Brief Description: Including conservation measures in performance-based contracting.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Water, Energy & Telecommunications (originally sponsored by Senators Oemig, Delvin, Rockefeller, Fraser and Regala).

Senate Committee on Water, Energy & Telecommunications
House Committee on Technology, Energy & Communications

Background: Municipalities and the Department of General Administration (GA) use "energy saving performance contracting" to identify and implement cost-effective conservation improvements in public buildings. In this process, a municipality or GA may hire a company to conduct an energy audit, complete the design work, provide financing, and serve as the general contractor to install any energy efficiency measures. Payments to the company are conditioned on energy cost savings.

Water conservation opportunities are often identified in the course of the energy audits. In August 2005, GA was advised by its attorney that water conservation projects could not be completed using energy saving performance contracting. Because of this opinion, GA has stopped pursuing water conservation projects.

Summary: The provisions concerning energy saving performance contracting are amended to allow for measures to conserve water and to reduce wastewater and solid waste.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      48   0
House      96   0

Effective:   July 22, 2007