Title 42The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73not60

§16194 Building Standards

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

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Within 120 days after August 8, 2005, the Secretary must make an agreement with the National Institute of Building Sciences to check whether voluntary consensus standards and rating systems for high performance buildings keep up with current technology, using relevant Department research, to decide if more research is needed, and to recommend ways to speed up development of those standards. High performance building: a building that improves energy efficiency, durability, life‑cycle performance, and occupant productivity. After the assessment, and consistent with section 12(d) of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. 272 note), the Secretary must set up a grant and technical assistance program to support creating these voluntary standards.

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 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60