Exclusive Access to 2024 National Institute Recordings – Register Now!

January 18, 2024 By SBC staff

Less Carbon, More Action! Strategies for Better Buildings & Tech Education

Come and learn about advances in building technology and educational strategies at the intersection of technician education, sustainability, energy conservation, clean energy, healthy building operations, and climate change mitigation policies. A dynamic line-up of speakers and interactive sessions:

Advanced Technical Research: See presentations & demonstrations by leading experts on grid interactive efficient buildings (GEB), residential energy efficiency strategies, heat pump technology, building performance standards, and more.

Educational Strategies: Campus as Living Lab, project-based learning, instructional lab development, BAS lesson planning, micro credentials, and more.

Forum of Ideas & Networking: Exchange ideas with speakers and attendees in online breakout rooms and roundtable discussions. Expand your connections & meet other professionals.

Virtual Expo Hall: Meet industry sponsors to learn about products, training & discounts.

Although this event is over you can still get access to the recording of the event! Click here to learn more or to sign up for this exciting free opportunity!

January City of Seattle Webinars

January 3, 2024 By SBC staff

Residential Load Calculation Fundamentals and Insights (Manual J) and Equipment Selection (Manual S)

Thu, Jan 18 | 10am-11am | FREE

This webinar will cover how residential load calculations can transform residential heating and cooling sales. Load calculations can not only drive home comfort, energy efficiency, and excellent install planning–they can transform the customer experience, giving confidence in their selection of equipment.

https://www.lightingdesignlab.com/education/event/residential-load-calculation-fundamentals-and-insights-manual-j-and-equipment

Seattle’s Brand-New Building Emissions Performance Standard: What You Need to Know Now

Thu, Feb 01 | 10am-11:30am | FREE

Be in the know to start getting prepared for this new requirement! Join Nicole Ballinger from OSE to learn the basics of BEPS, hear about 2024 rulemaking and program design planning, and get a sneak peek into how to estimate a building’s emissions using a greenhouse gas intensity metric. Q and A to follow.

https://www.lightingdesignlab.com/education/event/seattle%E2%80%99s-brand-new-building-emissions-performance-standard-what-you-need-know-now

Keep an eye out for more coming in February, we will have those posted as soon as they’re finalized!

Register now for PSE EnergyCAP Trainings

September 19, 2023 By SBC staff

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) are offering free online training for building owners and managers who need assistance completing enrollment in EnergyCAP automated exchange of natural gas data for annual energy benchmarking and reporting. This training is best for participants who are new to the benchmarking process and have not yet enrolled in PSE’s automated data exchange services for benchmarking. If you already have an EnergyCAP account and are experiencing issues with data that was migrated from MyData to EnergyCAP, or if you have incomplete consumption data in EnergyCAP, please email [email protected] for specialized assistance.

PSE EnergyCAP Overview Trainings for New Users:

September 21, 1:00 PM- 2:00 PM (Register Here)
September 28, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Register Here)
October 5, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Register Here)

Please note: Users attending the PSE EnergyCAP trainings must complete registration for an EnergyCAP account if they have not already done so.

EnergyCAP is a tool for commercial customers to monitor and manage PSE energy use, and allows automated benchmarking to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.

Lighting Design Lab offers two classes next month!

September 11, 2023 By SBC staff

Design for Off (TM)

When: Thursday, October 5, 2023 –10:00 to 11:30

A key to successful electrification is limiting building loads by adopting passive strategies, targeted systems, and deep efficiency strategies. During the webinar, we will discuss a systematic approach to take advantage of climate characteristics, building performance features, and distributed systems to minimize building loads and simplify equipment operations strategies. This session will include numerous case studies emphasizing successful high-performance building approaches and Ecotope’s Design for Off™ principles.

Audience

Design Engineers and Architects
Mechanical and Electrical Contractors
Building Owners/Operators

The Inflation Reduction Act: One Year Later

When: Thursday, October 19, 2023 –10:00 to 11:30

In this session, we will provide guidance on navigating the updated tax benefits provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, a year after its implementation. We will also discuss other tax laws affecting the energy and building industries. Our focus will be on explaining how to capture the incentives available for HVAC systems and other energy-efficient upgrades that can significantly reduce the upfront costs for building owners. Additionally, we will explore the renewed incentives for alternative energy generation systems and energy-efficiency improvements. We will delve into the tax-exempt project categories that have been eligible for EPAct tax benefits for a year now. Our discussion will also touch on the legacy tax incentives available for designers and how energy companies and building owners can access them. Our objective is to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of how to incorporate these incentives into energy and building project ROI calculations.

Audience

General Contractors
Architects and Design Engineers
Building Owners/Operators

Smart Buildings Exchange 2023 Session Recordings Available!

August 25, 2023 By SBC staff

Last week the third annual Smart Buildings Exchange (SBX) delivered a value-packed three days of conversations focused on the market opportunity for smart buildings and their role in our clean energy future.

The conference kicked off with an Opening Plenary featuring industry leaders discussing strategies to accelerate the pace of making buildings smarter, more efficient and carbon free.

Following the Opening Plenary session were sessions on Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings, Data in Context, Being Smart About Variable Occupancy, and Moving Beyond Fault Detection & Diagnostics.

The second day of the conference began with a Plenary Session on Smart Approaches for Building Electrification & Carbon Reduction. The day continued with sessions on Independent Data Layer, Building Rating Systems & Certifications, On-Site Renewables & EV Charging, and Indoor Environmental Quality.

The third and final day of the conference focused on Planning Your Strategy for Smart & Efficient Upgrades and was held in-person in Seattle and featured welcome remarks from Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell followed by discussions on how buildings can operate smarter and more efficiently with an aim to eliminate carbon emissions from the built environment.

All SBX session recordings are now available on the Smart Buildings Center YouTube Channel so you can watch any you missed and rewatch any you enjoyed.

Thank you to all sponsors, planning committee members, speakers, and attendees who helped make the event a success!

SBX2023 Session Highlights

August 9, 2023 By SBC staff

Join us virtually for the Smart Buildings Exchange (SBX) 2023 Building Rating Systems & Certifications and On-Site Renewables & EV Charging sessions on August 16th from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm and 1:30 – 3:00 pm PT respectively.

In the Building Rating Systems & Certifications session Christina Tomaselli (Schneider Electric) will moderate the discussion between Melanie Danuser (Smart Buildings Center), Alissa Feucht (Glumac), Elyse Hobson (UL Solutions), and Katrina Morgan (O’Brien360).

In the On-Site Renewables & EV Charging session, Emma Johnson (Seattle City Light) will moderate the discussion between Leroy Ho (Amazon), Heather Mulligan (Puget Sound Energy), Gary Shaver (Envelon), Chris Watson (ICF), and Andy Zellers (Influent Energy).

You don’t want to miss these sessions — register now!

Building Rating Systems & Certifications
Several national and international organizations now offer ratings and certifications for the built environment. These systems focus on smart capabilities, wellness, sustainability, energy performance, indoor environmental quality, and even workforce credentialing. If you have wondered whether these systems are the right for your building, this is a session you won’t want to miss. Experts will discuss various ratings and certifications, what they entail, and most importantly how the market is embracing these labels.

On-Site Renewables & EV Charging
Buildings are changing as they meet the challenge of net zero carbon emissions. Some buildings are positioned to deploy solar arrays and most buildings are and will be adapting to a vehicle fleet that is increasingly electric – and needing to be charged while parked. This session will explore case studies of building owners who are embracing these changes and how smart technologies are helping them with the transition including the huge challenge of integrating EV charging and what it means for electrical service size for electrical and grid-interactive capabilities.