Program administration by department of commerce, in consultation with department of enterprise services and Washington State University energy program — Definitions.

RCW 43.331.040
in effect
Sign in to generate a plain English summaryAsk Belisarius Agent
(1) The department of commerce, in consultation with the department of enterprise services and the Washington State University energy program, shall administer the jobs act. (2) The department of enterprise services must develop guidelines that are consistent with national and international energy savings performance standards for the implementation of energy savings performance contracting projects by the energy savings performance contractors by December 31, 2010. (3) The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (a) "Cost-effectiveness" means that the present value to higher education institutions and school districts of the energy reasonably expected to be saved or produced by a facility, activity, measure, or piece of equipment over its useful life, including any compensation received from a utility or the Bonneville power administration, is greater than the net present value of the costs of implementing, maintaining, and operating such facility, activity, measure, or piece of equipment over its useful life, when discounted at the cost of public borrowing. (b) "Energy cost savings" means savings realized in expenses for energy use and expenses associated with water, wastewater, or solid waste systems. (c) "Energy equipment" means energy management systems and any equipment, materials, or supplies that are expected, upon installation, to reduce the energy use or energy cost of an existing building or facility, and the services associated with the equipment, materials, or supplies, including but not limited to design, engineering, financing, installation, project management, guarantees, operations, and maintenance. Reduction in energy use or energy cost may also include reductions in the use or cost of water, wastewater, or solid waste. (d) "Energy savings performance contracting" means the process authorized by chapter 39.35C RCW by which a company contracts with a public agency to conduct energy audits and guarantee energy savings from energy efficiency. (e) "Innovative measures" means advanced or emerging technologies, systems, or approaches that may not yet be in common practice but improve energy efficiency, accelerate deployment, or reduce energy usage, and become widely commercially available in the future if proven successful in demonstration programs without compromising the guaranteed performance or measurable energy and operational cost savings anticipated. Examples of innovative measures include, but are not limited to, advanced energy and systems operations monitoring, diagnostics, and controls systems for buildings; novel heating, cooling, ventilation, and water heating systems; advanced windows and insulation technologies, highly efficient lighting technologies, designs, and controls; and integration of renewable energy sources into buildings, and energy savings verification technologies and solutions. (f) "Operational cost savings" means savings realized from parts, service fees, capital renewal costs, and other measurable annual expenses to maintain and repair systems. This definition does not mean labor savings related to existing facility staff. (g) "Public facilities" means buildings, building components, and major equipment or systems owned by public school districts and public higher education institutions. (1) The department of commerce, in consultation with the department of enterprise services and the Washington State University energy program, shall administer the jobs act. (2) The department of enterprise services must develop guidelines that are consistent with national and international energy savings performance standards for the implementation of energy savings performance contracting projects by the energy savings performance contractors by December 31, 2010. (3) The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (a) "Cost-effectiveness" means that the present value to higher education institutions and school districts of the energy reasonably expected to be saved or produced by a facility, activity, measure, or piece of equipment over its useful life, including any compensation received from a utility or the Bonneville power administration, is greater than the net present value of the costs of implementing, maintaining, and operating such facility, activity, measure, or piece of equipment over its useful life, when discounted at the cost of public borrowing. (b) "Energy cost savings" means savings realized in expenses for energy use and expenses associated with water, wastewater, or solid waste systems. (c) "Energy equipment" means energy management systems and any equipment, materials, or supplies that are expected, upon installation, to reduce the energy use or energy cost of an existing building or facility, and the services associated with the equipment, materials, or supplies, including but not limited to design, engineering, financing, installation, project management, guarantees, operations, and maintenance. Reduction in energy use or energy cost may also include reductions in the use or cost of water, wastewater, or solid waste. (d) "Energy savings performance contracting" means the process authorized by chapter 39.35C RCW by which a company contracts with a public agency to conduct energy audits and guarantee energy savings from energy efficiency. (e) "Innovative measures" means advanced or emerging technologies, systems, or approaches that may not yet be in common practice but improve energy efficiency, accelerate deployment, or reduce energy usage, and become widely commercially available in the future if proven successful in demonstration programs without compromising the guaranteed performance or measurable energy and operational cost savings anticipated. Examples of innovative measures include, but are not limited to, advanced energy and systems operations monitoring, diagnostics, and controls systems for buildings; novel heating, cooling, ventilation, and water heating systems; advanced windows and insulation technologies, highly efficient lighting technologies, designs, and controls; and integration of renewable energy sources into buildings, and energy savings verification technologies and solutions. (f) "Operational cost savings" means savings realized from parts, service fees, capital renewal costs, and other measurable annual expenses to maintain and repair systems. This definition does not mean labor savings related to existing facility staff. (g) "Public facilities" means buildings, building components, and major equipment or systems owned by public school districts and public higher education institutions.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=43.331&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026