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Sammamish updates energy programs: heat pump adoption strong, Solarize Eastside to launch March 1
Summary
City staff reported that Sammamish is one of the leading Eastside adopters of heat pumps (66% of HVAC permits in 2024) and outlined outreach and incentive programs, including the EnergySmart Eastside partnership, upcoming Solarize Eastside campaign and a new green purchasing guide.
City sustainability staff updated the commission Feb. 13 on program implementation and outreach that support the city’s climate-action goals, including the EnergySmart Eastside heat-pump partnership, a regional Solarize Eastside campaign launching March 1, a new green purchasing guide for city departments and upcoming public events (farmers market tabling, workshops and Earth Day).
Rose, the city’s sustainability coordinator, reported that Sammamish’s heat-pump adoption rate among residential HVAC permits was about 66% (higher than the program average). Staff explained Sammamish joined EnergySmart Eastside at the end of 2024; the regional program’s goal is 65% heat-pump adoption across participating Eastside cities. Staff said Sammamish’s lower use of EnergySmart Eastside incentives to date reflects its late entry to the program and that the city expects incentive uptake to increase over 2025 and 2026.
EnergySmart Eastside targets qualifying households under income thresholds (program staff require income verification for grant-supported installs). Staff said eligible low-income households may receive substantially larger rebates—some stacked incentives can reduce installation costs by several thousand dollars for qualifying households—and that the program partners with a small number of participating contractors to deliver installations tied to incentives.
Staff also described Solarize Eastside (March 1–July 4), a regional initiative that offers free home solar assessments, webinars and contractor discounts. City staff will staff a Solarize booth at Earth Day and coordinated outreach at farmers markets; commissioners were asked to help amplify outreach to neighborhood groups and HOAs. Additional city actions reported included enrolling city facilities in Puget Sound Energy’s green-power program and completing a green purchasing guide for city departments to reduce event and procurement waste.
Staff invited the commission to participate in outreach: a heat-pump workshop (March 26) and public events including Earth Day (April 19) and a garden-plot planting event (April 26). Staff asked commissioners to consider whether the commission should mark Arbor Day at the Earth Day event (April 19) or at the community garden event (April 26); commissioners preferred the Earth Day date for broader public exposure.
