08 LC
35 0779ER
House
Bill 1125
By:
Representatives Horne of the
71st,
Ehrhart of the
36th,
Greene of the
149th,
and Lewis of the
15th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 1 of Chapter 9 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the Georgia Building
Authority, so as to provide for energy efficient construction of a major
state-funded facility project; to provide for duties and responsibilities for
the enforcement of certain energy efficient provisions; to provide a short
title; to provide legislative findings; to provide a definition; to provide for
related matters; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and
for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
1 of Chapter 9 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to general provisions relative to the Georgia Building Authority, is amended by
adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"50-9-17.
(a)
This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the 'Energy Efficiency and
Sustainable Construction Act of 2008.'
(b)
The General Assembly finds that the welfare of this state is enhanced by the
promotion of effective energy and environmental standards for construction,
rehabilitation, and maintenance of buildings in this state and that such
standards in turn improve this state´s capacity to design, build, and
operate high-performance buildings, contributing to economic growth, promoting
job development, and increasing energy conservation.
(c)
For purposes of this Code section, 'major facility project' means a
state-funded:
(1)
New construction building project of a building exceeding 5,000 square
feet;
(2)
A renovation project that is more than 50 percent of the replacement value of
the facility, a change in occupancy, or any roof replacement project exceeding
5,000 square feet; or
(3)
A commercial interior tenant fit-out project exceeding 5,000 square feet of
leaseable area.
A
major facility project shall not include a building, regardless of size, that
does not have conditioned space as defined by the American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
(d)
Consistent with the intent of this Code section, the Georgia Building Authority
shall adopt policies and procedures applicable to all buildings owned, leased,
or managed by this state that:
(1)
Optimize the energy performance;
(2)
Increase the demand for construction materials and furnishings produced in
Georgia;
(3)
Improve the environmental quality in this state by decreasing the discharge of
pollutants from such state buildings;
(4)
Conserve energy and utilize local and renewable energy sources;
(5)
Protect and restore this state´s natural resources by avoiding the
development of inappropriate building sites;
(6)
Reduce the burden on municipal water supply and treatment by reducing potable
water consumption;
(7)
Establish life cycle assessments as the appropriate and most efficient analysis
to determine a building project´s environmental performance level; and
(8)
Encourage obtaining Energy Star designation from the United States Environmental
Protection Agency to further demonstrate a building project´s energy
independence.
(e)
All major facility projects shall be designed, constructed, and certified to
exceed the standards set forth in ASHRAE 90.1.2004 by 30 percent where it is
determined by the State Properties Commission that such 30 percent efficiency is
cost effective based on a life cycle cost analysis with a payback at no more
than ten years. Certification must be performed by a professional engineer
using software methodology approved by the Internal Revenue Service and the
Department of Energy. For all major renovation projects, such requirements
shall apply to the specific building assemblies, envelope components, and
equipment involved in the project.
(f)
To achieve sustainable building standards, construction projects may utilize a
nationally recognized high performance energy modeling and environmental
building rating system; provided, however, that any such rating system that uses
a material or product based credit system that operates to the detriment of
materials or products manufactured or produced in Georgia shall not be so
utilized. The Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission shall designate
rating systems that meet these criteria and is authorized to establish its own
alternative rating system.
(g)
Local governing authorities and local school systems shall use the energy
modeling and rating systems designated by the Georgia Building
Authority.
(h)
A professional engineer shall certify that the building project´s systems
for heating, ventilating, air conditioning, energy conservation, and water
conservation are installed and working properly to ensure that each building
project performs according to the building´s overall environmental design
intent and operational objectives."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective on July 1, 2008.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.