CBPS Rulemaking, Trainings and Workgroup – Washington State Department of Commerce
  • Languages

    • Informational session: HB1543 and the rulemaking process

    HB1543 Rulemaking Workshop 1: Extensions and exemptions

    HB1543 Rulemaking Workshop 2: Alternative compliance pathway

    HB1543 Rulemaking Workshop 3: Clarifying language

    HB1543 Rulemaking- Workshop 4: Comprehensive Review

    CBPS: Tier 1

    CBPS: Tier 2

    Meeting the EUIt

    Tier 1 Compliance Path: Investment Criteria

    Tier 1 Investment Criteria: Form F- Life Cycle Cost Analysis

    Tier 1 & 2 Exemptions

    Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Program Development Tool

    Training Series- Decarbonization of District Energy Systems

    Part 1

    Part 2

    Multifamily Webinar

    Commerce is convening a workgroup to analyze the financial investments required for owners of Tier 1 covered buildings to comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard and to make recommendations to the legislature to assist building owners in attaining compliance.

    SBW Consulting, Inc., 2050 Institute and Unrooz Solutions were awarded a competitive contract to complete the financial analysis and facilitation of the workgroup. The workgroup members have been sent the invitation and will meet once a month over the next 11 months.

    The Clean Buildings Workgroup will include members representing K-12 schools, state and local government agencies, utilities, healthcare associations, environmental and consumer advocates, business sectors, and other stakeholders, as named in the Washington State Capital Budget, Section 1017(1).

    We’ve received significant interest in the Clean Buildings workgroup. Workgroup participation is limited to the representing sectors from the proviso language (PDF). Commerce is trying to balance receiving broad input while having meaningful engagement. We are committed to transparency and will provide opportunities for public input as recommendations are drafted.

    Workgroup Update as of Nov 9, 2023

    SBW Consulting facilitated the Nov. 1 kick-off, which reviewed the workgroup purpose, charter, deliverables, timeline, and goals for each representing sector.

    Goals of the Clean Buildings workgroup:

    • Represent Tier 1 building owners and other impacted stakeholders
    • Review the analysis of the financial investments required for Tier 1 building owners to comply with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard
    • Make recommendations to the legislature to assist building owners in attaining compliance

    Commerce and SBW aim to ensure that perspectives from all workgroup members are meaningfully considered, all deliberations are documented, and the planning process is complete, accurate, fair and transparent. The recommendations this group provides will be finalized in a report to legislative committees by September 1, 2024 on how to support building owners in achieving compliance with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard.

    The workgroup will convene again in mid-December to analyze financial investments and discuss preliminary findings. Our overall intent is to have a data-driven understanding of the cost of compliance.

    Workgroup Update as of Nov 9, 2023

    On November 29, 2023, the Clean Buildings Workgroup reconvened to discuss the preliminary methodology for exploring the financial impacts of compliance with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard for Tier 1 buildings in Washington. The financial methodology analyzes costs and benefits for private and publicly owned buildings. A report has been submitted to the relevant legislative committees and will be posted on the Clean Buildings webpage later.

    This report is preliminary. The final report with recommendations is due September 1, 2024. The workgroup proposed areas that will be explored further in the second phase of the analysis, including:

    • cost of fines and setting appropriate fines for building owners,
    • understanding potential non-energy benefits of compliance,
    • addressing deferred maintenance,
    • occupancy challenges, and more.

    The workgroup will meet again in January to discuss barriers to compliance, building data, and cost data.

    Workgroup Updates as of Feb 7, 2024

    The Washington State Clean Buildings Workgroup met on January 31st. They discussed the meeting plans for 2024, the sandbox for recommendation development, and the building selection criteria for the second phase of the financial analysis. The Workgroup’s feedback will be incorporated into an updated plan for the financial analysis methodology, which will be presented at the next meeting.

    The workgroup will meet again in January to discuss barriers to compliance, building data, and cost data.

    Workgroup Updates as of March 1, 2024

    The Workgroup met on Wednesday. March 27th for their fifth workshop. This workgroup started by reviewing existing resources to support compliance and then shifted focus to developing strategies and recommendations for successful compliance with the CBPS. The workgroup explored strategies for three success factors:

    • financing,
    • leadership buy-in/value proposition/awareness and
    • audits/benchmarking.

    Four additional success factors will be discussed in April.

    Workgroup Updates as of May 1, 2024

    The Clean Buildings Workgroup had a hybrid meeting on April 22, 2024 at the Smart Building Center in Seattle. The meeting consisted of two workshops focused on issues including:

    • sustaining savings long-term,
    • implementing retrofits,
    • staff and market capacity, and
    • the overall alignment of existing resources and goals.

    The meeting resulted in several key recommendations which the workgroup will continue to develop in future meetings.

    Workgroup Updates as of June 1, 2024

    The Clean Buildings Workgroup met on May 29 and discussed the draft list of 16 recommendations to support compliance. They also undertook deeper discussions on sub-metering requirements, the energy code, and green revolving funds.

    Further discussions on the recommendations will take place via email and small group discussions before the group’s June meeting.

    Workgroup Updates as of August 1, 2024

    The Clean Buildings Workgroup convened twice this week on July 29 and 31. The first meeting was a bonus session to discuss the results of the strategy and recommendation prioritization survey. The second and final workgroup meeting focused on reviewing any remaining questions, sharing a draft of the final report, and gathering final feedback from workgroup members on the overall process, goals, and objectives.

    July 31 Slides (PDF)

    Clean Buildings Workgroup Report Published as of November 11, 2024

    The Department of Commerce received funding in the 2023-2025 capital budget to establish a workgroup to analyze the cost of complying with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard. The workgroup was tasked with analyzing the financial investments required for owners of tier 1 covered buildings to comply with the state energy performance standard under RCW 19.27A.210; and to make recommendations to the legislature to help building owners achieve compliance.

    Commerce partnered with consultants SBW, Unrooz, and the 2050 Institute to facilitate the workgroup and to complete the financial analysis. The group began meeting monthly in September, 2023 and held the final meeting in July, 2024. The workgroup included representatives from state agencies, higher education, state board of community and technical colleges, K-12 schools, health care, local government, utilities and privately owned buildings. The final legislative report includes a list of recommendations from this workgroup about supporting building owners with the cost of compliance, growing workforce capacity within institutions and the market, and aligning policies and regulations.

    Download Report (PDF)

    Resources

    Office Hours

    A dedicated space outside of our scheduled trainings and workshops to connect with our Clean Buildings staff, ask questions, talk through scenarios and more. “Office Hours” are held on the 4th Tuesday of every month from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PT.

    Page last updated:

    Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS)

    Contact

    Need help? Submit questions and request support online using the  CBPS Customer Support Forms Portal (on Smartsheet).