The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) “Assessment” means the voluntary agreement of a property owner to allow a county to place an annual assessment on their property to repay C-PACER financing.

(2) “Capital provider” means any private entity, their designee, successor, and assigns that makes or funds C-PACER financing under this chapter.

(3) “C-PACER financing” means an investment from a capital provider to a property owner to finance or refinance a qualified project as described under this chapter.

(4) “C-PACER lien” means the lien recorded at the county on the eligible property to secure the voluntary annual assessment, which remains on the property until paid in full.

(5) “Eligible property” means privately owned commercial, industrial, or agricultural real property or multifamily residential real property with five or more dwelling units. Eligible property may be owned by any type of business, corporation, individual, or nonprofit organization permitted by state law.

(6) “Financing agreement” means the contract under which a property owner agrees to repay a capital provider for the C-PACER financing including, but not limited to, details of any finance charges, fees, debt servicing, accrual of interest and penalties, and any terms relating to treatment of prepayment and partial payment of the C-PACER financing.

(7) “Program” means a C-PACER program established under this chapter.

(8) “Program administrator” means the party designated by a county or the department of commerce to administer a C-PACER program. This may be the department of commerce, the county itself, or a third party, provided that the administration procedures used conform to the requirements of this chapter.

(9) “Program guidebook” means a comprehensive document that illustrates the applicable region for a program and establishes any appropriate guidelines, specifications, underwriting and approval criteria, and any standard application forms consistent with the administration of a program and not detailed in this chapter.

(10) “Project application” means an application submitted to a program to demonstrate that a proposed project qualifies for C-PACER financing and for a C-PACER lien.

(11) “Qualified improvement” means a permanent improvement affixed to real property and intended to: (a) Decrease energy consumption or demand through the use of efficiency technologies, products, or activities that reduce or support the reduction of energy consumption, allow for the reduction in demand, or support the production of clean, renewable energy, including but not limited to a product, device, or interacting group of products or devices on the customer’s side of the meter that generates electricity, provides thermal energy, or regulates temperature; (b) decrease water consumption or demand and address safe drinking water through the use of efficiency technologies, products, or activities that reduce or support the reduction of water consumption, allow for the reduction in demand, or reduce or eliminate lead from water which may be used for drinking or cooking; or (c) increase resilience, including but not limited to seismic retrofits, flood mitigation, stormwater management, wildfire and wind resistance, energy storage, and microgrids.

(12) “Qualified project” means a project approved by the program administrator, involving the installation or modification of a qualified improvement, including new construction or the adaptive reuse of eligible property with a qualified improvement.

(13) “Region” means a geographical area as determined by a county pursuant to RCW 36.165.030.