How Washington Contractors Can Help Buildings Stay Ahead of Codes
Duct Sealing Makes It Easy to Comply with Clean Buildings Act
Commercial buildings consume as much as 35 percent of the nation’s electricity as said in a climate proposal by Washington Governor Jay Inslee. This results in a lot of wasted energy and increased energy costs. The Clean Buildings Act, otherwise known as HB 1257, is designed to address this issue and impacts almost all nonresidential buildings across the state that are greater than 50,000 square feet.
$75 Million Allocated to Lower Buildings Carbon Emissions
The bill will reach its goal by “lowering costs and pollution from fossil fuel consumption in the state’s existing buildings.” The Department of Commerce (DOC) will implement an energy performance standard for contractors to follow. And while it doesn’t take effect until 2026, building owners have a financial incentive for getting ahead of compliance.
The DOC is offering a limited amount of $75 million to be allocated on a first come, first served basis. For individual buildings, the incentive offers $0.85 per square foot. Companies who do not comply with the new standard will receive a fiscal penalty. A substantial annual penalty of up to $5,000 plus $1.00 per square foot will be applied to buildings that fail to comply.
Duct Sealing as an Energy Conservation Measure
The Clean Buildings Act requires contractors to consider a number of energy saving measures, including duct sealing. Duct sealing saves energy while making the indoor environment more comfortable with cleaner, healthier air.
Add Aeroseal to Your Offering
Offering duct sealing as part of your offering will make it easy for your customers to comply with the Clean Buildings Act. Contractors can add Aeroseal to their offering with little training, complementing their existing offering.
Help your customers turn this issue into an opportunity and fill out this form here to learn more.