State governments operate numerous facilities, including office buildings, public schools, colleges, and universities, the energy costs of which can account for as much as 10% of a typical government’s annual operating budget. To reduce energy use and lower energy bills, states may set mandatory energy savings targets for new and existing state government facilities. These energy savings requirements encourage investment in efficient buildings and retrofit projects. State governments can benchmark energy use through tailored or widely available tools such as EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager. Benchmarking ensures a comprehensive set of energy-use data that can drive cost-effective energy efficiency investments.
Alabama
Executive Order 25, which expired in FY2015, required state agencies to reduce energy consumption in all conditioned facilities by 30% from 2005 levels by the end of FY2015, using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool to measure and report energy performance. Participating state agencies exceeded the required 30% reduction with a 52% reduction in energy consumption and savings of over $16.5 million compared to their 2005 baseline usage. The state also has a Performance Contracting Program that provides information for facility managers on how to procure and finance large energy improvement projects for the state’s public facilities.
The Alabama Building Commission adopted ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2007 for all state-funded buildings. This code became effective September 1, 2010. An Energy Officer is to be assigned by each agency to oversee the implementation of energy efficiency programs and submit annual reports on progress.
Last Updated: July 2016
Alaska
Passed in 2010, Senate Bill 220 mandates 15% energy efficiency improvement retrofits by 2020 of 25% of the state’s public buildings that are 10,000 square feet or larger not including legislative or court buildings. SB220 also included a provision mandating ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1 compliance on all retrofits or deferred maintenance of public facilities performed under the 25% improvement section of the bill.
In addition to the retrofit goal of reducing energy use by 15% in 25% of the public facilities by 2020, any new facilities managed or owned by the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, 10,000 square feet or greater that are not legislative or court buildings, must be constructed to the latest version of ASHRAE/IESNA standard. The Department of Education also requires that new facilities constructed with FY14 funds must be constructed to the same ASHRAE standards.
Senate Bill 220 also directed the Office of Management and Budget to work with state agencies to develop a standardized methodology to collect and store energy consumption and expense data. The state has benchmarked over 1,700 public facilities (as of June 2013). Data is compiled in the Alaska Retrofit Information System (ARIS) database. A voluntary effort is underway to benchmark publically owned buildings not owned by the state of Alaska.
Last Updated: July 2016
Arizona
In 2003, the Arizona legislature passed House Bill 2324, which modified ARS 34-451. The 2003 law requires state agencies and universities to achieve a 10% reduction in energy use per unit of floor area by 2008 and a 15% reduction by 2011; newly constructed state buildings must be consistent with the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 (equivalent to IECC 2006).
Executive Order 2005-05, signed in February 2005, requires that all state-funded buildings constructed after the date of the Executive Order meet at least the LEED Silver standard. As of June 2013, Arizona’s three state universities have 42 LEED rated buildings.
Executive Order 2008-29 required all state executive agencies to conduct an analysis of energy usage by January 2009 and identify what actions are required to meet their energy goals. It is unclear if Arizona currently has benchmarking requirements in place for public facilities.
Last Updated: July 2016
Arkansas
The Sustainable Energy-Efficient Buildings Program, enacted in 2009 with the passage of HB 1663, directed the Arkansas Energy Office to develop a plan for reducing energy use in all existing state owned major facilities by 20 percent from 2008 levels by 2014 and 30 percent by 2017. Major facilities are defined as construction projects larger than 20,000 gross square feet of occupied or conditioned space. For new construction, the criteria specify that public buildings must be certified to be at least 10% more efficient than ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007, as it existed on January 1, 2009. The law directed the Arkansas Energy Office to develop a program to manage energy, water, and other public agency utility uses to reduce total energy consumption as long as the savings can be justified by a life cycle cost analysis. The Arkansas Energy Office must update this program annually. HB 1663 also directed the Arkansas Energy Office to complete an energy audit of every public agency within five years.
In May 2009, Governor Mike Beebe issued Executive Order 09-07, directing all executive-branch agencies to submit strategic energy plans describing energy-savings measures that can be implemented by the agencies. The plans should include provisions for collecting and monitoring energy use data. Other state agencies are encouraged to develop strategic energy plans as well.
Arkansas Act 1494 of 2009 requires all state agencies paying utility bills required to submit usage reports through Energy Star Portfolio Manager. Other agencies and institutions of higher learning encouraged to do so on a voluntary basis. The state currently benchmarks over 25 million square feet of public building space. The Arkansas Energy Office (AEO) is currently working with the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to collect and compile individual building reports.
Last Updated: July 2016
California
CA Executive Order B-18-12, signed in April of 2012, established targets for energy and water efficiency, as well as GHG emissions and rescinded a previous CA Executive Order S-20-04. Energy savings targets included reductions in grid-based energy purchases by 20% by 2018 using 2003 as a baseline. State buildings have already reduced energy use by 17% through 2015 since 2003. 50% of newly constructed state buildings and major renovations started after 2020 must be constructed to be zero net energy (ZNE), and 100% by 2025. 50% of existing square footage shall include measures achieving zero net energy by 2025. 2 state buildings are completed already and 3 more under design are intended to achieve ZNE. New and existing buildings are required to incorporate building commissioning. Additionally, newly constructed buildings or major renovations smaller than 10,000 square feet must comply with the California Green Building Standards Tier I (15% more efficient than the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards), and larger than 10,000 square feet must comply with the California Building Energy Efficiency Standards plus earn the “Silver” level of LEED certification and incorporate on-site renewable energy if economically feasible. In addition, the state requires all newly constructed buildings to exceed California Energy Code T-24, part 6, by at least 15%. State agencies have installed over 43 MW of onsite renewable power generation at state facilities and more is planned or under construction. State facility energy, water, and GHG data are publicly displayed on the California Sustainable Buildings website.
The Green Building Action Plan for EO B-18-12 further requires existing State buildings over 50,000 square feet to complete LEED-EB certification by December 31, 2015 to the extent it’s cost effective. Already, over 145 new and existing state buildings (over 18 million square feet0 have achieved LEED certification. State facilities were ordered to reduce water use by 10% by 2015, and 20% by 2020, from a 2010 baseline. State agencies have already reduced water use by 7.6 billion gallons, or 40% since 2010. Both energy and water use for all state facilities are benchmarked annually into the Energy Star Portfolio Manager. To date, 100% of state-owned, executive branch facilities have been benchmarked since 2003. State agency energy use, water use, and GHG emissions are posted on the Governor’s public Green Building Website. The Department of General Services working with State agencies has developed policies and guidelines for the sustainable operations and practices of State buildings to achieve operating efficiency improvements and water and resource conservation.
These new polices continue to be developed, updated and incorporated into the State Administrative Manual (SAM). State agencies were also ordered to plan for and expand their electric vehicle charging infrastructure at state facilities, and DGS developed a guidance document for state facilities for planning and installation of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).
Last Updated: July 2016
Colorado
Executive Order D0011 07 (“Greening of State Government”), signed in 2007, charged State departments, agencies and offices to take a position of leadership in the by reducing state energy consumption. Specifically, the order set a goal that by fiscal year 2011-2012, state government achieve at least a 20 percent reduction in energy consumption of state facilities below fiscal year 2005-2006 levels. Executive Order D 2015-013, signed in 2015, renews this goal and requires all state agencies and departments to reduce energy consumption per square foot by 2% annually and at least 12% by FY 2020, from a baseline of FY 2015. This EO establishes a new Greening Government Leadership Council, tasked with supporting efforts to make government operations more sustainable. The Council consists of one representative from every state agency.
Executive Order D 005-05, signed in July 2005, requires all state government agencies and departments to adopt the LEED rating system for existing and new buildings to ensure reductions in energy use to the extent practical and cost effective. The executive order also requires an energy management program within state agencies to monitor and manage utility use and costs. Executive Order D2010-006 expanded this requirement, calling for all state buildings to track energy use, with the exception of higher-educational buildings due to their unique relationship with the state. Under this directive, agencies must provide details from tracking energy and water consumption to paper usage and reduction. K-12 schools are now subject to very high efficiency standards after the passage of SB 13-279 in 2013. The goal of this school efficiency bill is to create resource-efficient schools, which use 33% less energy and 32% less water that their conventional counterparts.
Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER) supports the tracking of energy use in public buildings through its Active Energy Management Program. The program has helped schools and public buildings save 10-30% of their energy use without retrofits. CLEER has assisted over 80 public buildings in western Colorado to track and manage their energy use.
The State of Colorado is in the process of setting one and five year goals in numerous areas including energy and water efficiency, petroleum reduction, environmentally preferable purchasing, and greenhouse gas emission reduction. The State is also developing directives for agencies and departments that ensure successful achievement of the goals. These include the requirement that all agencies prepare annual energy and water management plans and that energy performance contracting feasibility studies be performed for all state-owned buildings
Last Updated: July 2016
Connecticut
Connecticut’s energy reduction plan requires the state to reduce agency building energy use by establishing a baseline, identify high energy users, conducting audits, and implementing cost-effective energy efficiency measures. To comply with Connecticut law, buildings must demonstrate a 20% energy reduction goal no later than January 1, 2018, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has implemented the successful “Lead by Example” (LBE) initiative (CGS §16a-37u). Energy savings performance contracts, bond funds, and other financing have supported projects.
At the direction of Governor Malloy, the Bond Commission has authorized $15 million for energy efficiency retrofits in state buildings. In 2007, PA 07-242 approved an additional $28 million, and in 2013, another $25 million was approved in bond funds for state building efficiency projects.
