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Helping Washington Building Owners Meet the Moment: Early Progress Under the Clean Buildings Performance Standard
Across Washington, building owners aren’t waiting for the Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS) deadlines to start taking action. They are getting ahead of it.
In the months leading up to the first compliance milestone, organizations took a hard look at their buildings, aligned teams and made targeted improvements to meet new requirements. The result: early wins that show compliance can strengthen operations and reduce risk along the way.
With the right plan and partner, what could have been a complex regulatory hurdle has become a clear, manageable path forward.
Supporting Clients Through the First Compliance Milestone
In the lead-up to the June 1, 2026, Tier 1.A deadline, commercial and institutional building owners worked to understand requirements, evaluate performance and take action.
McKinstry partnered with clients to translate complex regulations into practical, achievable steps, focusing not just on meeting the deadline, but on building a foundation that can carry into future phases.
Together, these efforts are already delivering measurable results, including:
- More than 130 CBPS compliance submissions completed, with additional applications in progress
- Over 31 million square feet supported through the compliance process
- Approximately $46.8 million in potential penalties avoided
- About 9% of all statewide approved square footage to date
These outcomes reflect meaningful progress for organizations working to improve performance while maintaining day-to-day operations.
Navigating Complexity at Scale
Each building brings unique challenges, from aging infrastructure to shifting operational demands. Across this first cycle, the average building supported exceeded 234,000 square feet, underscoring both the size and complexity of the work.
To move forward, building owners are aligning multiple efforts into a cohesive strategy, including:
- Energy benchmarking and performance tracking
- Strategic facility assessments and compliance planning
- Existing building commissioning and operational improvements
- Energy management planning (EMP) and O&M support
- Incentive and grant alignment
- Capital project implementation
Bringing these elements together replaces fragmented efforts with a clearer, more coordinated approach, supporting both near-term requirements and long-term performance.
Progress Built Through Coordination
CBPS compliance extends beyond a single submission. It requires coordination across teams, partners and timelines.
Owners, operators, consultants and technical experts are working together to create consistency, from initial benchmarking through long-term planning. This integrated approach embeds compliance into a broader operational strategy rather than treating it as a one-time milestone.
Looking Ahead: Preparing for What’s Next
With additional CBPS phases ahead, including the June 2027 Tier 1.B deadline, more buildings and portfolios will enter the process.
While these facilities are often smaller, participation will expand, driving increased demand for planning, benchmarking and implementation support.
Organizations that begin preparing now will be better positioned to manage costs, reduce risk and navigate future requirements with confidence. Key steps include assessing current conditions, identifying improvement opportunities and developing a phased compliance roadmap.
Building Momentum
Washington’s Clean Buildings Performance Standard is driving a broader shift in how building performance is managed.
For owners, it presents an opportunity to strengthen operations, advance sustainability goals and improve resilience over time. McKinstry continues to support clients at each stage, helping translate complex requirements into clear, actionable strategies that deliver measurable results.
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