Developing "BUILDING/ FACILITY ENERGY CONSUMPTION DATA SHEET" for Political Subdivisions, Institutions of Higher Education, and State Agencies, to Satisfy Senate Bill 898 (82nd R) Reporting Requirements

Abstract

As mandated by the 82nd R Legislature (2011), Senate Bill 898, Health and Safety Code, Section 388.005, beginning September 1, 2011, each political subdivision, institution of higher education or state agency shall establish a goal to reduce the electric consumption by the entity by at least 5% each state fiscal year for 10 years. Each entity annually is to report to the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), on forms provided by SECO, regarding the entity's goal, the entity's efforts to meet the goal, and progress the entity has made. An entity that does not attain the 5% goal must include in the report justification that the entity has already implemented all available cost-effective measures. SECO is to annually provide the commission and the Energy Systems Laboratory (Laboratory) with an evaluation of the effectiveness of state and political subdivision energy efficiency programs. The Laboratory is mandated to calculate, based on the evaluation and the forms submitted to the office, the amount of energy savings and estimated reduction in pollution achieved as a result of the implementation of the programs, and then provide the information to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to help with long-term forecasting and in estimating pollution reduction. During the first quarter of 2012, the Laboratory, working with SECO, devised and proposed to SECO a standardized form for use by political subdivisions, institutions of higher education and state agencies in order to satisfy the new reporting requirements set by Senate Bill 898. The form contains the minimum information needed to show an accurate estimated energy savings and estimated reduction in pollution as a result of the implementation of the programs. In July 2012, the basic form proposed by the ESL was enhanced electronically so that the form could be filled on a computer and emailed back, and the data could be pulled automatically. The form that was proposed to SECO by the ESL appears on the next page (showing default dates that could be changed by the submitter).