Washington Clean Buildings Performance Standard · Tier 2
A 30,000 sq ft building could earn about $9,000.2 We prepare your Tier 2 filing for a flat fee per building. Funding is first-come, first-served, and the deadline is July 1, 2027.1
Reviewed and signed by a credentialed Qualified Energy Manager
Incentives are paid directly to you by your utility, typically 4–8 weeks after Commerce reserves them.3
Estimate your incentiveFees and quotes
For buildings of 20,001 to 50,000 sq ft (nonresidential) and multifamily buildings over 20,000 sq ft.
Commerce figures as of October 24, 2026; facts checked October 26, 2026.
- WA Dept. of Commerce, Tier 2 Early Adopter Incentive Program page, figures as of Oct. 24, 2026: nearly $13.6M awarded; over $136M remaining of $150M. commerce.wa.gov Source
- Base incentive is $0.30 per sq ft of eligible gross floor area (RCW 19.27A.220). Multifamily owners signing an Anti-Displacement Agreement may get up to $0.75/sq ft or the cost of compliance, whichever is lower. Estimates only. Not guaranteed: incentives are paid by participating utilities from available tax credits, first-come, first-served, and may be partial, delayed or zero. Requires full compliance (not an extension) and a participating utility. Source
- Commerce program update (Clean Buildings Bulletin), Oct. 22, 2026. Timing varies by utility and starts after Commerce review. Source
IThe practice
Clean Buildings Associates prepares the complete Washington Clean Buildings Tier 2 compliance package for a flat fee per building. A partner Qualified Energy Manager reviews it, signs and submits. Your part takes about two hours.
Included in every package
- Benchmarking
- ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager property, 12+ months of utility data, data requests to your utilities.
- Forms B and C
- Draft energy use intensity target (EUIt) inputs and measured EUI, for the QEM to confirm.
- Equipment inventory
- Built from your nameplate photos or a short video walk-round.
- O&M program and proof
- Operations and maintenance program, plus the proof-of-implementation pack: PM logs, CMMS screenshots or service contracts.
- Energy Management Plan
- Written to Commerce's template or an equivalent, with the required reporting tools.
- Incentive enrollment
- Early Adopter Incentive application, with Exhibit A for multifamily owners.
- Deficiency responses
- Answered within five business days, at no extra charge.
Who signs
Every package is reviewed and signed by a Qualified Energy Manager (QEM) who meets Washington's definition. The QEM must be designated by the building owner and qualify by one of two routes.
Route A: Commerce training plus experience
Completed Commerce's Clean Buildings Tier 2 training, and at least one of:
- Two years of educational or professional experience with commercial building operations or building energy management
- A full-time energy-efficiency fellowship or internship of six months or more, supervised by a QEM, Qualified Person or qualified energy auditor, that produced a successful compliance application
- Building Operator Certification (BOC) Level I
Route B: a Qualified Person
Training, expertise and three years of professional experience in building energy use analysis, plus any of:
- Washington-licensed professional architect or engineer
- Building Operator Certification (BOC) Level II
- Building commissioning provider certified by an ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024:2012 accredited organization
- Qualified energy auditor
- Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Association of Energy Engineers, in current standing
- Energy Management Professional (EMP), Energy Management Association
- South Seattle College Sustainable Building Science Technology B.A.S. degree, or an equivalent approved by Commerce
Source, checked October 27, 2026 WAC 194-50-030, definitions of qualified energy manager and qualified person (as amended by WSR 26-15-112, effective Aug. 21, 2026); consistent with Commerce guidance CBPS 017, Roles and Responsibilities, v3.0, published July 30, 2026. Commerce does not vet QEMs; owners confirm qualifications. Our partner QEM will be listed by name and credential, with permission, once an agreement is signed.
IIProcess
Four steps, in order
- 01
Estimate and coverage check
Send the address, floor area, use and utilities. We confirm Tier 2 coverage, check exemptions and estimate the incentive. No charge.