As of May 2015, 48 projects have been completed under the LBE Bond funded program, for a total estimated annual cost reduction of $1.49 million, a total estimated annual reduction of 54.6 MMBTU, and an average simple payback of 5.57 years. To date, $702,942 in CEEF incentives have been leveraged under the program. Currently, 20 new projects have been approved with an estimated annual cost reduction of $1.4 million. Once these projects are complete, total estimated energy cost reduction is $2.9 million.
In 2014, DEEP was required to benchmark energy and water consumption of state owned and operated non-residential/residential buildings with a gross floor area of 10,000 square feet or greater using the U.S. EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager. DEEP must make this data public (CGS §16a-37t). In addition, the gas and electric utilities are required to configure the most recent 36 months of nonresidential energy consumption data for uploading into EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager (CSG §16-245ii). Subsequently, allowing the public to track state energy data. The electric utilities are sending energy consumption data electronically to DEEP, which represents the majority of energy accounts supplying state owned and leased buildings. To date, DEEP staff have benchmarked 42% of state buildings and over 64 million gross aquare feet.
In 2006, High Performance State Buildings were mandated through General Statutes Section 16a-38k-1 to 16a-38k-7;, creating an above code building standard for all State-funded construction projects. In 2007, Governor M. Jodi Rell signed HB 7432, which broadened and increased the state’s green buildings requirement. Starting January 1, 2008, no exemptions to the energy efficiency rules for state facilities exist, except to those state facilities where at least $2 million of the funding comes from the state. The bill also extended energy efficiency requirements to school renovations and construction where at least $2 million is provided in state funding. All of these facilities must exceed the current building code energy efficiency standards by at least 21%.
In 2015, Connecticut updated its High Performance Building Performance Standard 21% above Code requirement. Now, “state agency facility new construction or renovation projects” are required to achieve a score of 75 or greater on the EPA’s national energy performance rating system as determined by the Energy Star Target Finder tool. Connecticut’s new standard has pushed the energy efficiency envelope while keeping it cost effective for projects.
The Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) has recently formalized benchmarking assistance protocol with the formation of a “Benchmarking Help Desk,” which gives towns, state agencies and schools a resource for questions related to energy benchmarking and the use of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. ISE provides one-on-one or group training on the use of Portfolio Manager for those interested in the upkeep of their portfolios, with personalized instruction based on the needs of the interested party. ISE has benchmarked over 900 buildings in Connecticut and has provided technical assistance to DEEP, the Technical High School System, the Board of Regents, St. Joseph’s Residence – Enfield, the Alzheimer’s Resource Center, Middlesex Community College, several towns, GT Green Leaf Schools, and over 100 municipal and state building managers enrolled in the GPRO courses.
Connecticut’s Small Business Energy Advantage Program (SBEA), one of the state’s LBE programs, targets small businesses and state agencies interested in installing energy efficiency measures. As of March 2016, 56 projects have been completed under the SBEA program, for a total estimated annual cost reduction of $440,106, a total estimated annual reduction of 2.6 million kWh, and an average payback on the net cost to state agencies of 3.37 years. Under this program $921,267 in CEEF incentives had been leveraged. This represents 36% of the cost of the projects. New projects are in the works with an estimated additional $235,000 cost savings.
Last Updated: July 2016
Delaware
In February 2010 Governor Markell issued Executive Order 18, which set a variety of energy conservation goals and requirements intended to make the state a leader by example in clean energy and sustainability.
Under Executive Order No. 18, executive branch state agencies and departments are required to reduce energy consumption by 30% by the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 when compared to FY 2008, with an interim target of 20% by the end of FY 2013. The requirement applies to covered entities that occupy either state-owned or state-leased buildings. The order further prescribes a series of energy conservation practices for state employees to follow, such as turning off lights when they are not in use, eliminating the use of portable appliances, following green computing practices, and setting appropriate thermostat settings in different types of facilities. The order also dictated that new construction and major renovation projects should be designed to meet or exceed the USGBC LEED Silver rating standards, and that third-party certification must be pursued for such projects if it can be accomplished at a reasonable cost. EO 18 also directs executive agencies and departments to procude at least 30% of their electricity load from clean, renewable sources.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), was required to develop a system for benchmarking, monitoring and tracking energy use and carbon emissions in state-owned and state-leased facilities. The state currently tracks all state-owned buildings over 1,500 square feet using EPA’s Portfolio Manager tracking database.
As an extension of the state’s efforts to track energy use in public buildings, Delaware joined the President’s Better Buildings Challenge (BBC) in 2012, committing over 8 million square feet of public building space. The BBC is a voluntary program administered by the U.S. Department of Energy, setting long range energy reduction targets for building portfolios and requiring states to track and report detailed energy use annually. The BBC also requires states to submit at least one showcase project to demonstrate best practices in energy efficiency and energy conservation, as well as an implementation model which serves as a playbook for how states develop their energy use goals, identify barriers, and implement replicable solutions to achieve their goals. Delaware has met all BBC requirements and has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy each year since joining the BBC.
Last Updated: July 2016
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia is a partner with the Better Buildings Challenge and has set a goal of reducing energy use by 20% across the portfolio by the end of 2020, as formalized in Mayors Order 2013-209. The entire District government portfolio has committed to the US DOE Better Buildings Challenge to reduce energy use by 20% by 2020. The Sustainable DC Plan sets a goal of reducing energy use in DC government buildings (and citywide) by 50% by 2032. Numerous pilot initiatives, assessments, and retrofits have already been executed to reduce energy use. Many of these projects have showed a 15% improvement in electricity consumption and some have reached 25% savings.
In July 2008, the District of Columbia passed Clean and Affordable Energy Act of 2008, which requires D.C. government buildings and large private commercial buildings to be benchmarked annually using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and requires the disclosure of benchmarking results. Approximately 64% of public building square footage is benchmarked through Portfolio Manager. The District Department of Energy and the Environment (DOEE) and the Department of General Services (DGS) also voluntarily disclose benchmarking results for all DGS-managed properties and detailed 15-minute interval power consumption data for select properties on BuildSmartDC.com.
The Green Building Act of 2006 requires new city building designs to earn an ENERGY STAR target finder score of at least 75 and that new city buildings be ENERGY STAR benchmarked annually.
The District Government has benchmarked 91.7% of government-owned floor area. The Government of the District of Columbia owns 36,466,799 square feet of building floor area, according to the Office of Tax and Revenue. Of this, an area of 33,430,348 sq/ft is benchmarked in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager up through the end of 2014.
Last Updated: July 2016
Florida
The 2006 Florida Energy Plan calls for all new state government buildings to meet LEED standards and for a reduction of energy consumption in state facilities by 25% from 2002 levels by 2007. It is unclear if a post-2007 energy savings target is in place for new and exisiting state buildings. Green building requirements have been expanded several times since then. Executive Order 07-126 directs the Florida Department of Management Services to set Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building standards for the state’s new and existing state-owned buildings. In 2008, Florida Governor Charlie Crist approved House Bill 7135, which requires newly constructed or renovated buildings financed by the state to be designed and built to meet a nationally recognized sustainable building rating or national model green building code. Eligible rating systems include those established by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the International Green Construction Code (IGCC), the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating system, the Florida Green Building Coalition standards, or a nationally recognized, high-performance green building rating system as approved by the department. State agencies also must lease ENERGY STAR-rated buildings and employ energy saving performance contracts to upgrade existing facilities.
In 2012, House Bill 7117 passed modifying Florida Statutes Section 255.257 that included the reporting requirements on energy use by each building owned or leased for state business 5,000 square feet or more. The statute requires that agencies collect energy usage and cost data, but does not specify a tracking tool.
Last Updated: July 2016
Georgia
In April 2008, Governor Sonny Perdue signed an executive order requiring state government agencies and departments to reduce energy use. This executive order created the Governor’s Energy Challenge 2020 as part of “Conserve Georgia.” State agencies and departments must reduce energy consumption 15% by 2020, using 2007 energy use as a baseline. Reductions in energy use must come from energy efficiency measures and can also come from renewable energy development. Currently, GEFA has baseline energy consumption data on 95% of state agencies. State agencies regularly track their own energy consumption at the account level and report that energy consumption annually to GEFA.
Also in 2008, Senate Bill 130 called for building commissioning for new state buildings and requires new state buildings to exceed ASHRAE 90.1.2004 energy efficiency standards by 30%. This act also requires state buildings over 10,000 square feet to be designed, constructed, and commissioned or modeled to achieve a 15 percent reduction in water use when compared to water use based on plumbing fixture selection in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
Last Updated: July 2016
Hawaii
Hawaii Revised Statutes 196-9 requires newly constructed or substantially renovated state owned facilities to be built to LEED Silver standards. but it unclear if the policy specifically emphasizes energy efficiency points. Administrative Directive 06-01 (January 2006) states that newly constructed and renovated state buildings must adhere to LEED standards.
Hawaii Revised Statutes 196-30 addresses energy efficiency requirements for existing public buildings. By the end of 2010, state agencies were ordered to evaluate the energy efficiency of all existing public buildings that are larger than 5,000 square feet or use more than 8,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity or energy annually. Opportunities for increased energy efficiency must be identified by setting benchmarks for these buildings using Energy Star Portfolio Management or another similar tool. Buildings must be retro-commissioned every five years.
Last Updated: July 2016
Idaho
The Idaho Office of Energy Resources voluntarily uses Energy Star Portfolio Manager to track several state government-owned buildings.
