Resources - Smart Buildings Center

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].

King County seeks your feedback for the largest RFP in Washington State

December 15, 2023 By SBC staff

King County is preparing to launch one of the largest RFPs in Washington State and is looking for your feedback on how it’s created! In 10 minutes, you can make a difference in how the County’s Harborview Bond Program crafts its design and construction RFP that will impact how health care is provided across a five-state region.

Take the survey today at HarborviewBondProgram.com/Survey.

Questions?

If you have questions about the survey, please contact Melvin Givens at the Harborview Bond Program:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 206-305-8070

Interested in registering as a King County supplier to bid or propose on upcoming projects?

Join us at the upcoming King County Supplier Registration Workshop on January 10th from 10 AM to noon at the Tabor 100 HUB in Tukwila, WA. See the email attachment for more details.

Click here to see the flyer!

The Best Solutions Come in Easy-to-Use Packages

December 1, 2023 By SBC staff

Packaged systems offer all the benefits without the complexity.

Central heat pump water heater (CHPWH) systems serve the domestic hot water needs of a building in one central plant. Though they have become a key decarbonization technology by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and saving energy and costs, their complex design and installation requirements can pose barriers to widespread adoption.

Packaged CHPWH systems reduce this complexity by simplifying design and installation. With pre-made sizes based on storage capacity, packaged systems reduce the need for plumbing and electrical site work to minimize complexity for designers, installers, and maintenance staff, while offering flexibility to meet unique site conditions. Even with all this significant added value, packaged solutions are often cheaper to install than non-packaged CHPWH systems.

Learn more at betterbricks.com

Creative Funding Strategies for Better Buildings, 12/4 12-1PM

November 28, 2023 By SBC staff

Getting started on the path to improving your building’s performance and finding the capital for the projects can be challenging. In this webinar, learn about resources to scope and implement a project, and innovative ways to fund it. Speakers will provide a comprehensive overview of tools to meet Clean Building Act standards, as well as illustrate how lease structures and Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing can be leveraged to reduce upfront and operational costs.

Focus:
– Creating strategies for funding, managing and paying for building upgrades and better buildings
– Examples of support and resources for project development and compliance
– Leveraging lease language to capture the most value from sustainability and performance driven upgrades
– Repositioning the landlord/tenant relationship to minimize risk and support sustainability and ESG goals
– Best practices to avoid penalties and conflict over lease ambiguity

Presenters:
– Nicole DeNamur, Climate Aligned Law, Attorney, Hon. AIA, WELL AP and Faculty, LEED Green Associate, Fitwel Ambassador and EcoDistricts AP
– Erik Jennings, Pacifica Law Group LLP
– Rachel Brombaugh, Washington State Managing Director, PACE Equity
– Rebecca Sheppard, Senior Project Manager, Smart Buildings Center / Building Potential / NEEC

Decarbonization via Grid-Interactive Buildings – But how?

November 22, 2023 By SBC staff

Decarbonizing our existing building stock is an integral part of reaching carbon reduction targets of net-zero carbon emissions. Connecting buildings to the grid and utilizing grid-interactive building technology poses a great opportunity for reaching that target. Taking action can be a complex undertaking and intimidating.

ASHRAE’s Task Force for Building Decarbonization has released its new Grid-Interactive Buildings for Decarbonization guide to help building owners on this journey. This manual gives best practices, design consideration and operational guidelines to help reduce carbon emission, find strategies to save on operational costs, and increase your building’s resiliency.

For more information check out the release here: ASHRAE Releases Guide on the Role of Grid Interactivity in Decarbonization | ashrae.org

Better Buildings: Workforce Accelerator Completed

November 1, 2023 By SBC staff

DOE Better Buildings

Cost-effective energy efficiency upgrades in U.S. buildings could save $100 billion each year in energy bills. From 2020-2023, the Better Buildings Workforce Accelerator convened and supported more than 40 workforce partners from across the country working to raise the level of building science and energy efficiency knowledge in the nation’s building-related workforce. The Accelerator focused on activities that build interest, streamline career pathways, and improve skills and we are proud to have played a partner role in the success of this program! Read more about the Workforce Accelerator here at the US Department of Energy Better Buildings Solutions site.

What does this look like in real terms? The US Department of Energy, NEEC and the BOC program have completed a case study that identifies the challenges, solutions, lessons and impact of the building accelerator. Join us as we analyze the outcomes of the Building Accelerator in the case study here.

Packaged systems offer all the benefits without the complexity.

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