Funding includes $14.5 million for publicly owned building audits
OLYMPIA – Seventy building owners across Washington received $45 million in Clean Buildings Performance Grant funding from the Washington State Department of Commerce. The awarded building owners, which include private and public entities, will use the funds to make energy-efficient upgrades that support compliance with the state’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS).
As part of this initiative, Commerce launched the Energy Audit Incentive Program, allocating an additional $14.5 million from the state budget to help public building owners, such as schools, cities and state agencies, pay for energy audits. The audits assess building energy performance and identify opportunities for efficiency improvements.
“Commerce is eager to help building owners across Washington cut energy costs while advancing our state’s clean energy future,” said Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn. “By improving energy efficiency, we’re reducing emissions, creating jobs, and ensuring that communities — especially those in rural and underserved areas — benefit from a healthier, more sustainably built environment and a stronger local economy.”
The grants will support a wide range of energy-saving building retrofits, including:
- Upgrading lighting to efficient LEDs
- Modernizing heating and cooling systems
- Implementing smart building controls to optimize energy use
- Developing compliance documentation, such as energy benchmarking reports, operations and maintenance, and energy management plans
Twenty-one awards were assigned to publicly owned buildings, while 49 awardees are private building owners. More than half of private-sector grant recipients are in rural or heavily impacted areas as designated by the Washington State Department of Health’s Environmental Health Disparities Map, ensuring that communities facing high environmental health risks and historic burdens benefit from these improvements.
Public building awards
Public building awardees, award amounts, and counties are listed below. Areas marked by an asterisk (*) are rural or highly impacted communities.
- Battle Ground Public School* (Clark County): $496,143
- Bellevue College (King County): $753,678.81
- Bellingham Technical College, Morse Center (Whatcom County): $293,955
- Burlington-Edison School District* (Skagit County): $1,273,449
- Centralia College* (Lewis County): $68,545
- City of Tacoma* (Pierce County): $1,672,000
- City of Wenatchee* (Chelan County): $46,219.80
- Concrete School District* (Skagit County): $982,226
- Coulee Hartline School District* (Douglas and Grant Counties): $425,870
- East Valley School District* (Yakima County): $368,947
- Everett Community College (Snohomish County): $122,400
- Ferndale School District* (Whatcom County): $77,800
- Federal Way Public Schools* (Whatcom County): $948,103
- Lewis County*: $545,839
- Lynden School District (Whatcom County): $1,030,637
- NCW Libraries* (Multiple counties, central): $47,400
- Pasco School District (Franklin County): $1,997,325
- Renton Technical College* (King County): $223,347.80
- Snohomish County: $43,195.70
- South Kitsap School District* (Kitsap County): $1,998,442.35
- Walla Walla Public Schools* (Walla Walla County): $1,286,713
Private building awards
Private building awardees, award amounts, and counties are listed below. Areas marked by an asterisk (*) are rural or highly impacted communities.
- 600 Main, Inc* (Spokane County): $75,587
- Alturas Rock Pointe West* (Spokane County): $43,500
- AT QOZB I – MCP I (Spokane County): $18,509
- Avamere* (Chelan County): $1,109,637
- Bayview Manor (King County): $1,299,303.39
- BGO Plaza 600 JV LLC* (King County): $22,820
- Cabrini Medical Tower (King County): $127,658
- CommonSpirit Health* (Multiple counties, West): $1,991,326
- Digital Realty SEA 10 (King County): $734,442.69
- El Centro de la Raza* (King County): $70,000
- Excelsior Wellness (Spokane County): $340,000
- Four Seasons Seattle* (King County): $99,721.22
- Harbour Pointe Tech Center (King County): $43,194
- Holley Mason* (Spokane County): $634,760.74
- KHQ Incorporated* (Spokane County): $53,000
- Kilroy Realty (King County): $1,999,289.5
- Larson Building* (Yakima County): $2,000,000
- Legacy Salmon Creek (Clark County): $1,334,904
- LOTT Clean Water Alliance (Thurston County): $26,869
- Martha and Mary Health Services* (Kitsap County): $632,510
- Northtown Office Building* (Spokane County): $335,830.55
- Northwest Christian Schools Inc. (Spokane County): $84,427
- Pacific Lutheran University* (Pierce County): $1,938,434.53
- PeaceHealth* (Multiple counties, Western): $1,167,427
- Renaissance Seattle Hotel (King County): $197,515
- Rockwood Retirement South Hill* (Spokane County): $272,391
- Seattle Art Museum (King County): $348,862
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute (King County): $37,569
- Seattle University (King County): $119,988.48
- Second Harvest* (Spokane County): $15,600
- SIC RP, LLC* (King County): $ 144,454.31
- Skagit Valley YMCA* (Skagit County): $128,847
- Sunshine Health Facilities* (Spokane County): $27,970
- Swedish Issaquah (King County): $29,120
- Town and Country Markets (Snohomish County) : $141,044
- Timber Ridge at Talus* (King County): $23,944
- Unico Properties (1201 Pacific) (King County): $20,000
- Unico Properties (Longacres South)* (King County): $50,000
- Unico Properties (Westlake Tower)* (King County): $20,000
- Valley Mall LLC* (Yakima County): $254,775
- WA State Fair Event Center (Pierce County): $47,552
- Wing Luke Memorial Fund* (King County): $46,582
- Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic* (Yakima County): $297,805
- YMCA of Snohomish County (Snohomish County): $812,780.55
- YMCA of Southwest Washington* (Cowlitz County): $389,474
- YMCA of Oak Harbor* (Island County): $377,96
- W Seattle Hotel* (King County): $317,007
- Walla Walla University (Walla Walla County): $2,000,000
- Wig Properties LLC (King County): $1,945,605
Energy audits for Tier 1 public building awards
- Battle Ground Public Schools: $144,212.00
- Bellingham School District: $452,017.50
- Bethel School District: $340,556.00