Last Updated: July 2016
Illinois
In 2007 the Illinois legislature enacted Public Act 095-0559, which specifically addresses energy efficiency in state government. The law directs all executive branch state agencies to set a goal of reducing energy use by 10% within 10 years. Targets were expanded in April 2009, when Governor Quinn signed Executive Order 7 to better coordinate energy savings activities in State government. Executive Order No. 7 sets a goal of a 20% energy reduction by 2020 for state facilities.
Specifically, EO 7 directed the Department of Central Management Services to implement a program to increase energy efficiency, track and reduce energy usage, and improve energy procurement for all State-owned and State-leased facilities. To facilitate these actions, the executive order creates an “Energy Efficiency Committee” consisting of several agency heads from various departments (Dept of Central Management Services, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and Capital Development Board). The committee oversees state building energy audits, the implementation of subsequent recommendations, and the procurement of equipment/services designed to decrease energy consumption at State-owned and State-leased facilities.
Public Act 96-0896 required the state to conduct a pilot study to benchmark and label selected state buildings for energy efficiency. Eleven individual buildings and six campuses representing a range of building types were included in the study, which was completed February 2013. The State intends to benchmark all significant Executive Agency buildings, although it would be a small percentage of all public buildings. Flagship buildings (James R. Thompson Center, Michael A. Bilandic Building) and some template buildings (e.g. ISP district offices) have done benchmarking thus far.
Illinois’ Green Buildings Act (20 ILCS 3130) requires that all new state-funded construction or major renovation of buildings are to seek LEED, Green Globes, or similar green building certification. New buildings and renovation less than 10,000 square feet must follow the guidelines for the highest level of LEED (or equivalent standard) that is practical, though they do not have to actually seek certification. Buildings or renovations larger than 10,000 square feet must be LEED Silver (or two Green Globes) certified and must receive all of the LEED credits that have been deemed mandatory by the Capital Development Board. LEED Silver is required when the project is valued at 40% the replacement cost of the state government building.
Last Updated: July 2016
Indiana
Executive Order 08-14 (June 2008) established a new building construction standard for all state agencies and departments. The Department of Administration was directed to develop these standards to achieve the highest cost-effective energy efficiency, based on nationally recognized standards, including: ENERGY STAR, LEED, Green Globes, or an equivalent efficiency rating system accredited by the American National Standards Institute. In addition, repair or renovation of existing buildings must achieve the maximum cost-effective energy efficiency possible, based on life-cycle cost analysis (historic, aesthetic, and local source materials are to be afforded value in the analysis).
Last Updated: July 2016
Iowa
In 2009 Governor Culver issued Executive Order 20, which requires all state buildings to conduct energy efficiency retrofits. In addition, state owned buildings are required to meet or exceed high energy efficiency performance standards
In 2014, the State Energy Office and the Department of Public Safety began the process of updating the Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) guidelines for the state. Iowa Code requires an LCCA review of the energy equipment installed in a public building in the following cases: The Code of Iowa requires “… a public agency responsible for the construction or renovation of a facility shall… include as a design criterion the requirement that a life cycle cost analysis be conducted for the facility.” The LCCA requirements promote energy efficiency in public buildings by accounting for reduced operational costs for energy efficient systems. The guidelines for the analytical procedures that comprise the review were updated in 2014 and have been approved by the 2015 legislature.
With funding from the US DOE State Energy Program Competitive Grant as well as significant cost share provided the Iowa State Energy Office and Iowa Energy Center, Iowa continues Phase II of its public building benchmarking database. With the given database, buildings that show high potential for energy savings and Return on Investment are being targeted for energy efficiency installations to bring their energy usage in line with other buildings throughout the state. The Energy Office does this by holding one-on-one meetings, either via phone call or in-person to inform the building users on their data and energy usage and potential for savings.
The purpose of the project is to use the Benchmarking platform as a decision making tool and rank-order building candidates that will benefit from energy efficiency projects based on ROI.
State of Iowa is also enrolled in the Better Buildings Challenge program offered through the US Department of Energy and has committed 17 million square feet under the program.
Last Updated: July 2016
Kansas
Kansas requires all state-owned buildings to undergo an energy audit at least every 5 years to identify excessive energy usage; for leased buildings, an energy audit is required before State agencies may approve new leases or renew existing leases.
Kansas also prescribes energy-efficiency performance standards for new construction (see KAR-1-67-2) and renovations, wherever feasible (see KAR 1-67-3) to ensure the buildings meet energy efficiency levels of IECC 2006 or the equivalent ASHRAE standard.
In addition, the Facility Conservation Improvement Program (FCIP) at the Kansas Corporation Commission Energy Division is directed to (1) implement cost-effective conservation and efficiency measures in all state-owned buildings; (2) accelerate efforts to market FCIP to school districts and local governments; and (3) review all state construction projects, both new and remodeling, that exceed $100,000 for possible inclusion in FCIP, including Regents facilities.
Last Updated: July 2016
Kentucky
House Bill 2, signed by Governor Beshear in 2008 requires that all construction or renovation of public buildings for which 50% or more of the total capital cost is paid by the state must be renovated or designed to meet high-performance building standards. All building leases entered into by the Commonwealth or any of its agencies on and after July 1, 2018 shall also meet the new standards.
House Bill 299 (2006)requires a life-cycle cost comparison of at least two types of energy-efficient HVAC equipment, including geothermal equipment when feasible, for every bid for new construction or for existing facility upgrade.
The High Performance Buildings Advisory Committee assisted the Finance and Administration Cabinet in establishing the regulations that set out the standards and benchmarks by which to evaluate buildings. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is required for new buildings. The level of LEED certification depends on the project budge, and, in general, the higher the budget and bigger project, the higher level LEED certification required. The regulations also provide for exemptions from the requirements if compliance is shown to cause the agency an “extraordinary undue burden.”
The Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet received $3.65 million over a two-year period to develop and pilot a software program to benchmark, track, control and diagnose energy use in state government buildings. The software, CEMCS or Commonwealth Energy Management and Control System, won a 2012 national innovation award from the National Association of State Facilities Administrators. This facility presently accounts for 164 buildings and 10.3 million square feet of state buildings, and is budgeted to add more buildings in the current biennium. Because of the positive budgetary impacts, it was one of few programs in state government granted a budget increase in the current biennium so that more buildings could be added to CEMCS. Current state policy is to publicly disclose building performance for all buildings in the CEMCS as they are added to the system, and as the budget allows over time.
Last Updated: July 2016
Louisiana
Senate Bill 240, signed on July 6, 2007, requires construction or renovation of major state-funded facilities to be designed and built to exceed state energy codes by at least 30%, subject to a life-cycle cost analysis.
Last Updated: July 2016
Maine
Maine requires that construction or renovation of state buildings must incorporate green building standards that would achieve “significant” energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, provided that the costs of doing so are cost-effective over the life of the building.
Maine Statutes Title 5, Section 1764-A also requires all planning and design for the construction of new or substantially renovated buildings owned or leased by the state include: (1) the consideration of energy efficiency, (2) an energy-use target that exceeds standards for commercial and institutional buildings by at least 20%, and (3) a life-cycle cost analysis over a minimum of 30 years that explicitly addresses the costs and benefits of efficiency improvements.
Pursuant to a Legislative Resolve (Resolve 2009, Chapter 372), the State of Maine was charged with creating a task force to Advance Energy Efficiency, Conservation and Independence at State Facilities. The final report was issued in January 2010. The report concluded that energy efficiency, conservation and independence at the executive branch facilities of State Government should be improved by a number of means: continuing to attack and reduce consumption; conducting important and too-easily overlooked energy audits; diversifying the energy sources used at these facilities; reducing reliance on imported heating oil; and increasing the use of alternative and cost-effective renewable energy sources when possible.
Last Updated: July 2016
Maryland
Senate Bill 267 (2006) requires the Department of General Services to set reductions in energy consumption for State buildings: 5% by 2009 and 10% by 2010. This bill excludes the Department of Transportation’s buildings. By 2012, energy consumption for all state facilities decreased 8.7% from a 2008 baseline. Approximately 600 state buildings have received energy upgrades through the EPC process. Also, in early 2013, MEA and the Department of General Services (DGS) collaborated on a “Roadmap for Energy Efficiency in State Buildings.” The Roadmap has the support of the Governor and calls for 20% energy savings in State agency facilities by 2020 based on a 2008 baseline. The Roadmap also requires state agencies to appoint an Agency Energy Coordinator (AEC) and to write an Agency Energy Plan (AEP). To date, all agencies have named an AEC and 21 agencies have submitted AEPs.
As part of its High Performance Green Building Program, since 2008 Maryland has required all new fully State funded building projects, plus partially State funded K-12 schools and Community College buildings exceeding 7,500 gross square feet to meet LEED Silver requirements (see S.B. 208 and H.B. 376). This includes a requirement to achieve a mandatory 30% reduction in energy usage.
Maryland is currently benchmark buildings (with individual meters) with its EnergyCAP database, which integrates with ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. The EnergyCAP database compiles data on all state-owned buildings and allows for comparison of the building stocks of different agencies.
Article – State Finance and Procurement §3–602.1 was amended during the 2014 session of the General Assembly to include compliance “with a nationally recognized and accepted green building code”. Following this, the Green Building Council adopted and amended the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) for the use of State agency buildings, who may now choose between LEED and the IgCC.
Last Updated: July 2016
Massachusetts
Massachusetts has several green building programs targeted at state buildings. Executive Order 484 (2007) requires a reduction in overall energy consumption in state-owned and leased buildings (at which the state pays directly for energy) by 20% by fiscal year 2012 and 35% by 2020 (based on a fiscal year 2004 baseline). In Fiscal Year 2015, continued progress in state buildings resulted in additional efficiency gains with a cumulative EUI reduction of 15% from a 2009 site EUI.
