State energy efficiency program; require Division of Purchase and Supply to ensure 20% sustainable. (SB1127)

Introduced By

Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax)

Description

State energy efficiency programs. Requires the Division of Purchase and Supply of the Department of General Services to ensure that, by 2020 and thereafter, 20 percent of the electricity purchased by or for the departments, agencies, or institutions of the Commonwealth is sustainable energy. Prior to that date, interim percentage requirements for purchases of sustainable energy are established. The measure requires any state agency that is authorized to undertake construction of a state-owned facility over 5,000 gross square feet in size or a renovation of a state-owned facility over 5,000 gross square feet in size where the value of the renovation exceeds 50 percent of the assessed building value to build to energy performance standards of the U.S. Green Building Councils Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design building rating system or equivalent energy performance standards that provide for the use of Virginia forest products, unless granted an exemption by the Director of the Department of General Services. Finally, the measure authorizes the Governor or his designee to permit any state agency to enter into a contract through the use of competitive negotiation, rather than through the requirements of the Commonwealth's public procurement laws, if it finds that the contract will improve the efficiency of the agency's use of electricity or natural gas or will result in net savings in the agency's expenditures on electricity or natural gas. Read the Bill »

Outcome

History