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
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
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
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.
Happy Earth Day 2023!
We may be one day early, but we just can’t help but be excited when Earth Day comes around! We hope you’re excited too because we made a fun graphic to show just how much you can help be green all year round. Are you interested to know what kind of impact you have on the environment? With the help of the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator we made this poster to show what you can accomplish as a BOC graduate, we’ve updated our site with the same calculator here so you can find out just how much you make a difference this year and every year. Want to learn more about getting your BOC Credential? You can learn more here!
Stay green and have a Happy Earth Day!
Clean Buildings Accelerator is Recruiting a New Light Coaching Cohort!
The Seattle Clean Buildings Accelerator is recruiting for a new Light Coaching Cohort starting in May 2023! All City Light customers are eligible. Join an online info session on April 20 (register here) or May 2 (register here) to learn how this free program helps facility managers and owners get their commercial buildings (larger than 50,000 sq. ft.) on track for meeting the WA Clean Buildings energy standards and reducing emissions. More info or email [email protected].