- 02
Engagement and utility data
You sign our engagement terms (a deposit at signing, or a smaller one if you pay after approval) and the utility data authorizations. Utility data is the slow step: a couple of days to about four weeks.
- 03
Preparation
We build the Portfolio Manager property, Form B and C drafts, equipment inventory, O&M program and proof pack, Energy Management Plan and reporting tools.
- 04
Review, signature, submission
Our partner Qualified Energy Manager reviews the package independently and signs Form A with you and your energy manager, then submits it with your incentive enrollment.
Filings for Tier 2 buildings are due July 1, 2027. Most packages take three to six weeks of our time, mostly waiting on utility data.
IIIRequirements
What Tier 2 asks of an owner
- Benchmark
- Twelve or more months of whole-building energy use in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, reported as EUI (Form C) against an energy use intensity target (EUIt, Form B).
- Energy Management Plan
- A written plan for how the building's energy use is managed, tracked and improved, on Commerce's template or an equivalent.
- O&M program and proof
- An operations and maintenance program for the building's equipment, plus proof it is being carried out.
A Washington building is Tier 2 if its nonresidential, hotel, motel and dormitory floor area is more than 20,000 and no more than 50,000 gross sq ft (excluding parking garage), or it is multifamily residential over 20,000 gross sq ft. Federal and tribal-owned buildings are not covered. Tier 2 buildings must identify an EUIt but do not yet have to meet it. The penalty for not submitting is up to $0.30 per square foot.
Some buildings qualify for an exemption instead; those applications are due by about January 1, 2027. Full requirements, with sources.
IVEstimate
The incentive is paid by your utility after Commerce certifies full compliance. We never handle it.
VFees
Fees
Quoted per building · reply within one business day
- Flat fee per building
One fixed price per building, agreed in writing before any work starts. Never a percentage of your incentive.
- QEM review and signature included
A credentialed partner Qualified Energy Manager independently reviews, signs Form A and submits.
- Volume pricing for portfolios
Lower per-building fees for three or more buildings with the same owner or property manager.
- Pay-after-approval option
Start with a small deposit; the balance is due once Commerce accepts the filing.
- Responses to Commerce questions included
If Commerce asks questions or sends a deficiency notice, we prepare the responses within five business days at no extra charge.
Also available: a bring-your-own-QEM package, exemption or extension applications, and an optional upkeep plan.
Email [email protected] with the building address and floor area. We reply within one business day with a written quote, a coverage check and an incentive estimate.
VIWork product
What a finished package looks like
Pages from a complete sample package, prepared for a fictional building so you can judge the work before you engage us.
VIIHow we are organized
Who does what, and who stands behind it
The partner QEM model
We prepare roughly 80% of the work. An independent Qualified Energy Manager, under a written partner agreement, reviews the package, sets the EUIt, signs Form A with you and your energy manager, and submits. The QEM may decline to sign, and we never press for a signature.
Clean Buildings Associates never signs, attests, stamps or does engineering, and never holds your portal or utility passwords. Partner QEM: [listed by name and credential, with permission, once signed]. How QEM qualification works.
The entity
- Legal name
- Voraus LLC
- Based in
- Seattle, Washington
- Principal
- Roy Krebs
- Trade name
- Clean Buildings Associates [WA trade-name registration: pending]
- WA UBI
- [WA UBI: pending]
- Seattle license
- [Seattle business license: pending]
Sources, dated
Every figure on this site is taken from a Commerce page, guidance document or statute, and re-checked monthly. Last checked October 26, 2026.
