!

ing code regarding energy efficiency in accordance with the revised standard for which such determination was made. Such certification shall include a demonstration that the provisions of such State's commercial building code regarding energy efficiency meet or exceed such revised standard.

(ii) If the Secretary makes a determination under subparagraph (A) that such revised standard will not improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings, State commercial building code provisions regarding energy efficiency shall meet or exceed ASHRAE Standard 90.1–1989, or if such standard has been revised, the last revised standard for which the Secretary has made an affirmative determination under subparagraph (A).

(c) EXTENSIONS.-The Secretary shall permit extensions of the deadlines for the certification requirements under subsections (a) and (b) if a State can demonstrate that it has made a good faith effort to comply with such requirements and that it has made significant progress in doing so.

(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.-The Secretary shall provide technical assistance to States to implement the requirements of this section, and to improve and implement State residential and commercial building energy efficiency codes or to otherwise promote the design and construction of energy efficient buildings.

(e) AVAILABILITY OF INCENTIVE FUNDING.-(1) The Secretary shall provide incentive funding to States to implement the requirements of this section, and to improve and implement State residential and commercial building energy efficiency codes. In determining whether, and in what amount, to provide incentive funding under this subsection, the Secretary shall consider the actions proposed by the State to implement the requirements of this section, to improve and implement residential and commercial building energy efficiency codes, and to promote building energy efficiency through the use of such codes.

(2) There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subsection.

[42 U.S.C. 6833]

SEC. 305. FEDERAL BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS.

(a)(1) IN GENERAL.-Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Secretary, after consulting with appropriate Federal agencies, CABO, ASHRAE, the National Association of Home Builders, the Illuminating Engineering Society, the American Institute of Architects, the National Conference of the States on Building Codes and Standards, and other appropriate persons, shall establish, by rule, Federal building energy standards that require in new Federal buildings those energy efficiency measures that are technologically feasible and economically justified. Such standards shall become effective no later than 1 year after such rule is issued.

(2) The standards established under paragraph (1) shall—

(A) contain energy saving and renewable energy specifications that meet or exceed the energy saving and renewable energy specifications of CABO Model Energy Code, 1992 (in the case of residential buildings) or ASHRAE Standard 90.1-1989 (in the case of commercial buildings);

(B) to the extent practicable, use the same format as the appropriate voluntary building energy code; and

(Ĉ) consider, in consultation with the Environmental Protection Agency and other Federal agencies, and where appropriate contain, measures with regard to radon and other indoor air pollutants.

(b) REPORT ON COMPARATIVE STANDARDS.-The Secretary shall identify and describe, in the report required under section 308, the basis for any substantive difference between the Federal building energy standards established under this section (including differences in treatment of energy efficiency and renewable energy) and the appropriate voluntary building energy code.

(c) PERIODIC REVIEW.-The Secretary shall periodically, but not less than once every 5 years, review the Federal building energy standards established under this section and shall, if significant energy savings would result, upgrade such standards to include all new energy efficiency and renewable energy measures that are technologically feasible and economically justified.

(d) INTERIM STANDARDS.-Interim energy performance standards for new Federal buildings issued by the Secretary under this title as it existed before the date of the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 shall remain in effect until the standards established under subsection (a) become effective.

[42 U.S.C. 6834]

SEC. 306. FEDERAL COMPLIANCE.

(a) PROCEDURES.-(1) The head of each Federal agency shall adopt procedures necessary to assure that new Federal buildings meet or exceed the Federal building energy standards established under section 305.

(2) The Federal building energy standards established under section 305 shall apply to new buildings under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol. The Architect shall adopt procedures necessary to assure that such buildings meet or exceed such standards.

(b) CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BUILDINGS.-The head of a Federal agency may expend Federal funds for the construction of a new Federal building only if the building meets or exceeds the appropriate Federal building energy standards established under section 305.

[42 U.S.C. 6835]

SEC. 307. SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTARY BUILDING ENERGY CODES.

(a) IN GENERAL.-Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Secretary, after consulting with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, other appropriate Federal agencies, CABO, ASHRAE, the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards, and any other appropriate building codes and standards organization, shall support the upgrading of voluntary building energy codes for new residential and commercial buildings. Such support shall include

(1) a compilation of data and other information regarding building energy efficiency standards and codes in the posses

sion of the Federal Government, State and local governments, and industry organizations;

(2) assistance in improving the technical basis for such standards and codes;

(3) assistance in determining the cost-effectiveness and the technical feasibility of the energy efficiency measures included in such standards and codes; and

(4) assistance in identifying appropriate measures with regard to radon and other indoor air pollutants.

(b) REVIEW.-The Secretary shall periodically review the technical and economic basis of voluntary building energy codes and, based upon ongoing research activities

(1) recommend amendments to such codes including measures with regard to radon and other indoor air pollutants;

(2) seek adoption of all technologically feasible and economically justified energy efficiency measures; and

(3) otherwise participate in any industry process for review and modification of such codes.

