[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 170 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 170

To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish 
energy conservation standards for public housing projects and to carry 
 out a program to demonstrate the effectiveness of energy conservation 
                  measures in public housing projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 4, 1995

   Mrs. Collins of Illinois introduced the following bill; which was 
      referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish 
energy conservation standards for public housing projects and to carry 
 out a program to demonstrate the effectiveness of energy conservation 
                  measures in public housing projects.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Public Housing Energy Conservation 
Act''.

SEC. 2. ENERGY CONSERVATION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC HOUSING.

    (a) In General.--Any public housing project, for which development 
or rehabilitation is assisted under the United States Housing Act of 
1937 and commences after the 1-year period following the date of the 
enactment of this Act, shall be developed or rehabilitated in 
accordance with life-cycle cost-effective energy conservation 
performance standards that are established by the Secretary of Housing 
and Urban Development and are designed to ensure (through the use of 
energy conservation measures and otherwise) the lowest total 
construction, rehabilitation, and operating costs over the estimated 
life of the project.
    (b) Construction Cost Limits.--The Secretary shall revise the cost 
limits applicable to the development or rehabilitation of public 
housing projects assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937 
for purposes of taking into consideration the life-cycle costs of the 
structure and major energy consuming heating and cooling systems.
    (c) Regulations.--The Secretary shall, not later than the 
expiration of the 1-year period following the date of the enactment of 
this Act, issue regulations establishing the standards referred to in 
subsection (a) and revising the cost limits referred to in subsection 
(b).

SEC. 3. PUBLIC HOUSING ENERGY CONSERVATION DEMONSTRATION.

    (a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to demonstrate the 
extent to which the use of energy conservation measures in public 
housing projects will reduce the operating costs of the projects and 
the utility payments made by the tenants of the projects.
    (b) Assistance.--The Secretary shall, to the extent approved in 
appropriation Acts, provide financial assistance to the Chicago Housing 
Authority in the State of Illinois for the purpose of permitting the 
Authority--
            (1) to implement energy conservation measures in public 
        housing projects operated by the Authority and assisted under 
        the United States Housing Act of 1937; and
            (2) to use the services of expert consultants in designing 
        and installing such energy conservation measures.
    (c) Annual Report.--The Secretary shall submit annually to the 
Congress a comprehensive report setting forth the activities carried 
out under this section. The report shall include any recommendations of 
the Secretary for legislation or other actions to encouraging the use 
of energy conservation measures in public housing projects.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act:
            (1) The term ``energy conservation measure'' means--
                    (A) caulking and weatherstripping of doors and 
                windows;
                    (B) furnace efficiency modifications, including--
                            (i) replacement burners, furnaces, or 
                        boilers (or any combination) that, as 
                        determined by the Secretary, substantially 
                        increase the energy efficiency of the heating 
                        system;
                            (ii) devices for modifying flue openings 
                        that will increase the energy efficiency of the 
                        heating system; and
                            (iii) electrical or mechanical furnace 
                        ignition systems that replace standing gas 
                        pilot lights;
                    (C) clock thermostats;
                    (D) ceiling, attic, wall, and floor insulation;
                    (E) water heater insulation;
                    (F) storm windows and doors, multiglazed windows 
                and doors, heat-absorbing or heat-reflective glazed 
                window and door materials;
                    (G) devices associated with load management 
                techniques;
                    (H) devices to utilize solar energy or windpower 
                for any energy conservation purpose, including heating 
                of water, space heating, or cooling;
                    (I) replacement of incandescent lighting with 
                higher efficiency lighting;
                    (J) district heating;
                    (K) cogeneration; and
                    (L) such other measures as the Secretary may 
                identify for purposes of this section.
            (2) The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Housing 
        and Urban Development.

                                 <all>