I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2177 
To promote energy savings in residential buildings and industry, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 30, 2015 
Mr. MCKINLEY (for himself and Mr. WELCH) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in 
addition to the Committees on the Budget, Transportation and Infra-
structure, Oversight and Government Reform, Financial Services, and 
Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To promote energy savings in residential buildings and 
industry, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 
2015’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary. 
TITLE I—BUILDINGS 
Subtitle A—Building Energy Codes 
Sec. 101. Greater energy efficiency in building codes. 
Subtitle B—Worker Training and Capacity Building 
Sec. 111. Building training and assessment centers. 
Sec. 112. Career skills training. 
Subtitle C—School Buildings 
Sec. 121. Coordination of energy retrofitting assistance for schools. 
Subtitle D—Better Buildings 
Sec. 131. Energy efficiency in Federal and other buildings. 
Sec. 132. Separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures. 
Sec. 133. Tenant star program. 
Subtitle E—Energy Information for Commercial Buildings 
Sec. 141. Energy information for commercial buildings. 
TITLE II—INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY AND COMPETITIVENESS 
Subtitle A—Manufacturing Energy Efficiency 
Sec. 201. Purposes. 
Sec. 202. Future of Industry program. 
Sec. 203. Sustainable manufacturing initiative. 
Sec. 204. Conforming amendments. 
Subtitle B—Supply Star 
Sec. 211. Supply Star. 
Subtitle C—Extended Product System Rebate Program 
Sec. 221. Extended product system rebate program. 
Subtitle D—Transformer Rebate Program 
Sec. 231. Energy efficient transformer rebate program. 
TITLE III—FEDERAL AGENCY ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
Sec. 301. Energy-efficient and energy-saving information technologies. 
Sec. 302. Availability of funds for design updates. 
Sec. 303. Energy efficient data centers. 
Sec. 304. Budget-neutral demonstration program for energy and water con-
servation improvements at multifamily residential units. 
TITLE IV—REGULATORY PROVISIONS 
Subtitle A—Third-Party Certification Under Energy Star Program 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6211
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Sec. 401. Third-Party Certification Under Energy Star Program. 
Subtitle B—Federal Green Buildings 
Sec. 411. High-performance green Federal buildings. 
Subtitle C—Water Heaters 
Sec. 421. Grid-enabled water heaters. 
Subtitle D—Energy Performance Requirement for Federal Buildings 
Sec. 431. Energy performance requirement for Federal buildings. 
Sec. 432. Federal building energy efficiency performance standards; certifi-
cation system and level for green buildings. 
Sec. 433. Enhanced energy efficiency underwriting. 
Subtitle E—Voluntary Verification Programs for Air Conditioning, Furnace, 
Boiler, Heat Pump, and Water Heater Products 
Sec. 441. Voluntary verification programs for air conditioning, furnace, boiler, 
heat pump, and water heater products. 
TITLE V—MISCELLANEOUS 
Sec. 501. Budgetary effects. 
Sec. 502. Advance appropriations required. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec-
retary of Energy. 
TITLE I—BUILDINGS 
Subtitle A—Building Energy Codes 
SEC. 101. GREATER ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BUILDING 
CODES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 303 of the Energy Con-
servation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6832) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking paragraph (14) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(14) MODEL BUILDING ENERGY CODE.—The 
term ‘model building energy code’ means a voluntary 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
building energy code and standards developed and 
updated through a consensus process among inter-
ested persons, such as the IECC or the code used 
by— 
‘‘(A) the Council of American Building Of-
ficials, or its legal successor, International Code 
Council, Inc.; 
‘‘(B) the American Society of Heating, Re-
frigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers; or 
‘‘(C) other appropriate organizations.’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(17) IECC.—The term ‘IECC’ means the 
International Energy Conservation Code. 
‘‘(18) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian tribe’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the 
Native American Housing Assistance and Self-De-
termination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103).’’. 
