Minnesota - Design Requirements for State Funded Buildings

The commissioner must review and study geothermal and solar thermal applications as possible uses for heating or cooling for all building projects subject to a predesign review under section 16B.335 that receive any state funding for replacement of heating or cooling systems. When practicable, geothermal and solar thermal heating and cooling systems must be considered when designing, planning, or letting bids for necessary replacement or initial installation of cooling or heating systems in new or existing buildings that are constructed or maintained with state funds. The predesign review must include a written plan for compliance with this section from a project proposer. For the purposes of this section, "solar thermal" means a flat plate or evacuated tube with a fixed orientation that collects the sun's radiant energy and transfers it to a storage medium for distribution as energy for heating and cooling. EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective July 1, 2007, and applies to cooling or heating systems replacement or installation in buildings that are constructed or maintained with state funds that are subject to predesign review on or after that date.