Solar Space Heat

Energy Standards for Public Buildings

Note: As of July 2023, Missouri state facilities under construction or renovation, and commercial buildings purchased or leased by state agencies, must comply with the 2015 IECC, pursuant to the Section 8.812 requirement that standards be at least as stringent as the latest version of the IECC.

Energy Conservation Goals

In April 2009 Missouri’s Governor issued Executive Order No. 09-18, requiring all state agencies whose building management falls under the Office of Administration to adopt policies designed to reduce energy consumption by 2% each year for the next 10 years.

Building Construction and Renovation Requirements

Life-Cycle Analysis

Life-cycle cost analysis

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High Performance Building Standards in New State Construction

In January 2008, New Jersey enacted legislation mandating the use of high performance green building standards in new state construction. The standard requires that new buildings larger than 15,000 square feet constructed for the sole use of state entities should be designed and managed to meet high performance green building standards. The law allows for exceptions from specific requirements in cases of practical difficulty. These exceptions only apply to the specific requirement in question and do not extend to all requirements. With some exceptions the state is also required to purchase Energy Star products when available, a provision adopted in

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High-Performance Building Requirements for State Buildings

In March 2008, South Dakota enacted legislation mandating the use of high-performance building standards in new state construction and renovations. The law was updated in 2021, lessening the previous standards and removing the requirements for renovations. The policy now requires that new state buildings achieve the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certified rating (decreased from silver rating), a two-globe rating under the Green Building Initiative's (GBI) Green Globe rating system, or a comparable numeric rating from another accredited sustainable building certification program. The law applies to all new construction projects by state agencies, departments, or institutions that has a cost

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City of Plano - Green Building Policy for Municipal Buildings

In January 2007, the City of Plano adopted a policy to "finance, plan, design, construct, manage, renovate, and maintain its facilities and buildings to be sustainable." This policy applies to new construction and major renovations. Return on investment will be considered when determining feasibility of implementing green features. 

Design elements will be prioritized based on their ability to provide future energy savings, water conservation, waste reduction, and improved indoor air quality. Key factors to consider incorporating into the design include:
1. Use of passive solar energy
2. Natural lighting (day lighting) and adjustable lighting systems
3. Highly reflective roof and

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Higher Education Energy Loan Program

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce has established a loan/lease fund for institutes of higher education to improve energy efficiency. Two categories of funding are available for schools to reduce energy consumption. Category I funding will pay for technical and energy audits, the development of Energy Management Plans, and any professional services that contribute to the planning and design of energy reduction systems and measures. Category II funding covers the actual acquisition and installation of energy conservation measures.

All projects must be shown to reduce energy consumption, have a positive return on investment, and be able to be repaid within 6

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Local Option - Green Building Incentives

To encourage sustainable building practices, North Carolina law allows all counties and cities to provide reductions or partial rebates for building permit fees. To qualify for a fee reduction, buildings must meet guidelines established by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the Green Globes program, or another recognized certification program.

SB 1597 of 2008 also granted authority to a few select jurisdictions to provide density bonuses, make adjustments to otherwise applicable development requirements, or provide other incentives to a developer or builder who builds or reconstructs developments which make a significant contribution to the reduction of energy

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Solar Construction Permitting Standards

Owners of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, solar water heating systems, geothermal electric systems, and geothermal space heating and cooling systems in Colorado are required to obtain a building permit before their systems may be installed. Permits are handled at the local level and awarded by counties and municipalities.

In effective August 10, 2022 the legislature enacted a statewide cap for permit fees for active solar energy and geothermal energy devices. For systems up to 2 MW-DC, counties and municipalities can charge no more than the lesser of the local government's actual cost to issue a permit or $500 for a

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Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Renewable Energy Equipment

In April 2008, the Maryland enacted legislation exempting geothermal and solar energy equipment from the state sales and use tax. Geothermal equipment is defined as "equipment that uses ground loop technology to heat and cool a structure". Solar energy equipment is defined as "equipment that uses solar energy to heat or cool a structure, generate electricity to be used in a structure, or provide hot water for use in a structure". Solar energy equipment does not include "equipment that is part of a non-solar energy system or that uses any type of recreational facility or equipment as a storage medium"

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City of Denver - Green Building Requirement for City-Owned Buildings

Executive Order 123, first signed in October 2007, established the Greenprint Denver Office and the sustainability policy for the city. In March 2013, Executive Order 123 was updated to create the Office of Sustainability—the successor to the Greenprint Denver Office—and establish key sustainability policies for the City and County of Denver.

The updated Executive Order 123 states that “all buildings constructed, renovated, or maintained with City funds or using City bonding capacity are to be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained according to the principles outlined in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the

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Anne Arundel County - Solar and Geothermal Equipment Property Tax Credits

Anne Arundel County offers a one-time credit from county property taxes on residential dwellings that use solar and geothermal energy equipment for heating and cooling, and solar energy equipment for water heating and electricity generation. Photovoltaic (PV) systems and geothermal systems were initially not eligible for the tax credit, but PV systems were added by legislation enacted in January 2009 (County Bill 81-08) and geothermal heating and cooling systems were added in April 2010 (County Bill 17-10). Solar energy devices must be installed on or after January 1, 2007 in order to be eligible for the tax credit. Geothermal equipment

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