18A:18A-4.6 - Implementation of energy savings improvement program by board of education; definitions
18A:18A-4.6 Implementation of energy savings improvement program by board of education; definitions.
1. a. A board of education, as defined in N.J.S.18A:18A-2, may implement an energy savings improvement program in the manner provided by this section whenever it determines that the savings generated from reduced energy use from the program will be sufficient to cover the cost of the program's energy conservation measures as set forth in an energy savings plan. Under such a program, a board of education may enter into an energy savings services contract with an energy services company to implement the program or the board may authorize separate contracts to implement the program. The provisions of N.J.S.18A:18A-1 et seq. shall apply to any contracts awarded pursuant to this section to the extent that the provisions of such law are not inconsistent with any provision of this section.
b. (1) To be eligible to enter into an energy savings services contract, an energy services company shall be a commercial entity that is qualified to provide energy savings services in accordance with the provisions of this section. A board of education may determine to enter into an energy savings services contract either through public advertising for bids and the receipt of bids therefor or through competitive contracting in lieu of public bidding in the manner provided by sections 45 through 49 of P.L.1999, c.440 (C.18A:18A-4.1 et seq.).
(2) (a) Public works activities performed under an energy savings improvement program shall be subject to all requirements regarding public bidding, bid security, performance guarantees, insurance and other public contracting requirements that are applicable to public works contracts, to the extent not inconsistent with this section. A general contractor, energy services company serving as general contractor, or any subcontractor hired for the furnishing of plumbing and gas fitting and all kindred work, and of steam and hot water heating and ventilating apparatus, steam power plants and kindred work, and electrical work, structural steel and ornamental iron work, shall be classified by the Division of Property Management and Construction in the Department of the Treasury in order to perform public works activities under an energy savings improvement program.
(b)Individuals or organizations performing energy audits, acting as commissioning agents, or conducting verification of energy savings plans, implementation of energy conservation measures, or verifying guarantees shall be prequalified by the Division of Property Management and Construction in the Department of the Treasury to perform their work under an energy savings improvement program.
(3)An energy services company may be designated as the general contractor for improvements to be made pursuant to an energy savings plan, provided that the hiring of subcontractors that are required to be classified pursuant to subparagraph (a) of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be performed pursuant to the public bidding requirements of the board of education. A contract with an energy savings company shall include, but not be limited to: preparation of an energy savings plan; the responsibilities of the parties for project schedules, installations, performance and quality, payment of subcontractors, project completion, commissioning, savings implementation; a requirement that the savings to be achieved by energy conservation measures be verified upon commissioning of the improvements; allocation of State and federal rebates and tax credits; and any other provisions deemed necessary by the parties.
(4)Except as provided in paragraph (5) of this subsection, a subsidiary or wholly-owned or partially-owned affiliate of the energy services company shall not be an eligible contractor or subcontractor under an energy savings services contract.
(5)When the energy services company is the manufacturer of direct digital control systems and contracts with the board of education to provide a guaranteed energy savings option pursuant to subsection f. of this section, the specification of such direct digital control systems may be treated as proprietary goods and if so treated, the bid specification shall set forth an allowance price for its supply by the energy services company which shall be used by all bidders in the public bidding process. Direct digital controls shall be open protocol format and shall meet the interoperability guidelines established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
c.An energy savings improvement program may be financed through a lease-purchase agreement or through the issuance of energy savings obligations pursuant to this subsection.
(1)An energy savings improvement program may be financed through a lease-purchase agreement between a board of education and an energy services company or other public or private entity. Under a lease-purchase agreement, ownership of the energy savings equipment or improved facilities shall pass to the board of education when all lease payments have been made. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 46 of P.L.1999, c.440 (C.18A:18A-4.2) or any other law to the contrary, the duration of such a lease-purchase agreement shall not exceed 15 years, except that the duration of a lease purchase agreement for a combined heat and power or cogeneration project shall not exceed 20 years.
