Author Archives: Thad Curtz

T4.10 Require major employers to provide free passes for employees The Orca for All campaign, which is working to get Seattle to require major employers and government contractors to provide unlimited bus passes to their workers, did a report about … Continue reading →

T5.10 Transit benefit ordinances Have employers offer workers the option of a pre-tax payroll deduction for their expenses commuting using alternative modes. The City of Seattle’s Commuter Benefits Ordinance requires employers with 20 or more employees  to offer them the … Continue reading →

B3.1 Community solar Support the development and expansion of a community solar program. Olympia Community Solar has completed a 100 kW project on the roof of the Hands On Children’s Museum, in collaboration with the Museum and the City, and … Continue reading →

B4.4 Green public buildings * Require that new local government facilities (e.g., the new Olympia City Hall and LOTT building) demonstrate green building technologies and practices. The Olympia City Hall achieved a LEED Gold rating, and the LOTT office building … Continue reading →

B4.1 IgCC Adopt the International Green Construction Code (IgCC). The IgCC is one of several available advanced energy codes. According to the New Buildings Institute it’s “more advanced and holistic than the base IECC code or ASHRAE Standard 90.1.” Washington … Continue reading →

B2.5 Commercial utility outreach Expand utility outreach to and education of commercial power customers about the benefits of clean and efficient energy technologies and practices. Puget Sound Energy’s Commercial Strategic Energy Management program has a PSE Energy Management Engineer identify … Continue reading →

T3.1 EV parking new construction * Require developers of large commercial and residential buildings to dedicate a percentage of parking spots for plug-in electric vehicles and to install charging infrastructure. RCW 19.27.540 requires the State Building Code Council to develop … Continue reading →

B2.2 Commercial energy audits Develop and adopt policies that require commercial properties to undertake an energy audit at the time of sale or during a substantial remodel. The Pacific Northwest National Lab has written a Guide to Energy Audits; ASHRAE … Continue reading →

B2.6 Cool roofs * Create an incentive program for the installation of reflective roofs on commercial buildings to reduce building energy consumption and the urban heat island effect. Cool roofs HB 1114, which was adopted in 2021, includes mitigation of … Continue reading →

B1.18 Require energy efficiency upgrades in large buildings HB 1257, which is commonly called the Clean Buildings Act, passed the Legislature last session. It establishes an energy performance standard for existing non-residential buildings over 50,000 sq. ft., and provides financial … Continue reading →