I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2564 
To accelerate the adoption of smart building technologies in the private 
sector and key Federal agencies. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2015 
Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infra-
structure and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To accelerate the adoption of smart building technologies 
in the private sector and key Federal agencies. 
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 ‘‘Smart Building Accel-
eration Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 May 29, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2564.IH
H2564
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) the building sector uses more than 40 per-
cent of the energy of the Nation; 
(2) emerging building energy monitoring and 
control technologies are enabling a transition of the 
building sector to ‘‘smart’’ buildings that have dra-
matically reduced energy use and improved quality 
of service to occupants; 
(3) an analysis of select private-sector smart 
buildings by the Department of Energy would docu-
ment the costs and benefits of those emerging tech-
nologies, promote their adoption, and accelerate that 
transition; 
(4) with over 400,000 buildings, the Federal 
Government is the largest building owner in the 
United States; and 
(5) the Federal Government can also accelerate 
the transition to smart building technologies by dem-
onstrating and evaluating emerging smart building 
technologies using existing programs and funding to 
showcase selected Federal smart buildings. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means 
the smart building program established under sec-
tion 5(a). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 May 29, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2564.IH
H2564
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(3) SMART BUILDING.—The term ‘‘smart build-
ing’’ means a building with an energy system that— 
(A) is flexible and automated; 
(B) has extensive operational monitoring 
and communication connectivity, allowing re-
mote monitoring and analysis of all building 
functions; 
(C) is integrated with the overall building 
operations for control of energy generation, con-
sumption, and storage; and 
(D) communicates with utilities and other 
third-party commercial entities where appro-
priate. 
SEC. 4. SURVEY OF PRIVATE SECTOR SMART BUILDINGS. 
(a) SURVEY.—The Secretary shall conduct a survey 
of privately owned smart buildings throughout the Nation, 
including commercial buildings and buildings owned by 
nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher edu-
cation. 
(b) SELECTION.—From among the smart buildings 
surveyed under subsection (a), the Secretary shall select 
at least 1 building each from an appropriate range of 
building sizes and types. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 May 29, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2564.IH
H2564
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(c) EVALUATION.—Using the guidelines of the Fed-
eral Energy Management Program relating to whole-build-
ing evaluation, measurement, and verification, the Sec-
retary shall evaluate the costs and benefits of the buildings 
selected under subsection (b), including an identification 
of— 
(1) which advanced building technologies— 
(A) are most cost-effective; and 
(B) show the most promise for— 
(i) increasing building energy savings; 
(ii) increasing service performance to 
building occupants; and 
(iii) reducing environmental impacts; 
and 
(2) any other information the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate. 
SEC. 5. FEDERAL SMART BUILDING PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish 
a program to establish 1 or more smart buildings under 
the jurisdiction of several key Federal agencies, including 
buildings that are owned by the Federal Government but 
are commercially operated, to demonstrate the costs and 
benefits of smart buildings. 
(b) FEDERAL AGENCY DESCRIBED.—The key Fed-
eral agencies referred to in subsection (a) shall include— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 May 29, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2564.IH
H2564
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) the Department of Defense; 
(2) the Department of Energy; 
(3) the Department of Veterans Affairs; and 
(4) the General Services Administration. 
(c) REQUIREMENT.—In carrying out the program, 
the Secretary shall leverage existing procurement mecha-
nisms. 
(d) EVALUATION.—Using the guidelines of the Fed-
eral Energy Management Program relating to whole-build-
ing evaluation, measurement, and verification, the Sec-
retary shall evaluate the costs and benefits of the buildings 
selected under this section including an identification of— 
(1) which advanced building technologies— 
(A) are most cost-effective; and 
(B) show the most promise for— 
(i) increasing building energy savings; 
(ii) increasing service performance to 
building occupants; and 
(iii) reducing environmental impacts; 
and 
(2) any other information the Secretary deter-
mines to be appropriate. 
SEC. 6. LEVERAGING EXISTING PROGRAMS. 
(a) BETTER BUILDING CHALLENGE.—As part of the 
Better Building Challenge of the Department of Energy, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 May 29, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2564.IH
H2564
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
the Secretary shall develop a smart building accelerator 
in consultation with major private sector property owners 
to demonstrate innovative policies and approaches that 
will accelerate the transition to smart buildings. 
(b) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct 
research and development to address key barriers to 
the integration of advanced building technologies 
and to accelerate the transition to smart buildings. 
(2) INCLUSION.—The research and development 
conducted under paragraph (1) shall include re-
search and development on— 
(A) physical components, such as sensors 
and controls; 
(B) reducing the cost of key components to 
accelerate the adoption of smart building tech-
nologies; 
(C) data management, including the cap-
ture and analysis of data and the interoper-
ability of the energy systems; 
(D) business models, including how busi-
ness models may limit the adoption of smart 
building technologies and how to support 
transactive energy; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 May 29, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2564.IH
H2564
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS
(E) characterization of buildings and com-
ponents; 
(F) consumer and utility protections; 
(G) continuous management, including the 
challenges of managing multiple energy systems 
and optimizing systems for disparate stake-
holders; and 
(H) other areas of research and develop-
ment, as determined appropriate by the Sec-
retary. 
SEC. 7. REPORT. 
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives a report on— 
(1) the survey and evaluation of private sector 
smart buildings carried out under section 4; 
(2) the evaluation of Federal smart buildings 
carried out under section 5; and 
(3) any recommendations of the Secretary to 
further accelerate the transition to smart buildings. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:44 May 29, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2564.IH
H2564
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with BILLS