Clark County and the Clean Buildings law
Clark Public Utilities says the Department of Commerce sent Tier 2 notices to building owners in July 2025, and that Tier 2 includes multifamily buildings over 20,000 square feet, with reports due July 1, 2027.
The utility offers a free Tier 2 accelerator with outside energy consultants and can upload a year of a building’s energy and water data to ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
Source: Clark Public Utilities, Washington Clean Buildings law, read November 2026.
What it means for your study
When a firm based in Oregon quotes, check that its study will carry everything RCW 64.90.550 lists, including the per-unit deficit or surplus and the statutory warning paragraph. Those items are Washington requirements and are easy to miss in a template written for another state.
Larger Vancouver condominiums can line up the Tier 2 work and the reserve study in the same year, so the energy figures and the component lives come from the same visit to the plant room.
Two of the regional firms below name both Oregon and Washington; ask either for a recent Washington sample.
The rule in Vancouver
Clark County associations follow the same state law as everyone else. Under RCW 64.90.545, the study is updated every year and
“An updated reserve study must be prepared at least every third year by a reserve study professional and based upon a visual site inspection conducted by the reserve study professional.”
Communities created before July 1, 2018 may still be partly under the older acts until January 1, 2028 (how that works).
- 2026Site visit
A reserve study professional walks the property. The first study can instead rest on plans, for buildings not yet built.
- 2027Annual update
Balances, costs and contributions brought up to date. No visit required.
- 2028Annual update
The same again, ready for the budget the board adopts.
- 2029Site visit
The update is prepared by a professional from a fresh visual inspection.
- 2030Annual update
The cycle carries on.
- 2031Annual update
Each update feeds the budget summary owners receive before they ratify the budget.
- 2032Site visit
And again, at least every third year.
Professional study from a visual site inspectionAnnual update; a desk review is enough
Firms that name Vancouver
These firms name Vancouver, Clark County or the surrounding region on their own websites.
| Firm | Based | Works in | Credentials stated | From its own website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facilities Advisors | Edmonds office | Washington, Oregon and seven more states | RS | Says it has prepared reserve studies since 1982; the Edmonds office covers Washington and Oregon. |
| Regenesis Reserves | Medford, OR | Oregon and Washington | PRA | Founded 1996; APRA member. |
National firms that say they work in every state: Association Reserves, Reserve Advisors, MillerDodson Associates, Reserve Data Analysis, Global Solution Partners, Apex Reserve Group. See all firms in Washington.