Energy Benchmarking
 Photo Credit: Office of Sustainability and Environment
Benchmarking & Energy Performance Data on Display
Check Your Mail!
Building owners who haven’t submitted or corrected errors for their 2025 benchmarking reports still have time. The City will mail notification letters to owners of noncompliant buildings in October. The letters will include claim codes to set up a new account in the Seattle Building & Energy Portal and complete benchmarking reports that were due June 1 under the new compliance process. A full list of noncompliant buildings is posted here.
Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS)
 Photo Credit: Kristie McLean
Breaking Down BEPS: New Overview Guides Available
Coming in October: One-on-One BEPS Support for Eligible Building Owners from Climate Corps Fellows
We’re working with Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI) to offer free help to of multifamily and commercial buildings over 20,000 square feet as they prepare for Seattle’s new Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS).
The program launches mid-October. Until then, fill out an interest form to learn how custom one-on-one support can help you find your path to BEPS compliance.
Always Available for BEPS Support: Seattle Building & Energy Help Desk
The Buildings & Energy Help Desk staff is ready to support all building owners in finding their paths to BEPS compliance. Some of our Help Desk staff were recently featured on OSE’s LinkedIn - get to know who’s who helping you comply with Seattle’s building performance laws.
Beware: Third-Party Solicitations and Communications
You may receive communications about Energy Benchmarking or BEPS from soliciting third-party service providers. These messages may contain inaccurate information about your building’s compliance status, deadlines, and Seattle BEPS compliance requirements.
Official emails from the City will only come from buildingenergy@seattle.gov. Notification letters, warning letters, and Notices of Violation sent by mail will feature clear City of Seattle branding and will not request payment for services to complete BEPS or Energy Benchmarking compliance processes.
Featured BEPS FAQ: What is a Qualified Person for BEPS?
BEPS requires building owners to identify a Qualified Person to check and verify the accuracy of the covered building's reported ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager® benchmarking data for the previous calendar year (January 1–December 31). This process, called Benchmarking Verification, is required every five years by BEPS’ October 1 compliance deadlines. Qualified Persons are also responsible for the BEPS Greenhouse Gas Report and most other BEPS reporting. They are not, however, required for most BEPS extensions and exemption applications.
The Qualified Person must have specific experience and hold certain credentials or licenses. For Benchmarking Verification, they must be a different person than the person who prepared and submitted the annual Energy Benchmarking report, but they can be an in-house employee or a consultant.
Seattle Building & Energy Portal Updates
 Photo Credit: Kristie McLean
Have You Visited the Seattle Building & Energy Portal Yet?
ICYMI: There’s a new location for Energy Benchmarking reporting, the Seattle Building & Energy Portal. The Portal’s current features help building owners and representatives submit outstanding 2025 Energy Benchmarking data and prepare for future building reporting requirements. It also connects to existing ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager accounts you have been using for previous reporting. BEPS compliance features and guidance will roll out in early 2027.
Sign Up for a Seattle Building & Energy Portal Training
Starting in October, the Buildings & Energy team will host trainings and drop-in office hours for building owners and industry professionals to learn about new Portal features, set up Portal accounts, and get ready for Energy Benchmarking and BEPS compliance reporting activities that will be done in the Portal in 2027 and beyond. Full descriptions are at the registration links.
Seattle Building & Energy Portal Overview: Building Owners and Managers
Two dates offered: October 7 & November 18 | 11:00 AM
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Who should attend: Building owners and managers
Seattle Building & Energy Portal Overview: Benchmarking Service Providers
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Who should attend: Energy benchmarking service providers
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What you will learn: New changes to the Energy Benchmarking compliance process, how to create a Portal account, and how to join building owners’ teams in the Portal to submit Benchmarking reports on their behalf.
Register for service provider session
Can't attend a training?
Sign up for drop-in office hours to get support with creating a Portal account, claiming buildings, and learning about the new features. Office hours will be held every Tuesday at 11:00 AM starting October 13.
Register for Portal office hours
Note for BEPS Qualified Persons: If you hold required BEPS Qualified Person credentials and experience and you plan to complete Benchmarking Verification, the GHG Report, and other BEPS compliance reporting, please wait to register and create an account until early 2027. BEPS-specific features and the Qualified Person registration and application will be available in the Building & Energy Portal at that time.
Building Tune-Ups
 Photo Credit: Kristie McLean
October 1: Key Building Tune-Up Deadlines for Cohorts 3 and 4
Have you been updating your building to comply with Seattle’s Building Tune-Ups law? Some important deadlines are approaching – don't miss them.
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Cohort 4 (buildings 50,000-69,999 square feet): October 1 is the Building Tune-Up deadline. If your building is in Cohort 4, you must submit your Seattle Building Tune-Up Summary Report by this date.
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42% of Cohort 4 has achieved compliance or received an extension. 135 buildings have yet to comply.
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Cohort 3 (buildings 70 – 99,000 square feet): October 1 is the enforcement deadline for the remaining 13 non-compliant Cohort 3 buildings.
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After 10/1, owners of these buildings risk receiving a violation and an $8,000 penalty. Once a violation is issued, building owners have 30 days to appeal the penalty. Learn more about the appeal process on our enforcement webpage.
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93% of Cohort 3 has achieved compliance or received an extension.
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Tune-Up Specialists: If you've completed a tune-up assessment but are still waiting for a building owner to complete corrective actions, we encourage you to submit incomplete Tune-Up Summary Reports noting the status of incomplete repairs. This will support any appeal the owner submits.
Support and Funding for Building Owners
 Photo Credit: Kristie McLean
Apply to Join the Next Building Emissions Navigator Coaching Cohort (Starting in 2027)
The City of Seattle supports building owners through its Seattle Building Emissions Navigator, helping you understand BEPS and develop your path to compliance. The Navigator offers free group training and customized technical assistance for your building — and it’s available to building operators, owners, and property management teams.
Our next training cohorts will start in early 2027. What you can expect:
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Four-month virtual cohorts for both multifamily buildings and non-residential buildings
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Two-day, in-person cohorts for all building types
Free Electric Upgrades for Eligible Multifamily Buildings and Small Businesses
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is offering free upgrades to energy-efficient electric equipment for eligible low-income multifamily buildings and small businesses (including places of worship) using PSE natural gas for heating.
PSE will cover 100% of the costs for eligible multifamily buildings and small businesses to purchase and install electric air source heat pumps (ASHP) and ASHP water heaters. All equipment must meet PSE energy efficiency standards.
Loan Pilot Looking to Help Finance Building Electrification or Efficiency Projects
Washington Builds, Washington's green bank, is looking to help finance efficiency or electrification projects for small businesses in Seattle. Projects (or bundles of projects) $50,000 - $1,000,000 may be eligible for loans up to 10 years and rates as low as 0% with Washington Builds’ interest rate buydown pilot. Email irbd@wabuilds.org to learn more.
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