Compliance deadlines are coming. The incentive money is still on the table.
If you own or manage a commercial or multifamily building over 20,000 square feet in Washington, state law requires you to benchmark, plan, and report your energy use. In Seattle, you also have to cut emissions. Omni Mechanical and our certified energy-management partners handle the whole job: the audit, the paperwork, and the mechanical and electrical work that actually gets you compliant.
Call 425-906-7700 Estimate your incentive & exposureWhich standard applies to your building?
Tier 1: WA Clean Buildings
Commercial buildings over 50,000 sq ft (multifamily floor area is not counted toward Tier 1).
June 1, 2026–2028
Reporting package and meeting the energy performance target are due on a schedule set by size: over 220,000 sq ft on June 1, 2026; 90,001–220,000 on June 1, 2027; 50,001–90,000 on June 1, 2028.
Source: WA Commerce, Tier 1 compliance
Tier 2: WA Clean Buildings
Commercial buildings 20,000–50,000 sq ft, and all multifamily buildings over 20,000 sq ft.
July 1, 2027
Benchmarking, an Energy Management Plan, an Operations & Maintenance program, and a Qualified Energy Manager. Tier 2 does not have to hit an energy target yet.
Source: WA Commerce, Tier 2 compliance
Seattle BEPS
Buildings over 20,000 sq ft inside Seattle city limits. This sits on top of the state rules.
Reporting from 2027, targets from 2031
Verification and reporting are due October 1 of 2027 (over 90,000 sq ft), 2028 (50,001–90,000), 2029 (30,001–50,000) or 2030 (20,001–30,000). Emissions targets follow in 2031–2035.
Source: Seattle OSE, BEPS policy guide
What non-compliance costs
Tier 1
Up to $5,000 + $1.50 / sq ft
Penalty per Commerce is a maximum of $5,000 plus $1.50 per square foot of gross floor area, and continuing violations can accrue daily.
Example: a 100,000 sq ft building = $5,000 + (100,000 × $1.50) = $155,000 maximum.
Tier 2
Up to $0.30 / sq ft
Penalties for non-compliance cannot exceed $0.30 per square foot.
Example: a 40,000 sq ft building = 40,000 × $0.30 = $12,000 maximum.
Seattle BEPS
$15,000 + up to $10 / sq ft
$15,000 for failure to report or an inaccurate report ($7,500 for 20,000–50,000 sq ft). Missing an emissions target: $10.00 / sq ft nonresidential, $7.50 / sq ft multifamily.
Example: a 60,000 sq ft multifamily building that misses its target = 60,000 × $7.50 = $450,000 maximum.
Sources: Commerce Tier 1 · Commerce Tier 2 · Seattle OSE BEPS public webinar, May 22, 2025. Maximums, not guaranteed amounts. Not legal advice.
Early adopter incentives: most of the money is still unclaimed
Tier 1 Early Adopter Program
$75M fund · $59M still available
Base incentive of $2 per sq ft plus 5 cents per kBtu saved beyond a 15 EUI, up to half the cost of the audited measures. $16M reserved as of July 2026 (16 ÷ 75 = 21%).
Source: WA Commerce, Tier 1 incentives. Application windows are tied to your size band; confirm yours with Commerce.
Tier 2 Early Adopter Program
$150M fund · $138M+ still available
$0.30 per sq ft, or $0.75 per sq ft for multifamily owners who sign an Anti-Displacement Agreement (or the cost of compliance, whichever is lower). About $11.8M awarded as of Sept. 24, 2026 (11.8 ÷ 150 = 7.9%). Applications are due by July 1, 2027, first come, first served.
Source: WA Commerce, Tier 2 incentives
Utility rebates stack on top
- Seattle City Light: pays on kWh saved above code, covers controls upgrades, commercial retrofits, midstream equipment and commissioning. It cannot pay for gas-to-electric fuel switching, and projects must be signed up before work starts. 2026 commercial retrofit incentives (PDF)
- Puget Sound Energy and Pacific Power: programs for audits, HVAC, controls and water heating outside Seattle City Light territory. Pacific Power Clean Buildings page
- Federal and tax strategies: depreciation, cost segregation and energy-efficient building credits can improve the math. Talk to your tax advisor.
One team from audit to commissioning
You do not have to coordinate an auditor, an engineer, a mechanical contractor and an electrician. We bring the compliance side and the build side together.
Compliance & energy management
Delivered with Omni Mechanical Inc.’s energy management partner, led by a Certified Energy Manager.
