– LD 1101 An Act to Support Lower Home Energy Costs by Establishing a Home Energy Scoring System
An Act to Support Lower Home Energy Costs by Establishing a Home Energy Scoring System
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §10130 is enacted to read:
- 10130. Home energy score; home energy audit requirements
The trust shall establish a home energy scoring system in accordance with this section for residential buildings for the purpose of evaluating a building’s energy efficiency and relative greenhouse gas emissions. This section governs the development of the home energy score and home energy audit requirements.
- 1. Home energy audit requirements. A home energy audit must be conducted by an energy auditor that meets the requirements of section 10114. An energy auditor must provide a written report of the home energy audit to the requestor of the home energy audit. The report must include the building’s home energy score.
- 2. Penalties may be issued by the trust against an individual who:
- A. Conducts or offers to conduct a home energy audit without meeting the requirements of section 10114; or
- B. Impersonates an energy auditor.
- 3. Uses of home energy score. A home energy score provided under subsection 1 may be used in accordance with the following:
- A. A county or municipality may promote or administer home energy audits;
- B. A county or municipality may require a home energy score at the time a residential building is advertised for sale; or
- C. The trust may require a home energy score for an individual to be eligible to receive financial rebates or other incentives for energy efficiency improvements under programs administered by the trust.
- 4. The trust shall adopt rules to implement this section, including but not limited to:
- A. Rules establishing a home energy scoring system required under this section in accordance with this paragraph. The home energy score must be consistent with the United States Department of Energy asset-based home energy score in order to measure the performance of the building and not the number or behavior of occupants of the building;
- B. Rules relating to the report required under subsection 1, including:
(1) The time period an energy auditor has to provide a report of a home energy audit to the requestor of the audit; and
(2) Information required to be contained in the report of a home energy audit, including the following depicted through graphics:
(a) Home energy score on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the best score;
(b) Amount of estimated energy use by fuel type per year;
(c) Unit prices by fuel type used to calculate the estimated energy costs;
(d) Estimated annual cost of energy by fuel type;
(e) Estimate of current greenhouse gas emissions in carbon dioxide equivalent tons per year on a scale of zero to 15;
(f) Itemized recommendations for energy saving improvement in order of priority, for which a priority energy saving improvement has an expected full economic recoupment in no more than 10 years;
(g) Recommendations for energy saving improvement, such as improving insulation to windows, walls, roofs, attics and floors;
(h) Estimated home energy score, estimated energy savings in dollars per year and estimated carbon reduction in percent per year after priority energy saving improvement are implemented;
(i) Amount of renewable energy generated by the residential building;
(j) Name and contact information of the energy auditor, the energy auditor’s employer and the energy auditor’s certificate number;
(k) Date of the home energy audit and date of the expiration of the home energy score;
(l) Address of the residential building audited, the floor area in square feet and the year the building was constructed;
(m) A statement indicating that the report meets state standards for home energy audits;
(n) A list of other energy efficiency-related certifications for which the residential building is qualified; and
(o) A list of applicable rebates or other incentives to achieve greater energy efficiency;
- C. Rules establishing penalties for violations described in subsection 2; and
- D. Requirements for an energy auditor to report to the trust home energy scores and requirements for the establishment and maintenance of a database maintained by the
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. Efficiency Maine Trust to adopt rules. The Efficiency Maine Trust shall, no later than December 31, 2024, adopt rules required in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 10130, subsection 4.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Efficiency Maine Trust to establish a home energy scoring system for residential buildings for the purpose of evaluating a building’s energy efficiency and relative greenhouse gas emissions. The bill also provides requirements relating to home energy audits.