I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3322 
To establish a Residence Star program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2015 
Mr. BUTTERFIELD introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish a Residence Star program, 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. RESIDENCE STAR PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title IV of the En-
ergy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 414. RESIDENCE STAR PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) HIGH-PERFORMANCE ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
MEASURE.—The term ‘high-performance energy effi-
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ciency measure’ has the meaning given that term in 
section 424. 
‘‘(2) RESIDENCE
STAR
PROGRAM.—The term 
‘Residence Star program’ means the voluntary pro-
gram established under subsection (b). 
‘‘(3) SEPARATE
RESIDENTIAL
SPACES.—The 
term ‘separate residential spaces’ means areas with-
in a residential building that are leased or otherwise 
occupied by a tenant or other occupant for a period 
of time pursuant to the terms of a written agree-
ment. 
‘‘(b) RESIDENCE STAR.—Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Adminis-
trator of the Environmental Protection Agency, in con-
sultation with the Secretary, shall establish a voluntary 
program within the Energy Star program established by 
section 324A of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act 
(42 U.S.C. 6294a), which may be known as Residence 
Star, to promote energy efficiency in separate residential 
spaces. 
‘‘(c) RECOGNITION
OF
SEPARATE
RESIDENTIAL 
SPACES.— 
‘‘(1) OCCUPANCY-BASED RECOGNITION.—In es-
tablishing the Residence Star program, the Adminis-
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trator shall, following public notice and an oppor-
tunity for comment— 
‘‘(A) in a manner similar to the Energy 
Star rating system for commercial buildings, 
develop policies and procedures to recognize 
separate residential spaces with respect to 
which the owner of the separate residential 
space voluntarily achieves high levels of energy 
efficiency; 
‘‘(B) establish building occupancy cat-
egories eligible for Residence Star recognition; 
and 
‘‘(C) consider other forms of recognition 
for separate residential spaces with respect to 
which the owner of the separate residential 
space lowers energy consumption. 
‘‘(2) DESIGN- AND CONSTRUCTION-BASED REC-
OGNITION.—In establishing the Residence Star pro-
gram, the Administrator, following public notice and 
an opportunity for comment, shall develop policies 
and procedures to recognize separate residential 
spaces with respect to which the owner of the sepa-
rate residential space uses high-performance energy 
efficiency measures in design and construction. 
‘‘(3) AUDITS REQUIRED.— 
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‘‘(A) INITIAL AUDIT.—In establishing the 
Residence Star program, the Administrator 
shall require that in order for a separate resi-
dential space to be eligible to receive recognition 
under this subsection, the owner of the separate 
residential space shall submit the separate resi-
dential space to an audit by a third party to 
certify that the requirements of the program 
are met with respect to the separate residential 
space. 
‘‘(B) MAINTENANCE
AUDITS.—In estab-
lishing the Residence Star program, the Admin-
istrator shall require that in order for a sepa-
rate residential space to be eligible to maintain 
recognition under this subsection, the owner of 
the separate residential space shall, not later 
than 7 years after the date on which the initial 
audit is conducted under subparagraph (A), 
and every 7 years thereafter, submit the sepa-
rate residential space to an audit by a third 
party to certify that the requirements of the 
program continue to be met with respect to the 
separate residential space. 
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‘‘(C) CONTENTS.—The Administrator shall 
require that an audit conducted under this 
paragraph shall include— 
‘‘(i) an assessment of the energy effi-
ciency of the separate residential space; 
‘‘(ii) an estimate of the monetary and 
energy savings the tenant or other occu-
pant of the separate residential space can 
expect annually as a result of such energy 
efficiency, as determined based on stand-
ards of measurement established by the 
Administrator, in consultation with the 
Secretary; and 
‘‘(iii) any other requirements deter-
mined appropriate by the Administrator, in 
consultation with the Secretary, following 
public notice and an opportunity for com-
ment. 
‘‘(D) USE OF ESTIMATES.— 
‘‘(i) USE BY OWNERS.—The owner of 
a separate residential space that is recog-
nized under the Residence Star program 
may, with respect to such separate residen-
tial space, display, publish, or otherwise 
use for purposes of advertising the esti-
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mate of the monetary and energy savings 
included in the most recent audit of the 
separate residential space conducted under 
this paragraph. 
‘‘(ii) USE BY THIRD PARTIES.—Third 
parties, including realtors and property 
managers, may display, publish, or other-
wise use for purposes of advertising the es-
timate of the monetary and energy savings 
included in the most recent audit of a sep-
arate residential space conducted under 
this paragraph on behalf of an owner per-
mitted to do so under clause (i). 
‘‘(E) CRITERIA FOR THIRD PARTY AUDI-
TORS.—In establishing the Residence Star pro-
gram, the Administrator, following public notice 
and an opportunity for comment, shall develop 
criteria for third parties to be eligible to con-
duct audits under this paragraph. 
‘‘(d) BRANDING.— 
‘‘(1) CREATION.—The Administrator, in con-
sultation with the Secretary, shall create a logo and 
branding for the Residence Star program. 
‘‘(2) PERMITTED USE.— 
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‘‘(A) USE BY OWNERS.—The owner of a 
separate residential space that is recognized 
under the Residence Star program may, with 
respect to such separate residential space, dis-
play, publish, or otherwise use for purposes of 
advertising the logo and branding created under 
paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) USE BY THIRD PARTIES.—Third par-
ties, including realtors and property managers, 
may display, publish, or otherwise use for pur-
poses of advertising the logo and branding cre-
ated under paragraph (1) on behalf of an owner 
permitted to do so under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(3) PROHIBITED USE.—An owner of a sepa-
rate residential space that is not recognized under 
the Residence Star program may not, with respect 
to such separate residential space, display, publish, 
or otherwise use for purposes of advertising the logo 
and branding created under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(e) PUBLICATION OF LIST.—The Administrator, in 
consultation with the Secretary, shall publish and main-
tain, on an Internet website, a list of separate residential 
spaces that are recognized under the Residence Star pro-
gram. 
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‘‘(f) PRESERVATION OF INTEGRITY.—The Adminis-
trator and the Secretary shall preserve the integrity of the 
Residence Star brand. 
‘‘(g) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
on which the Residence Star program is established, the 
Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary, shall 
submit to Congress a report on the results of the pro-
gram.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
in section 1(b) of the Energy Independence and Security 
Act of 2007 is amended by inserting after the item relat-
ing to section 413 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 414. Residence Star program.’’. 
Æ 
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