Updated 4.23.2019
Gubernatorial support conveys priorities to state agencies and institutions, assigns responsibility and directs GESPC consideration prior to capital budget requests. Continuous support is critical to maintain program consistency and allows a program to build upon its success.
A governor's unique position affords useful venues, such as the role in the budget, communications, and executive branch policy agendas.
Educational Handouts
State partners have identified the transition in administrations as a barrier that tends to slow GESPC growth at the state level. These documents are intended to be used as educational handouts that a State Chapter can customize for their state, and use to help educate an incoming administration on the state’s GESPC history, its program, and past successes.
Executive Orders Authorizing GESPC - State Examples
Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracting (GESPC) is a well-established policy with a long history of bipartisan support among the Executive Branches and Legislatures.
More than 30 states have implemented statewide programs to encourage and promote GESPC to public entities at all levels – state agencies, county government, city government, school districts, community colleges, colleges and universities.
ESC has identified a set of Key Attributes for Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contracting (GESPC) Program Readiness and a related set of tools and guidance documents.
Among the Key Attributes is Gubernatorial Support. State executive orders, issued by Governors,conveys priorities to state agencies and institutions, assigns responsibility and directs GESPC consideration prior to capital budget requests. Continuous support is critical to maintain program consistency and allows a program to build upon its success.
A governor's unique position affords useful venues, such as the role in the budget, communications, and executive branch policy agendas. A general practice with executive orders is they expire when the implementing governor leaves office.
Executive Orders Authorizing GESPC - State Examples
Examples of Executive Orders supporting GESPC programs and promoting their use are provided below.
Alabama – Governor Robert Bentley
Executive Order Number 25
Effective: 2011
Expired: 2016
Summary: All state departments and agencies shall encourage and promote the most efficient uses of energy and shall reduce wasteful, inefficient or uneconomical uses of resource in order to reduce their energy consumption as directed by 30% by Fiscal Year 2015 relative to Fiscal Year 2005 levels.
Arizona – Governor Janet Napolitano
Executive order No. 2008-29: energy conservation and renewable energy utilization
Effective: 2008
Expired: 2009
Summary: Conduct an analysis of state agencies and identify what is required of each to reach the existing goals for energy usage reductions; immediately implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in all state agencies and use the guaranteed energy savings performance contracting as a financing vehicle.
Delaware – Governor Jack Markell
Executive Order Number Eighty-Two: Implementing Strategies to Address Energy Restructuring
Effective: 2006
Expired: 2017
Summary: State agencies shall develop the strategy and procedures to implement energy savings and conservation techniques including the use of performance contracting and demand-side management.
Colorado – Governor Bill Ritter
Executive Order 2D011 07 (2007) - Greening of State Government: Detailed Implementation
Effective: 2007
Expired: 2012
Summary: Orders state agencies and departments to reduce overall energy use in all state facilities by 20% or more no later than the end of fiscal year 2011-2012 and to determine feasibility of energy performance contracting.
Hawaii – Governor Linda Lingle
Administrative Directive No. 06-01: Energy & Resource Efficiency & Renewable Energy & Resource Development
Effective: 2006
Expired: 2007
Summary: All departments and programs are directed to implement, to the extent possible, energy improvements in publicly owned and leased building and facilities.
Kansas – Governor Kathleen Sebelius
Executive Directive No. 07-373: Energy Conservation & Management
Effective: 2007
Expired: 2010
Summary: Adopts a policy to require an energy audit on any facility being considered as leased space and require the landlord to either make the necessary improvements on the property or make them a condition of the lease before it is executed; directing the collection of energy data associated with state-owned and leased space and identify locations appearing to use excessive energy using energy savings performance contracting program.
Maryland – Governor Parris Glendening
Executive Order 2001 01.01.2001.02
Sustaining Maryland’s Future with Clean Power, Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency
Effective: 2001
Expired: 2003
Summary: The State shall develop a High Efficiency Green Buildings Program committed to utilizing energy efficient and environmentally responsible approaches in the design, construction, operations, maintenance and deconstruction of all new and, to the extent possible, existing State owned and leased facilities.
Massachusetts – Governor Deval Patrick
Executive Order No. 484: Leading by example – clean energy and efficient buildings
Effective: 2007
Expired: 2015
Summary: State agencies shall prioritize practices and programs that address resource use at state facilities, including a reduction in energy consumption derived from fossil fuels and emissions associated with such consumption.
Michigan – Governor Jennifer Granholm
Executive Directive No. 2007-22: Enhanced Energy Efficiency & Conservation by State Departments & Agencies
Effective: 2007
Expired: 2011
Shall maintain the energy efficiency savings target established by for all state buildings managed by the agency within the Executive Branch of state government. The goal shall continue to be attainment of a 10% reduction in energy use by December 31, 2008, and a 20% reduction in grid-based energy purchases by December 31, 2015.
Minnesota – Governor Mark Dayton
Executive Order 11-12: Comprehensive Energy Savings Plan for State Government
Effective: 2011
Expired: 2019
Summary: Directs state agencies to identify and make cost-effective energy improvements in state facilities and sets a goal of a 20 percent reduction in state energy consumption. Using existing resources and programs, such as guaranteed energy savings contracts, state-owned offices will be assessed for energy efficiency and cost-effective changes and will be implemented.
Virginia – Governor Terrance McAuliffe
Executive Order No. 31: Conserving Energy & Reducing Consumption in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Effective: 2014
Expired: 2019
Summary: The Commonwealth is seeking to reduce electricity consumption in state facilities by 15% by 2017, using 2009-2010 as a baseline. It directs all executive branch agencies, authorities, departments, and all institutions of higher education should proactively pursue energy efficiency measures, especially Energy Performance Contracting (EPC), to reduce energy consumption.
Virginia – Governor Timothy Kaine
Executive Order 48 (2007): Energy Efficiency in State Government
Effective: 2007
Expired 2010
Summary: Sets a goal for executive branch agencies and institutions to reduce the annual cost of non-renewable energy purchases by at least 20 percent by fiscal year 2010.
Washington – Governor Gary Locke
Governor’s Energy Supply Alert Order No. 01-03
Effective: 2001
Expired: 2014
Summary: All state, county, city, town and other governmental agencies shall take all measures necessary and advisable to decrease total electricity and natural gas use in owned or leased buildings and offices by ten percent, and decrease and or shift electricity consumption from the peak demand periods.
Wisconsin – Governor Jim Doyle
Relating to Conserve Wisconsin and the Creation of High Performance Green Building Standards and Energy Conservation for State Facilities and Operations
Effective: 2006
Expired: 2011
Summary: Any state agency responsible for state-owned facilities will examine the feasibility for a performance contract for energy and operational cost savings under section 16.858 of the Wisconsin Statutes.