CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION reaffirming Seattle’s commitment to the Climate Action Plan and setting expectations for increasing commercial building energy efficiency through the year 2035.
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WHEREAS, the Seattle City Council reaffirms its commitment to achieve the goals set forth in the Climate Action Plan (“Plan”) passed by the City Council in 2013; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle City Council recognizes that the City is not on track to achieve energy efficiency goals in commercial buildings set forth in the Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle City Council recognizes that the energy efficiency path and achievement will become even more challenging in the future as the City gets closer to the goals set forth in the Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle City Council recognizes that building efficiency improvements that coincide with regular building maintenance and equipment replacements are cost-effective and can have a positive return on investment for the building owner; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle City Council recognizes that energy and water efficiency improvements have significant benefits to the community, bringing the advantages of the “Clean Energy Economy”: reduced carbon emissions, reduced pollution with improved health, job creation, money kept in the City, increased competitiveness, and others; and
WHEREAS, Emerald Cities Seattle espouses the following examples of support structures and incentive programs that could result in substantial building energy efficiency improvements: on-bill-repayment, energy bonds, green bank, and/or other finance mechanisms; “Efficiency Support Centers” for commercial/multi-family buildings to provide coordination for incentive programs and project development assistance; access to revolving lines of credit to secure funds to support project development; and incentives to support the conversion from carbon-based fuels to zero- or low-carbon fuels; and
WHEREAS, the Seattle Energy Code for new buildings and substantial rehabilitation has been very successful in improving building efficiency and Seattle is seen as a leader in the country; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE THAT:
Section 1. The Seattle City Council (“Council”) requests a report from the Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) no later than December 31, 2020, on the following:
a. Energy savings resulting from efficiency tune-ups conducted on buildings with non-residential uses of 200,000 square feet or larger.
b. Examples of support structures and incentives to promote the efficiency targets, reflecting engagement with relevant stakeholders.
Section 2. By 2022, if OSE finds that Seattle has not reduced carbon emissions from the commercial building sector by 27 percent compared with 2008 base year levels, which would keep The City of Seattle on track to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, then Council requests OSE to set efficiency targets, policies, and regulations for all commercial buildings over 50,000 square feet in Seattle as needed to reach the City’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. These policies may encompass the following:
a. Prescriptive measures or performance measures that begin in 2024 to align with the Climate Action Plan goals, coordinate with 2030 District goals, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
b. By 2025, mandatory performance or prescriptive measures for commercial buildings if mandatory tune-ups and other improvements do not result in building efficiency performance scores above the lowest quartile of performance scores measured in 2023.
c. By 2030, mandatory performance or prescriptive measures for commercial buildings if mandatory tune-ups and other improvements do not result in building efficiency performance scores above the median of performance scores measured in 2028.
d. By 2035, mandatory performance or prescriptive measures for commercial buildings if mandatory tune-ups do not result in building energy performance scores in the upper quartile of the performance scores measured in 2033.
Section 3. Council recognizes that projects supported with City funds should incorporate equity-enhancing requirements for contractors, owners, or property managers to the extent possible and in proportion to the level of the City’s contribution. Council also recognizes the Community High Road Agreement that was adopted for Seattle’s Residential Retrofit programs as a suitable model equity-enhancing agreement.
Adopted by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2016, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its adoption this ________ day of _________________________, 2016.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2016.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)