(b) 
STATE
BUILDING
ENERGY
EFFICIENCY 
CODES.—Section 304 of the Energy Conservation and 
Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6833) is amended to read as 
follows: 
‘‘SEC. 304. UPDATING STATE BUILDING ENERGY EFFI-
CIENCY CODES. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(1) encourage and support the adoption of 
building energy codes by States, Indian tribes, and, 
as appropriate, by local governments that meet or 
exceed the model building energy codes, or achieve 
equivalent or greater energy savings; and 
‘‘(2) support full compliance with the State and 
local codes. 
‘‘(b) STATE AND INDIAN TRIBE CERTIFICATION OF 
BUILDING ENERGY CODE UPDATES.— 
‘‘(1) REVIEW
AND
UPDATING
OF
CODES
BY 
EACH STATE AND INDIAN TRIBE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date on which a model building energy 
code is updated, each State or Indian tribe shall 
certify whether or not the State or Indian tribe, 
respectively, has reviewed and updated the en-
ergy provisions of the building code of the State 
or Indian tribe, respectively. 
‘‘(B) DEMONSTRATION.—The certification 
shall include a demonstration of whether or not 
the energy savings for the code provisions that 
are in effect throughout the State or Indian 
tribal territory meet or exceed— 
‘‘(i) the energy savings of the updated 
model building energy code; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(ii) the targets established under sec-
tion 307(b)(2). 
‘‘(C) NO MODEL BUILDING ENERGY CODE 
UPDATE.—If a model building energy code is 
not updated by a target date established under 
section 307(b)(2)(D), each State or Indian tribe 
shall, not later than 2 years after the specified 
date, certify whether or not the State or Indian 
tribe, respectively, has reviewed and updated 
the energy provisions of the building code of the 
State or Indian tribe, respectively, to meet or 
exceed the target in section 307(b)(2). 
‘‘(2) VALIDATION
BY
SECRETARY.—Not later 
than 90 days after a State or Indian tribe certifi-
cation under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) determine whether the code provi-
sions of the State or Indian tribe, respectively, 
meet the criteria specified in paragraph (1); 
and 
‘‘(B) if the determination is positive, vali-
date the certification. 
‘‘(c) IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPLIANCE WITH BUILD-
ING ENERGY CODES.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years 
after the date of a certification under sub-
section (b), each State and Indian tribe shall 
certify whether or not the State and Indian 
tribe, respectively, has— 
‘‘(i) achieved full compliance under 
paragraph (3) with the applicable certified 
State and Indian tribe building energy 
code or with the associated model building 
energy code; or 
‘‘(ii) made significant progress under 
paragraph (4) toward achieving compliance 
with the applicable certified State and In-
dian tribe building energy code or with the 
associated model building energy code. 
‘‘(B) REPEAT
CERTIFICATIONS.—If the 
State or Indian tribe certifies progress toward 
achieving compliance, the State or Indian tribe 
shall repeat the certification until the State or 
Indian tribe certifies that the State or Indian 
tribe has achieved full compliance, respectively. 
‘‘(2) MEASUREMENT OF COMPLIANCE.—A cer-
tification under paragraph (1) shall include docu-
mentation of the rate of compliance based on— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) independent inspections of a random 
sample of the buildings covered by the code in 
the preceding year; or 
‘‘(B) an alternative method that yields an 
accurate measure of compliance. 
‘‘(3) ACHIEVEMENT OF COMPLIANCE.—A State 
or Indian tribe shall be considered to achieve full 
compliance under paragraph (1) if— 
‘‘(A) at least 90 percent of building space 
covered by the code in the preceding year sub-
stantially meets all the requirements of the ap-
plicable code specified in paragraph (1), or 
achieves equivalent or greater energy savings 
level; or 
‘‘(B) the estimated excess energy use of 
buildings that did not meet the applicable code 
specified in paragraph (1) in the preceding 
year, compared to a baseline of comparable 
buildings that meet this code, is not more than 
5 percent of the estimated energy use of all 
buildings covered by this code during the pre-
ceding year. 
