Life-cycle costs comparison.

(1) In order to ensure that the construction of new and expanded education facilities provides the best long-term value, school districts shall compare the following life-cycle costs of materials used by competing providers when constructing or expanding school capacity:

(a) The anticipated annual energy consumption;

(b) The relative resistance to damage by wind loads and associated debris;

(c) The resistance to wood-destroying organisms;

(d) The perpetual maintenance costs;

(e) The resistance to fire; and

(f) A comparison of the annual insurance costs.

(2) School districts may rely on the information provided by contractors if the contractor’s analysis is based on the best currently available methods, including those of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other federal and state agencies and technical or professional societies.