§5503 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

The Administrator and the Secretary must start and run a program to develop and test solar heating systems (collectors, controls, and thermal storage) for houses. Within 120 days after September 3, 1974, the Secretary, with help from the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and consulting the Administrator and the Secretary of Energy, must set and publish temporary performance standards for (1) solar heating parts and systems and (2) homes’ suitability for solar heating. Soon after, the Secretary must pick, by open competition, several house designs that fit those standards. Under program rules set by the Administrator and the Secretary, the Administrator must award contracts and grants to develop systems for commercial production and home use, and must buy systems and spare parts that meet the standards. The Secretary must arrange to install those systems in many homes and keep them working during the test period. Homes and systems may be sold to buyers on terms the Secretary sets, including an agreement to allow monitoring and to send reports for five years. The Secretary of Defense must place systems on many homes on federal property so federal staff can monitor them. The Secretary, the Secretary of Defense, and federal property officials must work together to install systems in many homes across different regions and climates so the demonstrations are realistic.

Title 42, §5503

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

(a)The Administrator and the Secretary shall promptly initiate and carry out a program, as provided in this section, for the development and demonstration of solar heating systems (including collectors, controls, and thermal storage) for use in residential dwellings.

(b)(1)Within 120 days after September 3, 1974, the Secretary, utilizing the services of the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and in consultation with the Administrator and the Secretary of Energy, shall determine, prescribe, and publish—

(A)interim performance criteria for solar heating components and systems to be used in residential dwellings, and

(B)interim performance criteria (relating to suitability for solar heating) for such dwellings themselves,

(2)As soon as possible after the publication of the performance criteria prescribed under paragraph (1), the Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Administrator, will select on the basis of open competition a number of designs for various types of residential dwellings suitable for and adapted to the installation of solar heating systems meeting the performance criteria prescribed under paragraph (1)(A).

(c)The Administrator, in accordance with the applicable provisions of subchapter II of chapter 201 of title 51 and under program guidelines established jointly by the Administrator and the Secretary, shall, after consultation with the Secretary—

(1)enter into such contracts and grants as may be necessary or appropriate for the development (for commercial production and residential use) of solar heating systems meeting the performance criteria prescribed under subsection (b)(1)(A) (including any further planning and design which may be required to conform with the specifications set forth in such criteria); and

(2)enter into contracts with a number of persons or firms for the procurement of solar heating components and systems meeting such performance criteria (including adequate numbers of spare and replacement parts for such systems).

(d)The Secretary shall (1) arrange for the installation of solar heating systems procured by the Administrator under subsection (c)(2) in a substantial number of residential dwellings and (2) provide for the satisfactory operation of such installations during the demonstration period. Title to and ownership of any dwellings constructed hereunder and of solar heating systems installed hereunder may be conveyed to purchasers or owners of such dwellings under terms and conditions prescribed by the Secretary, including an express agreement that any such purchaser or owner shall, in such manner and form and on such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe, observe and monitor (or permit the Secretary to observe and monitor) the performance and operation of such system for a period of five years, and that such purchaser or owner (including any subsequent owner and occupant of the property who also makes such an agreement) shall regularly furnish the Secretary with such reports thereon as the agreement may require.

(e)The Secretary of Defense shall arrange for the installation of solar heating systems procured by the Administrator under subsection (c)(2) in a substantial number of residential dwellings which are located on Federal or federally administered property where the performance and operation of such systems can be regularly and effectively observed and monitored by designated Federal personnel.

(f)The Secretary and the Secretary of Defense, and officials responsible for administering Federal or federally administered property, shall coordinate their activities under this section to assure that solar heating systems are installed in a substantial number of residential dwellings and in a sufficient number of different geographic areas under varying climatic conditions to constitute a realistic and effective demonstration in support of the objectives of this subchapter.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification In subsec. (c), “subchapter II of chapter 201 of title 51” substituted for “title II of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958” on authority of Pub. L. 111–314, § 5(e), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3443, which Act enacted Title 51, National and Commercial Space Programs.

Amendments

1988—Subsec. (b)(1), (2). Pub. L. 100–418 substituted “National Institute of Standards and Technology” for “National Bureau of Standards”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

“Secretary of Energy” substituted for “Director”, meaning Director of National Science Foundation, in subsec. (b)(1) pursuant to section 104(f) and 301(h) of Pub. L. 93–438, which are classified to section 5814(f) and 5871(h) of this title and which transferred functions of National Science Foundation relating to or utilized in connection with solar heating and cooling development to Administrator of Energy Research and Development Administration, and pursuant to section 301(a), 703, and 707 of Pub. L. 95–91, which are classified to section 7151(a), 7293, and 7297 of this title and which terminated Energy Research and Development Administration and transferred its functions and functions of Administrator thereof (with certain exceptions) to Secretary of Energy.

§5503 Development and demonstration of solar heating systems for use in residential dwellings