The executive order states that all state agency new construction and major renovations over 20,000 sq. ft. must meet the MA LEED Plus green building standard and perform 20% better than the current energy code. Currently, there are 49 LEED certified buildings in the state portfolio, including 2 Platinum and 29 Gold certifications. Several state buildings have now been built or designed to meet the zero net energy standard and energy use data collected over the next 2-3 years will allow stakeholders to assess the actual performance of these buildings.
The Green Communities Act (S.B. 2768) of 2008 mandates that new buildings owned or operated by the state must minimize their life-cycle costs by using energy efficiency and renewable energy.
The State’s Enterprise Energy Management System (EEMS) project, awarded to EnerNOC in April 2010, was the first-phase of the largest public sector undertaking to measure real-time energy use information at 25 million square feet of buildings, tracking and comparing building energy consumption across a third of the state’s building portfolio and enabling responses to energy anomalies on a real-time basis. The EEMS project contract ended in 2015 and the innovative program’s second-phase, known as Commonwealth Building Energy Intelligence (CBEI), will build upon previous efforts and revamp the way state buildings use and respond to energy information. CBEI will include technological and strategic enhancements for advanced building energy metering tracking and analytics in an effort to drive operational efficiencies at state facilities. In March 2016, the Commonwealth signed a new $5.6 million, three-year contract with EnerNOC to provide these and other advanced energy intelligences services for millions of square feet of Commonwealth facilities. Enernoc will provide state facilities with access to real-time metering, building management system integration, utility bill management and building energy analytics, enabling them to optimize day-to-day energy management, identify energy anomalies as they occur, prioritize energy projects that target under-performing buildings and identify billing errors on utility bills. The new contract will be managed by the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance (DCAMM), with close collaboration with DOER. The new contract provides substantial advancements in energy intelligence approaches, with the goal to significantly reduce energy use and costs at state facilities. When CBEI contract features are fully implemented, the program is expected to result in at least 5-10% energy use reductions, saving millions in energy costs.
The state’s Green Communities Division has also developed and implemented MassEnergyInsight, a free, web-based tool that helps cities and towns make informed, targeted decisions about energy efficiency investments. MassEnergyInsight provides communities with customized electricity, natural gas, and oil usage information to allow local officials to understand where their departments and buildings are wasting energy and act to reduce that waste.
Massachusetts is a partner in the US Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge (BBC), a voluntary program which sets long range energy reduction targets for a select portfolio of buildings, requires the state to track and report detailed energy use at its facilities annually, and develop and document one or more showcase projects that demonstrate best practices and far-reaching energy strategies.
Announced in January 2013, the Accelerated Energy Program, a joint initiative of the Department of Energy Resources and Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance, is targeting a 25% reduction in energy, greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs at 58 million square feet of state buildings at 700 distinct sites, encompassing 4,800 buildings. By moving quickly to install energy efficient equipment and fixtures at smaller sites and developing comprehensive energy efficiency programs at larger campuses and buildings, the Commonwealth has, by its stated deadline of December 31, 2014, initiated efforts to implement energy efficiency in the entire identified portfolio. When all projects are fully complete, the state will have invested $470 million in dozens of energy conservation measures across a wide range of buildings types, from prisons, to hospitals, to parks and recreation facilities. These projects will enhance working conditions, and are projected to reduce energy use by 20% or more and reduce energy bills by $42 million annually, while leveraging some $24 million in utility incentives. To date, the Accelerated Energy Program (AEP) has completed 52 projects in over 25 million square feet of state buildings, or nearly half of the state portfolio. These completed projects represent an investment of $190 million and will save the Commonwealth approximately $13.8 million and 337,000 MMBTUs annually.
Two state buildings have/are participating in the Building Asset Rating (BAR) pilot, which is aimed at developing a low cost process for a building asset rating that will complement existing operational ratings. Additionally, DOER continues to fund and manage an effort to collect and report on monthly utility consumption for state facilities through the Mass Energy Insight system, which also provides monthly utility data for more than 240 municipalities.
Although not formally a requirement, as part of the efforts to push new building energy use far below code, the Commonwealth’s Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance recently finished construction on the state’s 2nd zero net energy designed building. This 45,000 square foot headquarters for the Division of Fish and Wildlife is modeled to use 60% less energy than a similar building built to code, and includes a host of innovative technologies and strategies. The state is also funding a number of other projects that are intending to achieve zero net energy status, including a lab building at Bristol Community College, new visitor center at Walden Pond, and several other projects that have received study funds from DOER’s Pathway to Zero grant program.
Last Updated: July 2016
Michigan
Public Act 295 renewed and revised the state’s commitment to energy efficiency in public buildings. In the area of state government energy efficiency, P.A. 295 sets a goal of reducing state government grid-based energy purchases 25% by 2015, from a 2002 baseline. The law directs the Department of Management and Budget (DMB), in consultation with the state Energy Office, to perform and oversee a number of tasks related to achieving this goal, including the establishment of an energy analysis program to evaluate each building owned or leased by the state at least every five years, as well as an assessment of the costs and benefits of using the LEED standard when constructing or renovating state buildings.
Executive Directive 2007-22 requires that all state buildings occupied by state employees be benchmarked using the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. To date, over 1,000 of the State of Michigan’s 6,000 leased or owned buildings have been benchmarked. The Governor has also recently tasked the state energy office, Michigan Public Service Commission, and Department of Technology, Management & Budget to develop a plan to benchmark state-owned buildings. This project is expected to encompass approximately 1,100 buildings and is actively underway.
The Michigan Agency for Energy offerred grants to benchmark public buildings including schools, local government buildings, houses of workships, etc. It is esimated that about 400+ buildings and 30.5 million sq. ft. will be benchmarked under this grant program. Under the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget project 35.5 million square feet has been benchmarked in Portfolio Manager.
The State Energy Office also offers low-cost services to public building owners and others to determine energy savings opportunities. Services include energy audits, Energy Star Portfolio Manager account setup and a project planning meeting to discuss project financing and implementation.
Last Updated: July 2016
Minnesota
Executive Order 05-16(2005) required state-owned buildings to reduce energy usage by 10% in 2006 and mandated the use of specific energy conservation measures to help the state meet its target. It also required the incorporation of Minnesota Sustainable Guidelines for new construction and the adoption of “prudent energy” procurement strategies.
In May 2008 Minnesota adopted “Sustainable Building 2030” standards designed to achieve energy consumption reductions of 60% in 2010 (2003 baseline), increasing 10% every five years towards an ultimate target of 90% in 2025. Beginning on July 1, 2010 all Minnesota State bonded projects — new and substantially renovated — that had not already started the Schematic Design Phase on August 1, 2009 were required to meet the Minnesota SB 2030 energy standards.
In 2011, Governor Dayton issued Executive Order 11-12, which called for a 20% reduction in energy use in state facilities and requires the use of the B3 Energy Benchmarking website to track the success of these efforts. By September 2011, each state agency was required to establish an energy savings goal, and annual progress reporting on these goals is required by Executive Order 11-13. All other public entities throughout the State of Minnesota are able to access the B3 Benchmarking tool via a free online user profile. Minnesota currently has over 320,000,000 square feet of public building space benchmarked, including city, county, K-12 public schools, higher education, and state agency buildings.
Last Updated: July 2016
Mississippi
In 2013, the Mississippi legislature passed ASHRAE 90.1-2010 as the new mandatory statewide building energy code standard for commercial and State-owned buildings and facilities. The new energy building code became effective July 1, 2013.
Mississippi Sustainability and Development Act of 2013, requires all State agencies, state institutions of higher learning, and community and junior colleges to work with the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Energy and Natural Resources Division to develop Energy Management Plans. It also requires all State agencies to report energy consumption and cost or face penalties. MDA uses the Siemens Advantage Navigator system to track the total energy consumption and cost in all of the covered agencies throughought the state and reports this information to the Governor and Legislature on an annual basis. With 95% of all covered agencies reporting annual utility data, the state benchmarks about 70,000,000 square feet. Other public facilities are encouraged to participate in the State Energy Office’s online reporting system or to utilize ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
The Act also calls for a State Energy Management Advisory Board to meet at least once a year in order to review implementation of the State Energy Management Plan. State law now requires agencies to participate in the State Energy Management Program, in which they will benchmark their energy usage and develop energy management plans in order to reduce consumption.
Mississippi Senate Bill 3007 mandates benchmarking and monitoring for state funded new construction which is larger than 5,000 sqft and state funded renovation projects which involve more than 50% of the replacement value of the facility.
Last Updated: July 2016
Missouri
In 1993 Missouri enacted legislation requiring life-cycle cost analysis for all new construction of state buildings and substantial renovations of existing state buildings when major energy systems are involved. Substantial renovations involve projects that will affect at least 50% of the building’s square footage or cost at least 50% of its market value.
Signed in 2008, Senate Bill 1181 requires that by July 1, 2009, all design for state buildings over 5,000 square feet involving new construction or substantial renovation and any building over 5,000 square feet considered for purchase or lease by a state agency shall comply with the minimum energy efficiency standard. The act also set the minimum energy efficiency standard so that it is at least as stringent as the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code (2006 IECC), or the latest version of the Code rather than the current standard of American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.
