§ 4-808. Projection of life-cycle costs

   (a) In general. -- To determine life-cycle costs, the Department, in cooperation with the Maryland Energy Administration, shall establish standards that require at least:

   (1) an evaluation of:

      (i) the amount and type of glass used in the building and the directions of exposure;

      (ii) the effect of insulation incorporated into the design of the building;

      (iii) the effect of the use of active and passive solar energy systems;

      (iv) if wind or solar energy is used, the orientation and integration of the building with respect to its site; and

      (v) the variable occupancy and operating conditions of the building and its parts;

   (2) an energy consumption analysis of each major piece of equipment in any of the following systems serving the building:

      (i) the cooling system;

      (ii) the heating system;

      (iii) the hot water system;

      (iv) the lighting system;

      (v) the ventilation system; and

      (vi) any other major energy-using system; and

   (3) a comparison of possible alternative energy systems:

      (i) that would use the most plentiful and available energy resources in combinations that would result in maximum energy efficiency, both in the building and at the source; and

      (ii) with respect to the projected annual energy consumption of the major energy-using equipment of each system over the life of the building.

(b) Definition of "life of the building". -- To evaluate life-cycle costs, the Department shall:

   (1) adopt and uniformly apply a definition of the "life of the building"; and

   (2) provide defending criteria for the definition adopted.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 78A, § 25D, 25E; 1985, ch. 11, § 2; 1990, ch. 394; 1991, ch. 468.