A new energy efficiency bill the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013 (S. 761), which was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senators Shaheen and Portman, has been reported out of committee.  This bill, which appears to have broad bipartisan support, (for example, 3 Republican and 2 Democratic cosponsors), provides goals, incentives, and support for energy efficiency efforts across the U.S. economy including residential and commercial buildings and industry.

Provisions

This is a very far reaching bill that could have dramatic impact on the energy efficiency of buildings by modifying building codes, encourage energy efficient commercial buildings through financial incentives, recognize energy efficient appliances by creating a Supply Star certification system, encourage replacement of energy inefficient transformers by commercial building owners and others through a rebate program, and encourage Federal agencies to conserve energy through natural gas-powered and electric vehicles. 

Buildings

Update building codes

Support the updating of the model building energy codes to enable the achievement of aggregate energy savings targets for commercial and residential buildings.  The baseline for updating model building energy codes would be the 2009 IECC for residential buildings and ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2010 for commercial buildings.

Develop and adjust targets in recognition of potential savings and costs relating to efficiency gains made in appliances, lighting, windows, insulation, and building envelope sealing;  advancement of distributed generation and on-site renewable power generation technologies; equipment improvements for heating, cooling, and ventilation systems; building management systems and SmartGrid technologies to reduce energy use.

Research on zero-net-energy buildings

In consultation with building science experts from the National Laboratories and institutions of higher education, designers and builders of energy-efficient residential and commercial buildings, code officials undertake studies

• feasibility, impact, economics, and merit of code improvements that would require that buildings be designed, sited, and constructed in a manner that makes the buildings more adaptable in the future to become zero-net-energy after initial construction, as advances are achieved in energy-saving technologies.
• code procedures to incorporate measured lifetimes, not just first-year energy use, in trade-offs and performance calculations; and legislative options for increasing energy savings from building energy codes, including additional incentives for effective State and local action, and verification of compliance with and enforcement of a code other than by a State or local government.

Worker training and capacity building

Provide grants to institutions of higher education to establish building training and assessment centers to identify opportunities for optimizing energy efficiency and environmental performance in buildings; to promote the application of emerging concepts and technologies in commercial and institutional buildings; to train engineers, architects, building scientists, building energy permitting and enforcement officials, and building technicians in energy-efficient design and operation;  to assist institutions of higher education and Tribal Colleges or Universities in training building technicians;  to promote research and development for the use of alternative energy sources and distributed generation to supply heat and power for buildings, particularly energy-intensive buildings;

Private commercial building energy efficiency financing

Establish a program ‘Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Financing Initiative’ to provide grants to States to establish or expand programs to promote the financing of energy efficiency retrofit projects for private sector and commercial buildings; such as a  a revolving loan fund; a program to promote the use of energy savings performance contracts or utility energy service contracts, or both; a utility on-bill financing or repayment program; utility energy efficiency programs for all segments of the utility industry; or a leasing structure that recognizes energy costs and addresses split-incentives.

Industrial efficiency and competitiveness

Reform DoE energy efficiency programs 

Reform and reorient the industrial efficiency programs of the Department of Energy;  to establish a clear and consistent authority for industrial efficiency programs of the Department; to accelerate the deployment of technologies and practices that will increase industrial energy efficiency and improve productivity; to accelerate the development and demonstration of technologies that will assist the deployment goals of the industrial efficiency programs of the Department and increase manufacturing efficiency;  to stimulate domestic economic growth and improve industrial productivity and competitiveness; and to strengthen partnerships between Federal and State governmental agencies and the private and academic sectors.

Supply Star

Establish within the Department of Energy a Supply Star program to identify and promote practices, recognize companies, and, as appropriate, recognize products that use highly efficient supply chains in a manner that conserves energy, water, and other resources; consult with other appropriate agencies; and coordinate efforts with the Energy Star program; promote practices, recognize companies, and, as appropriate, recognize products that comply with the Supply Star program as the preferred practices, companies, and products in the marketplace for maximizing supply chain efficiency; work to enhance industry and public awareness of the Supply Star program;

Electric Motor Rebate Program

Establish a program to provide rebates
for the purchase and installation of a new constant speed electric
motor control that reduces motor energy use by not less than 5 percent.

Electric Transformer Rebate Program

Establish a program under which rebates are provided to owners of industrial or manufacturing facilities, commercial buildings, and multifamily residential buildings for the purchase and installation of a new energy efficient transformers.

Federal agency energy efficiency

ICT energy efficiency

In consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Administrator of General Services, issue guidance for Federal agencies to employ advanced tools promoting energy efficiency and energy savings through the use of information and communications technologies, including computer hardware, operation and maintenance processes, energy efficiency software, and power management tools.

Natural gas and electric vehicle infrastructure

Measures to support the use of natural gas vehicles and electric vehicles or the fueling or charging infrastructure necessary for natural gas vehicles and electric vehicles

Federal data center consolidation

Publish a goal for the total amount of planned energy and cost savings and increased productivity by
the Federal Government through the consolidation of Federal data centers over a 5-year period.

Assessment

Accoridng to an article by the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Shaheen-Portman bill focuses on sectors and areas with known energy-savings potential.

• Residential, commercial, and industrial sectors accounted for two-thirds of U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in 2011.
• Buildings, industry, electric motors, and transformers have large energy-savings potential.
• The federal government has been identified as the fourth-largest single source of U.S. emissions.