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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the adoption of energy efficiency, conservation, and |
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indoor air quality standards for the design, construction, and |
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renovation of public school instructional facilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 46, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter D to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. STANDARDS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITIES |
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Sec. 46.101. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, |
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"instructional facility" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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46.001. |
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Sec. 46.102. ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION STANDARDS |
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FOR INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITIES. (a) In this section, "energy |
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office" means the State Energy Conservation Office. |
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(b) The energy office shall adopt energy efficiency and |
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conservation standards for the design, construction, and major |
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renovation of instructional facilities to enable school districts |
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to achieve long-term savings in energy and water costs through |
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innovative building techniques. |
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(c) A building to which this section applies must be |
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designed and constructed or renovated so that the building achieves |
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certification under a high-performance building standard that: |
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(1) is developed and revised through a consensus-based |
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process; |
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(2) provides minimum requirements for energy use, |
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natural resources use, and indoor air quality; |
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(3) requires substantiating documentation for |
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certification; |
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(4) employs third-party, post-construction review and |
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verification for certification; and |
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(5) is determined by the energy office to be |
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nationally recognized in the building industry, such as: |
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(A) the Texas Collaborative for High Performance |
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Schools (TX-CHPS) Criteria; |
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(B) the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes |
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program; or |
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(C) the Leadership in Energy and Environmental |
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Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. |
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(d) A school district that constructs a new instructional |
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facility or conducts a major renovation of an existing |
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instructional facility shall ensure that the instructional |
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facility meets the standards adopted by the energy office under |
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this section. |
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(e) The energy office may update the standards adopted under |
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this section not more frequently than once every three years. A |
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standard adopted under this section does not become effective until |
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the first anniversary of the date on which the standard was adopted. |
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(f) The energy office shall adopt rules necessary to |
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administer this section. The energy office shall require all rules |
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to be reviewed and published for comment by an advisory panel before |
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adoption. The advisory panel, to be appointed by the commissioner, |
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shall include: |
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(1) two district superintendents or their designees; |
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(2) one public school architect; |
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(3) one public school engineer; and |
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(4) one public school trustee. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than July 1, 2012, the State Energy |
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Conservation Office shall adopt rules establishing energy |
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efficiency, conservation, and indoor air quality standards for the |
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design, construction, and renovation of public school |
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instructional facilities as required by Section 46.102, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |