Clean Buildings Accelerator
We can help you get on the path to compliance
PSE is here to help you comply with Washington’s Clean Buildings Law (HB 1257, 2019). Our Clean Buildings Accelerator program unpacks the complex law, meets you where you’re at with your energy usage, and teaches you how to comply and go beyond through a hands-on approach using your own building(s).
We’ll also help you leverage additional PSE energy-management and incentive programs throughout the entire process. Best part: there is no cost to participate in the Accelerator. It starts with enrolling.
Get started
Not sure if the Accelerator is right for you? Questions? Register for a one-hour virtual orientation to learn more.
Here’s a quick look at the Accelerator
This video covers how our Clean Buildings Accelerator program came to be, talks about what is required of commercial building owners in terms of the Clean Buildings Law, and shows you how PSE’s Accelerator can help you get on track to comply with the law and go beyond.
What you get
We’ve partnered with Stillwater Energy to deliver the Accelerator. Together, we developed a four-month virtual training and additional year of support designed to help you understand the law, comply and achieve results in your building(s). Additionally, we’ll point you toward applicable PSE energy-management and incentive programs to support your organizational goals. What you learn with us will apply to all your buildings in the state of Washington.
When you sign up for our Clean Buildings Accelerator program, you’ll receive:
- Guidance for Clean Buildings Law compliance.
- Assistance in setting up your Energy Star Portfolio Manager account and PSE’s EnergyCAP tool for automatically benchmarking your building(s).
- Tailored coaching, virtual energy scans of space- and water-heating systems, and prioritization of energy-saving opportunities.
- Templates for the required energy-management plan and operations-and-maintenance plan.
Accelerator timeline
Benefits of Accelerator participation
- Early compliance with the Clean Buildings Law, which can bring organizational peace of mind as deadlines approach.
- Catered compliance support for the nuances of your specific building(s).
- Energy savings, carbon reduction and reduced operational costs.
- An opportunity to earn early-adopter incentives from the state.
- PSE technical support throughout the entire process.
- Introduction to PSE’s incentive programs that apply directly to your needs.
- Education for facility and leadership staff around better energy management.
How you qualify
To participate in the Clean Buildings Accelerator program:
- Your building(s) must be 50,000 or more square feet and be subject to the Clean Buildings Law.
- Your buildings(s) must use PSE electricity and/or natural gas.
- Enroll one to three qualifying buildings.
- Provide at least one designated energy champion to coordinate communications between your business and PSE.
- Outside contractors and partners are welcome.
Additional information
When you enroll in the Clean Buildings Accelerator program, you’re placed in a training cohort with which you’ll go through the entire program. To help you plan your enrollment, we’ve listed some upcoming Accelerator kickoff dates below.
More Accelerator kickoff dates coming soon.
Not sure if the Clean Buildings Accelerator program is right for you? Need some questions answered before you’re ready to enroll in the Accelerator? We’ve got you covered with one-hour virtual orientation sessions. Register for the one that works best for you.
Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023
11 a.m. - noon
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023
11 a.m. - noon
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023
11 a.m. - noon
What is a virtual Clean Buildings Accelerator orientation?
Watch this video for a peek at what you’ll learn in a virtual one-hour orientation for the Clean Buildings Accelerator program. Register for one of the dates listed above to attend a live session and get all your questions answered.
About the Clean Buildings Law
There is a lot of information to absorb when it comes to the Clean Buildings Law. The Clean Buildings Accelerator program is here to help you understand it, but in the meantime we’ve compiled information and links below that we hope you’ll find useful.
Initiative overview
The Clean Buildings Standard (HB 1257, 2019) was signed into law in May, 2019. It aims to lower energy and fossil fuel use in commercial buildings across Washington. Building owners with structures over 50,000 square feet were notified via hard-copy letters sent by Commerce in September of 2021. Compliance deadlines begin in 2026 depending on building size. Energy targets must be met and operational one year prior to building size deadlines or incur penalties.
Department of Commerce
The Washington State Department of Commerce is charged with creating energy performance standards and guidelines. They also provide limited-time early adopter incentives to encourage rapid adoption. These incentives can be coupled with PSE incentives. Timelines and many questions are addressed on the FAQ portion of the website. Additional compliance-related resources are also available. Building owners or staff begin the process by using the Clean Buildings Portal.
Energy benchmarking
Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is an important element to benchmarking. Building owners can identify EUI in the required Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool. PSE offers its own EnergyCAP tool to assist building owners with uploading their PSE energy data automatically.
Contractor assistance
The following links lead to growing directories of qualified persons and qualified energy auditors who can assist building owners to comply with the Law. PSE also maintains a list of prequalified commissioning professionals.
Washington energy policy updates
Find out the latest developments of Senate Bill 5722, which may affect buildings 20,000 to 50,000 square feet beginning in 2025. Visit the Department of Commerce’s FAQ for more information on these Tier 2 building developments.
Additional PSE resources
We offer a diverse array of energy-management programs that can help you continue the journey you start with the Accelerator. Participating in any of these incentive programs can help you meet and exceed your EUI target by upgrading facilities, processes and equipment with greater efficiency in mind.
Below are just a few of our programs that customers often leverage during or after their Accelerator participation. Find a complete list of all our energy-efficiency programs here.
Business Lighting
Commercial New Construction
Commercial Strategic Energy Management
Commissioning programs
Custom Retrofit Grants
HVAC programs
Industrial programs
Pay for Performance
Questions? Get in touch with us cleanbuildings@stillwaterenergy.com.
Interested in learning more about the Clean Buildings Accelerator program?
If you have a quick question and are a contractor, building owner or facility staff, the Smart Buildings Center offers coaching during office hours via phone, virtual meetings and email.
UW Bothell: A PSE business customer shares how the Accelerator helped their team feel more confident in meeting Clean Buildings Law standards.
Steilacoom Historical School District No. 1: Hear from this business customer how the Accelerator cleared up gray areas and helped them navigate their way toward compliance.