by Brianna Crandall — July 2, 2014—On June 24, the U.S. House of Representatives continued its work to advance energy efficiency and an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy, approving a series of bills to increase energy and cost savings for federal agencies and schools and support the production and use of hydropower. The two main bills, which will move on to the Senate, are detailed below.
Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act – H.R. 4801
The House approved H.R. 4801, the Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act, by voice vote. Representatives Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Jerry McNerney (D-CA) authored the bipartisan legislation to help identify opportunities for federal agencies to use energy and water more efficiently. The bill requires the Department of Energy to evaluate and report potential energy savings available to federal agencies through greater use of thermal insulation.
H.R. 4801 aims to reduce energy waste through cost-effective measures. Estimates show that thermal insulation saves up to 500 times more in energy costs over its lifespan than the initial costs, translating into significant returns on energy efficiency investments, says Rep. Kinzinger. Small-scale studies have shown the benefits such insulation can have on water and energy resources that are otherwise being wasted; however, these increases in energy efficiency have yet to be demonstrated on a large scale, points out Kinzinger.
The bill would lead to a nationwide analysis detailing the potential savings that the installation of such technologies in government facilities would have on the federal budget. A broad group of stakeholders reportedly lent their support to this commonsense bill. Kinzinger’s remarks are available in a video online.
Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act – H.R. 4092
The House also approved H.R. 4092, the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act, by voice vote. This legislation, authored by Representative Matt Cartwright (D-PA), would help the nation’s schools reduce energy use and save money by establishing an online resource at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to serve as a one-stop shop for information about available federal programs that can be used to increase energy efficiency.
The clearinghouse through the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) would publish information on federal programs and financing tools that may be used to develop energy efficiency, distributed generation, and energy retrofitting projects for schools. Companion legislation to H.R. 4092 is also advancing in the Senate, introduced as the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2013 (S. 1084) by Senators Mark Udall (CO) and Susan Collins (ME).