(2)Any lease-purchase agreement entered into pursuant to this subsection may contain: a clause making it subject to the availability and appropriation annually of sufficient funds as may be required to meet the extended obligation; and a non-substitution clause maintaining that if the agreement is terminated for non-appropriation, the board of education may not replace the leased equipment or facilities with equipment or facilities that perform the same or similar functions.
(3)A board of education may arrange for incurring energy savings obligations to finance an energy savings improvement program. Energy savings obligations may be funded through appropriations for utility services in the annual budget of the board and may be issued as refunding bonds pursuant to P.L.1969, c.130 (C.18A:24-61.1 et seq.), including the issuance of bond anticipation notes as may be necessary, provided that all such bonds and notes mature within the periods authorized for such energy savings obligations. Energy savings obligations may be issued either through the board of education or another public agency authorized to undertake financing on behalf of the board.
(4)Lease-purchase agreements and energy savings obligations shall not be used to finance maintenance, guarantees, or verification of guarantees of energy conservation measures. Lease-purchase agreements and energy savings obligations may be used to finance the cost of an energy audit or the cost of verification of energy savings as part of adopting an energy savings plan. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, lease-purchase agreements and energy savings certificates shall not be excepted from any budget or tax levy limitation otherwise provided by law. Maturity schedules of lease-purchase agreements or energy savings obligations must exceed the estimated useful life of the individual energy conservation measures.
d. (1) The energy audit component of an energy savings improvement program shall be conducted either by the board of education or by a qualified third party retained by the board for that purpose. It shall not be conducted by an energy services company subsequently hired to develop an energy savings improvement program. The energy audit shall identify the current energy use of any or all facilities and energy conservation measures that can be implemented in which the energy savings and energy efficiency could be realized and maximized.
(2)To implement an energy savings improvement program, a board of education shall develop an energy savings plan that consists of one or more energy conservation measures. The plan shall:
(a)contain the results of an energy audit;
(b)describe the energy conservation measures that will comprise the program;
(c)estimate greenhouse gas reductions resulting from those energy savings;
(d) identify all design and compliance issues that require the professional services of an architect or engineer and identify who will provide these services;
(e)include an assessment of risks involved in the successful implementation of the plan;
(f)identify the eligibility for, and costs and revenues associated with the PJM Independent System Operator for demand response and curtailable service activities;
(g)include schedules showing calculations of all costs of implementing the proposed energy conservation measures and the projected energy savings;
(h)identify maintenance requirements necessary to ensure continued energy savings, and describe how they will be fulfilled; and
(i)if developed by an energy services company, a description of, and cost estimates of an energy savings guarantee.
All professionals providing engineering services under the plan shall have errors and omissions insurance.
(3)Prior to the adoption of the plan by the governing body, the board of education shall contract with a qualified third party to verify the projected energy savings to be realized from the proposed program have been calculated as required by subsection e. of this section.
(4)Upon adoption, the plan shall be submitted to the Board of Public Utilities, which shall post it on the Internet on a public webpage maintained for such purpose. If the board of education maintains its own website, it shall also post the plan on that site. The Board of Public Utilities may require periodic reporting concerning the implementation of the plan.
(5)Verification by a qualified third party shall be required when energy conservation measures are placed in service or commissioned, to ensure the savings projected in the energy savings plan shall be achieved.
(6)Energy-related capital improvements that do not reduce energy usage may be included in an energy savings improvement program but the cost of such improvements shall not be financed as a lease-purchase or through energy savings obligations authorized by subsection c. of this section. Nothing herein is intended to prevent financing of such capital improvements through otherwise authorized means.
(7)A qualified third party when required by this subsection may include an employee of the board of education who is properly trained and qualified to perform such work.
e. (1) The calculation of energy savings for the purposes of determining that the energy savings resulting from the program will be sufficient to cover the cost of the program's energy conservation measures, as provided in subsection a. of this section, shall involve determination of the dollar amount saved through implementation of an energy savings improvement program using the guidelines of the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol or other protocols approved by the Board of Public Utilities and standards adopted by the Board of Public Utilities pursuant to this section. The calculation shall include all applicable State and federal rebates and tax credits, but shall not include the cost of an energy audit and the cost of verifying energy savings. The calculation shall state which party has made application for rebates and credits and how these applications translate into energy savings.
