This summer, some private schools received letters from the Department of Commerce requiring compliance with Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS).
What schools need to know:
- Tier 2 buildings (20,000–50,000 sq. ft.) must:
- Develop an Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Program
- Create an Energy Management Plan (EMP)
- Benchmark Energy Use – measure and track energy consumption over a one-year period
- Compliance reporting is due July 1, 2027.
- Unlike Tier 1 buildings, Tier 2 facilities do not currently have a mandatory Energy Use Intensity (EUI) target.
- Ignoring requirements can lead to compounding penalties.
Developing an O&M program helps ensure energy systems run efficiently, lowering costs and supporting greenhouse gas reduction goals. The Clean Buildings office at Dept. of Commerce has created an O&M Program Development Tool, available in the Guidance Document Library.
Training opportunities for school facility managers:
- Qualified Energy Manager Certification (Sept 2025) – Free training through Commerce & the Smart Building Center. Learn more here.
- Fundamentals of Energy Efficient Building Operations Nov 5–Dec 4, 2025. Introductory virtual course for newer facilities staff. Registration closes October 17, 2025. Register here.
