| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the revision of building energy efficiency performance |
|
|
standards. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 388, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
|
|
by adding Section 388.0035 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 388.0035. REVISION OF STANDARDS. (a) At least once |
|
|
every five years, the State Energy Conservation Office shall |
|
|
review: |
|
|
(1) revisions made by the International Code Council |
|
|
to the International Energy Conservation Code and the energy |
|
|
efficiency chapter of the International Residential Code after May |
|
|
1, 2001; and |
|
|
(2) local amendments made to the codes or energy |
|
|
efficiency programs that have strengthened energy efficiency |
|
|
requirements. |
|
|
(b) The review must be conducted in consultation with the |
|
|
laboratory and an advisory committee established by the State |
|
|
Energy Conservation Office. |
|
|
(c) The State Energy Conservation Office by rule shall |
|
|
establish a procedure for persons who have an interest in the |
|
|
adoption of standards for energy efficiency under Sections |
|
|
388.003(a) and (b) to have an opportunity to comment on the |
|
|
standards under consideration. The office shall consider persons |
|
|
who have an interest in adoption of standards to include: |
|
|
(1) commercial and residential builders, architects, |
|
|
and engineers; |
|
|
(2) municipal, county, and other local governmental |
|
|
authorities; and |
|
|
(3) environmental groups. |
|
|
(d) Following the completion of the review, the State Energy |
|
|
Conservation Office by rule shall adopt revised standards for |
|
|
energy efficiency to replace the standards under Sections |
|
|
388.003(a) and (b). |
|
|
(e) The revised standards must result in reducing either |
|
|
projected annual or ozone season energy consumption in new |
|
|
buildings by a minimum of 15 percent compared to the standards being |
|
|
used at the time of the review. |
|
|
(f) To achieve the goal of adopting standards by January 1, |
|
|
2030, that will result in residential construction designed to |
|
|
consume no more energy on a net annual basis than can be produced |
|
|
on-site from renewable energy sources, the State Energy |
|
|
Conservation Office and the advisory committee shall, not later |
|
|
than January 1, 2011: |
|
|
(1) conduct a study on the feasibility of reaching |
|
|
that goal; and |
|
|
(2) make recommendations to the legislature on a |
|
|
schedule for adopting progressive standards to reach that goal. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The following sections are repealed: |
|
|
(1) Sections 388.003(b-1) and (b-2), Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, as added by Section 3.01, Chapter 262 (S.B. 12), and Section |
|
|
11, Chapter 939 (H.B. 3693), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular |
|
|
Session, 2007; and |
|
|
(2) Section 388.003(b-3), Health and Safety Code. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |