City Green Building
Incentives & Assistance

Find financial resources and technical assistance to help you incorporate green features into your home and community. Incentive and assistance categories include:

NOTE:  Eligibility requirements vary, so be sure to check with program staff for details. 

Energy Conservation & Renewable Energy

  • Renewable Energy Tax Credits: You can receive up to $2,000 in federal tax credits for installing photovoltaic (solar electric) and solar hot water systems on your home. Additionally, photovoltaic systems sold in Washington state are exempt from sales tax.
  • Renewable Energy Production Incentive: Seattle City Light customers who generate electricity using solar or other technologies can now receive an annual incentive payment based on the amount of electricity they produce. The baseline incentive rate is 15 cents per kilowatt-hour ($0.15/kWh) with a maximum annual payment of $2,000 per owner. Note that this incentive is based on all the power produced by the renewable energy system, not just excess energy fed back into the utility's grid. See the Renewable Energy Production Incentive for details on the incentive and assistance provided by Seattle City Light to help your home generate its own power.
  • Energy Efficiency: The federal government is also providing up to $500 in tax credits to homeowners for various energy-enhancing home improvements, such as high-performance windows, adding insulation, and more.  For a good description of the various credits, see the Energy Star website.
  • Tax Credits for Builders: Builders can receive a $2,000 tax credit for homes that exceed the International Energy Conservation Code by 50 percent. Details 
  • Resource-Efficient Clothes Washer Rebate:  Receive a rebate from Seattle Public Utilities if you're eligible and purchase a water- and energy- conserving high efficiency clothes washer.
  • Low-Cost, Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs and Fixtures: To find stores in the Seattle area that sell discounted, energy-efficient products, visit City Light's website on EPA Energy Star lighting products.
  • Puget Sound Energy Rebates: Puget Sound Energy offers rebates and special offers to its customers as well, for products from windows to water heaters. Check their website for current offerings.
  • Northwest Energy Star: Visit program website
    • Homeowners: Find information on the benefits of building an Energy Star Home and find special promotional offers for Energy Star products.
    • Builders: Learn about the Energy Star Homes program and its marketing opportunities for your firm.

Water Conservation

  • EcoDeals: This King County-sponsored resource provides coupons for appliances and fixtures that can save water in their EcoDeals ShopSmart's appliances section.
  • Northwest Energy Star: Find occasional rebates on Energy Star dishwashers and clothes washers through Northwest Energy Star’s Smart Savings Guide.
  • Resource-Efficient Clothes Washer Rebate: Greater Seattle area residents may qualify for a rebate through the WashWise program when purchasing a resource-efficient clothes washer.
  • Multifamily new construction incentives for projects of four or more units are available from Seattle Public Utilities (multifamily is defined as projects being developed under the same permit number). Incentives are available for water-efficient clothes, toilets, irrigation systems, showerheads and aerators, as well as innovative technologies with proven water savings.  Details.
  • See Site & Landscape section below for additional resources.

Materials Conservation & Waste Reduction

  • Construction Recycling & Waste Prevention: For sample specifications, a construction recycling database, and plenty of additional information related to recycling and waste reduction, visit the Resource Venture website
  • Building Material Reuse Every Saturday from 10am to 3pm, Seattle Public Utilities and The ReStore accept reusable building materials at 1350 North 34th Street, just east of the North Transfer Station in Fremont. The ReStore accepts a variety of items, from flooring and cabinets to shelving and non hollow-core doors. For a complete list of acceptable items, visit www.re-store.org/ballard.htm.
  • Building Material Donations You might consider donating building materials to local reuse stores. Visit www.nbsnonline.com.
  • Northwest Natural Yard Days: Buy a discounted yard waste composter, compost, safer pesticides and fertilizers, and other natural lawn and garden products at this annual event for Seattle/King County area residents. Check the Seattle Public Utilities website for information. (This is an annual event, usually during April, so check in the spring for up-to-date information).
  • Incentives for Historic Properties: Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods can help projects that utilize historic properties in Seattle access information on building and zoning code relief and other federal, state, and local incentive programs.

Multiple Resource Conservation 

  • The King County/Seattle Built Green Incentive: This incentive provides funding for single-family residential and community development projects to help offset the cost of certifying and designing innoovative green projects throughout Seattle and King County. eligible projects may receive up to $15,000. Deadline for Application: Friday May 4, 2007 at 5:00pm. Details.
  • The HOMEWISE Program: A Seattle's Office of Housing program that offers low interest loans to qualifying Seattle residents to insulate, weatherize, repair and retrofit their homes.  These measure save money on utility bills and create safer, energy efficient, and more accessible homes. Details 
  • Neighborhood Power Project: One Seattle neighborhood per year is targeted by City Light to receive special environmental and resource conservation assistance. Assistance often includes special home improvement offers. Details

Site & Landscape

  • Water efficient irrigation incentives: Receive rebates for upgrading existing automatic underground sprinkler systems or installing a new system. Details
  • Personalized assistance with water-wise landscaping strategies: Homeowners can receive custom information on saving water and minimizing the use of pesticides and fertilizers from the Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline by calling (206) 633-0224 or emailing info@lawnandgardenhotline.org.
  • Salmon-friendly and water-wise landscaping practices: Extensive information available from savingwater.org.
  • Rain Barrel Discounts: Seattle residents can purchase low-cost rain barrels from Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle Conservation Corps.

Community Building

  • Neighborhood Matching Fund Program: Neighborhood groups, businesses and individuals can receive over $3 million a year from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods for a variety of neighborhood improvement projects. Neighborhood- and community-based organizations and ad-hoc neighborhood groups are eligible to apply. Types of projects include both physical and non-physical improvements and community organizing. Overview 

Transportation

  • Location Efficient Mortgages for Homebuyers: You can actually qualify for a larger loan amount if you select a home in an area that reduces your need to use a vehicle. This program benefits virtually anyone looking to buy within the Seattle city limits. Details
  • Way to Go, Seattle!: Receive a challenge grant to reduce car commute trips in your neighborhood by encouraging non-automobile forms of travel. Details
  • Flexcar: When the cost of a car, fuel, and insurance is taken into account, not to mention the impact on the local and global environment, cars are expensive! This service helps reduce the need for a second vehicle, or in some cases, any vehicle at all. Details
Last Updated: June 12, 2006