ARTICLE 6. State Building Energy Retrofits [14710. - 14713.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 6.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 14710. Section 14710.

As used in this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “Alternative energy equipment” means alternative energy equipment, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 15814.11, and, in the case of fossil fuel generation, complies with emission standards and guidance adopted by the State Air Resources Board pursuant to Sections 41514.9 and 41514.10 of the Health and Safety Code. Prior to the adoption of those standards and guidance, for the purposes of this article, distributed energy resources shall meet emission levels equivalent to nine ppm oxides of nitrogen, averaged over a three-hour period, or best available control technology for the applicable air district, whichever is lower. (b) “Cogeneration equipment” means equipment used for cogeneration, as defined in Section 216.6 of the Public Utilities Code. (c) “Feasible” means capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account life-cycle costing analyses, and environmental, social, and technological factors, however, renewable technologies shall not be exempt based solely on cost considerations. (d) “Public building” means a public building, as defined in Section 15802. (e) “State agency” means any state agency, board, department or commission, including, but not limited to, the entities specified in subdivision (a) of Section 15814.12.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 14711.5. Section 14711.5.

(a) The department in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance, shall identify each public building in the department’s state property inventory where it is feasible for that building to reduce energy consumption and achieve energy efficiencies, as well as to produce its own onsite electrical generation or reduce its level of peak demand electricity consumption using alternative energy equipment, thermal energy storage technologies, or cogeneration equipment. (b) The department may consider a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the size of the public building, its location, the ease of conversion to onsite electrical generation, peak demand reduction efficiency, cost effectiveness, and the amount of megawatts generated or shifted to off-peak periods.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 14712. Section 14712.

The director may enter into third party agreements that the director, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance, determines are appropriate and cost-effective to implement energy efficiencies and feasible onsite electric generation pursuant to Section 14711.5 and to achieve the goals of this section. The director may enter into negotiated agreements with parties on the terms and conditions that the director, with the concurrence of the Department of Finance, deems are in the state’s interests to accomplish all of the following objectives: (a) Reduce overall energy consumption in state facilities by 30 percent. (b) Achieve energy self-sufficiency at state facilities using clean, modern technologies that produce zero air emissions or that meet or exceed state air quality standards. (c) Maximize the use of renewable energy technologies for both onsite electrical generation as well as thermal energy production. (d) Utilize private third party financing, where feasible, for the construction, operation, and maintenance of such energy investments. (e) Achieve these objectives at delivered energy costs equal to or less than the cost of obtaining the energy through the electric grid or other conventional means, as determined by the director.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 14713. Section 14713.

(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 15814.12, the department shall retrofit all public buildings, identified in Section 14711.5, where feasible, provided that work on public buildings of the California State University shall be performed only at the request or with the consent of the university. (b) If a public building generates more electricity than it uses, it may make the energy available for the state electrical distribution grid.

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