- Energy benchmarking in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
- Third-party benchmarking data verification (Seattle BEPS)
- ASHRAE Level II energy audits
- Operations & Maintenance program and Energy Management Plan
- Greenhouse gas reports and compliance plans
- Qualified Energy Manager registration and audit defense
- Incentive identification, application and filing
- Submission to Commerce and the City of Seattle
Mechanical & electrical upgrades (Omni)
- Heat pump water heating plants replacing gas boilers and water heaters
- Corridor and make-up air units converted to heat pumps
- Chiller, cooling tower, boiler and water-source heat pump plant replacement
- Building automation, controls upgrades, sequences and VFDs
- Design, engineering coordination and permitting
- Crane lifts, structural support and rooftop logistics
- Seattle gas-code exception planning for replacement equipment
- Commissioning, startup and ongoing maintenance
Replacing gas equipment in Seattle
The Seattle Energy Code generally requires heat pumps when gas space-heating or water-heating equipment is replaced. There are limited exceptions, for example keeping up to half the capacity on gas as a supplement with a decarbonization plan, or a like-for-like replacement when the electrical service upgrade would be disproportionately expensive. We evaluate which path fits your building before you commit.
Electrical capacity and load studies
Electrifying heat and hot water adds electrical load. We handle the electrical side of the HVAC scope: load calculations and capacity studies, panel and service evaluation, feeder and disconnect work, and utility coordination, so you know before you commit whether the building can carry the new equipment.
Save 10–90% on compliance work you have to do anyway
Same required compliance. 10% to 90% less than local engineering firms quoted.
On two recent multi-building Seattle projects, the owner collected compliance quotes from five local engineering, testing and energy firms. Our complete package came in 12% to 92% below every one of them.
What our package includes
- Onsite energy audit (ASHRAE Level II)
- Operations & Maintenance program
- Energy Management Plan
- Greenhouse gas emissions accounting report (Seattle BEPS)
- Third-party benchmarking data verification
- Benchmarking setup and annual benchmarking
- All submissions to Commerce and the City of Seattle
- Early adopter incentive application and filing
- Travel included, no surprise add-ons
Where some firms differ
Some engineering firms bundle project engineering and engineer-prepared cost estimates for every upgrade into their compliance fee. We keep those separate so you are not paying for design before you know what you want to build.
- Upgrade budgets: Omni’s estimators price the recommended upgrades at no cost.
- Engineering when you are ready: when you decide to develop a project, our licensed engineering partners provide MEP, electrical and structural design, stamped drawings and permitting.
- Build and maintain: Omni installs, commissions and services the equipment.
Some quotes we compared did not include the audit or the O&M program at all. Always compare scope line by line.
How we calculated the savings
Savings = 1 − (our package price ÷ competitor quote). Project 1 (4 buildings): 18%, 49%, 57%, 60%, 85%, 92% below the quotes received (one firm gave a range). Project 2 (2 buildings): 12%, 21%, 45%, 54%, 83%, 89%. Our price includes our project management. Your savings depend on building count, size and scope.
How it works
Kick-off
We collect drawings, as-builts, utility bills and access to your Portfolio Manager account.
Audit & plan
Site visits, Level II audit, and a ranked list of your biggest energy users and best-return upgrades.
File & capture
Compliance reports go to the state and city. Incentive applications go in early.
Build
Design, permit, procure and install the upgrades, then commission and maintain them.
Estimate your incentive and penalty exposure
Estimates only, built from published Commerce and Seattle figures. Actual incentives depend on approved applications, funds remaining and project costs; actual penalties are set by the agencies.
Frequently asked questions
Does my building have to comply?
Washington Clean Buildings applies to commercial buildings over 20,000 sq ft and multifamily buildings over 20,000 sq ft. Seattle BEPS applies to buildings over 20,000 sq ft inside city limits. Parking area is excluded from the size count.
What is a Qualified Energy Manager?
A qualified professional who develops the Energy Management Plan and O&M program, registers with the state, and supports reporting and audit defense. Tier 2 compliance requires one.
Is an energy audit required?
The programs do not explicitly require an audit, but an ASHRAE Level II audit is the most reliable way to gather the data the reports need, and it can also qualify for utility rebates.
Can I get paid for compliance work?
Often, yes. The Tier 1 and Tier 2 early adopter programs pay per square foot to owners who comply, and utility rebates can offset equipment upgrades. Funds are limited and first come, first served, so early filing matters.
Does Seattle City Light pay for gas-to-electric conversions?
No. Seattle City Light does not incentivize fuel switching, but it does pay for efficiency above code on electric equipment, controls and commissioning. Sign up before starting work: retroactive incentives are not available.
For all things mechanical, think Omni!
Tell us your address and square footage and we will tell you which standard applies, when it is due, and what money is still available.
425-906-7700 requests@omnimechusa.com