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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to energy efficiency in newly constructed buildings. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 388.003, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection |
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(b-4) to read as follows: |
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(a) To achieve energy conservation in single-family |
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residential construction, the energy efficiency chapter of the |
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International Residential Code, as it existed on January 1, 2009 |
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[May 1, 2001], is adopted as the energy code in this state for |
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single-family residential construction. |
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(b) To achieve energy conservation in all other |
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residential, commercial, and industrial construction, the |
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International Energy Conservation Code as it existed on January 1, |
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2009 [May 1, 2001], is adopted as the energy code for use in this |
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state for all other residential, commercial, and industrial |
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construction. |
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(b-4) The State Energy Conservation Office shall: |
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(1) not later than the 180th day before the date a new |
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edition of the International Residential Code or International |
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Energy Conservation Code is scheduled to be published, and in |
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cooperation with the laboratory, the Public Utility Commission of |
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Texas, and interested persons under Subsection (b-2), identify a |
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list of energy code improvements anticipated to be contained in the |
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new edition and develop market transformation programs to train |
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builders, architects, and tradesmen to meet the anticipated code |
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improvements; and |
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(2) identify additional energy efficiency measures, |
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technologies, and practices that have the potential to |
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significantly reduce energy use in buildings. |
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SECTION 2. Section 388.003(b-1), Health and Safety Code, as |
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added by Chapters 262 (S.B. 12) and 939 (H.B. 3693), Acts of the |
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80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is reenacted and amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-1) If the State Energy Conservation Office determines, |
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based on written recommendations from the laboratory, that the |
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latest published edition of the International Residential Code |
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energy efficiency provisions or the latest published edition of the |
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International Energy Conservation Code will result in residential |
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or commercial energy efficiency and air quality that is equivalent |
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to or better than the energy efficiency and air quality achievable |
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under the editions adopted under Subsection (a) or (b), the office |
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shall [may] by rule adopt the equivalent or more stringent editions |
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and substitute them for the energy codes described by Subsection |
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(a) or (b). The rule, if adopted, shall establish an effective |
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date for the new energy codes but not earlier than nine months after |
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the date of adoption. The laboratory shall make its |
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recommendations not later than six months after publication of new |
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editions at the end of each three-year code development cycle of the |
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International Residential Code and the International Energy |
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Conservation Code. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.905, Utilities Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: |
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(d-1) In addition to the market-transformation programs |
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described by Subsection (d), the commission shall establish, and |
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each utility shall implement, market-transformation incentive |
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programs that: |
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(1) encourage the use of new building technologies and |
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construction practices that are anticipated to be included in a new |
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edition of the International Residential Code or International |
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Energy Conservation Code; |
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(2) offer incentives for a building that exceeds by at |
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least 15 percent the energy conservation standards of the most |
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current edition of the International Residential Code or |
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International Energy Conservation Code; |
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(3) offer increased incentives for a building that |
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exceeds by at least 30 percent the energy conservation standards of |
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the most current edition of the International Residential Code or |
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International Energy Conservation Code; and |
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(4) encourage the testing of new building technologies |
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and construction practices that: |
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(A) have significant potential to reduce |
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building energy use by 50 percent or more within 10 years of the |
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date the incentive is given; and |
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(B) integrate renewable energy into building |
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designs. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |