ARTICLE 2.5. Statewide Energy Management Program [81620. - 81624.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 2.5.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 81620. Section 81620.

This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the Statewide Energy Management Program.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 81621. Section 81621.

The definitions set forth in this section govern the construction of this article: (a) “Commission” means the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission. (b) “Energy independence” means the utilization of existing and developing technologies to meet energy needs onsite, including, but not necessarily limited to, the utilization of solar, fuel cells, and other renewable and clean onsite energy sources, the optimization of the use of daylighting, the use of passive solar orientation, and the use of construction techniques that minimize energy loss, such as appropriate insulation and lighting fixtures. (c) “Energy management plans” means the plans that community colleges develop with guidance from the Statewide Energy Management Program to implement energy efficiency projects such as sustainable green buildings, renovations, and wind or solar farms that will move the community colleges toward energy independence. (d) “Program” means the Statewide Energy Management Program, established under this article, which is a state program modeled after the Federal Energy Management Program. (e) “Renewable or other distributed energy systems” means alternative efficient sources of energy such as daylighting, photovoltaic panels (rooftops or solar farms), passive solar heating, fuel cells, and steam. Diesel-fueled electric generating systems are not included in this definition. (f) “Sustainable green building” means a building that has been designed to reduce both direct and indirect environmental consequences associated with construction, occupancy, operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning, and whose design is evaluated for cost, quality of life, future flexibility, ease of maintenance, energy and resource efficiency, and overall environmental impact, with an emphasis on life-cycle cost analysis.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 81622. Section 81622.

(a) (1) In Executive Order D-16-00, issued August 2, 2000, Governor Davis directed state agencies to design and construct buildings that incorporate energy efficiency, resource conservation, and renewable technologies. In his State of the State Address delivered on January 8, 2001, Governor Davis expressed his support for the goal of moving the California Community Colleges toward energy independence. (2) The Federal Energy Management Program, upon which the State Energy Management Program is modeled, has resulted in approximately four dollars ($4) in savings for every one dollar ($1) spent. The federal investment of two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) in energy efficiency has resulted in savings of six billion three hundred million dollars ($6,300,000,000) on energy bills. (b) In consultation with the commission, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall further develop and refine certain guidelines for a Statewide Energy Management Program that have been established under an ongoing joint effort of the commission and DeAnza College. This statewide effort shall allow community college districts to achieve energy independence through the development of energy management plans, the construction of sustainable green buildings, the use of renewable or other distributed energy systems, and the expansion of statewide energy education programs and services. (c) By 2010, the program shall, at a minimum, facilitate the completion of 20 district energy management plans, 15 renewable or other distributed energy systems, and three sustainable green buildings on community college campuses statewide. (d) In consultation with the commission, the board of governors shall accomplish all of the following: (1) Review and comment on academic, occupational, and vocational education materials developed by the commission, the Electric Power Research Institute, public utilities, and the community colleges to improve energy education programs and services. (2) Review and recommend actions regarding successful energy education programs and services that can be identified for replication, personnel exchanges, or implementation of successful practices. (3) Review and recommend actions regarding program resources for use by the community colleges or state agencies in improving energy education programs and services. (4) Review exemplary programs and facilities, and recommend activities for adoption, replication, or policy advice. (5) Review, comment, and recommend actions regarding services that will effect energy conservation. (6) Review and comment on funding requests received to improve or enhance energy education. (7) Review and comment on occupational and vocational training programs and services to meet current employment standards in energy occupations.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 81623. Section 81623.

The board of governors shall encourage the construction of community college sustainable green buildings that implement energy efficiency, sustainable building concepts, and solar electric, fuel cell, and other technologies. On the effective date of this article, the board of governors shall immediately seek a prototype sustainable green community college instructional building that can be a model for all new construction and retrofit projects statewide.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 81624. Section 81624.

The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall establish an advisory committee for the Statewide Energy Management Program, and determine the membership of that committee. The advisory committee, with technical assistance from the commission, shall make recommendations to the chancellor regarding overall program development, resource development and deployment, and strategies for implementation and coordination of the program. A leadership role on this committee shall initially be provided by the staff of the commission and DeAnza College who have been involved since 1992 in a joint effort to promote training, energy efficiency, and energy independence in the California Community Colleges. This leadership role shall rotate to other community colleges as they complete their own district energy management plans.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026