[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1575 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1575

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the depreciation 
        recovery period for energy-efficient cool roof systems.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 19, 2011

 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Mr. Crapo) introduced the following bill; 
     which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the depreciation 
        recovery period for energy-efficient cool roof systems.

    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 ``Energy-Efficient Cool Roof Jobs 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEPRECIATION RECOVERY PERIOD FOR CERTAIN ROOF SYSTEMS.

    (a) 20-Year Recovery Period.--
            (1) In general.--Subparagraph (F) of section 168(e)(3) of 
        the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to classification 
        of certain property) is amended to read as follows:
                    ``(F) 20-year property.--The term `20-year 
                property' means--
                            ``(i) initial clearing and grading land 
                        improvements with respect to any electric 
                        utility transmission and distribution plant, 
                        and
                            ``(ii) any qualified energy-efficient cool 
                        roof replacement property.''.
            (2) Qualified energy-efficient cool roof replacement 
        property.--Section 168(e) of such Code is amended by adding at 
        the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(9) Qualified energy-efficient cool roof replacement 
        property.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `qualified energy-
                efficient cool roof replacement property' means any 
                roof system--
                            ``(i) which is placed in service--
                                    ``(I) above conditioned or semi-
                                heated space on an eligible commercial 
                                building, and
                                    ``(II) during the period beginning 
                                on the date of the enactment of this 
                                paragraph and ending on December 31, 
                                2013,
                            ``(ii) which has a slope equal to or less 
                        than 2:12,
                            ``(iii) which replaces an existing roof 
                        system, and
                            ``(iv) which includes--
                                    ``(I) insulation which meets or 
                                exceeds the minimum prescriptive 
                                requirements in tables A-1 to A-9 in 
                                the Normative Appendix A of ASHRAE 
                                Standard 189.1-2009, and
                                    ``(II) in the case of an eligible 
                                commercial building located in a 
                                climate zone other than climate zone 6, 
                                7, or 8 (as specified in ASHRAE 
                                Standard 90.1-2010), a primary roof 
                                covering which has a cool roof surface.
                    ``(B) Cool roof surface.--The term `cool roof 
                surface' means a roof the exterior surface of which --
                            ``(i) has a 3-year-aged solar reflectance 
                        of at least 0.55 and a 3-year-aged thermal 
                        emittance of at least 0.75, as determined in 
                        accordance with the Cool Roof Rating Council 
                        CRRC-1 Product Rating Program, or
                            ``(ii) has a 3-year-aged solar reflectance 
                        index (SRI) of at least 64, as determined in 
                        accordance with ASTM Standard E1980, 
                        determined--
                                    ``(I) using a medium-wind-speed 
                                convection coefficient of 12 W/m2.K, 
                                and
                                    ``(II) using the values for 3-year-
                                aged solar reflectance and 3-year-aged 
                                thermal emittance determined in 
                                accordance with the Cool Roof Rating 
                                Council CRRC-1 Product Rating Program.
                    ``(C) Roof system.--The term `roof system' means a 
                system of roof components, including roof insulation 
                and a membrane or primary roof covering, but not 
                including the roof deck, designed to weather-proof and 
                improve the thermal resistance of a building.
                    ``(D) Eligible commercial building.--The term 
                `eligible commercial building' means any building--
                            ``(i) which is within the scope of ASHRAE 
                        Standard 90.1-2010,
                            ``(ii) which is located in the United 
                        States,
                            ``(iii) with respect to which depreciation 
                        (or amortization in lieu of depreciation) is 
                        allowable, and
                            ``(iv) which was placed in service prior to 
                        December 31, 2009.
                    ``(E) ASHRAE.--The term `ASHRAE' means the American 
                Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning 
                Engineers.''.
    (b) Requirement To Use Straight Line Method.--Paragraph (3) of 
section 168(b) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subparagraph:
                    ``(J) Any qualified energy-efficient cool roof 
                replacement property.''.
    (c) Alternative System.--The table contained in section 
168(g)(3)(B) of such Code is amended by striking the last item and 
inserting the following new items:

        ``(F)(i)...........................................         25 
         (F)(ii)...........................................     27.5''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to property placed in service after the date of the enactment of 
this Act.
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