Seattle building energy benchmarking
Every building disclosed under Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920) (Building Energy Benchmarking), graded and cross-linked. Seattle's Building Emissions Performance Standard (adopted 2023) applies to buildings over 20,000 sq ft: benchmarking verification is due 2027–2030 and initial emissions targets 2031–2035, reaching net zero by 2041–2050, with fines for non-compliance.
At a glance
Seattle publishes energy benchmarking results for 3,871 buildings under the Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920) (Seattle's Building Energy Benchmarking program). 2,721 of them report an ENERGY STAR score, averaging 78 (median 86), and the average site energy-use intensity is 47.6 kBtu/ft². That is the 6th-largest disclosure of the 24 jurisdictions BuildingCensus covers, with report years 2015–2025 on file.
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The map
Seattle, colored by grade
Zoom in to reveal smaller buildings; markers color by ENERGY STAR grade (A green → D signal orange).
The report card
Grade distribution
ENERGY STAR scores banded A (85–100) / B (70–84) / C (55–69) / D (1–54); buildings without a score excluded.
Large buildings (≥ 50,000 sq ft)
Most efficient
| Building | Score | Site EUI | Floor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Standard At Seattle | A100 | 35.6 kBtu/ft² | 612,844 sq ft |
| The Danforth | A100 | 16.0 kBtu/ft² | 592,484 sq ft |
| Sitka Apartments | A100 | 23.9 kBtu/ft² | 518,888 sq ft |
| Urbana Apartments | A100 | 31.4 kBtu/ft² | 473,387 sq ft |
| Ballard On The Park Apartments | A100 | 30.2 kBtu/ft² | 447,755 sq ft |
| Modera Northgate | A100 | 24.8 kBtu/ft² | 426,841 sq ft |
| Amli Mark 24 Apts | A100 | 28.6 kBtu/ft² | 418,285 sq ft |
| Emerson (Prev Modera First Hill) | A100 | 23.5 kBtu/ft² | 393,343 sq ft |
| Juxt Apartments (2017) | A100 | 23.6 kBtu/ft² | 391,386 sq ft |
| Spyglass Apts | A100 | 25.3 kBtu/ft² | 366,662 sq ft |
Penalty exposure
Least efficient
| Building | Score | Site EUI | Floor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amli Waterfront Apartments | D1 | 21375.4 kBtu/ft² | 200,152 sq ft |
| 4545 15th Ave Ne | D1 | 278.3 kBtu/ft² | 113,944 sq ft |
| 3005 1st Ave Building | D1 | 174.8 kBtu/ft² | 109,347 sq ft |
| Sound View West Condominium | D1 | 97.9 kBtu/ft² | 82,082 sq ft |
| Sorrento Hotel | D1 | 305.1 kBtu/ft² | 76,631 sq ft |
| EVERGREEN WHLSLE FLORIST (DEMOLISHED) | D1 | 23.5 kBtu/ft² | 66,968 sq ft |
| Restaurant Depot | D1 | 143.1 kBtu/ft² | 63,225 sq ft |
| Annaliese | D1 | 60.4 kBtu/ft² | 58,152 sq ft |
| Union Gospel Mission Assn - Admin Building | D1 | 48.1 kBtu/ft² | 54,765 sq ft |
| Scca - Proton Therapy Center | D1 | 477.7 kBtu/ft² | 53,575 sq ft |
Taxonomy
Property-type mix
| Property type | Buildings | Avg score | Avg site EUI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multifamily Housing | 1,971 | B83 | 34.9 kBtu/ft² |
| Office | 497 | B76 | 44.8 kBtu/ft² |
| Non-Refrigerated Warehouse | 164 | C58 | 30.5 kBtu/ft² |
| Mixed Use Property | 157 | B74 | 68.7 kBtu/ft² |
| K-12 School | 153 | B71 | 38.3 kBtu/ft² |
| Hotel | 86 | B76 | 68.4 kBtu/ft² |
| Retail Store | 68 | B73 | 45.9 kBtu/ft² |
| Worship Facility | 67 | D50 | 38.1 kBtu/ft² |
| Multifamily LR (1-4) | 53 | B73 | 40.1 kBtu/ft² |
| Senior Living Community | 48 | B72 | 66.7 kBtu/ft² |
| Self-Storage Facility | 48 | –— | 15.6 kBtu/ft² |
| Other | 45 | –— | 59.4 kBtu/ft² |
| Medical Office | 45 | C60 | 88.3 kBtu/ft² |
| Supermarket/Grocery Store | 41 | B70 | 188.2 kBtu/ft² |
| Distribution Center | 38 | C62 | 27.3 kBtu/ft² |
| Laboratory | 32 | D1 | 178.6 kBtu/ft² |
| College/University | 26 | –— | 57.5 kBtu/ft² |
| Multifamily MR (5-9) | 22 | A91 | 38.9 kBtu/ft² |
| Other - Recreation | 22 | –— | 130.2 kBtu/ft² |
| Parking | 21 | –— | 100.3 kBtu/ft² |
Linked types have dedicated pages (25+ buildings).
