Defense Energy Efficiency Act

To require the Secretary of Defense to update the Unified Facilities Criteria to the most updated energy efficiency codes and standards, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Defense Energy Efficiency Act 2. Amendment of Unified Facilities Criteria to promote energy efficient military installations (a) Amendment required Not later than September 1, 2022, the Secretary of Defense shall amend the Unified Facilities Criteria relating to military construction planning and design to ensure that building practices and standards of the Department of Defense incorporate the latest consensus-based codes and standards for energy efficiency and conservation, including the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code and the ASHRAE Standard 90.1–2019. (b) Conditional availability of funds Not more than 25 percent of the funds authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2022 for Department of Defense planning and design accounts relating to military construction projects may be obligated until the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate a certification that the Secretary— (1) has initiated the amendment process required by subsection (a); and (2) intends to complete such process by September 1, 2022. (c) Implementation of Unified Facilities Criteria amendments (1) Compliance deadline Any Department of Defense Form 1391 submitted to Congress after September 1, 2022, shall comply with the Unified Facilities Criteria, as amended pursuant to this section. (2) Certification Not later than March 1, 2023, the Secretary of Defense shall certify to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate the completion and full incorporation of the amendments made pursuant to subsection (a) into military construction planning and design. (d) Annual review required The Secretary of Defense shall conduct an annual review comparing the Unified Facilities Criteria and industry best practices for the purpose of ensuring that military construction building practices and standards of the Department of Defense relating to military installation energy efficiency and energy conservation remain up-to-date with the latest consensus-based energy codes and standards that provide energy savings. Not later than March 1 each year, the Secretary shall submit the results of the most recent review to the Committees on Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Summary: Defense Energy Efficiency Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to amend the Unified Facilities Criteria relating to military construction planning and design to ensure that DOD building practices and standards incorporate the latest consensus-based codes and standards for energy efficiency and conservation. Not more than 25% of the funds authorized for FY2022 for DOD planning and design accounts relating to military construction projects may be obligated until DOD certifies that it has initiated the Unified Facilities Criteria amendment process and intends to complete the process by September 1, 2022. Any DOD Form 1391 submitted after September 1, 2022, must comply with the amended Unified Facilities Criteria. Not later than March 1, 2023, DOD must certify to Congress the completion and full incorporation of the amendments to the Unified Facilities Criteria into military construction planning and design. DOD must annually review the Unified Facilities Criteria to compare it to industry best practices for energy efficiency and energy conservation.