- WA Dept. of Commerce, Tier 2 Early Adopter Incentive Program page (last updated Oct. 26, 2026)
- WA Dept. of Commerce, CBPS Tier 2 compliance page
- WA Dept. of Commerce, Tier 2 Incentive Participating Utilities list (Smartsheet, linked from the incentive page)
- WA Dept. of Commerce, Clean Buildings Bulletin, Oct. 22, 2026 (reposted by BOMA Greater Seattle)
- Commerce guidance CBPS 017, Roles and Responsibilities, v3.0, published July 30, 2026
- Commerce guidance CBPS 016, Compliance Forms (updated June 26, 2025)
- Commerce guidance CBPS 028, Tier 2 Compliance through Exemption, published Aug. 4, 2026
- Commerce guidance CBPS 044, Extension Guidance, published July 17, 2026
- RCW 19.27A.220 (early adoption incentive program)
VIIIAlternatives
Other ways to file
| Option | Cost | What you get | Who signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | $0 plus your time | Free Commerce templates, free QEM training, the free Smart Buildings Center helpdesk, utility accelerator programs. | You, or staff with QEM training |
| Clean Buildings Associates | One flat fee per building, quoted on request, QEM review and signature included | We prepare everything; about two hours of your time. Responses to Commerce questions included. | Partner QEM |
| Other private Tier 2 services | About $2,250 to $5,750 published; some take a share of the incentive instead | Draft-only preparation, preparation plus a partner QEM, software-led filing, or a team of QEMs. Named examples are in the questions below. | Your QEM, their partner QEM, or their own QEMs |
| Engineering or energy firm | Often $5,000 or more (quotes vary; one publishes $12,000) | Full service, often with site visits and broader engineering. | The firm's QEM or Qualified Person |
Other services' prices are as they published them on Oct. 27, 2026, and may have changed; ask each provider for a current quote. General comparison, not a review of any company.
Free resources: Commerce CBPS templates and guidance · Smart Buildings Center, Clean Buildings Helpdesk (free). We are not the Clean Buildings Helpdesk.
IXQuestions
Questions owners ask
Is my building Tier 2?
Probably, if it is in Washington and its nonresidential, hotel, motel and dormitory floor area is more than 20,000 and no more than 50,000 gross sq ft (excluding parking garage), or it is a multifamily building over 20,000 gross sq ft. Federal and tribal-owned buildings are not covered. Commerce mailed notification letters to owners. (Source: Commerce Tier 2 compliance page, checked Oct. 26, 2026.)
What's the deadline and the penalty?
Tier 2 compliance must be submitted by July 1, 2027, then every five years. Commerce may assess penalties for failing to submit, capped at $0.30 per sq ft. (Source: Commerce Tier 2 compliance page, checked Oct. 26, 2026.)
How much is the incentive, and is it certain?
No, it is not guaranteed. The base incentive is $0.30 per sq ft of eligible gross floor area; multifamily owners who sign an Anti-Displacement Agreement may get up to $0.75 per sq ft or the cost of compliance, whichever is lower. Your utility pays it, not us, from its available public utility tax credits, so payments may be partial, delayed or zero. (Source: Commerce incentive page, checked Oct. 26, 2026.)
When would the incentive arrive?
After Commerce reviews and certifies your compliance and reserves the incentive, Commerce reported in October 2026 that utility payment timelines range from four to eight weeks. Commerce's own review time is not published. Your utility may ask you for a W-9. (Source: Clean Buildings Bulletin, Oct. 22, 2026.)
Who has to sign? What's a QEM?
Tier 2 compliance requires a Qualified Energy Manager (QEM). Per Commerce guidance CBPS 017 (v3.0, July 30, 2026), a QEM has completed Commerce's free Tier 2 training and has two years of building-operations or energy-management experience (or a supervised fellowship, or BOC Level I), or is a Qualified Person. Form A is signed by the building owner, the energy manager and the QEM. Clean Buildings Associates never signs; our partner QEM does.
Can my property manager or chief engineer be the QEM?
Yes, if they meet the CBPS 017 qualifications, including Commerce's free Tier 2 training. If they do, our bring-your-own-QEM package fits: we prepare everything and they review, sign and submit.
Should I file an extension instead?
Only if you truly need more time. A two-year extension can be requested between six months before and six months after the deadline (Jan. 1, 2027 to Jan. 1, 2028 for Tier 2), but an extension does not earn the incentive. (Source: Commerce Tier 2 compliance page and CBPS 044.)
