Clean Building Performance Grants in Washington State

The building sector plays a central role in Washington State’s climate and energy strategy. Commercial and multifamily buildings account for a significant share of statewide energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions, largely due to long asset lifecycles and historically inconsistent performance requirements. To address this challenge, Washington has implemented the Clean Buildings Performance Standard, a policy framework that shifts building regulation away from prescriptive measures toward measurable energy outcomes. Within this framework, the Clean Building Performance Grants program administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce is designed to support building owners as they move toward compliance, while also accelerating broader market adoption of energy management best practices.

Overview of the Clean Building Performance Grants Program

The Clean Building Performance Grants program provides financial support to help covered buildings meet the requirements of the Clean Buildings Performance Standard. The grants are structured primarily as reimbursements for eligible compliance-related activities rather than as direct capital subsidies for major retrofits. This approach reflects the program’s near-term objective, which is to ensure that building owners can complete the foundational steps required under the standard, including understanding current energy performance, establishing management systems, and identifying cost-effective efficiency opportunities.

Administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce, the program is funded through the Climate Commitment Act, which channels revenue from the state’s cap-and-invest system into emissions reduction initiatives. For the current funding cycle, Commerce has allocated approximately five million dollars specifically for Clean Buildings compliance support, with funding availability extending through March 2026. By bundling this grant opportunity within a broader request for applications that also includes energy audit and retrofit programs, the state aims to reduce administrative burden and improve access for building owners.

Eligibility Criteria and Covered Activities

Eligibility for Clean Building Performance Grants is tied directly to coverage under the Clean Buildings Performance Standard. The program primarily targets Tier 1 covered buildings, defined as nonresidential buildings larger than 50,000 square feet, as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 covered public buildings. Privately owned Tier 1 and Tier 2 multifamily buildings are also eligible for certain components of the program, particularly those related to energy audits.

The grants can be used to reimburse a range of activities required or strongly encouraged under the standard. These include whole-building energy benchmarking using approved tools, professional energy audits that assess current performance and identify efficiency measures, and the development of Energy Management Plans. Funding can also support the creation of Operations and Maintenance plans, which focus on improving performance through operational adjustments rather than capital-intensive upgrades. By emphasizing these activities, the program helps building owners establish the data, processes, and internal capacity needed to manage energy use on an ongoing basis.

Application Process and Funding Structure

Clean Building Performance Grants are awarded through a competitive application process managed by the Department of Commerce. Applicants are required to demonstrate that their buildings are covered under the Clean Buildings Performance Standard and that proposed activities align with eligible uses of funds. Because the grants operate on a reimbursement basis, building owners typically must incur costs upfront and then seek reimbursement upon completion of approved activities and submission of required documentation.

Application Timeline:

• Applications for the current funding cycle opened in December 2025 and close on March 4, 2026.
• Contracts with successful applicants may begin as early as May 11, 2026, aligning grant delivery with upcoming compliance milestones.

How to apply:

• Applications are submitted through the Washington State Department of Commerce Clean Buildings Compliance Support request for applications.
• Applicants must document building eligibility, describe proposed compliance activities, and outline associated costs.
• Approved costs are reimbursed after completion of activities and submission of required reporting and verification materials.

The funding opportunity remains open through early 2026, subject to availability of funds. This timeline is intended to align with compliance deadlines under the Clean Buildings Performance Standard, giving building owners flexibility to plan audits, engage service providers, and integrate energy management into normal operational cycles. From a policy perspective, this structure also allows the state to scale support over time as awareness and participation increase.

Policy Context and Expected Impacts

The Clean Building Performance Grants program sits within a broader ecosystem of building decarbonization policies in Washington State. The Clean Buildings Performance Standard establishes mandatory energy performance targets, while complementary incentives and technical assistance programs help reduce barriers to compliance. Together, these measures are intended to drive sustained reductions in energy use intensity across the existing building stock.

From an economic standpoint, improved energy performance can translate into lower operating costs, reduced exposure to energy price volatility, and enhanced asset value. Environmentally, even incremental efficiency gains across large buildings can deliver substantial emissions reductions at the state level. Over time, the data generated through benchmarking and energy management planning is also expected to improve market transparency, supporting better investment decisions by owners, tenants, and lenders.

Conclusion

Clean Building Performance Grants represent a pragmatic tool within Washington State’s transition toward a lower-carbon built environment. By focusing on compliance readiness and energy management fundamentals, the program addresses a critical gap between policy ambition and on-the-ground implementation. For building owners, the grants reduce financial and operational risk associated with new performance requirements. For the state, they help ensure that the Clean Buildings Performance Standard delivers measurable energy and emissions outcomes. As compliance deadlines approach, participation in the grant program is likely to play an important role in shaping how effectively Washington’s building sector responds to its climate goals.

Reference

• Washington State Department of Commerce: Clean Buildings Performance Grants Program https://www.commerce.wa.gov/cbps/cbps-grants-incentives/cbps-performance-grants/
• Washington State Department of Commerce: Clean Buildings Performance Standard Overview https://www.commerce.wa.gov/cbps/