Energy Efficiency Bill Becomes Law with Bipartisan Support - The Minute

In an unusual display of bipartisan policymaking on progressive energy policy, the U.S. Congress has passed an energy efficiency bill and President Obama has signed it into law. Two rare political types, moderate Democratic Senator Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire, and moderate Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio sponsored the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act. The legislation promotes the benchmarking and disclosure of commercial building energy use. It also establishes a voluntary ?Tenant Star? program to promote energy efficiency in rental property by incentivizing tenants to voluntarily reduce energy consumption. A technical but important provision adjusts efficiency standards for grid-connected water heaters so that those devices needed for demand response and thermal storage programs can continue to be sold.

It is hoped that the combination of voluntary participation and the new benchmarking and disclosure standards will encourage property owners and building managers to upgrade old and inefficient HVAC equipment at a faster rate, and to invest in new, more comprehensive HVAC system control technology. That?s good for business, and good policy.

Read the release: http://bit.ly/1FLv8cx

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