Energy: energy assessment: nonresidential buildings: financing.

Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to implement a program to provide financial assistance for energy efficiency projects. This bill would enact the Nonresidential Building Energy Retrofit Financing Act of 2012 and would require the commission to establish the Nonresidential Building Energy Retrofit Financing Program and to hire a third-party administrator by July 1, 2013, to develop and operate the program to provide financial assistance, through authorizing the issuance of, among other things, revenue bonds, to owners of eligible nonresidential buildings for implementing energy improvements for their properties. The bill would provide that the bonds are secured by the recording of an energy remittance repayment agreement, as defined, on the deed of the property for which the improvements are performed. The bill would require the State Board of Equalization to collect installment payments from owners of eligible properties whose applications have been approved by the commission. This bill would require the commission to meet for the purpose of approving applicants to participate in the program. The bill would authorize the California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority, on behalf of the commission, to issue and renew the negotiable revenue bonds to generate moneys to finance energy improvements for approved applicants. This bill would establish the Nonresidential Building Energy Retrofit Debt Servicing Fund, the Loan Loss Reserve Account, and the Administration Account within the fund. The bill would require the State Board of Equalization to deposit the installment payment received from the owners of eligible buildings into the fund and the fees collected into the specified accounts. The bill would continuously appropriate the moneys in the fund and the accounts to repay the principal and interest on the bonds, and to cover the administrative costs incurred by the authority, the commission, and the State Board of Equalization, thereby making an appropriation. The bill would require the Director of Finance to transfer, as a loan, up to $1,000,000, to the authority, and up to $7,000,000, to the commission, from the General Fund for the purposes of implementing the program. The bill would require the loans to be repaid on or before January 1, 2023. Existing law establishes incentives in the form of grants and loans to low-income residents, small businesses, and residential property owners for constructing and retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient. The bill would also require the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to analyze and evaluate standards for nonresidential energy building.