‘‘(4) 
SIGNIFICANT
PROGRESS
TOWARD 
ACHIEVEMENT OF COMPLIANCE.—A State or Indian 
tribe shall be considered to have made significant 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
progress toward achieving compliance for purposes 
of paragraph (1) if the State or Indian tribe— 
‘‘(A) has developed and is implementing a 
plan for achieving compliance during the 8- 
year-period beginning on the date of enactment 
of this paragraph, including annual targets for 
compliance and active training and enforcement 
programs; and 
‘‘(B) has met the most recent target under 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(5) VALIDATION
BY
SECRETARY.—Not later 
than 90 days after a State or Indian tribe certifi-
cation under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) determine whether the State or In-
dian tribe has demonstrated meeting the cri-
teria of this subsection, including accurate 
measurement of compliance; and 
‘‘(B) if the determination is positive, vali-
date the certification. 
‘‘(d) STATES
OR INDIAN TRIBES THAT DO NOT 
ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE.— 
‘‘(1) REPORTING.—A State or Indian tribe that 
has not made a certification required under sub-
section (b) or (c) by the applicable deadline shall 
submit to the Secretary a report on— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(A) the status of the State or Indian tribe 
with respect to meeting the requirements and 
submitting the certification; and 
‘‘(B) a plan for meeting the requirements 
and submitting the certification. 
‘‘(2) FEDERAL SUPPORT.—For any State or In-
dian tribe for which the Secretary has not validated 
a certification by a deadline under subsection (b) or 
(c), the lack of the certification may be a consider-
ation for Federal support authorized under this sec-
tion for code adoption and compliance activities. 
‘‘(3) LOCAL
GOVERNMENT.—In any State or 
Indian tribe for which the Secretary has not vali-
dated a certification under subsection (b) or (c), a 
local government may be eligible for Federal support 
by meeting the certification requirements of sub-
sections (b) and (c). 
‘‘(4) ANNUAL REPORTS BY SECRETARY.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
annually submit to Congress, and publish in the 
Federal Register, a report on— 
‘‘(i) the status of model building en-
ergy codes; 
‘‘(ii) the status of code adoption and 
compliance in the States and Indian tribes; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
‘‘(iii) implementation of this section; 
and 
‘‘(iv) improvements in energy savings 
over time as result of the targets estab-
lished under section 307(b)(2). 
‘‘(B) IMPACTS.—The report shall include 
estimates of impacts of past action under this 
section, and potential impacts of further action, 
on— 
‘‘(i) upfront financial and construction 
costs, cost benefits and returns (using in-
vestment analysis), and lifetime energy use 
for buildings; 
‘‘(ii) resulting energy costs to individ-
uals and businesses; and 
‘‘(iii) resulting overall annual building 
ownership and operating costs. 
‘‘(e) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES AND IN-
DIAN TRIBES.—The Secretary shall provide technical as-
sistance to States and Indian tribes to implement the goals 
and requirements of this section, including procedures and 
technical analysis for States and Indian tribes— 
‘‘(1) to improve and implement State residential 
and commercial building energy codes; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
described in the tables in subsection (b)(2) and 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c) of section 
431.196 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (as 
in effect on the date of enactment of this Act). 
(2) QUALIFIED ENERGY INEFFICIENT TRANS-
FORMER.—The term ‘‘qualified energy inefficient 
transformer’’ means a transformer with an equal 
number of phases and capacity to a transformer de-
scribed in any of the tables in subsection (b)(2) and 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (c) of section 
431.196 of title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (as 
in effect on the date of enactment of this Act) 
that— 
(A) does not meet or exceed the applicable 
energy conservation standards described in 
paragraph (1); and 
(B)(i) was manufactured between January 
1, 1985, and December 31, 2006, for a trans-
former with an equal number of phases and ca-
pacity as a transformer described in the table 
in subsection (b)(2) of section 431.196 of title 
10, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on 
the date of enactment of this Act); or 
(ii) was manufactured between January 1, 
1990, and December 31, 2009, for a trans-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:55 May 12, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00063
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2177.IH
H2177
rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with BILLS