Update: Feb. 19, 2026, Woodland Elementary School received notice of Tier 2 compliance.

Puyallup School District is making steady progress toward compliance with Washington State’s Clean Buildings Act through its PowerED energy management program. This work focuses on improving building performance, reducing energy use, and preparing school facilities to meet state-required energy standards. 

Facility improvements included in the 2024 Capital Levy were previously identified through the district’s long-term building renewal assessments and deferred maintenance program. Voter approval of the levy provided the funding needed to implement these planned projects. As a result, the district has been able to submit multiple school buildings for early evaluation under the Clean Buildings Act, extending the compliance timeline to July 2032 and positioning the district ahead of state deadlines. 

Progress Update 

The district recently received notification of successful Clean Building compliance submissions. The district received confirmation letters for the following schools: 

• Zeiger Elementary 
• Wildwood Elementary 
• Fruitland Elementary 
• Brouillet Elementary 
• Maplewood Elementary 
• Ridgecrest Elementary 
• Karshner Elementary 
• Stewart Elementary 
• Spinning Elementary 
• Waller Road Elementary 

To date, ten Tier 2 buildings have been approved by the Department of Commerce as compliant. These ten schools qualify for early adopters' incentives through the Department of Commerce.  

Snapshot: Overall Facility Status 

Category	Number of Buildings
Total Tier 1 and Tier 2 facilities	34
Buildings currently in compliance	10
Buildings submitted under PowerED	11
Buildings with critical energy gaps	4
Buildings in evaluation or planning	25

Energy incentives realized through building improvements have helped offset the cost of the program, and ongoing efficiency gains are expected to generate continued savings for the district over time. 

Risk Level	Meaning
High	Significant energy upgrades needed soon to meet state deadlines
Moderate	Improvements needed, but timelines are less immediate
Low	Near compliance or already compliant
Compliance	Meets state energy performance standards

PSD PowerED energy management program progress to date

Category	Site	First Penalty	Compliance Deadline	Status
Compliance	Zieger Elementary	$ 14,118.90	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Wildwood Elementary	$14,989.50	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Fruitland Elementary	$13,716.90	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Brouillet Elementary	$14,009.40	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Maplewood Elementary	$13,086.30	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Ridgecrest Elementary	$12,668.10	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Karshner Elementary	$9,433.50	June 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Woodland Elementary	$14,019.30	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Stewart Elementary	$13,398.90	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Spinning Elementary	$11,186.10	July 1, 2027	Meeting EUIt
	Waller Road Elementary	$11,761.80	July 1, 2027	Submitted
	Educational Services Center	$6,678.60	July 1, 2027	In Progress
	Kessler Center	$13,234.80	July 1, 2027	In Progress
	Hunt Elementary	$110,300.00		In Progress
	Northwood Elementary	$128,294.00	June 1, 2028	In Progress
	Firgrove Elementary	$145,337.00	June 1, 2027	In Progress
	Dessie F Evans Elementary	$145,337.00	June 1, 2027	In Progress
	Ferrucci Junior High	$180,783.50	June 1, 2027	In Progress
	Doris Stahl Junior High	$173,646.50	June 1, 2027	In Progress
	Warren Hunt Elementary	$110,300.00	June 1, 2028	In Progress
	Kalles Junior High	$178,850.00	June 1, 2027	In Progress
	Pope Elementary	$123,434.00	June 1, 2028	In Progress
	Sunrise Elementary	$133,802.00	June 1, 2028	In Progress
	Shaw Road Elementary	$104,202.50	June 1, 2028
High	Ballou Junior High	$ 173,603.00	June 1, 2027	Energy Efficiency Measures
	Puyallup High School	$ 315,998.00	June 1, 2027	Energy Efficiency Measures
	Rogers High School	$ 318,824.00	June 1, 2027	Energy Efficiency Measures
	Glacier View Junior High	$163,826	June 1, 2027	Energy Efficiency Measures
Moderate	Edgemont Junior High	$124,659	June 1, 2028
	Emerald Ridge High School	$309,678.50	June 1, 2027	In progress
Low	Aylen Elementary	$177,588.50	June 1, 2027	In progress
	Edgerton Elementary	$112,100	June 1, 2028	In progress

*The demolition of the Library Science Building changed the square footage and bumped our compliance date from June 1, 2026, to June 1, 2027.  For more information on projects already identified in the 2024 Capital Levy, visit our web page at http://www.puyallupsd.org/levy.  

Submitting buildings ahead of schedule allows the district to better plan upgrades, coordinate funding, and reduce long-term risk of penalties. 

What’s Next 

The district will continue implementing building upgrades identified in the 2024 Capital Levy as funding becomes available. Capital levy revenues are received twice each year through tax collections, which determines the pace at which projects can move forward. 

Key Deadlines

Timeframe	What It Means for PSD
2025	Upgrades required for Puyallup High School
2026	Additional upgrades needed for buildings with critical EUI gaps
2027	Four additional schools must meet standards
2028	Additional schools reach compliance deadlines
By July 2032	Extended evaluation deadline due to early submissions

At the same time, the PowerED team will continue pursuing state, federal, and utility grants to help offset the cost of energy improvements. Information about grant requests and awards is available on the district’s website at www.puyallupsd.org/grants. 

By combining voter-approved capital funding, external grants, and long-term facility planning, the district is working to advance upgrades strategically, reduce the risk of state penalties, and minimize potential impacts to classroom resources and student programs. 