Can I do this myself for free?
Yes. Commerce publishes free templates (Energy Management Plan template, O&M Program Development Tool, reporting tools) at commerce.wa.gov/cbps, offers free QEM training, and the Smart Buildings Center runs a free Clean Buildings Helpdesk. Many utilities also offer free Clean Buildings Accelerator programs. We're for owners who would rather pay a flat fee than do it themselves.
How do you compare with other Tier 2 services?
Several private companies now offer Washington Tier 2 help. Their published terms, checked Oct. 27, 2026 (prices change, so ask each for a current quote): Evergreen Compliance drafts the documents for your own QEM for $2,250 per building. Tier 2 Desk charges $3,900 with its partner QEM or $2,400 with yours. Tier Two Partners charges $0.12 per eligible sq ft for one building plus a separate QEM fee. Easy BPS (Pilotlight) charges $5,500. Sheehan Engineering charges $5,750 for virtual service. Vert charges $12,000. WA Energy Managers describes a team of Qualified Energy Managers, publishes no price, and says its fee comes out of your incentive, quoted in writing in advance. Some engineering and mechanical firms quote building by building. We charge one flat fee per building with review and signature by our partner QEM included, with portfolio pricing, a lower fee if you bring your own QEM, and a pay-after-approval option. Ask us for a quote. Whoever you choose, the incentive is paid by your participating utility after Commerce certifies compliance, and it is not guaranteed.
What if Commerce asks questions about the filing?
We answer them. If Commerce sends questions or a deficiency notice after submission, we prepare the responses within five business days, at no extra charge, for the QEM to review and resubmit. Commerce review times vary, and Commerce decides whether a filing is accepted.
Are you the Clean Buildings Helpdesk?
No. The free Clean Buildings Helpdesk is run by the Smart Buildings Center (smartbuildingscenter.org), and some utilities run their own help desks. Clean Buildings Associates is a separate, private, paid service operated by Voraus LLC.
Are you affiliated with WA Commerce, the Clean Buildings Helpdesk, or a cleaning company?
No. Clean Buildings Associates is a private company (Voraus LLC). We are not affiliated with the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Smart Buildings Center's Clean Buildings Helpdesk, or any cleaning or janitorial company. "Clean Buildings" in our name refers to Washington's Clean Buildings Performance Standard, the law we help owners file under.
What do I have to do?
About 2 hours in total: a short questionnaire, signing utility data authorizations, sending equipment nameplate photos (or a short video walk-round), creating your Clean Buildings Portal account and granting shared access, and signing Form A.
How long does it take?
Usually 3 to 6 weeks of our time. The slowest step is utility data: getting 12 months of usage into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager can take from a couple of days to about 4 weeks depending on the utility and tenant authorizations.
Multifamily: what's the Anti-Displacement Agreement?
Multifamily owners who rent to residential tenants and sign Commerce's Anti-Displacement Agreement (Exhibit A) may be eligible for the enhanced incentive of up to $0.75 per sq ft or the estimated cost of compliance, whichever is lower. Read the agreement before signing; it adds tenant-protection commitments.
Are you part of the state?
No. Clean Buildings Associates is a private company (Voraus LLC). We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Washington State Department of Commerce.
Do you visit the building?
Usually not. We work from your utility data, documents, nameplate photos and a short video walk-round. If a site visit is needed, we'll quote it first.
What happens after compliance?
Tier 2 reporting repeats every five years, and the O&M program and energy management plan must keep being implemented. Our optional upkeep plan handles the annual Portfolio Manager update and reminders.
XCorrespondence
Write to [email protected] with the building address and floor area, and we will reply within one business day with a coverage check and an incentive estimate.
Clean Buildings Associates is run from Seattle by Roy Krebs and operated by Voraus LLC. Telephone [NEW DEDICATED PHONE, TBD].