The disclosure record
Reporting trend
| Year | Buildings reporting | Avg score | Avg site EUI | Total emissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 3,175 | 68 | 53.5 kBtu/ft² | 335,843 tCO₂e |
| 2016 | 3,253 | 68 | 54.1 kBtu/ft² | 377,183 tCO₂e |
| 2017 | 3,310 | 69 | 56.0 kBtu/ft² | 442,748 tCO₂e |
| 2018 | 3,381 | 71 | 53.5 kBtu/ft² | 432,769 tCO₂e |
| 2019 | 3,456 | 72 | 53.2 kBtu/ft² | 481,722 tCO₂e |
| 2020 | 3,530 | 75 | 48.2 kBtu/ft² | 383,579 tCO₂e |
| 2021 | 3,578 | 74 | 51.6 kBtu/ft² | 460,646 tCO₂e |
| 2022 | 3,617 | 74 | 52.8 kBtu/ft² | 499,771 tCO₂e |
| 2023 | 3,687 | 75 | 49.7 kBtu/ft² | 521,137 tCO₂e |
| 2024 | 3,712 | 76 | 49.1 kBtu/ft² | 978,316 tCO₂e |
| 2025 | 3,610 | 78 | 47.1 kBtu/ft² | 463,053 tCO₂e |
Honest data
Source caveats
- Seattle's dataset reports no water-use field.
How energy-efficient are Seattle's buildings compared with other cities?
Seattle's average ENERGY STAR score of 78 ranks 4th of 22 covered jurisdictions with at least 25 scored buildings; the average across all 84,490 scored buildings BuildingCensus covers is 70. Its average site EUI of 47.6 kBtu/ft² is about 27% below the all-jurisdiction average of 64.9 kBtu/ft² (6th lowest of 24 jurisdictions). 69% of Seattle's scored buildings reach 75 or higher, the ENERGY STAR certification threshold, against 54% across all covered jurisdictions. By grade band: 52% A (85–100), 21% B (70–84), 11% C (55–69) and 15% D (1–54).
Which kinds of buildings report in Seattle?
The disclosure spans 70 property types. The largest groups are multifamily housing (1,971, 51%), office (497, 13%) and non-refrigerated warehouse (164, 4%). Among types with at least 25 buildings, multifamily housing buildings post the highest average ENERGY STAR score (83) and worship facility buildings the lowest (50). Supermarket/Grocery Store buildings have the highest average site EUI, 188.2 kBtu/ft². The average disclosed building has 112,467 sq ft of floor area and was built around 1975.
How has Seattle's benchmarking record changed over time?
BuildingCensus holds 38,309 Seattle disclosure records across 11 report years (2015–2025); the number of buildings reporting went from 3,175 in 2015 to 3,610 in 2025. The average ENERGY STAR score moved from 68 (2015) to 78 (2025). Average site EUI went from 53.5 kBtu/ft² to 47.1 kBtu/ft² over the same years.
Which Seattle buildings have to report their energy use?
Reporting is required by the Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920) and published through Seattle's Building Energy Benchmarking program. Seattle's Building Emissions Performance Standard (adopted 2023) applies to buildings over 20,000 sq ft: benchmarking verification is due 2027–2030 and initial emissions targets 2031–2035, reaching net zero by 2041–2050, with fines for non-compliance. Together the disclosed buildings cover 435.4 million square feet and reported 478,698 metric tons of CO₂e in their latest years.
Explore Seattle's benchmarking data
- Most efficient large buildings in Seattle· top 100
- Least efficient large buildings in Seattle· bottom 100
- Biggest emitters in Seattle· top 100
- Multifamily Housing buildings in Seattle· 1,971 buildings
- Office buildings in Seattle· 497 buildings
- Non-Refrigerated Warehouse buildings in Seattle· 164 buildings
- Mixed Use Property buildings in Seattle· 157 buildings
- K-12 School buildings in Seattle· 153 buildings
- Hotel buildings in Seattle· 86 buildings
- Every covered jurisdiction· 24 programs
Frequently asked questions
How many buildings report energy use in Seattle?
3,871 Seattle buildings appear in the latest disclosure published under the Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920), of which 2,721 report an ENERGY STAR score (average 78).
What law requires Seattle buildings to disclose energy use?
Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920) — Seattle's Building Energy Benchmarking program. Seattle's Building Emissions Performance Standard (adopted 2023) applies to buildings over 20,000 sq ft: benchmarking verification is due 2027–2030 and initial emissions targets 2031–2035, reaching net zero by 2041–2050, with fines for non-compliance.
What is the average ENERGY STAR score in Seattle?
78 across 2,721 scored buildings, with a median of 86. 69% score 75 or higher.
Where is the list of Seattle buildings covered by the Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920)?
BuildingCensus has a profile page for each of the 3,871 buildings in Seattle's published benchmarking results; this page links the highest and lowest scorers, the property-type pages and the rankings. The official program page is https://www.seattle.gov/environment/climate-change/buildings-and-energy/energy-benchmarking. Published results can differ from a city's covered-buildings list, which also includes buildings that did not report.
Which Seattle building emits the most carbon?
Uw - University Of Washington Seattle Campus (Master) reported 113,771 tCO₂e in its latest disclosure year — the highest in Seattle's data. See the full biggest-emitters ranking.
About this data
Source: Building Energy Benchmarking (Seattle Energy Benchmarking Ordinance (SMC 22.920)), as published October 2, 2026. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: BuildingCensus, “Seattle building energy benchmarking”, https://buildingcensus.com/buildings/seattle (data as of October 2, 2026).