Join us for the Smart Buildings Exchange 2026!

Smart Buildings Center

Energy Efficiency Innovation Center, Tool Library & Data Visualization

SBX Opening Plenary Session: Smarter Buildings & a Changing Utility ā€“ A Vision of the New World of Energy

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The agenda for the free virtual Smart Buildings Exchange to be held August 24th and 25th is nearly finalized! The event will dive deep into the role of smarter buildings in a changing energy landscape through interactive conference sessions on grid-interactive efficient buildings, workforce development to meet the needs of the smart, clean and efficient buildings industry, and the business case for smart building investments.

Opening Plenary Session: Smarter Buildings and a Changing Utility ā€“ A Vision of the New World of Energy
The conference will kick-off on August 24th with a moderated discussion featuring senior thought leaders in the technology and utility sectors. Panelists include Mary Kipp, CEO of Puget Sound Energy, Debra Smith, CEO of Seattle City Light, Ed Schlect, CSO of Avista Utilities, Stephanie Greene of the Rocky Mountain Institute, and Emmanuel Daniel of Microsoft. Moderated by Ash Awad, President and Chief Markets Officer of McKinstry, this panel will discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the energy industry and how that affects the built environment. A new, cleaner, and more flexible electrical grid is coming. These changes will be facilitated in part by smart building technologies and practices built on the fast-growing power of cloud computing and information technology services. This is sure to be an exciting and informative discussion which will frame issues getting discussed throughout the subsequent two days of the conference.

View speaker bios

 

View the full conference agenda and register for free today!

Check Out Our New Tool Library Video Tutorials ā€“ on the SBC YouTube Channel!

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With support from Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, and Washington State Department of Commerce, the Smart Buildings Center (SBC) has developed a new video training series demonstrating practical applications of some of the tools available in SBCā€™s Tool Lending Library for providing healthier air while maintaining energy-efficiency. These topics are especially relevant to occupying buildings during and post-pandemic. Videos in the series include:

  • Healthier Air in Buildings: Tools and Strategies
    This video gives an overview of the tools available for testing air flow, pressure, and CO2 levels in relation to preventing the spread of airborne infectious disease, increasing occupant comfort, and maintaining energy-efficient HVAC systems.
  • Verifying Ventilation System Effectiveness Using a Flow Hood
    This video demonstrates how to use a flow hood to test air velocity going through a grill to determine the ventilation system effectiveness, in this case for restroom exhaust. Calculating air changes per hour is also discussed.
  • Assessing Air Pressure in Buildings
    This video demonstrates how to use a digital pressure gauge and/or air flow meter to determine zonal or building pressure relative to another zone or to the outdoors.
  • CO2 Measurement for Healthier Air in Buildings
    In this video, we discuss the use of CO2 monitoring and data logging equipment to help approximate how well a space is being ventilated with fresh air over time, including a demonstration of graphed data analysis.

These tools and many more are available for short term rental ā€“ (for free!) at the Smart Buildings Center website.Ā  Follow us on our YouTube Channel for additional video tutorials and other smart buildings content!

Join us for an SBC Lend & Learn Workshop!

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BOC Scholarship Opportunity — Deadline Extended!

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Scholarship available: This scholarship was created by Grosvenor Americas, a privately-owned property group that has a strong commitment to sustainability and wishes to help promote green practices within the building operations industry.

One scholarship is available to a prospective Building Operator Certification (BOC) student in Washington in 2021. The scholarship amount is $2,180 and is to be spent on the BOC training and certification program. ($1,895 towards training and certificate completion, $285 towards certification examination). This scholarship is intended for a prospective BOC student who is currently unemployed.

Eligibility for the BOC program is two or more years of experience working in operations and maintenance of a commercial or institutional facility, or a minimum of one year of experience working in operations and maintenance of a commercial or institutional facility paired with at least one year of technical college level education in facilities engineering related program, or two or more years of experience in energy management of facilities with a focus on operations and maintenance.

Applications should be completed by April 20th and submitted to [email protected]. Questions can be directed to Britton via email or phone 206-588-4984.


Application

  • Name:
  • Are you currently a WA state resident? (y/n)
  • Are you currently unemployed? Ā (y/n)
    • If yes, where was your last employment (company & title):
    • If no, current employer/title:
  • Please write a brief description of your experience in the operations field and reason for wanting to attend BOC training (please limit to 500 words)

BOMA Oregon Webinar: Lighten the Loads with Luminaire Level Lighting Controls, March 17th

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The latest research demonstrates that LEDs equipped with lighting controls enable building owners to achieve significant energy savings, averaging up to 63%. While these cost savings are substantial, lighting controls, and specifically Luminaire Level Lighting Controls (LLLC), offer many other benefits beyond energy efficiency. LLLC also help streamline everything from installation and code compliance to ongoing maintenance. As a lighting solution, LLLC provides owners and facility managers with greater flexibility and control while harnessing the power of data to modernize and optimize building operations. Many of these benefits also translate to improved occupant comfort, productivity and even safety.

Join this free, virtual event on Wednesday, March 17, at 10 a.m. PDT presented by BOMA Oregon in partnership with BetterBricks, a commercial building resource from the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.

Learn from experts at McKinstry, Evergreen Consulting Group and the University of Washingtonā€™s Center for Integrated Design as they discuss the latest innovations and use cases for LLLC and what they mean for the future of commercial lighting.

REGISTER

Better Buildings Summit Registration Open

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The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings, Better Plants Summit will be May 17-20, 2021. Be among the first to reserve your spot for this engaging, interactive virtual symposium, and stay tuned for more information about speakers and special events. The virtual Summit is free to attend.

Session details and an updated Agenda At-a-Glance are now available online.

ABOUT THE SUMMIT

This annual event is an opportunity for partners and key stakeholders to explore emerging technologies and share innovative strategies in energy and water efficiency. Learn more.

REGISTER NOW

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