“We are committed to making smart investments in our facilities that keep our schools safe, efficient, and ready for learning. By proactively planning upgrades and meeting state energy requirements, we not only comply with the Clean Buildings Act but also ensure that every dollar works to support students and staff in the classroom.” Brady Martin, Executive Director of Construction, Maintenance & Facilities Planning 

Puyallup School District’s progress under the Clean Buildings Act reflects years of facility planning, responsible use of voter-approved capital funds, and a coordinated approach to energy management through the PowerED program. Early submissions and targeted upgrades have positioned the district ahead of key state deadlines while addressing long-standing infrastructure needs across schools. 

As compliance requirements accelerate in the coming years, the district will continue balancing facility improvements, fiscal responsibility, and educational priorities. Ongoing investments in building performance not only support compliance with state law but also improve learning environments, reduce long-term operating costs, and help protect resources dedicated to students and classrooms. 

Through continued planning, partnerships, and transparent reporting, the district remains committed to maintaining safe, efficient, and sustainable school facilities for students, staff, and the community. 


 

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KEEP LEARNING

Background: Washington State Clean Buildings Act

The Washington State Clean Buildings Act (House Bill 1257) is a statewide policy designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from commercial buildings. Public schools are classified as commercial buildings under this law. 

Commercial buildings are the second-largest source of energy consumption and emissions in Washington State, after transportation. Because school buildings rely heavily on heating, cooling, lighting, and technology systems, they are included in the law’s requirements. 

The Clean Buildings Act establishes energy performance standards based on a metric called Energy Use Intensity (EUI). 

What is Energy Use Intensity (EUI)? 

Energy Use Intensity measures how much energy a building uses per square foot each year. Each building is assigned as an EUI target based on its size and function. To comply with state law, buildings must demonstrate energy use at or below their target. 

District Facilities and Compliance Requirements 

Puyallup School District has 34 facilities classified as Tier 1 and Tier 2 under the Clean Buildings Act. 

• Tier 1 buildings: Non-residential buildings larger than 50,000 square feet 
• Tier 2 buildings: Non-residential buildings between 20,000 and 50,000 square feet Smaller qualifying facilities 

Currently, seventeen district buildings meet the state’s energy performance standards. An additional nine buildings are Tier 2 buildings and not required to meet energy targets for this round of compliance (2026-2028). A total of 26 district buildings are ready to meet compliance and in progress of submitting Clean Buildings compliance applications. The district is working to implement recommended energy efficiency measures required at critical sites. Additionally, the PowerED program is actively reducing energy use at all district buildings through low and no-cost measures. 

Aylen, Ballou, Dessie Evans, Doris Stahl, Emerald Ridge, Ferrucci, Firgrove, Glacier View, Kalles, Puyallup High School, and Rodgers will all need to comply by June 1, 2027. Four of these schools are very likely to need to comply under the Investment Criteria Pathway because they are critically exceeding their energy target. The district has already pursued grant funding and completed ASHRAE Level 2 audits in 2025 to identify the most cost-effective energy efficiency investments. This means that upgrades need to be completed in 2026.Compliance Pathways 

The state provides two primary pathways for meeting Clean Buildings Act requirements. 
 

Compliance Pathways 

Category	EUI Target Pathway	Investment Criteria Pathway
Requirements	Building has an EUI target and is individually metered	Buildings performing over EUI target must complete an ASHRAE Level 2 energy audit to identify energy efficiency measures
Compliance Standard	EUI at or below target	Implement optimized energy efficiency measures
Verification	12 months of ENERGY STAR data	Energy savings reach at least 75 percent of audit projections

Early Adopter Incentive Program 

Washington State offers financial incentives for buildings that pursue early compliance. 

Early Adopter Incentive Overview 

Category	Details
Total funding available	$75 million statewide
Incentive amount	$0.85 per square foot
Eligible buildings	Tier 1 buildings over 50,000 square feet
Eligibility threshold	EUI more than 15 points above target
Timeline	Implement measures within 18 months and verify compliance

Tier 2 Early Adopter Incentive Overview 

Category	Details
Total funding available	$150 million statewide
Incentive amount	$0.30 per square foot
Eligible buildings	Tier 2 buildings between 20,000 to 50,000 square feet
Eligibility threshold	Must have a participating utility
Timeline	Incentives are awarded first come, first served until the compliance deadline of July 1, 2027

 

Conditional Compliance Option 

If a building cannot meet the compliance deadline, the state allows conditional compliance to reduce penalties while improvements continue. 

Conditional Compliance Requirements 

Requirement	Description
Energy audit	Complete ASHRAE Level 2 audit
Efficiency measures	Implement cost-effective upgrades
Energy management plan	Required
Reporting	Annual reporting until compliance is achieved

Puyallup School District’s early progress through the PowerED program reflects a proactive approach to facility planning, energy management, and fiscal responsibility.  

By advancing projects that were already identified through deferred maintenance planning and long-term facility renewal forecasts, and by leveraging voter-approved capital funding, the district is working to address infrastructure needs while reducing financial risk and aligning with state energy requirements. 

Continue learning: 

• Washington State Department of Commerce: Clean Buildings Program https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/buildings/  
• WAC Chapter 194-50 https://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=194-50  
• PSD’s PowerEd Program PowerED - Puyallup School District 
• PSD’s Energy Management webpage Energy Management Plan - Puyallup School District