Simplified commissioning for greater efficiency
Our Building Tune-up program is a simplified option for building owners who want to implement low- and no-cost energy-efficiency opportunities without the full commissioning process. The program helps you analyze your building’s energy consumption, leverage your building operator’s expertise to implement efficiency measures, and earn incentives.
What you get
If you qualify for our Building Tune-Up program, you will receive:
- A comprehensive on-site review of your facility's systems once committed.
- Recommendations for low- and no-cost operational and maintenance (O&M) improvements.
- Identified capital projects, including energy-efficiency upgrades.
- Training for O&M staff to identify, track and maintain energy savings.
- Tune-up report documenting how to operate your building efficiently and to maintain realized energy savings.
Implementation incentive
Once the tune-up has been implemented and all required training and documentation provided, you’ll receive the implementation incentive. This incentive is provided for the successful completion of the tune-up process and is not tied to how well the building has performed up to this point.
$5,000$4,000$2,000
75% of commissioning professional’s feeThese incentive amounts are the minimum implementation incentive amounts and will increase for buildings over 100,000 square feet.
First-year performance incentive
Once the building maintains efficient operation for one year after receiving the implementation incentive, earn an additional incentive if you’ve reached the 6% savings target. Most projects see a 60%–70% reimbursement of eligible project costs, including commissioning and improvement investments.
You also have the option to implement monitor-based commissioning measures (read more here), which would qualify for a second-year performance incentive at the rates listed below.
$0.05/kWh saved
$0.80/therm saved100% of eligible project costs**The maximum total incentive is 100% of eligible project costs for those projects realizing exceptional energy savings. Most projects receive total incentives covering 60%–70% of eligible project costs. Eligible project costs include commissioning provider’s fee, cost of operational improvement(s) and/or energy-efficiency upgrades.
How you qualify
Knowing that each building is unique in operation and characteristics, below is a quick list of indicators of your building’s potential. How do you know this program is for you?
- Building has 50,000 or more square feet of conditioned space and is at least 75% occupied.
- Building is managed by automated controls.
- Energy use is higher than expected and/or trending upward.
- Maintenance has been deferred to some extent.
- Building O&M staff desires efficiency training.
Commitments
A successful tune-up project is the result of understanding and commitment to the PSE requirements and tune-up process prior to getting started. Below are some key contributing factors:
- Management commitment
- Dedicated staff time
- Implementation of identified opportunities*
*The customer is only required to implement measures that have a two-year (or less) simple payback with a total implementation cost of no more than the following for each type of customer: $0.15 per square foot for dual-fuel customers, $0.10 per square foot for electric-only customers, and $0.10 per square foot for gas-only customers.
How you apply
To get pre-approved for the Building Tune-Up program, complete the online custom grant application.
Additional information
Find a tune-up specialist
All of PSE’s commissioning and tune-up programs require a minimum level of experience in addition to a high-level understanding of building energy using systems. Successful providers have strong interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to investigate, implement and verify energy-efficiency opportunities.
PSE and the City of Seattle, through NEEC, maintain an updated list of prequalified specialists who are qualified to participate in our Building Tune-Up program. We encourage you to find a professional from that list. If you have a person you wish to use that is not preapproved by PSE or the City of Seattle, you can submit the tune-up specialist application to receive pre-approval.
Watch this video to learn more
Hear from Jason Hyatt, our commissioning program manager, to learn more about our three commissioning programs and how they can help you. This video is a recording of a Coffee and Conversation virtual event from March 2023.
