§ 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 ensures 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, ensure 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.)