§ 8253. Energy and water management requirements

§ 8253. Energy and water management requirements

(a) Energy performance requirement for Federal buildings

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), each agency shall apply energy conservation measures to, and shall improve the design for the construction of, the Federal buildings of the agency (including each industrial or laboratory facility) so that the energy consumption per gross square foot of the Federal buildings of the agency in fiscal years 2006 through 2015 is reduced, as compared with the energy consumption per gross square foot of the Federal buildings of the agency in fiscal year 2003, by the percentage specified in the following table: Fiscal YearPercentage Reduction 20062 20074 20089 200912 201015 201118 201221 201324 201427 201530.

(2) An agency may exclude from the requirements of paragraph (1) any building, and the associated energy consumption and gross square footage, in which energy intensive activities are carried out. Each agency shall identify and list in each report made under section 8258(a) of this title the buildings designated by it for such exclusion.

(3) Not later than December 31, 2014, the Secretary shall review the results of the implementation of the energy performance requirement established under paragraph (1) and submit to Congress recommendations concerning energy performance requirements for fiscal years 2016 through 2025.

(b) Energy and water management requirement for Federal agencies

(1) In general.— Each agency shall—

(A) not later than October 1, 2022, to the maximum extent practicable, begin installing in Federal buildings owned by the United States all energy and water conservation measures determined by the Secretary to be life cycle cost-effective (as defined in subsection (f)(1)); and

(B) complete the installation described in subparagraph (A) as soon as practicable after the date referred to in that subparagraph.

(2) Explanation of noncompliance.—

(A) In general.— If an agency fails to comply with paragraph (1), the agency shall submit to the Secretary, using guidelines developed by the Secretary, an explanation of the reasons for the failure.

(B) Report to Congress.— Not later than January 1, 2022, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that describes any noncompliance by an agency with the requirements of paragraph (1).

(3) This subsection shall not apply to an agency’s facilities that generate or transmit electric energy or to the uranium enrichment facilities operated by the Department of Energy.

(4) An agency may participate in the Environmental Protection Agency’s “Green Lights” program for purposes of receiving technical assistance in complying with the requirements of this section.

(c) Exclusions

(1)

(A) The head of each agency may exclude, from the energy or water performance requirement for a fiscal year established under subsection (a) and the energy or water management requirement established under subsection (b), any Federal building or collection of Federal buildings, if the head of the agency finds that—

(i) compliance with those requirements would be impracticable;

(ii) the agency has completed and submitted all federally required energy or water management reports;

(iii) the agency has achieved compliance with the energy or water efficiency requirements of this chapter, the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Executive orders, and other Federal law; and

(iv) the agency has implemented all practicable, life cycle cost-effective projects with respect to the Federal building or collection of Federal buildings to be excluded.

(B) A finding of impracticability under subparagraph (A)(i) shall be based on—

(i) the energy or water intensiveness of activities carried out in the Federal building or collection of Federal buildings; or

(ii) the fact that the Federal building or collection of Federal buildings is used in the performance of a national security function.

(2) Each agency shall identify and list, in each report made under section 8258(a) of this title, the Federal buildings designated by it for such exclusion. The Secretary shall review such findings for consistency with the standards for exclusion set forth in paragraph (1), and may within 90 days after receipt of the findings, reverse the exclusion. In the case of any such reversal, the agency shall comply with the requirements of subsections (a) and (b)(1) for the building concerned.

(3) Not later than 180 days after August 8, 2005, the Secretary shall issue guidelines that establish criteria for exclusions under paragraph (1).

(d) Implementation steps The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of General Services in developing guidelines for the implementation of this part. To meet the requirements of this section, each agency shall—

(1) prepare and submit to the Secretary, not later than December 31, 1993, a plan describing how the agency intends to meet such requirements, including how it will—

(A) designate personnel primarily responsible for achieving such requirements;

(B) identify high priority projects through calculation of payback periods;

(C) take maximum advantage of contracts authorized under subchapter VII of this chapter, of financial incentives and other services provided by utilities for efficiency investment, and of other forms of financing to reduce the direct costs to the Government; and

(D) otherwise implement this part;

(2) perform energy and water surveys of its Federal buildings to the extent necessary and update such surveys as needed, incorporating any relevant information obtained from the survey conducted pursuant to section 8258b of this title;

(3) using such surveys, determine the cost and payback period of energy and water conservation measures likely to achieve the requirements of this section;

(4) install energy and water conservation measures that will achieve the requirements of this section through the methods and procedures established pursuant to section 8254 of this title; and

(5) ensure that the operation and maintenance procedures applied under this section are continued.

