Governor signs legislation setting energy efficiency standards for public buildings
March 10, 2010
SB200 – Public Building Energy Efficiency Standards, sponsored by Senator Carlos Cisneros of Questa, has been signed by Governor Richardson and, beginning July 1st, is law. The bill was strongly supported by Republicans and Democrats in both Houses during the 2010 Regular Legislative Session.
The law now requires that new, expanded or renovated public buildings, from schools and libraries to municipal buildings and senior centers, that are funded to any extent by the state, be designed, constructed and used to meet EPA’s Energy Star certification. This translates into a 25% or more energy savings every month of the building’s 30-40 year life-cycle as compared to conventional, energy wasteful public buildings of the same type. Local governments across New Mexico will no longer be saddled with unnecessarily high energy bills for their public buildings and can redirect those significant savings to other critical services.
“The Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club conceived and advanced this policy change to save communities money, forestall construction of new power plants and lower New Mexico’s carbon footprint as we experience the effects of climate change.” noted the Chapter Chair, John Buchser. Chapter lobbyists and member activists facilitated the bill’s legislative success along with the lobbying support of the Environmental Alliance of New Mexico (EANM), the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (CCAE) and Conservation Voters of New Mexico (CVNM). The legislation also received support from the Energy Minerals & Natural Resources Department (ENMRD), the Public Schools Facilities Authority (PSFA), the General Services Department’s Lead By Example program and the Construction Industries Division of the New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department. The Governor’s support is implicit in his signature and through his Agencies.
Buchser summarized, “Cutting energy waste through conservation and efficiency is the least expensive and most immediate way to deal with the high costs – both economic and environmental – of consuming energy generated with fossil fuels, and it works at all levels; individual, governmental and commercial. Public building energy efficiency standards help move the State and its residents toward smarter, more responsible investments now, to help us secure a better future.”
SB200: http://nmlegis.gov/lcs/_session.aspx?chamber=S&legtype=B&legno=%20200&year=10
