I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7240 
To update and expand the requirements for energy efficiency for federally 
assisted housing, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2020 
Mr. CASTEN of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To update and expand the requirements for energy efficiency 
for federally assisted housing, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Housing Efficiency 
Standards Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS. 
Section 109 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Af-
fordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12709) is amended to 
read as follows: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:33 Jul 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7240.IH
H7240
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘SEC. 109. ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS. 
‘‘(a) COVERED BUILDINGS.—The requirements in 
this section shall apply to— 
‘‘(1) new construction of public and assisted 
housing and single family and multifamily residen-
tial housing subject to mortgages insured under the 
National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); 
‘‘(2) new construction of single family and mul-
tifamily housing subject to mortgages insured, guar-
anteed, or made by the Secretary of Agriculture 
under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 
1471 et seq.); and 
‘‘(3) rehabilitation and new construction of pub-
lic and assisted housing funded under the United 
States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437 et 
seq.). 
‘‘(b) INITIAL REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, all new construc-
tion and rehabilitation of housing specified in sub-
section (a), but not including any manufactured 
home, shall meet the requirements of the 2018 
International Energy Conservation Code (in this sec-
tion referred to as the ‘IECC’), or, in the case of 
multifamily high rises, the requirements of ANSI/ 
ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1–2019. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:33 Jul 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7240.IH
H7240
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) MANUFACTURED
HOMES.—Beginning 1 
year after the date of enactment of this section, all 
new construction of manufactured homes specified in 
subsection (a) shall meet— 
‘‘(A) the requirements of Energy Star Cer-
tified Manufactured Homes; or 
‘‘(B) the standards issued by the Secretary 
of Energy under section 413 of the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 
U.S.C. 17071) when such standards are issued. 
‘‘(c) REVISIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the requirements of the 
IECC, or, in the case of multifamily high rises, 
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, are revised, all 
new construction and rehabilitation of housing sub-
ject to subsection (b)(1) shall meet the requirements 
of the revised code or standard beginning 1 year 
after— 
‘‘(A) the Secretary of Energy makes a de-
termination under section 304 of the Energy 
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 
6833) that the revised code or standard would 
improve energy efficiency; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:33 Jul 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7240.IH
H7240
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
Development makes a positive determination 
under paragraph (3). 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) of this sub-
section shall not apply to any category of housing 
with respect to which the Secretary of Housing and 
Urban Development or the Secretary of Agriculture 
determines that compliance with such revised code 
or standard would not be technologically feasible or 
economically justified. 
‘‘(3) DETERMINATION.—If the Secretary of En-
ergy fails to make a determination under section 
304 of the Energy Conservation and Production Act 
(42 U.S.C. 6833) by the deadline under such sec-
tion, within 1 year of such deadline the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development shall determine 
whether compliance with such revised code or stand-
ard will improve energy efficiency, be technologically 
feasible, and be economically justified for housing 
subject to subsection (b)(1). 
‘‘(d) ADDITIONAL OR DIFFERENT STANDARDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agri-
culture may jointly or separately establish additional 
or different energy efficiency requirements for hous-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:33 Jul 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7240.IH
H7240
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
ing specified in subsection (a) if they are at least as 
stringent as the code or standard applicable under 
this section. 
‘‘(2) CONTINUATION
OF
EXISTING
REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Any energy efficiency requirements for new 
construction and rehabilitation of housing specified 
in subsection (a) established by the Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development or the Secretary of 
Agriculture prior to the date of the enactment of the 
Housing Efficiency Standards Act of 2020 shall re-
main in effect to the extent they are more stringent 
than the code or standard applicable under this sec-
tion. 
‘‘(e) IMPLEMENTATION.— 
‘‘(1) GUIDANCE REGARDING STANDARDS.—The 
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and 
the Secretary of Agriculture shall revise guidance, 
handbooks, builder certifications, and other relevant 
documents to incorporate the requirements under 
this section— 
‘‘(A) not later than the expiration of the 
10-month period beginning on the date of the 
enactment of the Housing Efficiency Standards 
Act of 2020; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:33 Jul 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7240.IH
H7240
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘(B) in the case of a positive determina-
tion under subparagraph (A) or (B) of sub-
section (c)(1), not later than the expiration of 
the 10-month period beginning on the date of 
such determination. 
‘‘(2) EFFECTIVE
DATES.—The Secretary of 
Housing and Urban Development or the Secretary of 
Agriculture may set an effective date for the applica-
ble code or standard for one or more category of 
housing that is earlier than the effective date speci-
fied in subsection (b) or (c). 
‘‘(3) COMPLIANCE.—The Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agri-
culture shall— 
‘‘(A) within 1 year after the date of the en-
actment of the Housing Efficiency Standards 
Act of 2020, develop plans for increasing and 
measuring compliance with the requirements of 
this section, including builder and mortgage fi-
nance institution training; 
‘‘(B) within 1 year after the date of the 
determinations specified in subsection (c) up-
date such plans; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:33 Jul 09, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7240.IH
H7240
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS