Resources - Smart Buildings Center

Last PSE Clean Buildings Training for 2023 is Sept. 14, 9am-11am

August 21, 2023 By SBC staff

PSE is here to help building owners comply with Washington’s Clean Buildings Law (HB 1257, 2019). Our Clean Buildings Accelerator program unpacks the complex law, meets you where you’re at with your energy use, and teaches you how to comply and go beyond through hands-on virtual training using your own building(s). We’ll help you leverage additional PSE energy-management and incentive programs throughout the entire process. Best part: there is no cost to participate in the Accelerator.

At www.pse.com/cleanbuildings, you can find vital Clean Buildings links, sign up for upcoming orientations, and join our last cohort training of 2023 starting on Sept. 14. Space is limited and compliance dates are quickly creeping up. If you have questions or need more information, please reach out to your PSE Efficiency Representative, or contact us at [email protected].

If you’d like more information about the law or the Accelerator program, watch this three-minute video, also found on our website.

October 12th, Building Energy NYC!

August 21, 2023 By SBC staff

BuildingEnergy NYC is a conference designed by and for practitioners in the fields of high-performance building and design, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. Conference sessions feature best practices and lessons learned, case studies and proven data, technical how-to’s, emerging technologies, and innovative policies and programs. If you are a professional in the built environment in any stage of your training and career, plan to immerse yourself a day of networking and intensive learning on October 12th, 2023. BuildingEnergy NYC 2023 anticipates offering credits for AIA, BPI, GBCI, PHIUS, RESNET, and NYS Professional Engineer certification. Learn more and register at: nesea.org/benyc23

BuildingEnergy NYC Thursday, October 12th, 2023 Convene 237 Park Avenue, NYC

Conference Theme: Deconstructing Decarbonization

After decades of incremental change, hard work, and some setbacks along the way, we now have the tools, expertise, and capital available to drastically reduce building-related carbon emissions and make a lasting impact in our communities. With new, landmark policy and climate funding initiatives under development, systemic change from the private sector to all levels of government feels more within reach than ever before. Everyone in our field, whether we work in finance, design, construction, or operations, has a role to play. The monumental task to accelerate emissions reduction strategies has inspired this year’s BuildingEnergy NYC conference theme.

Our peer-reviewed conference sessions will break down the decarbonization process from beginning to end, including policy, design, financing, inclusive workforce development, construction, and paths to reaching deeper change at scale. Strategies for decarbonization must not only combat the climate crisis, but must also benefit the people who live in, work out of, and maintain our buildings.

Read more about the conference theme and session selection process here.

BuildingEnergy NYC
Thursday, October 12th, 2023
Convene 237 Park Avenue, NYC

nesea.org/benyc23

August 8th and 22nd: Seattle Clean Buildings Accelerator Info Sessions

August 7, 2023 By SBC staff

The City of Seattle offers a no-cost program to support building owners and operators to meet the WA
State Clean Buildings Performance Standard. The program includes group training sessions with tailored
support and coaching, and an educational website. OSE encourages owners and operators of buildings
that serve or are in frontline communities* to join this program. Two dozen building owners and
operators have already taken the free training sessions and are on the path to comply! Attend an info
session to learn about the program and the next training session starting in September:
• Tuesday, August 8 at 10am: https://bit.ly/SeattleCleanBuildingsInfo_Aug08
• Tuesday, August 22 at 11am: https://bit.ly/SeattleCleanBuildingsInfo_Aug22
*Frontline communities include black people, Indigenous people, sovereign tribal nations, communities
of color, immigrants, refugees, youths, elders, houseless people, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people,
people with low and no income, and people who work in outdoor occupations. This can include many
types of buildings like non-profits, buildings with BIPOC-owned small businesses, healthcare, museums,
shelters, community centers and more.

Pump System Fundamentals (PSF) Course hosted by Seattle City Light & NEEA 8/9

July 17, 2023 By SBC staff

Smart Buildings Center will be hosting Hydraulic Institute/Pump Systems Matter staff from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Wednesday, August 9, for a live, instructor-led event, co-sponsored by Seattle City Light and BetterBricks.

The Pump System Fundamentals Live Instructor-Led

Course is a training designed to educate attendees about the fundamentals of pump and system design.

Topics include system hydraulics and calculations, pump and system curves, system components, factors affecting reliability and energy consumption, and control.

Learn more with this informational flyer. Interested in attending? Register here! Don’t miss out on a special 25% discount using the code below.

WA Tier 2 Building Compliance Cost and Cost Savings Survey

June 22, 2023 By SBC staff

The Washington State Department of Commerce and consultant, Energy System Engineers, is conducting a survey to help understand the costs and cost savings on Washington small businesses related to the Washington State Clean Buildings Expansion Law which is only related to buildings between 20,000 and 50,000 square feet and multi-family over 20,000 square feet (Tier 2 buildings). If you or your company own multiple buildings, please fill out the survey once per building.

Tier 2 Building Compliance Costs/Cost Savings Survey (surveymonkey.com)

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

June 2, 2023 By SBC staff

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!

Conference Theme: Deconstructing Decarbonization

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