Clean Buildings Performance Standard FAQs

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard applies to covered commercial buildings. Covered commercial buildings are defined as non-residential, hotel, motel and dormitory buildings greater than 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. If a building owned by a church or non-profit meets the definition of a covered commercial building, they will need to comply.

No, a building is not required to be sub-metered to comply with the Standard. Covered commercial buildings subject to the Standard that are not independently metered, and thus cannot measure an energy use intensity (EUI), need to comply with the investment criteria.

Residential condo owners do not need to comply. We have updated our records to reflect this. A data verification request is not necessary. No further action is required.

Commerce can assign several people to access the same building(s). Please complete the following:

• Have each person that requires access complete the Shared Access Request Form. This will provide Commerce staff with information needed to verify applicants are authorized to view and/or maintain building/parcel information on behalf of the organization.
• Have each person that requires access set up a SAW Account.
• Add the Clean Buildings Service using the first option; I have been given a code by an agency. Then enter the code CBPS21.
• Shared access will be granted when steps 1-3 have been completed by the applicant and verified by Commerce staff.

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard is mandatory for all covered commercial buildings located in the state of Washington. A covered commercial building is a building where the sum of nonresidential, hotel, motel and dormitory floor areas exceeds 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. • Nursing homes and senior care/assisted living facilities are considered institutional occupancies according to Washington state building codes. Institutional occupancies are considered commercial buildings by the standard and shall comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard when the building floor area is greater than 50,000 square feet. • Senior Care Community refers to buildings that house and provide care and assistance for elderly residents. Senior Care Community applies to nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) and assisted living facilities and is not intended for retirement communities that offer only independent living. A senior living residential community may include a mixture of residential and institutional occupancies. If more than 50,000 of any single building is categorized by the building codes as institutional occupancy, the building would need to comply with the Standard. The building’s occupancy permit should list the occupancy designation. You may also check with the building department if you cannot find the record on site. If you are still uncertain about the designation of your facility, please contact us by filling out the customer support form.

Yes, the Clean Buildings Performance Standard is more stringent than Seattle’s Building Tune-Up program, although certain elements are similar. The Standard requires: • the building(s) energy use intensity (EUI) meet the target EUI metrics shown in Annex Z, Table 7-2a, or; • investment in all cost-effective energy efficiency measures as determined by the Standard. In addition, all covered commercial buildings must implement an energy management plan as specified by the Standard. To find out more, watch the following informational video on the basics of the Standard; Clean Buildings 101.

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard applies to covered commercial buildings. Covered commercial buildings are defined as non-residential, hotel, motel and dormitory buildings greater than 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. If a building owned by a church or non-profit meets the definition of a covered commercial building, they will need to comply.

No, a building is not required to be sub-metered to comply with the Standard. Covered commercial buildings subject to the Standard that are not independently metered, and thus cannot measure an energy use intensity (EUI), need to comply with the investment criteria.

Residential condo owners do not need to comply. We have updated our records to reflect this. A data verification request is not necessary. No further action is required.

Commerce can assign several people to access the same building(s). Please complete the following:

• Have each person that requires access complete the Shared Access Request Form. This will provide Commerce staff with information needed to verify applicants are authorized to view and/or maintain building/parcel information on behalf of the organization.
• Have each person that requires access set up a SAW Account.
• Add the Clean Buildings Service using the first option; I have been given a code by an agency. Then enter the code CBPS21.
• Shared access will be granted when steps 1-3 have been completed by the applicant and verified by Commerce staff.

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard is mandatory for all covered commercial buildings located in the state of Washington. A covered commercial building is a building where the sum of nonresidential, hotel, motel and dormitory floor areas exceeds 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. • Nursing homes and senior care/assisted living facilities are considered institutional occupancies according to Washington state building codes. Institutional occupancies are considered commercial buildings by the standard and shall comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard when the building floor area is greater than 50,000 square feet. • Senior Care Community refers to buildings that house and provide care and assistance for elderly residents. Senior Care Community applies to nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) and assisted living facilities and is not intended for retirement communities that offer only independent living. A senior living residential community may include a mixture of residential and institutional occupancies. If more than 50,000 of any single building is categorized by the building codes as institutional occupancy, the building would need to comply with the Standard. The building’s occupancy permit should list the occupancy designation. You may also check with the building department if you cannot find the record on site. If you are still uncertain about the designation of your facility, please contact us by filling out the customer support form.

Yes, the Clean Buildings Performance Standard is more stringent than Seattle’s Building Tune-Up program, although certain elements are similar. The Standard requires: • the building(s) energy use intensity (EUI) meet the target EUI metrics shown in Annex Z, Table 7-2a, or; • investment in all cost-effective energy efficiency measures as determined by the Standard. In addition, all covered commercial buildings must implement an energy management plan as specified by the Standard. To find out more, watch the following informational video on the basics of the Standard; Clean Buildings 101.

