This week, OSE released a proposed Building Tune-Up Director’s Rule for public comment. For over a year, OSE has been sharing updates about our progress developing a program for periodic tune-ups on large commercial buildings. To date, the City has adopted an ordinance, formed a technical working group, and hosted a series of public meetings to inform the details of program development. Information we’ve gathered this year has informed the development of the proposed OSE Director’s Rule 2016-01, which will detail the compliance specifications of the program.
Seattle’s Building Tune-Up policy phases in a periodic tune-up requirement for nonresidential buildings 50,000 square feet or larger, beginning in 2018. Tune-ups aim to optimize energy and water performance by identifying no- or low-cost actions related to building operations and maintenance, focusing on actions that typically pay back within 3 years and generate 10-15% in energy savings for a building, on average. The legislation is a key piece of Seattle’s Climate Action Plan, our roadmap to achieving carbon-neutrality, by helping ensure buildings don’t use energy and water wastefully.
The Building Tune-Ups Ordinance was adopted in March 2016, and it authorized the Director of the Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) to develop Rules that further detail compliance specifications. The proposed Rule includes clarification of the Ordinance requirements related to: tune-up assessments, corrective actions, and reporting; compliance extensions and exemptions; qualifications for tune-up specialists; and buildings and spaces subject to the requirement. Comments will be accepted through November 30, 2016.
More information on the Rule and how to comment can be found here. Or visit us at an Open House to learn more about the proposed Rule.
Open House Information
Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 5:30 pm (Registration opens at 5:00 pm)
Bertha Knight Landes Room of City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave.
RSVP to: nextgenEE@seattle.gov. Note “Open House RSVP” in the subject line.