Governor Nixon signed Executive Order 09-18 in 2009 which mandated that all state agencies adopt policies designed to reduce energy consumption by 2% each year for the following 10 years. Additionally, the order requires that all new construction projects by agencies whose buildings are managed by the Office of Administration must be at least as stringent as the most recent International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). In response to the Executive Order, the Office of Administration, Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction developed and adopted a State Building Energy Efficiency Design Standard. Since 2009, the Office of Administration has worked with Missouri state agencies to successfully reduce energy consumption by 22.51 percent at an annualized rate of 4.45 percent per year; more than double the target of two percent per year laid out in an executive order signed by the Governor in 2009.
As of July 1, 2015, state-owned commercial buildings must comply with the 2015 IECC, pursuant to Section 8.812 RSMo.’s requirement that “Such standard shall be at least as stringent as the International Energy Conservation Code 2006, or the latest version thereof.”
In 2012, Missouri was awarded an SEP Competitive Grant titled “Reinvigorating Missouri’s State Facilities Energy Conservation Program” that includes whole building retrofits to achieve 20% or greater energy savings in at least 50% of the Office of Administration’s (OA) state-owned and operated buildings. Another component of this grant’s activities will be a review and verification of the OA’s existing comprehensive inventory of facilities under its jurisdiction. Using OA’s Missouri State Energy Portal and Utility Dashboard, energy consumption across OA’s building stock was benchmarked at the 2008 calendar year and is being used to track energy reduction and cost savings on a monthly basis. Sixty five Missouri state government facilities with a cumulative square footage of approximately 11 million square feet have been benchmarked by the Division of Energy in partnership with the Office of Administration as part of a DOE SEP Competitive grant (2012-2015). Current benchmarking represents approximately 50% of square footage managed by the Office of Administration and the Department of Corrections.
Last Updated: July 2016
Montana
In April 2009, the legislature passed S.B. 49, creating energy efficiency standards for state-owned and state-leased buildings. Energy efficiency building standards apply to new construction and major renovation projects for state-owned buildings and new construction projects for state-leased buildings. The buildings must exceed the effective most recent International Energy Conservation Code adopted by the state by 20%, to the extent that it is cost effective over the life of the building or renovation. Also, the current administration has launched a “Smart State Buildings” initiative to continue efforts of saving energy in State Builidings. Rather than targeting a specific reduction, building baselines will be determined and then targeted measures for each building will be implemented.
The State Building Energy Conservation Program (SBECP) uses the Energy Cap data base to perform energy saving verification studies at buildings receiving facility upgrades for projects designed to save energy. The data base communicates with the Energy Star Portfolio Manager to identify Benchmark candidate energy projects for state buildings and reports energy use ratings in state buildings on the Energize Montana website. The SBECP also provides a free portal energy tracking services to local government and K-12 schools. Under the Governor’s Smart State Building Initiative; state building energy useage is available for public viewing. To date, the state has benchmarked approximately 15% of state buildings.
The 2015 legislature approved High Performance Building Standards to be required of all new state buildings. Local governements and schools are encouraged to comply.
Last Updated: July 2016
Nebraska
All new construction paid for with state funds (and remodeling projects that cost more than 50 percent of the replacement cost of the building), must comply with the Nebraska Energy Code, the 2009 IECC. Staff members from the Energy Office review the plans for compliance, or the designer/contractor may opt for the speedier certification path, which replaces actual plan submission. However, the project is still reviewed for code compliance.
The state’s Administrative Services’ Building Division now benchmarks all existing state facilities using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.
Last Updated: July 2016
Nevada
Nevada Revised Statutes 701.215 directs the Director of the Office of Energy to develop a state energy reduction plan requiring state agencies to reduce grid-based energy purchases for state-owned buildings by 20% by 2015. The state is still working toward this target. It also requires the Director to adopt guidelines establishing a Green Building Standard for all occupied public buildings whose construction will be sponsored or financed by the State or a local government. NRS 341.145 requires the State of Nevada Public Works Division to apply for any available utility rebates when constructing public buildings. All buildings are subject to the newly adopted 2012 IECC building standards that took effect on July 1, 2015.
Nevada Revised Statute 701.218 requires the Director of the Governor’s Office of Energy (GOE) to track use of energy in buildings owned by the State or occupies by a state agency. GOE currently obtains utility bills for each building for every month and preserves these records indefinitely. GOE also collects data and tracks building performance to allow for the comparison of utility bills for a building from month to month and year to year, as well as between similar buildings or types of buildings. GOE collects data that allows for the projection of costs for energy for state-owned buildings. GOE recently executived a contract to install Lucid’s BuildingOS benchmarking software to track energy use at 500 state-owned buildings at 15 minute intervals and compare buildings based on multiple criteria to determine efficiency upgrade priorities. The state will train energy and facility managers from September through December 2016, and in 2017, the state will begin to analyze benchmarking results. Approximately 74% of state-owned building square footage will have benchmarking programs in place in the coming months.
Last Updated: August 2016
New Hampshire
Since 2004, New Hampshire has been working to improve energy usage in state buildings. Executive Order 2004-7(2004) authorized a committee to develop an energy reduction goal and plan, a procedure for conducting audits of facilities that score between 40 and 60 on the ENERGY STAR benchmarking system, new energy efficiency standards for new construction, and a procedure for commissioning new facilities that ensures adoption of energy-efficient design specifications and equipment operations.
In 2009, SB73 mandated that all agencies enter energy, water, and sewer data into a statewide tracking database in order to assess progress and properly benchmark success.
New Hampshire law (RSA 155-A:13) requires that any state owned building that is newly constructed, reconstructed, altered or renovated such that it constitutes a major project, must meet a high performance design standard. The incremental costs related to any energy efficiency and sustainable design features may be recouped over a 10 year period.
On May 6, 2016 Governor Hassan signed Executive Order 2016-03 setting new, aggressive goals for state government on energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy. This Executive Order recognizes the significant energy efficiency efforts and results thus far have already reduced fossil fuel energy use by 21% per square foot in State Buildings and sets new savings targets for State Vehicle Fleet and State Building energy use. Further, it sets updated goals of reducing fossil fuel use at state-owned facilities by 30 percent by 2020, 40 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030, compared to a 2005 baseline; enhancing construction and renovation standards; and increasing management and tracking of energy consumption. This executive order supersedes Executive Order 2011-01.
Last Updated: July 2016
New Jersey
In January 2008, New Jersey enacted legislation mandating the use of high performance green building standards in new state construction. The standard requires that new buildings larger than 15,000 square feet constructed for the sole use of state entities achieve US Green Building Council LEED* Silver certification, a two-globe rating on the Green Building Initiative Green Globe rating system, or a comparable numeric rating from another accredited sustainable building certification program. New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program now offers free benchmarking for specific commercial & industrial sectors, including hospitals and healthcare, municipalities, industries, hospitality, multifamily, higher education, K-12 public schools, retail and others.
New Jersey leads by example with an initiative to increase the energy efficiency of state owned and/or operated facilities and buildings. Energy Savings Improvement Programs (ESIP) will be used for energy efficiency and energy conservation improvements, renewable energy upgrades, and the expansion of other green oriented programs – particularly demand response and combined heat and power. These initiatives will contribute to the state’s goal of reducing energy usage 20% by 2020.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities established the Office of State Energy Facilities in order to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy in state facilities. This office has access to the suite of energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives in the NJ Clean Energy Program (NJCEP). Through this program, the state offers free energy audits and benchmarking for public facilities, including state, county, and local governments, non-profits, and state colleges and universities. The Office of State Energy Facilities has acceess to a $100 line of credit for state energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. and strongly encourages and promotes the use of these programs to result in energy efficient improvements.
Last Updated: August 2016
New Mexico
New Mexico first set energy standards for public buildings in 2006. Executive Order 2006-001 called for adoption of LEED-Silver standards in new public buildings in excess of 15,000 square feet and/or using over 50kW peak electrical demand, and that such buildings achieve a minimum delivered energy performance standard of 50% of the average consumption for that building type. New construction and renovation of existing buildings between 5,000 and 15,000 square feet must achieve a minimum delivered energy performance standard of 50% of the average consumption for that building type. Renovations of existing buildings in excess of 15,000 square feet and/or using over 50 kW peak electric demand must meet LEED-Silver standards and achieve a minimum delivered energy performance standard of 50% of the U.S. energy consumption for that building type. Under Executive Order 2006-01 and Senate Bill 200 (below), the state reviews over $186 million of renovation projects in all institutions of higher learning that must meet these criteria.
New Mexico continues to implement Executive Order 2007-053, which launched a statewide energy efficiency initiative that calls for state agencies to reduce energy usage by 20% below 2005 levels by 2015. The 2012 DOE SEP competitive award has a goal to realize 20% energy savings by the year 2020 in the General Services Department building inventory through the WISE (Whole-building Investments for Sustainable Efficiency) program.
SB 200 of 2010 established a wider building requirement for certain building projects throughout the state that receive state funding. New buildings and building additions of 3,000 square feet or more, and buildings undergoing certain system renovations must be designed and constructed to attain Energy Star certification. These buildings must meet an Energy Star rating of 75 or better. The Energy Conservation and Management Division (EMCD) encourages spublic entities to confuct energy audits then provides technical assistance to enable these entities to implement and fund identified measures. In addition, ECMD state tracks energy use in public buildings using Portfolio Manager. This data will be used to develop and inform a sustainable whole building energy retrofit program for public facilities. To date, the state has benchmarked approximately 20% of public buildings.
The state of New Mexico and the staff of the Energy Conservation and Management Division (ECMD) and State Energy Office (SEO) are committed in meeting the EPACT Goal of improving energy efficiency by 25%, the Advanced Energy Initiative (AEI) and the 20in20 initiative. Many steps have been taken to promote energy efficiency in New Mexico, including the implementation of many clean energy Executive Orders. The State Energy Office will also be reviewing and evaluating New Mexico’s energy usage data to measure compliance with these goals. This will be reported by the end of each program year.
