Thu, Feb 01 | 10am-11:30am | FREE

Be in the know to start getting prepared for this new requirement! Join Nicole Ballinger from OSE to learn the basics of BEPS, hear about 2024 rulemaking and program design planning, and get a sneak peek into how to estimate a building’s emissions using a greenhouse gas intensity metric. Q and A to follow.

https://www.lightingdesignlab.com/education/event/seattle%E2%80%99s-brand-new-building-emissions-performance-standard-what-you-need-know-now

Keep an eye out for more coming in February, we will have those posted as soon as they’re finalized!

SBC Year in Review 2023

December 21, 2023 By SBC staff

2023 is almost over! We can’t believe it, it still feels like January. As we prepare for 2024 we took the time to look back on the year and celebrate some of our big accomplishments.

Thanks to you we celebrated our biggest Smart Buildings Exchange yet! We welcomed attendees from around the world and gathered live and in-person on Day 3 to listen to some amazing speakers, share successes, look to the challenges ahead, and enjoy an incredible view of the Seattle skyline. We can’t wait to do it all again next year! We hope you’ll all be there to join us at SBX 2024.

As we get ready to countdown to the new year let’s count UP all the amazing ways we broke records in 2023. Take a look at our End of Year Infographic below!

PSE Support for the Clean Buildings Law

December 21, 2023 By SBC staff

Are you an owner, facility manager, property manager or lessee of a commercial building sized 50,000 square feet or greater? Perhaps you are a contractor with commercial customers?

Buildings of this size and greater likely need to comply with the State of Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard (Law), soon!

But what does compliance mean? PSE has created a no-cost Accelerator program to unpack the complex law, meet customers where they’re at with energy use, and teach them how to comply and go beyond through a hands-on virtual training using one’s own building(s). We’ll also help you leverage additional PSE energy-management and incentive programs. Watch this three-minute video to learn more.

Visit www.pse.com/cleanbuildings to find vital Clean Buildings information or to sign up for upcoming virtual orientations and cohort trainings starting in January of 2024. To speak with a representative or ask a question, write to us at [email protected].

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