Student Energy Managers Save District $433,000

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  Wenatchee School District has avoided an estimated $433,000 fine“Wenatchee School District (WSD) has been notified by the Washington State Department of Commerce that, due to the work of its Student Energy Managers (SEM) program, the district has avoided an estimated $433,000 fine under the state's Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS).”
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  The avoidance of the fine is under Washington's Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS)“Wenatchee School District (WSD) has been notified by the Washington State Department of Commerce that, due to the work of its Student Energy Managers (SEM) program, the district has avoided an estimated $433,000 fine under the state's Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS).”
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  The avoidance of the fine is due to the Student Energy Managers (SEM) program“Wenatchee School District (WSD) has been notified by the Washington State Department of Commerce that, due to the work of its Student Energy Managers (SEM) program, the district has avoided an estimated $433,000 fine under the state's Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS).”
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  The information is according to a July 7, 2026 notice from the Washington State Department of Commerce“Wenatchee School District (WSD) has been notified by the Washington State Department of Commerce that, due to the work of its Student Energy Managers (SEM) program, the district has avoided an estimated $433,000 fine under the state's Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS).”
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  The SEM program is run by Wenatchee High School studentsNo usable supporting receipt — unverified.
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  The SEM program is in partnership with Advanced Energy Management (AEM)“The SEM program, a partnership between Wenatchee School District and Advanced Energy Management (AEM), employs Wenatchee High School students in real, paid roles inspecting district buildings, collecting utility data, and tracking energy performance to meet state compliance requirements.”
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  The SEM program is in partnership with Chelan County PUD“Working alongside AEM's professional team and Chelan County PUD, SEM interns have helped reduce district-wide energy use by more than 30% and generated total savings of $87,649 to date.”
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  The SEM program helped WSD meet energy efficiency requirements for its 278,000-square-foot high school“Wenatchee High School, at 278,000 square feet, is classified as a Tier 1 building with a July 2026 compliance deadline; the remainder of WSD's facilities are Tier 2, facing a July 2027 deadline.”
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  The high school is classified as a Tier 1 building“Wenatchee High School, at 278,000 square feet, is classified as a Tier 1 building with a July 2026 compliance deadline; the remainder of WSD's facilities are Tier 2, facing a July 2027 deadline.”
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  The Tier 1 building has a July 2026 deadline“Wenatchee High School, at 278,000 square feet, is classified as a Tier 1 building with a July 2026 compliance deadline; the remainder of WSD's facilities are Tier 2, facing a July 2027 deadline.”
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  The SEM program has reduced district energy use by over 30%“Working alongside AEM's professional team and Chelan County PUD, SEM interns have helped reduce district-wide energy use by more than 30% and generated total savings of $87,649 to date.”
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  The SEM program has generated $87,649 in savings to date“Working alongside AEM's professional team and Chelan County PUD, SEM interns have helped reduce district-wide energy use by more than 30% and generated total savings of $87,649 to date.”
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  The SEM program has supported 11 Tier 1 buildings“SEM interns have helped 11 Tier 1 buildings across the region avoid compliance fines and are currently supporting 37 Tier 2 buildings — including the Town Toyota Center, Confluence Health (CVCH), NCW Libraries, NCESD, JCPenney, and Cashmere School District — working toward compliance at no cost through Washington's Early Adopter Incentive program.”
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  The SEM program has supported 37 Tier 2 buildings across the region“SEM interns have helped 11 Tier 1 buildings across the region avoid compliance fines and are currently supporting 37 Tier 2 buildings — including the Town Toyota Center, Confluence Health (CVCH), NCW Libraries, NCESD, JCPenney, and Cashmere School District — working toward compliance at no cost through Washington's Early Adopter Incentive program.”
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  The SEM program has potentially kept $6–8 million in local funding within the community“In total, the SEM program is estimated to have kept $6–8 million in funding within the local community by helping area buildings avoid clean energy noncompliance fines.”
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  The Washington State Department of Commerce has recognized SEM as a model“The Washington State Department of Commerce has recognized the SEM program as an exemplar of how to support local businesses through a no-cost model that also gives students real-world skills with measurable community impact.”
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  The model supports businesses with no-cost assistance“The SEM program was recognized with the NCW Tech Alliance's 2024 Future Technology Leader of the Year award. Students have also presented their work to the WSD School Board, Chelan County PUD Board, the local Port Authority Board, the Washington Association of School Business Officials, and at the Washington Association of Maintenance and Operations Administrators (WAMOA) annual conference. Businesses or organizations interested in SEM support for their tier two can contact the SEM team by visiting their SEM website Source: https://www.wenatcheeschools.org/88250?articleID=69765 The Washington State Department of Commerce has recognized the SEM program as an exemplar of how to support local businesses through a no-cost model that also gives students real-world skills with measurable community impact. The department has also begun its own outreach to Tier 2 businesses regionwide, informing them of compliance requirements and the free assistance available through SEM.”
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  The model provides students with real-world work experience“Our students aren't just learning about energy efficiency — they're directly saving the district money, helping our community meet a serious state mandate, and building a more energy-efficient future for Wenatchee.”
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  Businesses interested in SEM's Tier 2 support can contact the program through its website“Businesses or organizations interested in SEM support for their tier two can contact the SEM team by visiting their SEM website”