Last Updated: July 2016
New York
BuildSmart NY is Governor Cuomo’s Statewide initiative to accelerate energy efficiency in State buildings, while incorporating broader State policy goals to foster cost-effective investment, stimulate the clean energy marketplace, advance energy security and resiliency and protect the environment and public health. At the center of BuildSmart NY is Executive Order 88, which superseded earlier building requirements, requiring a 20% improvement in energy efficiency at State owned and managed buildings by the year 2020. EO 88 also requires all new or renovated public buildings to meet state code. While this requirement does excude localities, some have adopted their own requirements (e.g. New York City). All state facilities in New York will be benchmarked in the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool and the results are posted on a public site.
In August 2013, NYPA published the BuildSmart NY Baseline Energy Performance of New York State Government Buildings. The report represented New York State’s first effort to benchmark the energy use of State government buildings. Key findings of the report, and subsequent benchmarking efforts, include:
•Portfolio Agency imbalance: More than 90% of the State’s square footage and energy consumption is associated with six large New York State government Agencies. The resources and the initiatives implemented at these key state Agencies will therefore be critical to the overall achievement of Executive Order 88 goals.
•Master-metered campuses: The State’s portfolio is largely comprised of large, master-metered campuses with groups of buildings all served by the same utility meter. In most cases the resulting data is available weeks after the energy has been used.
•Portfolio facility imbalance: A small number of State facilities (including some master-metered campuses) represent a disproportionate amount of total consumption. Just 19 State facilities represent more than 40 percent of the portfolio’s total energy use, and just 75 facilities represent more than 75 percent of the energy use.
Through this benchmarking effort, the state produces annual progress reports. Further, in 2014 NYPA established NY Energy Manager to provide public facilities with real-time data on their energy use, enabling improvements in building energy performance and facilitating energy efficiency investments.
In his 2012 State of the State Address, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a master plan for accelerating energy-saving improvements in state facilities. The New York Power Authority (NYPA) will finance approximately $800 million in cost-effective energy efficiency projects through 2017. The financing will help reduce energy consumption in state buildings by 20% and will be directed toward the largest and most inefficient buildings.
As part of BuildSmart NY, NYPA initiated the Five Cities Energy Plans for the cities of Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers aim to reduce overall energy costs and consumption, strengthen the reliability of each city’s energy infrastructure, create jobs in local clean energy industries, and contribute to a cleaner environment.
Last Updated: July 2016
North Carolina
Senate Bill 668 and Senate Bill 1946 require state-owned buildings to be designed, constructed and certified to exceed the energy efficiency requirements of ASHRAE 90.1-2004 by 30% for new buildings, and 20% for major renovations. The energy consumption per gross square foot for all state buildings in total must also be reduced by 20% by 2010, and 30% by 2015 based on consumption during the 2003-2004 fiscal year. The North Carolina State Energy Office collects annual consumption and cost data per statute below for state agencies, UNC and community colleges.
The Utility Savings Initiative (USI) is the state’s overarching program for public building energy efficiency. § 143 64.12 requires the State agencies and State institutions of higher learning to develop a management plan that is consistent with the State’s comprehensive program to manage energy, water, and other utility use. Each state agency and state institution of higher learning shall update its management plan annually and include strategies for supporting the energy consumption reduction requirements under this subsection. Each community college shall submit to the State Energy Office an annual written report of utility consumption and costs.
North Carolina participates in the US Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge. The entire existing building stock, which included all agency and UNC buildings, was committed to the challenge which sets a goal of reducing energy consumption by 20% from a 2008-09 baseline.
Last Updated: July 2016
North Dakota
Though North Dakota has no requirements for state buildings, it does have programs in place for public building efficiency. The legislature approved a continuing appropriation to assist North Dakota political subdivisions that are making energy efficiency improvements to public buildings. Applicants can receive up to $100,000 on qualifying projects. This program will receive $1.2 million per biennium. Recipients will be required to benchmark using EPA’s Portfolio Manager.
Last Updated: July 2016
Ohio
Executive Order 2007 – 02S (2007) directed each state agency, board, and commission to conduct a statewide energy audit of its respective facilities, both owned and leased, and to achieve an overall reduction of 5% in building energy use for its facilities within a year and 15% by the end of four fiscal years. The order required the use of EPA’s Portfolio Manager as a benchmarking tool for state-owned facilities.
H.B. 251, also enacted in 2007, requires an energy consumption analysis for state leases of buildings over 20,000 square feet. The bill also calls for institutions of higher education to reduce energy consumption by at least 20 percent by 2014 from a 2004 baseline.
Last Updated: July 2016
Oklahoma
In 2008, the Governor approved House Bill (HB) 3394, the “Conserving Oklahoma Act.” HB 3394 requires all new state-owned buildings or major renovations of state-owned buildings to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED standards. LEED includes a minimum energy performance level as a component but does not necessarily require buildings to optimize energy performance.
In 2011, the Governor adopted the Oklahoma First Energy Plan, which calls for a range of energy efficiency initiatives, most notably in state government facilities. The Plan calls for the state to establish savings targets between 0.5 to 2% per year.
In 2016, the state ended its State Facilities Energy Conservation Program, which was established in 2012 through SB 1096 and directed all state agencies and higher education institutions to benchmark energy use in all state facilities using the ENERGYSTAR Portfolio Manager tool; achieve an energy efficiency and conservation improvement target of at least 20 percent by the year 2020 (20% x 2020); and seek to obtain an ENERGY STAR rating for all eligible facilities.
Last Updated: July 2016
Oregon
The mandated State Energy Efficiency Design Program (SEED) requires that all state facilities constructed on or after June 30, 2001 exceed the energy conservation provisions of the Oregon State Building Code by at least 20 percent. Existing buildings must reduce energy use by 20 percent compared to the building’s baseline energy use in 2000 by June 30, 2015. They reached that goal in calendar year 2012. In 2013, the Governor’s 10-Year Energy Action Plan set an additional target of 20 percent reduction by 2023. Agencies are working toward that goal now via benchmarking and comparisons with the Buildings Performance Database. State-owned facilities over 5,000 square feet and meeting certain energy use thresholds are required to report into Portfolio Manager. The largest agencies have implemented two-year Strategic Energy Management initiatives, with an emphasis on building-level data to effectively prioritize retrofits. As of January 2015, 20 state agencies are using EPA’s Energy Star Portfolio Manager to report data.
ORS 276.900 requires state facilities to be constructed or purchased by authorized state agencies be designed, constructed, renovated and operated so as to minimize the use of nonrenewable energy resources and to serve as models of energy efficiency. University system policy requires that new construction in the higher education system meet LEED silver standards.
The Oregon Department of Administrative Services policy 107-011-010 directs state agencies to report their energy use to the Oregon Department of Energy. ODOE uses a web-based electronic database system. The State Energy Use Database allows state agencies to enter their energy use data directly into the database on a monthly basis. Agencies can compare their current energy use with that of the base year (2000) or any year of their choosing and can compare energy use indices and check whether mandatory energy savings have been achieved.
ODOE pulls reports from the database to prepare a biennial State Energy Efficient Design report to the State Legislature as required by ORS 276.915(9). SEED was originally established in 1991 as a result of Oregon State law, ORS 276.900-915. This law directs state agencies to work with the Oregon Department of Energy to ensure cost-effective energy conservation measures are included in new and renovated public buildings.
Schools in Portland General Electric and Pacific Power territory also report their energy use to ODOE as part of the public purpose charge program (1999). The school district staff must gather information from their utility bills before audits can be performed on their schools and before entering Energy Usage Index information into the secure, online School Interactive Database.
Last Updated: July 2016
Pennsylvania
Executive Order 2004-12 (Dec. 2004) requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to work with state agencies on effective methods to include energy efficiency into new and existing state buildings. The order also lists a range of no-cost or low-cost energy conservation measures for all Commonwealth-owned and leased buildings and directs each state agency to develop a long-range energy use and conservation plan.
House Bill 34, passed in 2013, established a requirement for new state buildings over 20,000 square feet to meet high performance standards, including achieving an Energy Star rating of 75 or above. All new public buildings, including local government buildings are required to be code compliant.
Last Updated: July 2016
Rhode Island
In December 2015, Governor Gina Raimondo signed Executive Order 15-17, establishing a Lead by Example program within the state’s Office of Energy Resources (OER) to oversee and coordinate efforts at state agencies to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It also requires state agencies to achieve a 10 percent reduction in energy consumption by 2019, from a FY 2014 baseline. OER must establish annual interim goals and work with National grid to develop strategic energy plans. In addition, by 2017 OER must coordinate with partner agencies to establish a voluntary stretch building code based on the International Green Construction Code, or equivalent, for all public and private construction and renovation projects.
In January 2013, the State of Rhode Island signed onto the Better Buildings Challenge, which committed the State to reducing energy consumption in state facilities by 20% by 2020 below 2010 levels. In partnership with the University of Rhode Island, RI Office of Energy Resources (OER) will compile an initial inventory and baseline of approximately 18 million square feet using the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool. The OER will partner closely with the State’s electric and natural gas utility to provide highly skilled technical assistance and well‐coordinated business approaches to help state facilities managers prioritize and implement energy efficiency projects.
