Sustainability provisions changed.

A bill for an act

relating to state government; changing sustainability provisions; amending

Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 16B.32, subdivisions 1, 2, by adding

subdivisions; 16B.372, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 16B.32, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Alternative energy sources.

(a) If the incorporation of cost-effective

energy efficiency measures into the design, materials, and operations of a building or major

building renovation subject to section
16B.325
is not sufficient to meet Sustainable Building

2030 energy performance standards required under section
216B.241, subdivision 9
,

cost-effective renewable energy sources or solar thermal energy systems, or both, must be

deployed to achieve those standards.

(b) The commissioners of administration and commerce shall review compliance of

building designs and plans subject to this section with Sustainable Building 2030 performance

standards developed under section
216B.241, subdivision 9
, and shall make recommendations

to the legislature as necessary to ensure that those performance standards are met.

(c) For the purposes of this section:

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(1) "benchmark" has the meaning given in section 216C.331, subdivision 1, paragraph

(c);

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(2) "energy" has the meaning given in section 216C.331, subdivision 1, paragraph (h);

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(3) "energy conservation" has the meaning given in section 216B.2402, subdivision 5,

and for sources identified in section 216C.331, subdivision 1, paragraph (h);

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(4) "energy conservation improvement" has the meaning given in section 216B.2402,

subdivision 6;

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(1)
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(5)
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"energy efficiency" has the meaning given
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for energy
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in section
216B.2402,

subdivision 7
;

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(2)
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(6)
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"renewable energy" has the meaning given in section
216B.2422, subdivision 1
,

paragraph (c), and includes hydrogen generated from wind, solar, or hydroelectric;
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and
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(3)
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(7)
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"solar thermal energy systems" has the meaning given to "qualifying solar thermal

project" in section
216B.2411, subdivision 2
, paragraph (e)
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.
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;
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(8) "water conservation" means an action that results in the net reduction of water

consumption;

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(9) "water conservation improvement" means a project or program that results in the

efficient use and conservation of water; and

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(10) "water efficiency" means measures or programs designed to use less water to

accomplish the same outcome, including reducing input or wastewater.

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Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 16B.32, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Energy
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conservation goals
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shared savings program
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.

The commissioner of

administration in consultation with the commissioner of commerce, in cooperation with

one or more public utilities or comprehensive energy services providers, may conduct a

shared-savings program involving energy conservation expenditures on state-owned and

wholly state-leased buildings. The public utility or energy services provider shall contract

with appropriate state agencies to implement energy efficiency improvements in the selected

buildings. A contract must require the public utility or energy services provider to include

all energy efficiency improvements in selected buildings that are calculated to achieve a

cost payback within ten years. The contract must require that the public utility or energy

services provider be repaid solely from energy cost savings and only to the extent of energy

cost savings. Repayments must be interest-free. The goal of the program in this paragraph

is to demonstrate that through effective energy conservation the total energy consumption

per square foot of state-owned and wholly state-leased buildings could exceed existing

energy code by at least 30 percent.
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All agencies must report to the commissioner of

administration their monthly energy usage, building schedules, inventory of

energy-consuming equipment, and other information as needed by the commissioner to

manage and evaluate the program.
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Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 16B.32, is amended by adding a subdivision to

read:

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Subd. 4.

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Energy and water data collection.

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Agencies with the custodial control for

facilities must report their material energy and water consumption and cost data to the

commissioner on a basis determined by the commissioner.

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Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 16B.32, is amended by adding a subdivision to

read:

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Subd. 5.

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Energy and water goals; conservation improvement plans.

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Agencies must

maintain energy and water benchmarks and goals, developed in partnership with the

commissioner, for buildings under the agency's custodial control. State agencies must

maintain a plan to implement energy and water conservation improvements in existing

buildings with a simple payback of up to 15 years.

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Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 16B.372, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Enterprise sustainability.

The Office of Enterprise Sustainability is

established to assist all state agencies in making measurable progress toward improving the

sustainability of government operations by reducing the impact on the environment,

controlling unnecessary waste of natural resources and public funds, and spurring innovation.

The office shall create new tools and share best practices, assist state agencies to plan for

and implement improvements, and monitor progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

Specific duties include but are not limited to:

(1) managing a sustainability metrics and reporting system, including
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setting

enterprise-wide goals, and publishing
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a public dashboard that allows Minnesotans to track

progress and
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that
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is updated annually;

(2) assisting agencies in developing and executing sustainability plans; and

(3) implementing the state building energy conservation improvement revolving loan

in
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Minnesota Statutes,
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sections
16B.86
and
16B.87
.

Sec. 6.
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REVISOR INSTRUCTION.
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The revisor of statutes shall change Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 16.32, section

headnote to "ENERGY AND WATER USE."

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