Energy-Efficient Building Standards for State Facilities (Maine)

Last modified on December 5, 2012.

Rules Regulations Policies Program

Summary

Via Executive Order 27, Maine requires that construction or renovation of state buildings must incorporate "green building" standards that would achieve "significant" energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, provided that the costs of doing so are cost-effective over the life of the building. All branches of state government are to cooperate with the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services (Bureau of General Services) to meet these requirements. School districts and municipalities are not required to comply with these standards. It is interesting to note that Maine originally designated Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards be incorporated into the design, construction, operation and maintenance of new/renovated state buildings in November 2003 (via Exec order 8 FY04/05). The current policy no longer requires LEED.

Maine Statutes Title 5, Section 1764-A also requires that plans and designs for the construction of new or substantially renovated buildings owned or leased by the state include: (1) the consideration of energy efficiency, (2) an energy-use target that exceeds standards for commercial and institutional buildings by at least 20%, and (3) a life-cycle cost analysis over a minimum of 30 years that explicitly addresses the costs and benefits of efficiency improvements.

History Legislation in 2009 created the Task Force to Advance Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Independence at State Facilities; the Task Force issued its recommendations in January 2010 (available on Maine's Bureau of General Services website).

Back even further, in March 2005, the governor of Maine announced that the state would join the federal "Energy Star Challenge." As part of this partnership, the state committed to encouraging building owners and operators throughout Maine to improve energy efficiency by 10% or more using performance contracting and other mechanisms. The state also agreed to track energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions from government buildings and identify the best ways to improve energy efficiency in those buildings.

Incentive Contact

Authorities (Please contact the if there are any file problems.)

• Incentive and policy data are reviewed and approved by the N.C. Solar Center's DSIRE project staff.^[1]

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1}  "Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE)"