The state has also established the Rhode Island Public Energy Partnership (RIPEP), which is a 3-year (2012-2015), U.S. Department of Energy-funded collaborative effort to achieve deep energy savings in state and municipal facilities and build a sustained, effective infrastructure for ongoing savings. Led by the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, RIPEP brought together the Offive of Energy Resources, National Grid, URI Outreach Center, Narragansett Bay Commission, Energy Efficiency and Management Council, and other key public and private sector representatives. The project completed in 2015 and achieved the following results:
•Established energy data baseline inventories for all public facilities, including 546 municipal, 331 school and approximately 900 state facilities, for a total of about 1,777 facilities.
•Performed 39 energy audits covering over 1.8 million square feet.
•Implemented 123 energy efficiency projects for total energy savings of 28.6% or 4,748 MMBTU.
•Utilized over $5 million in rebates and on-bill repayment funds, including $2.5 million in RGGI funds, to support project implementation.
•Identified barriers to implementing energy efficiency in the public sector then addressed these barriers through master price agreements, expanded and enhancing financing and incentive options, and extensive technical assistance.
As part of the program, OER is working with the University of Rhode Island Outreach center to benchmark all state facilities using Portfolio Manager. OER has partnered with National Grid to establish automated data imports. This is a voluntary program; the state does not currently have any benchmarking requirements.
In addition to recent programs, The Green Buildings Act (November 9, 2010) requires that all major facility projects of public agencies be designed and constructed to at least the LEED certified or an equivalent high performance green building standard. Under the Green Buildings Act, the Department of Administration is responsible for monitoring and documenting ongoing operating savings that result from this Act and annually publish a public report of findings and recommended changes in policy. Additionally, the Act required the Department of Administration to create a green buildings advisory committee composed of representatives from the design, construction, lumber and building materials industries involved in public works contracting, personnel from affected public agencies and school boards that oversee public works projects and others at the department’s discretion to provide advice on implementing this section. The advisory committee makes recommendations regarding an education and training process and an ongoing evaluation or feedback process to help the department implement this section.
Last Updated: July 2016
South Carolina
The South Carolina Energy Efficiency Act addresses state government energy conservation. The statute (South Carolina Codes Title 48-52-420) directs the State Energy Office to “ensure that state government agencies establish comprehensive energy efficiency plans and become models for energy efficiency in South Carolina…” and develop energy efficient codes/standards for state-owned and leased buildings, including public school buildings, and requires state agencies and school districts to adhere to these codes. The Energy Office has collected benchmarking data from public agencies, K-12 schools and colleges and universities for over a decade. This data allows individual organizations to compare their energy use with others of a similar type, and adjust behavior accordingly.
In June 2008, the state enacted additional legislation, H.B. 4766, requiring state agencies and public school districts to reduce energy use by 20% by 2020, from 2000. Training sessions were conducted around the state to assist agencies in developing new or revised energy plans in support of that goal. In addition, the SC Energy Office developed a template that could be used by state agencies and local governments to develop their plans. Benchmarking data collection now also includes qualitative information regarding achievement of the goal, impediments, etc. The state continues to collect benchmarking data for public buildings under the 20% reduction mandate at SC Code SECTION 48-52-610 on an annual basis. This section requires that state agencies submit their energy use data to the State Energy Office every year. State-leased buildings, as well as other facilities that petition the Energy Office, are excluded from these energy reduction and benchmarking requirements.
Legislation enacted in 2009 (S268) required all agencies to perform an energy audit and a water audit and to implement “cost effective” recommendations by July 2011.
Newly constructed state buildings must meet either the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating “Silver” standard or the Green Globes Rating System for construction.
Last Updated: July 2016
South Dakota
In 2008, the South Dakota legislature passed a bill (SB 188) requiring use of high performance building standards for new state construction and renovation. The new standard must be at least as stringent as the LEED-Silver standard, the two-globe standard on the Green Globes rating system, or a comparable standard. There is no specific energy efficiency requirement in the building standard. The state standard applies to all new state-funded construction projects costing more than $500,000 or occupying more than 5,000 square feet of space.
The State of South Dakota Energy Conservation Loan Fund uses over $8 million dollars of funds to provide no-interest loans to State Government of South Dakota projects. The loan repayment is based on energy costs savings.
South Dakota tracks and benchmarks building energy use with Energy Cap.
Last Updated: July 2016
Tennessee
The Tennessee Clean Energy Future Act of 2009 created the State Building Energy Management Program (SBEM), which is responsible for coordination and implementation of State government facility energy efficiency efforts. Located within the Department of General Services (DGS), Tennessee’s SBEM is designed to monitor energy data and usage in State buildings across Tennessee and identify energy efficiency projects in conjunction with owning agencies and departments. All departments are required by statute to assist SBEM by providing energy usage data and must appoint a department coordinator for such purposes. Efforts to obtain reliable energy consumption data from all agencies have been challenging due to varied invoice handling procedures across the State. However, utility cost and consumption data for Facilities Revolving Fund (FRF) spaces (those under direct DGS control amounting to 150 owned and 350 leased properties totaling 10 million square feet) has been collected and input into a utility management system. SBEM is currently working with other agencies to expand collection of accurate, consistent data for all State facilities. .
As part of Governor Haslam’s EmPower TN Statewide energy management initiative, the State of Tennessee has included funding in the FY15/16 budget to reduce energy cost and energy consumption in buildings owned and managed by the State. Included in EmPower TN is an enterprise system to collect utility invoice data for all State owned and leased buildings and energy management software to analyze this utility cost and consumption data. This data and software tool will be configured to meet the diverse energy management needs of the various State agencies, departments and institutions. Formal reduction goals will be determined once baselines are established through the EmPower TN data collection & energy management program.
The EmPower TN Initiative recently launched a centralized utility data collection and benchmarking effort for State facilities. On March 1, 2016, the State executed a multi-year contract with EnergyCAP, Inc., to provide Utility Data Management (UDM) software to all State owned facilities (96,000,000+ square feet), which includes benchmarking capabilities as well as consumption and cost dashboards. The Departments of General Services, Military, Environment and Conservation, Correction, and the University of Tennessee System are in the process of sharing pertinent information and data. Other Departments and the Tennessee Board of Regents will be engaged by the project later in 2016. To date, the state has benchmarked 23% of the state-owned building stock, or over 22,100,000 square feet, in addition to several community colleges and State universities.
The EmPower TN UDM Project will:
•Collect from State Utility providers “Historic Utility Data,” consisting of Utility invoice data (“Utility Data”) from July 1, 2012 to the present and “Ongoing Utility Data,” consisting of collection of Utility Data from the end of the Historic Utility Data to present and a continuous collection of Utility Data from the Effective Date until the termination of this Contract;
•Organize, and provide data trending, analysis, alarming, reporting, the ability to manage, on a continuous basis, Ongoing Utility Data for the State’s Utility cost and consumption, and provide comparison analytics abilities (“Utility Data Management”);
•Provide a solution concurrent with existing accounts payment processes, and will not result in inaccurate invoicing or billing;
•Include software-as-a-service cloud based service (“Cloud Software as a Service” or “SaaS”) on a subscription basis for a commercially available, off-the-shelf product that shall be customized as necessary to conform with the requirements of the contract.
The State’s High Performance Building Requirements (HPBr) requires compliance with ASHRAE 90.1-2010 for all State facilities and higher education campuses. The HPBr includes a checklist to encourage energy performance above ASHRAE 90.1-2010, including total building performance, lighting power levels, daylight harvesting, vacancy sensors and high efficiency HVAC. The HPBr challenges the State’s project design teams to think holistically and use tools such as building modeling and life cycle cost analysis to compare, integrate and optimize various system options. The HPBr will position the State of Tennessee for success by integrating best practices for a lower total cost of ownership.
Last Updated: July 2016
Texas
In 2007, Governor Perry signed HB 3693—an omnibus energy efficiency bill, which established efficiency provisions applicable to school districts and to certain institutions of higher education and executive branch state agencies, requiring them to establish a goal of reducing their annual electricity consumption by 5% for six consecutive years beginning September 1, 2007. Executive Order RP 49 in 2005 was updated by SB 700 in 2013 and requires uniform reporting of self-determined energy saving goals by state agencies and institutions of higher education. In September 2014, the state began to use Energy Star Portfolio Manager as the tracking tool for SB 700 reporting.
State Statute (19 TX Administrative Code 34.1.C) requires that before beginning construction of a new state building or a major renovation project, a state agency or an institution of higher education establishes that the project complies with minimum energy efficiency design requirements.
The 81st Legislature also passed HB 1831 and HB 4409, both of which require critical government buildings to obtain a combined heat and power (CHP) feasibility study prior to construction or major renovation.
As published in April 2016, the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) established ASHRAE 90.1-2013 as the standard for state-funded new construction or major renovation projects, except low-rise residential buildings, which must comply with the 2015 IECC. This code went into effect on June 1, 2016.
Last Updated: July 2016
Utah
In Spring 2015, the Utah Governor’s Office of Energy Development, CFSM, Division of Administrative Services, and Salt Lake City Public Schools began very early discussions to develop a statewide benchmarking, challenge and recognition program. S.B. 217 (2015) requires all state buildings to report their utility expenditures and energy and water consumption annually at the building level and report to the Governor and Legislature annually. Each state agency must designate a staff member that is responsible for coordinating energy efficiency efforts within the agency; provide energy consumption and costs information to the division; develop strategies for improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costs; and provide the division with information regarding the agency’s energy efficiency and reduction strategies. As part of this initiative, the Division of Facilities Construction and Management are identifying structures that require building-level meters and are working to meter those buildings in order to fulfill the reporting requirements. Around 80-90% of state-owned buildings are participating in some level of benchmarking. A standard of quality and a method of centralized reporting are being established in FY 2017.
