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Smart Buildings Exchange 2026 Update

February 9, 2026 By SBC staff

Please save the date for the Smart Buildings Exchange (SBX) 2026 in-person Fall Conference on November 9-10, 2026 in downtown Seattle! Registration, sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities, and a call for session topics and speakers will open soon, but for now we’d like to call your attention to the year-round virtual component of the event, the SBX Plus Virtual Series.

We invite you to register for the first SBX Plus Virtual Session on Wednesday, February 18th from 11am-12pm Pacific Time on Thermal Energy Networks as a Driver for Building Decarbonization. Experts from McKinstry and the Building Decarbonization Coalition will share insights on how thermal energy networks enable efficient heating and cooling while significantly reducing building-related carbon emissions. Register at the link below to learn how these systems integrate with electrification strategies and support long-term decarbonization goals for campuses, districts, and portfolios.

Register for the Feb 18th SBX Plus virtual session here!

Important note: Full SBX Conference registration is not yet open. If you register for the February SBX Plus Virtual Session, the $79 registration fee will be credited toward a full SBX Conference pass (including access to the in-person and entire virtual series).

To ensure you get the discount, please select the single webinar option for February 18 and enter ā€œSBXā€ in the discount code field at checkout. We’ll follow up with details on how to get your discount when the full registration becomes available.

Filed Under: Education & Training, Featured Event, SBC News, SBX, Webinars

Bellevue Clean Buildings Incentive Program

January 27, 2026 By SBC staff

The City of Bellevue is helping large buildings (20,000+ sf) to reduce energy use, save on costs, and comply with WA State Clean Buildings Law.Ā Clean Buildings Incentive ProgramĀ is re-launching its interest list forĀ free building energy servicesĀ including energy benchmarking, scoping assessments, incentive navigation, and compliance reporting support – an estimated $18,000 value. 

Free Training Webinars: WA Clean Buildings Law Compliance

Friday, January 29th, 11AM to 12PM: Clean Buildings 101: Intro to Clean Buildings Law, Incentives, and Support


Tuesday, February 10th, 11AM to 12PM: Clean Buildings 102: Benchmarking , Energy Management Plans, and Operations & Maintenance Programs


Wednesday, February 11th, 11AM to 12PM: Clean Buildings 101: Intro to Law, Incentives, & Support for Multi-Family Properties

Filed Under: Education & Training, Webinars

REFRAME Podcast: Buildings Have To Behave Better

January 21, 2026 By SBC staff

Show host Jeff Nichols speaks with Ash Awad, President and Chief Market Officer at McKinstry, and a longtime leader at the intersection of buildings, energy systems, and climate innovation. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, Ash shares his thoughts on how the built environment must fundamentally change over the next decade and challenges long-held assumptions about buildings and utilities.

Ash paints a compelling picture of a future where buildings are no longer part of the problem, but a central solution—actively supporting the grid, the environment, and human well-being. The transformation ahead is complex, but inevitable, and the time to rethink how buildings behave is now.

Listen now on Pilotlight: Reframe Podcast | Learn Sustainability Trends – Join Us — Pilotlight Solutions

Filed Under: Webinars

Upcoming NEEA Webinars

January 20, 2026 By SBC staff

Registration will be opening soon for the remaining four webinars in theĀ Commercial Whole Building Market InsightsĀ series.Ā Visit the registration pageĀ to learn more.Ā 


Webinar #2
: February 12 | Presented by Building Potential

Clean Buildings Performance Standard: Market Challenges &Ā Opportunities


Webinar #3
: March 26 | Presented by ETHNO

Market Transformation Concept Design Research


Webinar #4
: April 30 | Presented by Hayden Tanner

From Policy to Practice:Ā Lessons Learned from Building Performance Standards Implementation


Webinar #5
: May 14 | Presented by NEEA

Insights from NEEA’s Commercial Building Stock Assessment

Learn more at the NEEA Registration Page here

Filed Under: Webinars

January Lighting Design Lab Webinars

January 9, 2026 By SBC staff

We’ve got the latest from the Lighting Design Labs workshops to share with you! Check out the links below to register for these January webinars.
Small Commercial Buildings – Controls and Other Helpful Tools from DOE
January 15, 2026Ā |Ā 10:00 – 11:30 amĀ |Ā OnlineĀ |Ā Free
Join this webinar to learn how to harness the power of smart thermostats and better building controls to optimize your building’s performance, reduce energy and maintenance costs, and enhance occupant comfort. Discover the ā€˜stairway to better buildings,’ learn about the various rooftop unit control capabilities available for small to medium-sized buildings, and gain insights from case study examples of smart thermostat implementation.
Today’s Heat Pump Water Heaters: Installation, Capabilities & Business Growth Opportunities — Part 2!
January 28, 2026Ā |Ā 7:30 – 10:00 amĀ |Ā OnlineĀ |Ā Free
Hear from ENERGY STARĀ® Manufacturer’s Action Council (ESMAC) and leading HPWH Manufacturers themselves. Learn about City Light HPWH midstream incentives and upcoming marketing campaign to grow your business

Filed Under: Education & Training, Featured Event, Webinars

SCL Announces Multifamily & Commercial No-Cost Strategic Energy Management Program

December 23, 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 Multifamily Strategic Energy Management (MSEM) program will launch in March! A second Commercial Strategic Energy Management cohort will launch in Fall 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:
One site walkthrough to identify energy-saving opportunities and help prioritizing project implementation.
Assessments and action plan to support integrating energy into business practices.
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:

Thursday, January 29 at 11am
Tuesday, February 3 at 1pm
Thursday, February 19 at 11am

Questions? Email: [email protected]

Filed Under: Resources, Webinars

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This Friday: Tool Time Lunch and Learn: Identifying Opportunities for Operational Improvement

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Seattle, WA 98144

206-538-0832

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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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