Bill to improve Energy Efficiency in Federal Buildings

WASHINGTON, DC—The High-Performance Federal Buildings Act, introduced in November, would save taxpayer dollars spent on energy costs in buildings owned by the Federal Government by allowing the government to analyze the full life-cycle cost of overall spending on a building as the basis for cost analysis, instead of short-term cost alone. Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase energy efficiency in Federal buildings.

“We can’t be a penny wise and a pound foolish when it comes to building construction,” said Congressman Carnahan. “Getting serious about saving taxpayer money—and energy—starts with this bipartisan legislation.”

The High-Performance Federal Buildings Act makes cost analysis information on federal buildings publically available. Sharing results, lessons learned and case studies from Federal buildings will improve both public and private sector buildings thus saving money while improving performance.

This legislation will also require standard regulations for the use of energy and water in federal buildings.  These regulations will reflect the most current codes and standards being used in the private sector. This saves costs in the design of buildings by allowing design teams to use familiar practices and procedures to demonstrate compliance.

Carnahan introduced the legislation with 16 other original cosponsors and broad support from industry and trade association groups.

“I commend the sponsors of the High Performance Building Act of 2011 in leading the way to greater energy efficiency in our federal buildings,” said Evan Gaddis, President of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.  “By applying building information modeling (BIM) and life cycle cost analysis, the federal building sector can reduce energy consumption and increase our energy security.”

“IFMA strongly supports the continued efforts of Rep. Carnahan and others in the High-Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus to implement industry best practices in federal buildings,” said Tony Keane, CAE, president and CEO of the International Facility Management Association. “This legislation will improve building performance, reduce operating costs and protect the value of federal real property. As Congress continues to work to identify cost saving opportunities, these best practices will help contribute to the long-term preservation of federal facilities.”

“Moving beyond the rhetoric, this bill goes a long way in helping federal agencies reduce their overall energy use.  This is what the public demands in reducing our federal expenditure,” said Clark Manus, President of the American Institute of Architects. “In the private sector, we use these tools and practices regularly because they enable us to make smart decisions that will achieve the greatest possible energy savings.  Those managing federal buildings will be able to share lessons learned, use the most up-to-date building standards and budget for the life of the building instead of year by year.  Even more so, the decrease in utility bills and maintenance costs will save tax payer dollars.”

"Water efficiency is often overlooked in building retrofits and efficiency measures, but this bipartisan legislation tackles water conservation head-on." GP Russ Chaney, IAPMO CEO stated. "As the developer of the Uniform Plumbing Code, the only plumbing code in the world that receives the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) designation for consensus-based development, we are thrilled that the federal government will take a leadership role in requiring strong water efficiency measures based on consensus-based plumbing codes. Representative Carnahan deserves substantial credit for his strong advocacy for building safety, security, sustainability, and efficiency.