Passed in 2006, HB 80 required the creation and implementation of a state building energy efficiency program, which shall develop guidelines/procedures and goals for energy efficiency for state buildings. The program must also analyze and benchmark state agencies’ energy consumption. That same year, the Governor issued Executive Order 2006-0004, which called for a 20 percent increase in the energy efficiency of state buildings by 2015. This Directive led the Division of Facilities Construction and Management to implement the use of the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool as the state benchmarking tool and to require all state buildings to benchmark energy consumption using Portfolio Manager. Utah also uses UMPro, SkySpark, and Lucif Interface Building Dashboards to benchmark public buildings. In FY 2015 the Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM) submitted the State Building Energy Efficiency Program Report to the Governor and Legislature.
The Quality Growth Act of 1999.1 (1 Chapter 24, laws of Utah 1999) and Governor Gary R. Herbert’s 10-year energy plan, issued in 2011, have driven the creation of the State Building Energy Efficiency Program (SBEEP). Efforts to increase energy efficiency in response to the directives issued by both the Governor and the Legislature have focused on state-owned buildings. The SBEEP strives to carry out the goal of improving energy efficiency while reducing the energy costs for state facilities. The program looks to reduce operating costs and lower maintenance costs which will in turn extend the life of the building equipment. The program provides funding resources as well as tools and cost-effective methods for energy efficient design, construction and operations.
DFCM requires new state building construction and major renovations to comply with the High Performance Building Standard (HPBS).
Last Updated: July 2016
Vermont
The 2016 State Agency Energy Plan, part of the Comprehensive 2016 State Energy Plan, establishes the goal of reducing state government operations total energy consumption by 25% by 2035. In order to achive this goal, the energy consumption associated with state owned and operated buildings must be reduced by 15% by 2030. The 2016 plan also encourages all Vermont State Agencies to track and benchmark state-owned and operated buildings’ energy use using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The Vermont Dept. of Buildings and General Services (BGS) estimates that the state has captured 70% of these buildings in various state agency portfolio manager accounts.
Executive Order No. 14-03, the Climate Change Action Plan for State Government Buildings and Operations, directs state government agencies and departments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from state government buildings and operations from the 1990 baseline by: twenty-five percent by 2012; fifty percent by 2028; and, if practicable using reasonable efforts, seventy-five percent by 2050. Executive Order No. 15-12, the Governor’s Climate Cabinet and State Agency Climate Action Plan, establishes the Climate Cabinet, which is tasked with providing comprehensive leadership on climate change through coordination across agencies and departments. The Executive Order establishes a “state operations” working group of the Climate Cabinet, which works with the Department of Buildings and General Services to ensure that every state building reduces its energy consumption to meet the outlined greenhouse gas reductions.
Act 40 of 2011 calls for the state to lead by example regarding its own energy usage and set a specific 5% energy savings goal for state government. BGS is leading the way by creating its own strategic plan for energy savings that will be used as a model for other state agencies and departments. BGS has convened a state agency/department stakeholder group to review the BGS plan and work towards this goal. All agency buildings, existing and new construction will be reviewed by the agencies and the BGS Environmental Engineer to be part of the EPA Portfolio Manager. BGS has established the goal of attaining an Energy Star score of 75 or higher for all eligible buildings. For those buildings that are not eligible, BGS has established the goal of setting site energy usage targets across the portfolio to help achieve our mandated annual energy consumption reduction target of 5%.
Act 51 of 2013 requires a life cycle cost analysis while incorporating the use of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and thermal energy conservation in any new building construction or major renovation project in excess of $250,000.00.
Efficiency Vermont has partnered with BGS to benchmark their facilities as part of a new State Energy Management Program initiative.
The State shall consider buildings with LEED Certification, Energy Star Certification or Efficiency Vermont’s High Performance Building designation when entering into a new lease space that is greater than 5,000 square feet and the total term of the lease is five or more years. The leasing agent must consider these criteria unless there is no space available that will meet these criteria and the program needs of the agency including, emergency relocation and geographical requirements. If the needs of the tenant require a space that does not meet these energy standards, the lease agreement will include an arrangement between the landlord and BGS to create an implementation plan for energy efficiency and energy conservation measures and consider renewable energy usage and generation to improve the overall efficiency of the building.
When entering into a new lease agreement or amending an existing lease agreement in which BGS will not be responsible for paying the utility bills, the lease agreement will reflect the landlord’s responsibility to make all energy usage data available to BGS for the term of the lease. BGS will reserve the right to sub-meter in multi-tenant spaces to obtain State only energy usage data if it is beneficial to the State.
Last Updated: July 2016
Virginia
In the past, Virginia has set several short-term targets for energy savings in state buildings. Executive Order 48, signed on April 5, 2007, directed state agencies to reduce the annual cost of non-renewable energy purchases by at least 20% of fiscal year 2006 expenditures by fiscal year 2010. Executive Order 19, signed by Governor Bob McDonnell on July 1, 2010, directed each state agency to develop and employ efficiency tools with the goal of reducing its annual energy use by at least 5 percent for fiscal year 2012 (compared to fiscal year 2010). Executive Order 31 and the 2014 Virginia Energy Plan directs the State Energy Office to work with the Governor’s Executive Committee on Energy Efficiency to develop recommendations to achieve a 10% reduction in energy consumption by 2020 and establish a comprehensive system to measure, verify and track energy consumption in state facilities. The state has developed prototypes for an energy data registry/dashboard that will be used to collect energy consumption data from state agencies. As part of EO 31, the Governor created a Chief Energy Efficiency Officer within the Administration to oversee aggressive implementation of EE measures in state agencies, and instructed executive agencies to engage/re-engage in the Energy Performance Contracting process.
EO 19 also directs that new or renovated state buildings should conform to LEED silver or Green Globes two-globe standards. In addition, the order instructs the Commonwealth to encourage private sector adoption of energy-efficient building standards by giving preference when leasing buildings for state use to facilities meeting the above standards.
Executive Directive 2, signed by Governor McDonnell in 2011, directs three state agencies to create a plan to centralize energy management across state facilities to seek out economies of scale and greater energy efficiencies. This plan shall also encourage communications among agencies on energy best practices and educate state employees about how their actions affect state energy use and costs.
Last Updated: July 2016
Washington
Washington State Executive Order 14-04 directed the Department of Enterprise Services, in collaboration with the Department of Commerce, OFM, and the WSU Energy Program, to evaluate progress and develop recommendations for improving the energy efficiency of state buildings. Subsequent work led to 100% agency compliance with initial benchmarking targets. A cross-agency team is currently piloting a simple, scalable process for building retro-commissioning for facilities that are identified (through benchmarking) as performing at less-than-average efficiency.
Washington State Executive Order 12-06 established new targets for energy savings in state buildings. State agencies are required to achieve a 20% reduction in building energy use by 2020, compared to their 2009 energy consumption. The executive order also requires state agency buildings to be benchmarked. If benchmarking demonstrates that the building has greater than average energy use for the building type, the building must enter an audit and improvement protocol. A previous order, Executive Order 05-01 (signed on January 5, 2005) required a reduction in state agency energy use by 10% by September 1, 2009, (using fiscal year 2003 as the baseline). It also requires major state construction projects over 25,000 sq. ft. to be designed and built according to the LEED Silver standard.
WA Statute RCW 39.35D.030 (January 2005) requires that all major facility projects of public agencies receiving any funding in a state capital budget must be designed, constructed, and certified to at least the LEED Silver standard and must include building commissioning as a component of the design process. LEED has been adopted by state colleges and universities as well as state agencies. All public schools must meet a LEED equivalent standard approved by State the Superintendent of Public instruction.
Washington Senate Bill 5854, passed in 2009, set benchmarking requirements for public facilities as well, requiring utilities to maintain utility data and transfer the data to facility managers using EPA Portfolio Manager. To date, the state has benchmarked about 99% of state agencies representing over 45 million square feet. Of all state-owned and leased buildings, including universities and community colleges, the state has benchmarked about 74%.
Last Updated: July 2016
West Virginia
In March 2012, West Virginia enacted the Green Buildings Act, which applies to all new construction of public buildings, building receiving state grant funds, and buildings receiving state appropriations. For those buildings that have not entered the designed phase prior to July 1, 2012, buildings must be designed and constructed to comply with the ICC International Energy Conservation Code and ASHRAE 90.1-2007. If a building is also receiving federal funds, the ICC and ASHRAE standards only apply if they are consistent with federal standards.
Benchmarking of state facilities is not required. However, the West Virginia Division of Energy (WVDOE) promotes benchmarking in West Virginia public facilities through several programs. Eighty percent of county school systems have participated in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager training sessions, and the state has contracted with West Virginia University to provide benchmarking for these school systems.
Last Updated: August 2016
Wisconsin
Per Executive Order 63, signed in March 2012, all new state facilities are required to be designed to achieve a level of energy efficiency that meets or exceeds the commercial code requirement in effect on the date of the issuance of this Order by at least 10%, so long as such measures are cost-effective on a life-cycle basis.
While there is no explicit requirement for benchmarking or tracking of energy use in public buildings, agencies are required to submit energy plans that include estimated energy savings. To do so, many agencies choose to benchmark buildings.
Last Updated: July 2016
Wyoming
No policy is in place or proposed. However, the Wyoming State Energy Office has a program for local governments which would include an energy audit and retrofits as described in the audit. The intent of this program is to retrofit existing buildings to maximize energy savings and create sustainable reduction in energy usage. A tracking system is being developed to calculate energy savings from these improvements. The program covers both audit and improvements on a cost share basis.
Last Updated: July 2016