(2)For the purposes of this section, the Board of Public Utilities shall adopt standards and uniform values for interest rates and escalation of labor, electricity, oil, and gas, as well as standards for presenting these costs in a life cycle and net present value format, standards for the presentation of obligations for carbon reductions, and other standards that the board may determine necessary.
f. (1) When an energy services company is awarded an energy savings services contract, it shall offer the board of education the option to purchase, for an additional amount, an energy savings guarantee. The guarantee, if accepted by a separate vote of the board of education, shall insure that the energy savings resulting from the energy savings improvement program, determined periodically over the duration of the guarantee, will be sufficient to defray all payments required to be made pursuant to the lease-purchase agreement or energy savings obligation, and if the savings are not sufficient, the energy services company will reimburse the board for any additional amounts. Annual costs of a guarantee shall not be financed or included as costs in an energy savings plan but shall be fully disclosed in an energy savings plan.
(2)When a guaranteed energy savings option is purchased, the contract shall require a qualified third party to verify the energy savings at intervals established by the parties.
g.As used in this section:
"direct digital control systems" means the devices and computerized control equipment that contain software and computer interfaces that perform the logic that control a building's heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system. Direct digital controls shall be open protocol format and shall meet the interoperability guidelines established by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers;
"energy conservation measure" means an improvement that results in reduced energy use, including, but not limited to, installation of energy efficient equipment; demand response equipment; combined heat and power systems; facilities for the production of renewable energy; water conservation measures, fixtures or facilities; building envelope improvements that are part of an energy savings improvement program; and related control systems for each of the foregoing;
"energy related capital improvement" means a capital improvement that uses energy but does not result in a reduction of energy use;
"energy saving obligation" means a bond, note or other agreement evidencing the obligation to repay borrowed funds incurred in order to finance energy saving improvements;
"energy savings" means a measured reduction in fuel, energy, operating or maintenance costs resulting from the implementation of one or more energy conservation measures services when compared with an established baseline of previous fuel, energy, operating or maintenance costs, including, but not limited to, future capital replacement expenditures avoided as a result of equipment installed or services performed as part of an energy savings plan;
"energy savings improvement program" means an initiative of a board of education to implement energy conservation measures in existing facilities, provided that the value of the energy savings resulting from the program will be sufficient to cover the cost of the program's energy conservation measures;
"energy savings plan" means the document that describes the actions to be taken to implement the energy savings improvement program;
"energy savings services contract" means a contract with an energy savings company to develop an energy savings plan, prepare bid specifications, manage the performance, provision, construction, and installation of energy conservation measures by subcontractors, to offer a guarantee of energy savings derived from the implementation of an energy savings plan, and may include a provision to manage the bidding process;
"energy services company" means a commercial entity that is qualified to develop and implement an energy savings plan in accordance with the provisions of this section;
"public works activities" means any work subject to the provisions of P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.); and
"water conservation measure" means an alteration to a facility or equipment that reduces water consumption, maximizes the efficiency of water use, or reduces water loss.
h.(1) The Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, the State Treasurer, and the Board of Public Utilities may take such action as is deemed necessary and consistent with the intent of this section to implement its provisions.
(2)The Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, the State Treasurer and the Board of Public Utilities may adopt implementation guidelines or directives, and adopt such administrative rules, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as are necessary for the implementation of those agencies' respective responsibilities under this section, except that notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, the State Treasurer, and the Board of Public Utilities may adopt, immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law, such rules and regulations as deemed necessary to implement the provisions of this act which shall be effective for a period not to exceed 12 months and shall thereafter be amended, adopted or re-adopted in accordance with the provisions of P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
L.2009, c.4, s.1.