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard applies to covered commercial buildings. Covered commercial buildings are defined as non-residential, hotel, motel and dormitory buildings greater than 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. If a building owned by a church or non-profit meets the definition of a covered commercial building, they will need to comply.

No, a building is not required to be sub-metered to comply with the Standard. Covered commercial buildings subject to the Standard that are not independently metered, and thus cannot measure an energy use intensity (EUI), need to comply with the investment criteria.

Residential condo owners do not need to comply. We have updated our records to reflect this. A data verification request is not necessary. No further action is required.

Commerce can assign several people to access the same building(s). Please complete the following:

• Have each person that requires access complete the Shared Access Request Form. This will provide Commerce staff with information needed to verify applicants are authorized to view and/or maintain building/parcel information on behalf of the organization.
• Have each person that requires access set up a SAW Account.
• Add the Clean Buildings Service using the first option; I have been given a code by an agency. Then enter the code CBPS21.
• Shared access will be granted when steps 1-3 have been completed by the applicant and verified by Commerce staff.

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard is mandatory for all covered commercial buildings located in the state of Washington. A covered commercial building is a building where the sum of nonresidential, hotel, motel and dormitory floor areas exceeds 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. • Nursing homes and senior care/assisted living facilities are considered institutional occupancies according to Washington state building codes. Institutional occupancies are considered commercial buildings by the standard and shall comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard when the building floor area is greater than 50,000 square feet. • Senior Care Community refers to buildings that house and provide care and assistance for elderly residents. Senior Care Community applies to nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) and assisted living facilities and is not intended for retirement communities that offer only independent living. A senior living residential community may include a mixture of residential and institutional occupancies. If more than 50,000 of any single building is categorized by the building codes as institutional occupancy, the building would need to comply with the Standard. The building’s occupancy permit should list the occupancy designation. You may also check with the building department if you cannot find the record on site. If you are still uncertain about the designation of your facility, please contact us by filling out the customer support form.

Yes, the Clean Buildings Performance Standard is more stringent than Seattle’s Building Tune-Up program, although certain elements are similar. The Standard requires: • the building(s) energy use intensity (EUI) meet the target EUI metrics shown in Annex Z, Table 7-2a, or; • investment in all cost-effective energy efficiency measures as determined by the Standard. In addition, all covered commercial buildings must implement an energy management plan as specified by the Standard. To find out more, watch the following informational video on the basics of the Standard; Clean Buildings 101.

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard applies to covered commercial buildings. Covered commercial buildings are defined as non-residential, hotel, motel and dormitory buildings greater than 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. If a building owned by a church or non-profit meets the definition of a covered commercial building, they will need to comply.

No, a building is not required to be sub-metered to comply with the Standard. Covered commercial buildings subject to the Standard that are not independently metered, and thus cannot measure an energy use intensity (EUI), need to comply with the investment criteria.

Residential condo owners do not need to comply. We have updated our records to reflect this. A data verification request is not necessary. No further action is required.

Commerce can assign several people to access the same building(s). Please complete the following:

• Have each person that requires access complete the Shared Access Request Form. This will provide Commerce staff with information needed to verify applicants are authorized to view and/or maintain building/parcel information on behalf of the organization.
• Have each person that requires access set up a SAW Account.
• Add the Clean Buildings Service using the first option; I have been given a code by an agency. Then enter the code CBPS21.
• Shared access will be granted when steps 1-3 have been completed by the applicant and verified by Commerce staff.

The Clean Buildings Performance Standard is mandatory for all covered commercial buildings located in the state of Washington. A covered commercial building is a building where the sum of nonresidential, hotel, motel and dormitory floor areas exceeds 50,000 gross square feet, excluding the parking garage area. • Nursing homes and senior care/assisted living facilities are considered institutional occupancies according to Washington state building codes. Institutional occupancies are considered commercial buildings by the standard and shall comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard when the building floor area is greater than 50,000 square feet. • Senior Care Community refers to buildings that house and provide care and assistance for elderly residents. Senior Care Community applies to nursing homes (skilled nursing facilities) and assisted living facilities and is not intended for retirement communities that offer only independent living. A senior living residential community may include a mixture of residential and institutional occupancies. If more than 50,000 of any single building is categorized by the building codes as institutional occupancy, the building would need to comply with the Standard. The building’s occupancy permit should list the occupancy designation. You may also check with the building department if you cannot find the record on site. If you are still uncertain about the designation of your facility, please contact us by filling out the customer support form.

Yes, the Clean Buildings Performance Standard is more stringent than Seattle’s Building Tune-Up program, although certain elements are similar. The Standard requires: • the building(s) energy use intensity (EUI) meet the target EUI metrics shown in Annex Z, Table 7-2a, or; • investment in all cost-effective energy efficiency measures as determined by the Standard. In addition, all covered commercial buildings must implement an energy management plan as specified by the Standard. To find out more, watch the following informational video on the basics of the Standard; Clean Buildings 101.