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).

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.

Washington's CBPS law requires large buildings to meet energy efficiency standards or face fines of $0.30 per square foot. 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.

By avoiding the $433,000 fine, the district preserves funding that can instead go toward supporting student programs, a result district leaders point to as responsible stewardship of taxpayer levy dollars that help cover utility costs.

"This is what student-led, real-world learning looks like," said Superintendent Kory Kalahar. "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."

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. This year, students also launched the "Power-Down Playoffs," a holiday energy-saving competition among commercial buildings and school facilities, developing their own campaign materials — including posters, social media graphics, and staff communications. Between July 1 and December 31, the initiative helped reduce energy use and costs by an average of over 30% across all client buildings.

The program's reach extends well beyond WSD facilities. 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. 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.

“CVCH is stronger because of their partnership," said John Donaghy, CVCH Director of Ancillary Services.

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.

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