(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT. — The Legislature finds that investment in energy conservation measures in educational facilities can reduce the amount of energy consumed and produce immediate and long-term savings. It is the policy of this state to encourage school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities to invest in energy conservation measures that reduce energy consumption, produce a cost savings, and improve the quality of indoor air in facilities, and, when economically feasible, to build, operate, maintain, or renovate educational facilities in such a manner so as to minimize energy consumption and maximize energy savings. It is further the policy of this state to encourage school districts, Florida College System institutions, and state universities to reinvest any energy savings resulting from energy conservation measures into additional energy conservation efforts.
(2) DEFINITIONS. — For purposes of this section, the term: (a) “Energy conservation measure” means a training program, facility alteration, or equipment to be used in new construction, including an addition to an existing facility, that reduces energy costs, and includes, but is not limited to: 1. Insulation of the facility structure and systems within the facility. 2. Storm windows and doors, caulking or weatherstripping, multiglazed windows and doors, heat-absorbing, or heat-reflective, glazed and coated window and door systems, additional glazing, reductions in glass area, and other window and door system modifications that reduce energy consumption. 3. Automatic energy control systems. 4. Heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning system modifications or replacements. 5. Replacement or modifications of lighting fixtures to increase the energy efficiency of the lighting system which, at a minimum, shall conform to the Florida Building Code. 6. Energy recovery systems. 7. Cogeneration systems that produce steam or forms of energy such as heat, as well as electricity, for use primarily within a facility or complex of facilities. 8. Energy conservation measures that provide long-term operating cost reductions and significantly reduce Btu consumed. 9. Renewable energy systems, such as solar, biomass, and wind. 10. Devices which reduce water consumption or sewer charges. (b) “Energy cost savings” means: 1. A measured reduction in fuel, energy, or operation and maintenance costs created from the implementation of one or more energy conservation measures when compared with an established baseline for previous fuel, energy, or operation and maintenance costs; or 2. For new construction, a projected reduction in fuel, energy, or operation and maintenance costs created from the implementation of one or more energy conservation measures when compared with the projected fuel, energy, or operation and maintenance costs for equipment if the minimum standards of the Florida Building Code for educational facilities construction were implemented and signed and sealed by a registered professional engineer. (c) “Energy performance-based contract” means a contract for the evaluation, recommendation, and implementation of energy conservation measures which includes, at a minimum: 1. The design and installation of equipment to implement one or more of such measures, and, if applicable, operation and maintenance of such measures. 2. The amount of any actual annual savings. This amount must meet or exceed total annual contract payments made by the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees for such contract. 3. Financing charges to be incurred by the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees over the life of the contract. (d) “Energy performance contractor” means a person or business licensed pursuant to chapter 471, chapter 481, or chapter 489 and experienced in the analysis, design, implementation, and installation of energy conservation measures through the implementation of energy performance-based contracts.
(3) ENERGY PERFORMANCE-BASED CONTRACT PROCEDURES. — (a) A district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees may enter into an energy performance-based contract with an energy performance contractor to significantly reduce energy or operating costs of an educational facility through one or more energy conservation measures. (b) The energy performance contractor shall be selected in compliance with s. 287.055; except that in a case where a district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees determines that fewer than three firms are qualified to perform the required services, the requirement for agency selection of three firms, as provided in s. 287.055(4)(b), shall not apply and the bid requirements of s. 287.057 shall not apply. (c) Before entering into a contract pursuant to this section, the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees shall provide published notice of the meeting in which it proposes to award the contract, the names of the parties to the proposed contract, and the contract’s purpose. (d) Prior to the design and installation of the energy conservation measure, the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees must obtain from the energy performance contractor a report that discloses all costs associated with the energy conservation measure and provides an estimate of the amount of the energy cost savings. The report must be reviewed by either the Department of Education or the Department of Management Services or signed and sealed by a registered professional engineer. (e) A district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees may enter into an energy performance-based contract with an energy performance contractor if, after review of the report required by paragraph (d), it finds that the amount it would spend on the energy conservation measures recommended in the report will not exceed the amount to be saved in energy and operation costs over 20 years from the date of installation, based on life-cycle costing calculations, if the recommendations in the report were followed and if the energy performance contractor provides a written guarantee that the energy or operating cost savings will meet or exceed the costs of the system. The contract may provide for payments over a period of time not to exceed 20 years. (f) A district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees may enter into an installment payment contract for the purchase and installation of energy conservation measures. The contract shall provide for payments of not less than one-twentieth of the price to be paid within 2 years from the date of the complete installation and acceptance by the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees, and the remaining costs to be paid at least quarterly, not to exceed a 20-year term based on life-cycle costing calculations. (g) Energy performance-based contracts may extend beyond the fiscal year in which they become effective; however, the term of any contract shall expire at the end of each fiscal year and may be automatically renewed annually up to 20 years, subject to a district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees making sufficient annual appropriations based upon continued realized energy cost savings. Such contracts shall stipulate that the agreement does not constitute a debt, liability, or obligation of the state or a district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees, or a pledge of the faith and credit of the state or a district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees.
(4) CONTRACT PROVISIONS. — (a) An energy performance-based contract shall include a guarantee by the energy performance contractor that annual energy cost savings will meet or exceed the amortized cost of energy conservation measures. (b) The contract shall provide that all payments, except obligations on termination of the contract before its expiration, are to be made over time, but not to exceed 20 years from the date of complete installation and acceptance by the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees, and that the annual savings are guaranteed to the extent necessary to make annual payments to satisfy the contract. (c) The contract must require that the energy performance contractor to whom the contract is awarded provide a 100-percent public construction bond to the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees for its faithful performance, as required by s. 255.05. (d) The contract shall require the energy performance contractor to provide to the district school board, Florida College System institution board of trustees, or state university board of trustees an annual reconciliation of the guaranteed energy cost savings. The energy performance contractor shall be liable for any annual savings shortfall which may occur. In the event that such reconciliation reveals an excess in annual energy cost savings, such excess savings shall not be used to cover potential energy cost savings shortages in subsequent contract years.