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SCL Launches Commercial Strategic Energy Management (CSEM) and Multifamily Strategic Energy Management (MSEM), Register Today!

September 18, 2025 By SBC staff

Seattle City Light is offering a new no-cost program for commercial and multifamily buildings that are larger than 20,000 square feet. The Commercial Strategic Energy Management (CSEM) launches this fall! And Multifamily Strategic Energy Management (MSEM) will launch in early 2026. This coaching and training program will help commercial and multifamily buildings lower their energy consumption, prepare to meet the requirements of the Washington Clean Buildings Performance Standard (WA CBPS) and—for buildings within the city limits of Seattle—the Seattle Building Emissions Performance Standard (Seattle BEPS). Here are some of the benefits of participating in this program:

  • Learn how to lower operating costs and achieve persistent energy saving and emissions reduction.
  • Get on the path to compliance with both the Washington Clean Buildings Performance Standard and Seattle Building Emissions Performance Standard.
  • Join dynamic quarterly workshops, offering technical and organizational training and the opportunity to share practices and solutions alongside peers.
  • Work with an energy and climate coach for ongoing support throughout the program – up to two years. This includes:

o   One site walkthrough to identify energy-saving opportunities and help prioritizing project implementation.

o   Assessments and action plan to support integrating energy into business practices.

o   Coordination with the organization’s extended energy team to address specific needs and goals.

The program is free for participants. Your investment is your time spent attending workshops and activities – an investment which should yield energy savings as well as valuable organizational benefits.

Want to learn more about the Seattle City Light SEM program? Join an upcoming 60-minute information session! Register in advance:

  • Wednesday, September 24 at 1pm
  • Monday, September 29 at 11am
  • Monday, October 6 at 11am

 

Questions? Email: Seattle City Light Energy Advisors, [email protected]  

Filed Under: Featured Event, Resources, Webinars

Check Out Our Tool Library Video Tutorials – on the SBC YouTube Channel!

September 10, 2025 By SBC staff

With support from Energy Trust of Oregon, Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy, and Washington State Department of Commerce, the Smart Buildings Center (SBC) provides our Tool Lending Library of energy monitoring and diagnostic tools, a free resource serving the commercial building operations sector in Washington and Oregon. Check out the latest tool videos we’ve added to our Tool Lending Library Tutorials playlist on our YouTube channel, including titles such as:

  • Easy, Low-Cost Ventilation Audit
  • Measuring Flow Using a Liquid Manometer
  • Verifying Temperature Sensor Accuracy
  • Verifying Humidity Sensor Accuracy
  • IR Camera Tips and Tricks
  • How to Use a Combustion Analyzer

The tools demonstrated (and many more) are available to borrow free of charge at the Smart Buildings Center website.  Follow us on our YouTube Channel for additional video tutorials and other smart buildings content!

Filed Under: Resources, SBC News, Tool Library

BetterBricks: These Northwest Buildings Tell Quite the Story

August 6, 2025 By SBC staff

Our friends at BetterBricks took a look at buildings around the PNW that are leading the way in high-performance tech. Check out their newsletter here for more stories like these.

Now filterable by technology, state, and building type, the BetterBricks library of data-backed case studies has never been easier to navigate. Jump into the library of real-world case studies and expert interviews that demonstrate the proven value of high-performance technologies and solutions.

Filed Under: Resources

Seattle City Light Announces Increased 2025 Energy Efficiency Incentives

June 26, 2025 By SBC staff

Seattle City Light has increased energy efficiency incentives by 10 percent! This applies to lighting retrofits, HVAC, building envelope upgrades, and process equipment improvements. Energy efficiency remains an excellent cost management tool for building owners. An additional $75 per fixture is available for LED installations with Luminaire Level Lighting Controls (LLLC). LLLC-equipped fixtures offer easy customization of facility lighting, enhancing productivity, and reducing operating costs. FYI: Lighting incentives will sunset after 2029, so add them to your capital budget now. Most HVAC and Building Controls measures are paid at $0.36/kWh saved. For details, review the updated 2025 incentives list, which outlines frequently used energy efficiency incentives for your whole building.

Get started today! Contact an Energy Advisor at [email protected] or call (206) 684-3800 for additional information.  

Filed Under: Resources

Resource available: Get the facts about air quality for schools

June 23, 2025 By SBC staff

The Center for Green Schools, in partnership with ASHRAE, has just released newly updated School Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Fact Sheet series.These concise, easy-to-understand resources are designed for school staff and decision-makers without a technical background, helping them make informed choices about indoor air quality. With expert input from across the country, the series has been updated to reflect the latest guidance on school IAQ strategies.

The series includes two brand-new fact sheets on IAQ monitoring and wildfire response, as well as updated resources covering ventilation, HVAC filtration, germicidal UV, in-room air cleaners, electronic air cleaners, and disinfectants.

We encourage you to share these fact sheets with school district leaders, staff, and your broader networks who are looking for IAQ resources for schools.

Download the school IAQ fact sheets.

Filed Under: Resources

FEA Introduces My Facility Podcast – Episode 1 Available Now!

April 2, 2025 By SBC staff

FEA has launched an all-new podcast series, you can listen to the first episode, Introducing My Facility Plan now.

Original post from FEA LinkedIn:

Introducing FEA’s My Facility Podcast!  Welcome to our inaugural episode, where we explore the latest innovations, trends, and solutions in facilities planning and management. Join us for expert conversations that help you navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and build excellence in the places we live, work, and play. Tune in now! ▶️ https://hubs.la/Q03bnCt20

First episode featuring Maureen Roskoski and Ryan Small, FMVA, FMP
Subscribe https://hubs.la/Q03bntvp0
Follow MFP My Facility Plan

Filed Under: Resources

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

206-538-0832

[email protected]

Smart Buildings Center is a project collaboration with Building Potential

        

Smart Buildings Center · Pacific Tower, 1200 12th Ave. S., Suite 110, Seattle, WA 98144 · 206-538-0832

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