- Blaine School District: $118,633.00
- Central Washington University: $528,509.00
- Chehalis School District: $ 99,100.00
- Chelan Douglas Regional Port Authority: $45,512.00
- Chelan School District: $89,142.00
- Cheney Public Schools: $372,750.00
- City of Everett: $19,535.00
- City of Redmond: $26,500.00
- City of Spokane Valley: $27,000.00
- City of Wenatchee: $75,719.50
- Clallam County Public Hospital District: $84,792.00
- Clover Park School District: $203,500.00
- Columbia Basin College: $72,045.00
- Deer Park School District: $138,864.50
- Eastern Washington State Historical Society: $38,890.00
- Eastmont School District: $316,990.00
- Edmonds College: $195,411.00
- Edmonds School District: $428,406.25
- Ellensburg School District: $265,907.00
- Everett Community College: $234,611.00
- Everett Public Facility District: $135,928.00
- Evergreen Public Schools: $179,577.53
- Evergreen State College: $476,715.00
- Grandview School District: $184,486.00
- Grant County: $30,668.00
- Highline School District: $603,645.50
- Hockinson School District: $152,630.00
- Kiona-Benton City School District: $100,280.00
- Mead School District: $195,444.00
- Mercer Island School District: $76,100.00
- Mukilteo School District: $307,547.50 6
- Nine Mile Falls School District: $102,000.00
- Othello School District: $118,962.00
- Pasco School District: $230,000.00
- Pierce County: $199,980.00
- Puyallup School District: $565,550.00
- Rainier School District: $33,085.50
- Renton Valley Medical Center: $342,700.00
- Seattle Asian Art Museum: $33,750.00
- Seattle Colleges: $779,089.65
- Shoreline School District: $421,860.00
- Skagit County Public Hospital District: $65,900.00
- Snohomish County: $469,883.53
- Snohomish School District: $99,210.00
- South Puget Sound Community College: $70,596.00
- Spokane Public Schools: $1,148,565.00
- Sumner-Bonney Lake School District: $163,207.00
- Sunnyside School District: $339,374.00
- Tukwila School District: $106,600.00
- UW Medical Center: $211,161.00
- Vancouver Public Schools: $391,692.54
- Wahluke School District: $79,027.50
- Washington Military Department: $154,960.00
- Washougal School District: $142,079.50
- Western Washington University: $661,675.50
- Yakima School District: $689,718.00 16
- Yakima Valley Community College: $117,749.00
Buildings are the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Washington, accounting for 25% of statewide emissions. These grants will reimburse building owners for energy-saving projects and services, helping to lower emissions, improve energy efficiency, and reduce utility costs. Funding is from the Climate Commitment Act.
Local impact
Director Nguyễn will highlight the Pasco School District (PSD) award at a visit on March 20. The Pasco School District received nearly $2 million to make energy efficiency upgrades to the HVAC system by installing 24 heat pumps and upgrading the hot water recirculation system, in addition to other assessments and optimizations at more than 20 district buildings. There are about 19,000 students across the district, which is majority Hispanic.
“This funding allows us to make meaningful improvements that will enhance the learning environment for our students while also reducing energy costs,” said Raúl Sital, PSD’s Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Supports. “These upgrades will contribute to a long-term energy management plan to increase sustainability across our schools, ensuring our facilities operate efficiently for years to come. We are grateful for this opportunity to invest in both student well-being and responsible energy use.”
In Yakima, Megalodon Properties is making energy-efficient upgrades to the Larsen Building, an 11-story art deco landmark.
“The energy upgrades at the Larson Building will breathe new life into a historic structure while preserving its architectural charm for future generations,” said Larry Hull of Megalodon Properties. “For tenants — including nonprofits, first responders, and other professionals — these improvements will enhance comfort, quietness and sustainability, reinforcing the building’s role as a vital community hub.”
In southeastern Washington, Walla Walla University is using grant funding for lighting and envelope upgrades, as well as compliance reporting. The building envelope includes the walls, window, roof and foundation.
“We are proud to be among the first organizations taking these steps toward improving our community’s overall energy wellness,” said Alex Bryan, president of Walla Walla University. “Thanks to the dedicated work of our team and partners at Honeywell, we’re excited to meet these energy standards and celebrate the positive impact on both our campus and the environment.”
Matt Kennelly, Executive Director of LOTT (Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and Thurston County) Clean Water Alliance, said that this funding underscores the Alliance’s commitment to public safety.
“The LOTT Clean Water Alliance provides our community with the highest level of wastewater treatment on Puget Sound. Thanks to this generous grant, the funding will support our ongoing commitments to environmental protection, carbon reduction and energy efficiency.”
Eligible buildings received an audit incentive of $0.50 per square foot of gross floor area, with additional funding available for rural buildings and those over 220,000 square feet. Buildings that receive audit funding must be Tier 1 and actively working toward compliance with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard.
About the Clean Buildings Performance Standard
In 2019, Washington passed the first statewide building performance standard (BPS) in the nation. The BPS applies to Tier 1 commercial buildings that are 50,000 square feet and larger. In 2022, the law expanded to include buildings larger than 20,000 square feet and multifamily residential buildings, referred to as Tier 2 buildings. Washington buildings are performing at or below their compliance target. Learn more about the Clean Buildings Performance Standard and the Energy Audits for Public Buildings Program at the Commerce website.
Contact
Amelia Lamb, Commerce Communications, (360) 995-3386