II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 717 

To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a pilot program to award 

grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of retrofitting nonprofit 

buildings with energy-efficiency improvements. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 11, 2013 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. HOEVEN) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations for the 

purpose of retrofitting nonprofit buildings with energyefficiency improvements. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nonprofit Energy Effi5 ciency Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFIT PILOT PROGRAM. 

7 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 


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1 (1) APPLICANT.—The term ‘‘applicant’’ means 

2 a nonprofit organization that applies for a grant 

3 under this section. 

4 (2) ENERGY-EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT.— 

5 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘energy-effi6 ciency improvement’’ means an installed meas7 ure (including a product, equipment, system, 

8 service, or practice) that results in a reduction 

9 in demand by a nonprofit organization for en10 ergy or fuel supplied from outside the nonprofit 

11 building. 

12 (B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘energy-effi13 ciency improvement’’ includes an installed 

14 measure described in subparagraph (A) involv15 ing— 

16 (i) repairing, replacing, or installing— 

17 (I) a roof, electrical wiring, 

18 plumbing, sewage, or lighting system, 

19 or component of a roof, electrical wir20 ing, or system; 

21 (II) a window; 

22 (III) a door, including a security 

23 door; or 


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1 (IV) a heating, ventilation, or air 

2 conditioning system or component of 

3 the system (including insulation); 

4 (ii) a renewable energy generation or 

5 heating system, including a solar, photo6 voltaic, wind, geothermal, or biomass (in7 cluding wood pellet) system or component 

8 of the system; and 

9 (iii) any other measure taken to mod10 ernize, renovate, or repair a nonprofit 

11 building to make the nonprofit building 

12 more energy efficient. 

13 (3) NONPROFIT BUILDING.— 

14 (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘nonprofit 

15 building’’ means a building operated and owned 

16 by a nonprofit organization. 

17 (B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘nonprofit 

18 building’’ includes a building described in sub19 paragraph (A) that is— 

20 (i) a hospital; 

21 (ii) a youth center; 

22 (iii) a school; 

23 (iv) a social-welfare program facility; 

24 (v) a house of worship; and 


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1 (vi) any other nonresidential and non2 commercial structure. 

3 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

4 the Secretary of Energy. 

5 (b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 1 year after 

6 the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 

7 establish a pilot program to award grants for the purpose 

8 of retrofitting nonprofit buildings with energy-efficiency 

9 improvements. 

10 (c) GRANTS.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may award 

12 grants under the program established under sub13 section (b). 

14 (2) APPLICATION.—The Secretary may award a 

15 grant under this section if an applicant submits to 

16 the Secretary an application at such time, in such 

17 form, and containing such information as the Sec18 retary may prescribe. 

19 (3) CRITERIA FOR GRANT.—In determining 

20 whether to award a grant under this section, the 

21 Secretary shall apply performance-based criteria, 

22 which shall give priority to applications based on— 

23 (A) the cost-effectiveness of the energy-ef24 ficiency improvement; and 


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1 (B) an effective plan for evaluation, meas2 urement, and verification of energy savings. 

3 (4) LIMITATION ON INDIVIDUAL GRANT

4 AMOUNT.—Each grant awarded under this section 

5 shall not exceed— 

6 (A) an amount equal to 50 percent of the 

7 energy-efficiency improvement; and 

8 (B) $200,000. 

9 (5) COST SHARING.— 

10 (A) IN GENERAL.—A grant awarded under 

11 this section shall be subject to a minimum non12 Federal cost-sharing requirement of 50 percent. 

13 (B) IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS.—The non14 Federal share may be provided in the form of 

15 in-kind contributions of materials or services. 

16 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

17 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

18 $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017, 

19 to remain available until expended. 

20 SEC. 3. OFFSET. 

21 The Secretary of Energy shall use to carry out the 

22 pilot program established under section 2 amounts other23 wise made available to carry out the Building Technologies 

24 Program. 

Æ 


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