§ 2291. State Agency Energy Plan

(a)(1) When used in this title, “life-cycle costs” shall mean the present value purchase price of an item, plus the replacement cost, plus or minus the salvage value, plus the present value of operation and maintenance costs, plus the energy and environmental externalities’ costs or benefits. Where reliable data enables the Department of Buildings and General Services to establish these additional environmental externalities’ costs or benefits with respect to a particular purchasing decision or category of purchasing decisions, that is energy related, the Department may recommend the addition or subtraction of an additional price factor. All State agencies shall consider the price factor and environmental considerations set by the Department when examining life-cycle costs for purchasing decisions.

(2) “State facilities,” when used in this chapter, shall mean all State-owned or leased buildings, structures, appurtenances, and grounds.

(3) “State fleet,” as used in this chapter, shall mean passenger vehicles and light duty trucks for use by State employees in the conduct of official duties, excluding law enforcement vehicles assigned to sworn law enforcement officers, and shall be procured by the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services.

(b) It is the general policy of the State of Vermont:

(1) To ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that State government can meet its energy needs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a manner that is adequate, reliable, secure, and sustainable; that assures affordability and encourages the State’s economic vitality, the efficient use of energy resources, and cost-effective demand side management; and that is environmentally sound.

(2) To identify and evaluate, on an ongoing basis, resources that will meet State government energy service, infrastructure, purchasing and supply, and fleet needs in accordance with the principles of least cost integrated planning; including efficiency, conservation and load management alternatives, purchasing preferences, wise use of renewable resources and environmentally sound infrastructure development, energy supply, purchasing practices, and fleet management.

(c) The Secretary of Administration with the cooperation of the Commissioners of Public Service and of Buildings and General Services shall develop and oversee the implementation of a State Agency Energy Plan for State government. The Plan shall be adopted by June 30, 2005, modified as necessary, and readopted by the Secretary on or before January 15, 2010 and each sixth year subsequent to 2010. The Plan shall be consistent with the Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP) issued under 30 V.S.A. § 202b. The Plan shall accomplish the following objectives and requirements:

(1) To conserve resources, save energy, and reduce pollution. The Plan shall devise strategies to identify to the greatest extent feasible all opportunities for conservation of resources through environmentally and economically sound infrastructure development, purchasing, and fleet management, and investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency available to the State that are cost effective on a life-cycle cost basis.

(2) To consider State policies and operations that affect energy use.

(3) To devise a strategy to implement or acquire all prudent opportunities and investments in as prompt and efficient a manner as possible.

(4) To include appropriate provisions for monitoring resource and energy use and evaluating the impact of measures undertaken.

(5) To identify education, management, and other relevant policy changes that are a part of the implementation strategy.

(6) To devise a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Plan shall include steps to encourage more efficient trip planning, to reduce the average fuel consumption of the State fleet, to encourage alternatives to solo-commuting State employees for commuting and job-related travel, and to incorporate conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles into the State fleet if cost-effective on a life-cycle basis.

(7) To provide, where feasible, for the installation of renewable energy systems including solar energy systems, which shall include equipment or building design features, or both, designed to attain the optimal mix of minimizing solar gain in the summer and maximizing solar gain during the winter, as part of the new construction or major renovation of any State building. The cost of implementation and installation will be identified as part of the budget process presented to the General Assembly.

(d) The Department of Buildings and General Services shall coordinate State purchasing decisions, according to procedures developed by the Commissioner in cooperation with the Commissioner of Public Service, to ensure comparisons based on relative life-cycle costs.

(e) The Commissioner of Buildings and General Services shall develop life-cycle cost guidelines for use in all State buildings. These guidelines shall require all new construction and major renovations to meet or exceed the current “Vermont Commercial Building Energy Standards.” Where practicable, the goal shall be attaining an EPA ENERGY STAR® rating of at least 75.

(1) The Department of Buildings and General Services shall develop a State strategy to reduce overall energy consumption in existing and proposed State buildings based on energy consumption levels specified in the energy conservation standard referred to in this subsection. The Plan shall identify, in buildings at variance with the energy standards referred to in this subsection, the cost to bring the building into compliance, and energy cost savings for the remaining useful life of the building.

(2) Each State agency and department, designated by the Secretary of Administration, that constructs or manages State buildings shall, by June 30, 2005, assure that new construction or major renovation of such structures incorporates those practical energy efficiency measures and energy consuming systems that result in the lowest life-cycle cost. New construction of State buildings shall be highly efficient and shall employ optimal siting and design, given the uses to which the buildings are to be put, with respect to solar gain and temperature control. State buildings shall be shaded and ventilated and their air circulation managed, to the extent practical, instead of being cooled by air conditioning.

(3) In capital requests to the General Assembly, the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services shall include, when appropriate, work plans, budgets, and proposed financing mechanisms to accomplish these reductions in energy use.

(f) The Commissioner of Buildings and General Services shall biennially report to the Secretary of Administration on the State’s implementation of this section. (Added 1991, No. 259 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; amended 1995, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 4(a), eff. May 6, 1996; 1995, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 4(c)(1), eff. May 6, 1996; 1995, No. 178 (Adj. Sess.), § 299; 2003, No. 121 (Adj. Sess.), § 38, eff. June 8, 2004; 2007, No. 209 (Adj. Sess.), § 1a; 2009, No. 43, § 44, eff. May 27, 2009; 2009, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 28, eff. June 4, 2010; 2013, No. 89, § 29a; 2017, No. 139 (Adj. Sess.), § 12.)