39–006 

113TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 113–489 

THERMAL INSULATION EFFICIENCY 

JUNE 23, 2014.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. UPTON, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 4801] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred 

the bill (H.R. 4801) to require the Secretary of Energy to prepare 

a report on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and 

water use for potable hot water, having considered the same, report 

favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill 

do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 1 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 2 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 2 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 2 

New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures ............. 2 

Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits ............................. 3 

Committee Cost Estimate ....................................................................................... 3 

Congressional Budget Office Estimate ................................................................... 3 

Federal Mandates Statement ................................................................................. 4 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 4 

Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings ..................................................................... 4 

Advisory Committee Statement .............................................................................. 4 

Applicability to Legislative Branch ........................................................................ 4 

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation ...................................................... 4 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 4 

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H.R. 4801, the ‘‘Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act,’’ 

was introduced by Rep. Kinzinger (R–IL) and Rep. McNerney (D– 

CA) on June 5, 2014. The legislation requires the Department of 

Energy (DOE), in consultation with other Federal agencies and relVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:40 Jun 25, 2014 Jkt 039006 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR489.XXX HR489

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1Dr. Timothy Unruh, Program Director, U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program, (Oct. 30, 2013). 2 National Insulation Association, Mechanical Insulation Life Cycle Assessment, (Dec. 2009). 

evant stakeholders, to submit a report to Congress on the impact 

of thermal insulation on both energy and water use systems for potable hot and chilled water in Federal buildings, and the return on 

investment of installing such insulation. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Large amounts of energy and water are wasted due to heating 

and cooling losses that could be prevented through greater utilization of thermal insulation. With the Federal government being the 

single largest consumer of energy in the country,1 the potential 

savings from the increased use of thermal insulation in Federal 

buildings are significant. Estimates show that over its lifetime, 

thermal insulation saves up to 500 times the energy required for 

its production,2 but to date, there has not been a study to identify 

the potential benefits and energy savings available from the greater use of thermal insulation for both energy and water use systems 

for potable hot and chilled water in Federal buildings. 

HEARINGS

The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings 

on the legislation. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On June 9 and 10, 2014, the Committee on Energy and Commerce met in open markup session. The Committee ordered H.R. 

4801 favorably reported to the House of Representatives, without 

amendment, by a voice vote. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes on the motion 

to report legislation and amendments thereto. There were no 

record votes taken in connection with ordering H.R. 4801 reported. 

A motion by Mr. Upton to order H.R. 4801 reported to the House, 

without amendment, was agreed to by a voice vote. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee made findings that are reflected 

in this report. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

H.R. 4801 requires the Secretary of Energy to report to Congress 

on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and water use 

systems for potable hot and chilled water in Federal buildings, and 

the return on investment of installing such insulation. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX

EXPENDITURES

In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R. 4801 


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would result in no new or increased budget authority, entitlement 

authority, or tax expenditures or revenues. 

EARMARK, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS

In compliance with clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI of the 

Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that 

H.R. 4801 contains no earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited 

tariff benefits. 

COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by 

the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate provided by 

the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974: 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, June 20, 2014. 

Hon. FRED UPTON, 

Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4801, a bill to require the 

Secretary of Energy to prepare a report on the impact of thermal 

insulation on both energy and water use for potable hot water. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan Carroll. 

Sincerely, 

DOUGLAS W. ELMENDORF. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 4801—A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to prepare a 

report on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and 

water use for potable hot water 

H.R. 4801 would require the Secretary of Energy to prepare a report, within one year of enactment, on the effects that thermal insulation has on both energy consumption and systems for providing 

potable water in federal buildings. Based on information from the 

Department of Energy about the cost of similar analyses, CBO estimates that completing the required report would cost less than 

$500,000; those costs would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. H.R. 4801 would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply. 

H.R. 4801 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Megan Carroll. The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant Director 

for Budget Analysis. 


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FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

No provision of H.R. 4801 establishes or reauthorizes a program 

of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of another Federal program, a program that was included in any report from the 

Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 

21 of Public Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. 

DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

The Committee estimates that enacting H.R. 4801 specifically directs no rule makings within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 551 to be 

completed. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. 

APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Report on energy and water savings potential from thermal insulation 

Section 1(a) requires the Department of Energy, in consultation 

with appropriate Federal agencies and relevant stakeholders, to 

submit a report to Congress on the impact of thermal insulation on 

both energy and water use systems for potable hot and chilled 

water in Federal buildings, and the return on investment of installing such insulation. 

Section 1(b) provides that the report shall include (1) an analysis 

based on the cost of municipal or regional water for delivered water 

and the avoided cost of new water; and (2) a summary of energy 

and water savings, including short term and long term (20 years) 

projections of such savings. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

This legislation does not amend any existing Federal statute. 

Æ 


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