Seattle BEPS Updates
 Draft BEPS Director’s Rule Comment Period Now Closed
Thank you to the several dozen commenters who provided input on the draft BEPS Director’s Rule before the July 9 deadline. OSE is reviewing comments as it prepares the final Director’s Rule, which should be published in early September.
Seattle Makes Climate Upgrades to Five Fire Stations and Counting
In collaboration with Finance and Administrative Services, OSE is making climate-friendly upgrades to Seattle’s fire stations. The upgrades will reduce climate pollution and improve firefighter comfort — all part of the City’s efforts to decarbonize our municipal building portfolio and to lead the way in meeting the Building Emissions Performance Standard. Learn more about the upgrades on OSE’s Greenspace blog.
Featured BEPS FAQ
Why does ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (ESPM) use different emissions factors than City of Seattle for BEPS?
While ESPM currently calls their greenhouse gas (GHG) metric “location-based,” the emissions factor used is based on the large Northwest Power Plan electric grid. This grid is well beyond the limits of Seattle City Light territory, encompassing a six state region (e.g. Idaho and Montana), and includes dirtier fossil fuels used in electric generation. See this reference from ESPM.
In contrast, City Light’s grid is about 93% renewable energy and thus very low emissions relative to gas and steam in Seattle. This means the local electric utility emissions factor is significantly lower than ESPM’s regional figure.
Due to a recent update, ESPM users now have the option to input market-based (i.e. utility-specific and more localized) GHG emissions factors that reflect the actual carbon intensity of Seattle City Light’s low-emissions electricity. Users can now also add the emissions factor for CenTrio district energy. This update allows building owners to more accurately track Greenhouse Gas Intensity (GHGI), the key performance metric for BEPS, in Portfolio Manager.
Please see OSE’s guidance on using market-based emissions factors for more information.
Find more answers on our FAQs page.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Building Decarbonization Grant application period is now closed
OSE received 45 eligible applications under its 2025 Building Decarbonization Grant program, which closed on July 10. The 2025 grant program may award up to about $4 million in grants to help affordable housing providers, nonprofits, and buildings serving frontline communities reduce emissions from their buildings.
These 45 applications totaled nearly $17.5 million in requests; the average request was for $388,000. Twenty-three applicants sought funding for engineering design to help them develop plans to retrofit their buildings; twenty-two applicants sought funding for both engineering design and to implement the resultant retrofits; and four applicants were ready to implement retrofits, having already completed engineering design. OSE will evaluate applications in August and expects to issue decisions in early September.
City Light Increases Energy Efficiency Incentives
City Light increased energy efficiency incentives by 10% on average, adding $0.03 per kWh saved for project applications submitted after May 15, 2025. This applies to lighting retrofits, HVAC and envelope upgrades, and process equipment improvements. An additional $75 per fixture is available for LED installations with Luminaire Level Lighting Controls (LLLC). LLLC-equipped fixtures offer easy customization of facility lighting, enhancing productivity and reducing operating costs. For details, contact SCL_EnergyAdvisor@seattle.gov, visit City Light's Commercial Retrofit Incentives website, or review their updated list of frequently used energy conservation incentives.
EVENTS
Learn about our Coaching Cohorts
August, hosted by the Building Emissions Navigator
Building Emissions Navigator coaching cohorts are our free technical support program for owners and managers of buildings larger than 20,000 square feet that help you understand and get ready for BEPS and see how it intersects with the Washington Clean Buildings Performance Standard (WA CBPS).
Three cohort options are available this fall, including:
- Virtual, nonresidential buildings: 4 monthly workshops, beginning Sept. 10
- Virtual, multifamily buildings: 5 monthly workshops, beginning Sept. 17
- In-person, for all building types (nonresidential and multifamily): 1.5-day, in-person workshop, week of Oct. 27
To register for a fall cohort, you must first attend a short Info Session in August or watch a recorded version. Reach out to cleanbuildings@seattle.gov if you have questions.
Lunch and Learn: BEPS, Building Emissions Navigator, and More
Recorded, hosted by the Building Emissions Navigator
Buildings Emissions Navigator staff hosted a lunch and learn for the Housing Development Consortium that covered BEPS requirements and available Navigator resources. Watch the recording of the lunch and learn here.
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