Defense Energy Efficiency Act
Bill: H.R.5279 | Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe (D-CO)
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

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.

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.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Defense Energy Efficiency Act''.

SEC. 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.
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