(e) Metering of energy and water use

(1) Deadline By October 1, 2022, in accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary under paragraph (2), all Federal buildings shall, for the purposes of efficient use of energy and water and reduction in the cost of electricity and water used in such buildings, be metered. Each agency shall use, to the maximum extent practicable, advanced meters or advanced metering devices that provide data at least daily and that measure at least hourly consumption of electricity and water in the Federal buildings of the agency. Not later than October 1, 2016, each agency shall provide for equivalent metering of natural gas and steam, in accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary under paragraph (2). Such data shall be incorporated into existing Federal energy and water tracking systems and made available to Federal facility managers.

(2) Guidelines

(A) In general Not later than 180 days after August 8, 2005, the Secretary, in consultation with the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, representatives from the metering industry, utility industry, energy services industry, energy efficiency industry, energy efficiency advocacy organizations, national laboratories, universities, Federal facility managers, and any other person the Secretary deems necessary, shall establish guidelines for agencies to carry out paragraph (1).

(B) Requirements for guidelines The guidelines shall—

(i) take into consideration—

(I) the cost of metering and the reduced cost of operation and maintenance expected to result from metering;

(II) the extent to which metering is expected to result in increased potential for energy and water management, increased potential for energy and water savings and energy and water efficiency improvement, and cost and energy and water savings due to utility contract aggregation; and

(III) the measurement and verification protocols of the Department of Energy;

(ii) include recommendations concerning the amount of funds and the number of trained personnel necessary to gather and use the metering information to track and reduce energy and water use;

(iii) establish priorities for types and locations of buildings to be metered based on cost-effectiveness and a schedule of one or more dates, not later than 1 year after the date of issuance of the guidelines, on which the requirements specified in paragraph (1) shall take effect; and

(iv) establish exclusions from the requirements specified in paragraph (1) based on the de minimis quantity of energy and water use of a Federal building, industrial process, or structure.

(C) Update Not later than 180 days after December 27, 2020, the Secretary shall update the guidelines established under subparagraph (A) to take into account water efficiency requirements under this section.

(3) Plan Not later than 180 days after the date on which guidelines are updated under paragraph (2)(C), in a report submitted by the agency under section 8258(a) of this title, each agency shall submit to the Secretary a plan describing the manner in which the agency will implement the requirements of paragraph (1), including—

(A) how the agency will designate personnel primarily responsible for achieving the requirements; and

(B) a demonstration by the agency, complete with documentation, of any finding that advanced meters or advanced metering devices (as those terms are used in paragraph (1)), are not practicable.

(4) Best practices report

(A) In general Not later than 180 days after December 27, 2020, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of General Services, shall develop, and issue a report on, best practices for the use of advanced metering of energy and water use in Federal facilities, buildings, and equipment by Federal agencies.

(B) Components The report shall include, at a minimum—

(i) summaries and analysis of the reports by agencies under paragraph (3);

(ii) recommendations on standard requirements or guidelines for automated energy and water management systems, including—

(I) potential common communications standards to allow data sharing and reporting;

(II) means of facilitating continuous commissioning of buildings and evidence-based maintenance of buildings and building systems; and

(III) standards for sufficient levels of security and protection against cyber threats to ensure systems cannot be controlled by unauthorized persons; and

(iii) an analysis of—

(I) the types of advanced metering and monitoring systems being piloted, tested, or installed in Federal buildings; and

(II) existing techniques used within the private sector or other non-Federal government buildings.

(f) Use of energy and water efficiency measures in Federal buildings

(1) Definitions In this subsection:

(A) Commissioning The term “commissioning”, with respect to a facility, means a systematic process—

(i) of ensuring, using appropriate verification and documentation, during the period beginning on the initial day of the design phase of the facility and ending not earlier than 1 year after the date of completion of construction of the facility, that all facility systems perform interactively in accordance with—

(I) the design documentation and intent of the facility; and

(II) the operational needs of the owner of the facility, including preparation of operation personnel; and

(ii) the primary goal of which is to ensure fully functional systems that can be properly operated and maintained during the useful life of the facility.

(B) Energy manager

(i) In general The term “energy manager”, with respect to a facility, means the individual who is responsible for—

(I) ensuring compliance with this subsection by the facility; and

(II) reducing energy use at the facility.

(ii) Inclusions The term “energy manager” may include—

(I) a contractor of a facility;

(II) a part-time employee of a facility; and

(III) an individual who is responsible for multiple facilities.

(C) Facility

(i) In general The term “facility” means any building, installation, structure, or other property (including any applicable fixtures) owned or operated by, or constructed or manufactured and leased to, the Federal Government.

(ii) Inclusions The term “facility” includes—

(I) a group of facilities at a single location or multiple locations managed as an integrated operation; and

(II) contractor-operated facilities owned by the Federal Government.

(iii) Exclusions The term “facility” does not include any land or site for which the cost of utilities is not paid by the Federal Government.

