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

(1) “Customers” means residents, businesses, and building owners.

(2) “Direct outreach” means:

(a) The use of door-to-door contact, community events, and other methods of direct interaction with customers to inform them of energy efficiency and weatherization opportunities; and

(b) The performance of energy audits.

(3) “Energy audit” means an assessment of building energy efficiency opportunities, from measures that require very little investment and without any disruption to building operation, normally involving general building operational measures, to low or relatively higher cost investment, such as installing timers to turn off equipment, replacing light bulbs, installing insulation, replacing equipment and appliances with higher efficiency equipment and appliances, and similar measures. The term includes an assessment of alternatives for generation of heat and power from renewable energy resources, including installation of solar water heating and equipment for photovoltaic electricity generation.

(4) “Energy efficiency and conservation block grant program” means the federal program created under the energy independence and security act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140).

(5) “Energy efficiency services” means energy audits, weatherization, energy efficiency retrofits, energy management systems as defined in RCW 39.35.030, and other activities to reduce a customer’s energy consumption, and includes assistance with paperwork, arranging for financing, program design and development, and other postenergy audit assistance and education to help customers meet their energy savings goals.

(6) “Low-income individual” means an individual whose annual household income does not exceed eighty percent of the area median income for the metropolitan, micropolitan, or combined statistical area in which that individual resides as determined annually by the United States department of housing and urban development.

(7) “Sponsor” means any entity or group of entities that submits a proposal under RCW 70A.50.020, including but not limited to any nongovernmental nonprofit organization, local community action agency, tribal nation, community service agency, public service company, county, municipality, publicly owned electric, or natural gas utility.

(8) “Sponsor match” means the share, if any, of the cost of efficiency improvements to be paid by the sponsor.

(9) “Weatherization” means making energy and resource conservation and energy efficiency improvements.

Finding—Intent—2009 c 379: “(1) The legislature finds that improving energy efficiency in structures is one of the most cost-effective means to meet energy requirements, and that while there have been significant efficiency savings achieved in the state over the past quarter century, there remains enormous potential to achieve even greater savings. Increased weatherization and more extensive efficiency improvements in residential, commercial, and public buildings achieves many benefits, including reducing energy bills, avoiding the construction of new electricity generating facilities with associated climate change impacts, and creation of family-wage jobs in performing energy audits and improvements.

(2) It is the intent of the legislature that financial and technical assistance programs be expanded to direct municipal, state, and federal funds, as well as electric and natural gas utility funding, toward greater achievement of energy efficiency improvements. To this end, the legislature establishes a policy goal of assisting in weatherizing twenty thousand homes and businesses in the state in each of the next five years. The legislature also intends to attain this goal in part through supporting programs that rely on community organizations and that there be maximum family-wage job creation in fields related to energy efficiency.” [ 2009 c 379 § 1.]

Effective date—2009 c 379: “This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [May 7, 2009].” [ 2009 c 379 § 405.]