Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§16194 Building standards

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 149— - NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IX— - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Part Part A— - Energy Efficiency › § 16194

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must, within 120 days after August 8, 2005, make an agreement with the National Institute of Building Sciences to review current voluntary consensus standards and rating systems for high performance buildings. The review must check if the standards match today’s technology (including Department research), find out if more research is needed, and recommend ways to speed up creating those standards. The Secretary must also set up a grant and technical assistance program to support developing those standards, consistent with subsection (b) and section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note). A high performance building combines energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §16194

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section, the term “high performance building” means a building that integrates and optimizes all major high-performance building attributes, including energy efficiency, durability, life-cycle performance, and occupant productivity.
(b)Not later than 120 days after August 8, 2005, the Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the National Institute of Building Sciences to—
(1)conduct an assessment (in cooperation with industry, standards development organizations, and other entities, as appropriate) of whether the current voluntary consensus standards and rating systems for high performance buildings are consistent with the current technological state of the art, including relevant results from the research, development and demonstration activities of the Department;
(2)determine if additional research is required, based on the findings of the assessment; and
(3)recommend steps for the Secretary to accelerate the development of voluntary consensus-based standards for high performance buildings that are based on the findings of the assessment.
(c)Consistent with subsection (b) and section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note), the Secretary shall establish a grant and technical assistance program to support the development of voluntary consensus-based standards for high performance buildings.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (c), is section 12(d) of Pub. L. 104–113, which is set out as a note under section 272 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 16194

Title 42The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73