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Large Buildings Achieve High Compliance with Building Tune-Ups Requirement

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After more than two years of the new Building Tune-Ups policy, the largest buildings have achieved over 97% compliance. Congratulations! The first two ‘cohorts’ of buildings – Cohort 1 (200,000+ SF) and Cohort 2 (100,000-199,999 SF) – have completed 330 tune-ups to date, reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the city and saving money on their energy bills.

Building Tune-Ups optimize energy and water performance by identifying low- or no-cost actions related to building operations and maintenance. When done properly, tune-ups can generate 10-15% in energy savings and contribute to our climate goals. Tune-ups are required every five years for non-residential buildings 50,000 square feet or larger in the City of Seattle.

HVAC Operations Dominate Commonly Found Deficiencies

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) measures dominate the most commonly found deficiencies, for both required and voluntary actions (see below). HVAC set point fixes were identified and made in nearly half of all buildings above 100,000 SF to date. Tune-Up Specialists identified HVAC control issues or sensors that were uncalibrated, not functioning, or located inappropriately in 43% of the buildings tuned-up.

Voluntary Actions Uncover Additional Opportunities to Save

Of the most commonly identified voluntary actions, inefficient lighting equipment was identified in 47% of buildings assessed, with approximately 13% of all buildings voluntarily taking action to improve the efficiency of lighting during or after the tune-up. The second most common voluntary correction identified was the presence of equipment reaching the end of its service life, found in 44% of the approved tune-ups and acted upon in 7% of buildings. These voluntary actions represent opportunities for buildings to achieve deeper energy, carbon, and cost savings.

Smaller Building Deadlines Approaching

Owners of smaller buildings must meet the new Tune-Up mandate, April 1, 2021 for Cohort 3 buildings (70,000 to 99,999 GSF) and October 1, 2021 for Cohort 4 buildings (50,000 to 69,999 GSF). In addition to saving energy and water, conducting a Tune-Up can also help with preparing your building for operation during and/or after the COVID-19 pandemic.

All work associated with a Building Tune-Up must be done by a qualified Tune-Up Specialist, the experienced professionals responsible for conducting the building assessment, identifying required Tune-Up actions, performing those actions, verifying the work is done correctly, and submitting a report to the City. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC) has a directory of qualified Tune-Ups Specialists. This is a great resource for obtaining tune-up bids.

Compliance takes time, often between 6 and 12 months. Owners are encouraged to get started now to ensure there is adequate time to complete the on-site building assessment and follow through on required corrective actions.

Nearly 70% of Seattle’s Largest Buildings on Track To Be Compliant with New Building Tune-Ups Requirement

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Congratulations to the first cohort of buildings (200,000K+ SF) that have complied with the new Building Tune-Ups regulation by the March 1st deadline.

Seattle’s Building Tune-Up program requires buildings to optimize energy and water performance by identifying low- or no-cost actions related to building operations and maintenance, that generate 10-15% in energy savings, on average. The Tune-Ups legislation is a key piece of Seattle’s Climate Action Plan, our roadmap to achieving carbon neutrality, by helping ensure buildings don’t waste energy and water.

Feedback from Tune-Up Specialists has been positive, noting energy savings from implementing required corrective actions. Specialists have also noted that additional voluntary corrective actions have been identified through the assessment process, offering even greater energy savings opportunities for building owners. Tune-Ups on municipal buildings have shown similar results.

The Seattle Justice Center tune-up was an opportunity to optimize the building’s performance. Following an in-depth tune-up assessment, all required corrective actions were implemented and are projected to yield $35,000 in annual savings. By identifying additional voluntary corrective actions with a high return on investment, the City invested another $71,500 on energy efficiency measures that will result in $57,000 in annual savings. Combined, this Tune-Up offers a simple payback of 1.8 years. Read the Seattle Justice Center Tune-Up Case Study to learn more.

As of the March 1st deadline, nearly half of the first cohort of buildings (48%) were fully compliant through alternative compliance or by completing a tune-up, 8% of buildings were granted a one-year extension, and an additional 14% submitted incomplete tune-ups to indicate they are in the process of implementing corrective actions within the six-month grace period.