[42 U.S.C. 6836]

SEC. 308. REPORTS.

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and other appropriate Federal agencies, shall report annually to the Congress on activities conducted pursuant to this title. Such report shall include

(1) recommendations made under section 307(b) regarding the prevailing voluntary building energy codes;

(2) a State-by-State summary of actions taken under this title; and

(3) recommendations to the Congress with respect to opportunities to further promote building energy efficiency and otherwise carry out the purposes of this title.

[42 U.S.C. 6837]

TITLE IV-ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE-
RESOURCE ASSISTANCE FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS

SHORT TITLE

SEC. 401. This title may be cited as the "Energy Conservation in Existing Buildings Act of 1976".

[42 U.S.C. 6851 note]

FINDINGS AND PURPOSES

SEC. 402. (a) The Congress finds that

(1) the fastest, most cost-effective, and most environmentally sound way to prevent future energy shortages in the United States, while reducing the Nation's dependence on imported energy supplies, is to encourage and facilitate, through major programs, the implementation of energy conservation and renewable-resource energy measures with respect to dwelling units, nonresidential buildings, and industrial plants;

(2) current efforts to encourage and facilitate such measures are inadequate as a consequence of

(A) a lack of adequate and available financing for such measures, particularly with respect to individual consumers and owners of small businesses;

(B) a shortage of reliable and impartial information and advisory services pertaining to practicable energy conservation measures and renewable-resource energy measures and the cost savings that are likely if they are implemented in such units, buildings, and plants; and

(C) the absence of organized programs which, if they existed, would enable consumers, especially individuals and owners of small businesses, to undertake such measures easily and with confidence in their economic value; (3) major programs of financial incentives and assistance for energy conservation measures and renewable-resource energy measures in dwelling units, nonresidential buildings, and industrial plants would

(A) significantly reduce the Nation's demand for energy and the need for petroleum imports;

(B) cushion the adverse impact of the high price of energy supplies on consumers, particularly elderly and handicapped low-income persons who cannot afford to make the modifications necessary to reduce their residential energy use; and

(C) increase, directly and indirectly, job opportunities and national economic output;

(4) the primary responsibility for the implementation of such major programs should be lodged with the governments of the States; the diversity of conditions among the various States and regions of the Nation is sufficiently great that a wholly federally administered program would not be as effective as one which is tailored to meet local requirements and to respond to local opportunities; the State should be allowed flexibility within which to fashion such programs, subject to general Federal guidelines and monitoring sufficient to protect the financial investments of consumers and the financial interest of the United States and to insure that the measures undertaken in fact result in significant energy and cost savings which would probably not otherwise occur;

(5) to the extent that direct Federal administration is more economical and efficient, direct Federal financial incentives and assistance should be extended through existing and proven Federal programs rather than through new programs that would necessitate new and separate administrative bureaucracies; and

(6) such programs should be designed and administered to supplement, and not to supplant or in any way conflict with, State energy conservation programs under part C of title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act; the emergency energy conservation program carried out by community action agencies pursuant to section 222(a)(12) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964; and other forms of assistance and encouragement for energy conservation.

(b) It is, therefore, the purpose of this title to encourage and facilitate the implementation of energy conservation measures and

energy measures in

units,

renewable-resource
dwelling
nonresidential buildings, and industrial plants, through-
(1) supplemental State energy conservation plans; and
(2) Federal financial incentives and assistance.

[42 U.S.C. 6851]

PART A-WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME PERSONS FINDINGS AND PURPOSE

SEC. 411. (a) The Congress finds that

(1) a fast, cost-effective, and environmentally sound way to prevent future energy shortages in the United States while reducing the Nation's dependence on imported energy supplies, is to encourage and facilitate, through major programs, the implementation of energy conservation and renewable-resource energy measures with respect to dwelling units;

(2) existing efforts to encourage and facilitate such measures are inadequate because—

(A) many dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons are energy inefficient;

(B) low-income persons can least afford to make the modifications necessary to provide for efficient energy equipment in such dwellings and otherwise to improve the energy efficiency of such dwellings;

(3) weatherization of such dwellings would lower shelter costs in dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons as well as save energy and reduce future energy capacity requirements; and

(4) States, through Community Action Agencies established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and units of general purpose local government, should be encouraged, with Federal financial and technical assistance, to develop and support coordinated weatherization programs designed to alleviate the adverse effects of energy costs on such low-income persons, to supplement other Federal programs serving such low-income persons, and to increase energy efficiency.

(b) It is, therefore, the purpose of this part to develop and implement a weatherization assistance program to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential energy expenditures, and improve their health and safety, especially low-income persons who are particularly vulnerable such as the elderly, the handicapped, and children.

[42 U.S.C. 6861]

DEFINITIONS

SEC. 412. As used in this part:

(1) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Energy. (2) The term "Director" means the Director of the Community Services Administration.

(3) The term "elderly" means any individual who is 60 years of age or older.