To encourage benchmarking and disclosure of energy information for commercial buildings.
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (10 Jan 2014): Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
What this bill does
This bill would require federal agencies to benchmark and publicly disclose energy information for commercial buildings they lease if those buildings do not have an Energy Star label. This requirement would apply unless building owners cannot access whole building utility consumption data. Federal agencies leasing such spaces would be responsible for providing their energy consumption data to the building owner or authorizing the utility to share it.
The bill also directs the Secretary of Energy to study and report on the impact of state and local energy benchmarking policies and utility programs that provide energy consumption data to building owners. The study would identify best practices for improving building energy efficiency. Additionally, the Secretary would be tasked with creating or maintaining a database to store and make public energy-related information on commercial and multifamily buildings.
H.R. 3820 was introduced in the House of Representatives in January 2014 and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Its current status is "Introduced," meaning it has not yet passed either chamber of Congress or become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to revise exceptions to the requirement that federal agencies must lease space in buildings that have earned the Energy Star label. Requires a space leased by an agency in a building that has not earned the Energy Star label to be benchmarked under a nationally recognized, online, free benchmarking program, with public disclosure. Exempts from such requirement a space for which owners cannot access whole building utility consumption data.
Requires an agency that is a tenant of a space that has not earned such label to provide to a building owner, or authorize the owner to obtain from the utility, the energy consumption information of the space for the benchmarking and disclosure requirements.
Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to study and report on: (1) the impact of state and local performance benchmarking and disclosure policies, and any associated building efficiency policies, for commercial and multifamily buildings and the impact of programs and systems in which utilities provide aggregated information regarding whole building energy consumption and usage information to owners of multitenant commercial, residential, and mixed-use buildings; and (2) best practice policy approaches that have resulted in the greatest improvements in building energy efficiency.
Requires the Secretary to modify and maintain existing databases or create and maintain a new database platform to store and make publicly available energy-related information on commercial and multifamily buildings.
Authorizes the Secretary to make awards to utilities, utility regulators, and utility partners to develop and implement programs to provide aggregated whole building energy consumption information to multitenant building owners.
Timeline
10 Jan 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 3820 do?
- This bill would require federal agencies to benchmark and publicly disclose energy information for commercial buildings they lease if those buildings do not have an Energy Star label. This requirement would apply unless building owners cannot access whole building utility consumption data. Federal agencies leasing such spaces would be responsible for providing their energy consumption data to the building owner or authorizing the utility to share it. The bill also directs the Secretary of Energy to study and report on the impact of state and local energy benchmarking policies and utility programs that provide energy consumption data to building owners. The study would identify best practices for improving building energy efficiency. Additionally, the Secretary would be tasked with creating or maintaining a database to store and make public energy-related information on commercial and multifamily buildings. H.R. 3820 was introduced in the House of Representatives in January 2014 and referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Its current status is "Introduced," meaning it has not yet passed either chamber of Congress or become law.
- Has H.R. 3820 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 3820. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 3820?
- H.R. 3820 was sponsored by Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14] (D-FL), with 0 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 3820?
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power. (10 Jan 2014).
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