(D) Life cycle cost-effective The term “life cycle cost-effective”, with respect to a measure, means a measure, the estimated savings of which exceed the estimated costs over the lifespan of the measure, as determined in accordance with section 8254 of this title.

(E) Ongoing commissioning The term “ongoing commissioning” means an ongoing process of commissioning using monitored data, the primary goal of which is to ensure continuous optimum performance of a facility, in accordance with design or operating needs, over the useful life of the facility, while meeting facility occupancy requirements.

(F) Payback period

(i) In general Subject to clause (ii), the term “payback period”, with respect to a measure, means a value equal to the quotient obtained by dividing—

(I) the estimated initial implementation cost of the measure (other than financing costs); by

(II) the annual cost savings resulting from the measure, including—

(aa) net savings in estimated energy and water costs; and

(bb) operations, maintenance, repair, replacement, and other direct costs.

(ii) Modifications and exceptions The Secretary, in guidelines issued pursuant to paragraph (6), may make such modifications and provide such exceptions to the calculation of the payback period of a measure as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to achieve the purposes of this chapter.

(G) Recommissioning The term “recommissioning” means a process—

(i) of commissioning a facility or system beyond the project development and warranty phases of the facility or system; and

(ii) the primary goal of which is to ensure optimum performance of a facility, in accordance with design or current operating needs, over the useful life of the facility, while meeting building occupancy requirements.

(H) Retrocommissioning The term “retrocommissioning” means a process of commissioning a facility or system that was not commissioned at the time of construction of the facility or system.

(2) Facility energy managers

(A) In general Each Federal agency shall designate an energy manager responsible for implementing this subsection and reducing energy and water use at each facility that meets criteria under subparagraph (B).

(B) Covered facilities The Secretary shall develop criteria, after consultation with affected agencies, efficiency advocates, and energy and utility service providers, that cover, at a minimum, Federal facilities, including central utility plants and distribution systems and other energy intensive operations, that constitute at least 75 percent of facility energy or water use at each agency.

(C) Energy management system An energy manager designated for a facility under subparagraph (A) shall take into consideration—

(i) the use of a system to manage energy and water use at the facility; and

(ii) the applicability of the certification of the facility in accordance with the International Organization for Standardization standard numbered 50001 and entitled “Energy Management Systems”.

(3) Energy and water evaluations and commissioning

(A) Evaluations Except as provided in subparagraph (B), not later than the date that is 180 days after December 27, 2020, and annually thereafter, each energy manager shall complete, for the preceding calendar year, a comprehensive energy and water evaluation and recommissioning or retrocommissioning for approximately 25 percent of the facilities of the applicable agency that meet the criteria under paragraph (2)(B) in a manner that ensures that an evaluation of each facility is completed not less frequently than once every 4 years.

(B) Exceptions An evaluation and recommissioning or retrocommissioning shall not be required under subparagraph (A) with respect to a facility that, as of the date on which the evaluation and recommissioning or retrocommissioning would occur—

(i) has had a comprehensive energy and water evaluation during the preceding 8-year period;

(ii)

(I) has been commissioned, recommissioned, or retrocommissioned during the preceding 10-year period; or

(II) is under ongoing commissioning, recommissioning, or retrocomissioning;

(iii) has not had a major change in function or use since the previous evaluation and recommissioning or retrocommissioning;

(iv) has been benchmarked with public disclosure under paragraph (8) during the preceding calendar year; and

(v)

(I) based on the benchmarking described in clause (iv), has achieved at a facility level the most recent cumulative energy savings target under subsection (a) compared to the earlier of—

(aa) the date of the most recent evaluation; or

(bb) the date—

(AA) of the most recent commissioning, recommissioning, or retrocommissioning; or

(BB) on which ongoing commissioning began; or

(II) has a long-term contract in place guaranteeing energy savings at least as great as the energy savings target under subclause (I).

(4) Implementation of identified energy and water efficiency measures

(A) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of completion of each evaluation under paragraph (3), each energy manager shall implement any energy- or water-saving measure that—

(i) the Federal agency identified in the evaluation; and

(ii) is life cycle cost-effective, as determined by evaluating an individual measure or a bundle of measures with varying paybacks.

(B) Performance contracting Each Federal agency shall use performance contracting to address at least 50 percent of the measures identified under subparagraph (A)(i).

(5) Follow-up on implemented measures For each measure implemented under paragraph (4), each energy manager shall ensure that—

(A) equipment, including building and equipment controls, is fully commissioned at acceptance to be operating at design specifications;

(B) a plan for appropriate operations, maintenance, and repair of the equipment is in place at acceptance and is followed;

(C) equipment and system performance is measured during its entire life to ensure proper operations, maintenance, and repair; and

(D) energy and water savings are measured and verified.

(6) Guidelines