SCALE 2030

• Direct a defined, stable portion of Climate Commitment Act (CCA) revenue to the clean buildings transition by codifying its allocation to the Energy Programs in Communities (EPIC) fund with an expanded mission to further invest in the clean buildings transition. This would authorize the Department of Commerce’s Energy Division to manage and distribute EPIC funds not only for existing grants and incentive programs, but also for coordinated, high-impact strategies that can scale the transition of Washington’s commercial and residential buildings.
• An expanded EPIC fund would support statewide market transformation efforts and provide sustained funding for Washington Builds.

Washington’s transition to highly efficient, zero emission buildings requires predictable and durable funding. Current reliance on biennial appropriations creates uncertainty that slows planning and limits scaling of programs and initiatives. Dedicating a consistent share of CCA revenues to EPIC ensures long-term funding stability, allowing Commerce to better coordinate investments across programs and prioritize structural, market-shaping efforts rather than just one-off grants.

State funding must ensure that Washington’s most impacted communities are the first to benefit from the clean buildings transition. EPIC should commit a defined share of resources to low-income households, in accordance with the HEAL act; integrate energy burden reduction, indoor air quality improvements and health and safety outcomes into its offerings; fund community organizations to conduct outreach and technical support; support workforce development pathways that ensure the clean buildings sector creates quality jobs.

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2027: The State Legislature amends CCA language to dedicate a specific portion of CCA revenue to an expanded EPIC fund. The authorization includes:

• Ongoing funding for existing clean buildings programs and initiatives
• Codified support for establishing a new Clean Buildings Market Transformation unit within Commerce (See Accelerated Market Transformation: Develop a Clean Buildings Market Transformation Unit)
• Codified additional funds to continue expanding Washington Builds

2027 and beyond: The Department of Commerce deploys EPIC as the primary statewide funding vehicle for all clean buildings-related programs and initiatives. Commerce distributes funds to implementation partners and direct grant recipients and coordinates investments across agencies, utilities, community organizations, and workforce development partners to accelerate program delivery and market transformation.