[House Report 113-489]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 113-489
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THERMAL INSULATION EFFICIENCY
_______
June 23, 2014.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Upton, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 4801]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred
the bill (H.R. 4801) to require the Secretary of Energy to
prepare a report on the impact of thermal insulation on both
energy and water use for potable hot water, having considered
the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and
recommend that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose and Summary.............................................. 1
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Committee Consideration.......................................... 2
Committee Votes.................................................. 2
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 2
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............ 2
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures 2
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits....... 3
Committee Cost Estimate.......................................... 3
Congressional Budget Office Estimate............................. 3
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 4
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 4
Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings.............................. 4
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 4
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 4
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 4
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 4
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
H.R. 4801, the ``Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement
Act,'' was introduced by Rep. Kinzinger (R-IL) and Rep.
McNerney (D-CA) on June 5, 2014. The legislation requires the
Department of Energy (DOE), in consultation with other Federal
agencies and relevant stakeholders, to submit a report to
Congress on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and
water use systems for potable hot and chilled water in Federal
buildings, and the return on investment of installing such
insulation.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Large amounts of energy and water are wasted due to heating
and cooling losses that could be prevented through greater
utilization of thermal insulation. With the Federal government
being the single largest consumer of energy in the country,\1\
the potential savings from the increased use of thermal
insulation in Federal buildings are significant. Estimates show
that over its lifetime, thermal insulation saves up to 500
times the energy required for its production,\2\ but to date,
there has not been a study to identify the potential benefits
and energy savings available from the greater use of thermal
insulation for both energy and water use systems for potable
hot and chilled water in Federal buildings.
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\1\Dr. Timothy Unruh, Program Director, U.S. Department of Energy,
Federal Energy Management Program, (Oct. 30, 2013).
\2\National Insulation Association, Mechanical Insulation Life
Cycle Assessment, (Dec. 2009).
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HEARINGS
The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings
on the legislation.
COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On June 9 and 10, 2014, the Committee on Energy and
Commerce met in open markup session. The Committee ordered H.R.
4801 favorably reported to the House of Representatives,
without amendment, by a voice vote.
COMMITTEE VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes
on the motion to report legislation and amendments thereto.
There were no record votes taken in connection with ordering
H.R. 4801 reported. A motion by Mr. Upton to order H.R. 4801
reported to the House, without amendment, was agreed to by a
voice vote.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee made findings that are
reflected in this report.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
H.R. 4801 requires the Secretary of Energy to report to
Congress on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and
water use systems for potable hot and chilled water in Federal
buildings, and the return on investment of installing such
insulation.
NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX EXPENDITURES
In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R.
4801 would result in no new or increased budget authority,
entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues.
EARMARK, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS
In compliance with clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI
of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee
finds that H.R. 4801 contains no earmarks, limited tax
benefits, or limited tariff benefits.
COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE
The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared
by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate
provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974:
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, June 20, 2014.
Hon. Fred Upton,
Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 4801, a bill to
require the Secretary of Energy to prepare a report on the
impact of thermal insulation on both energy and water use for
potable hot water.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan
Carroll.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Elmendorf.
Enclosure.
H.R. 4801--A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to prepare a
report on the impact of thermal insulation on both energy and
water use for potable hot water
H.R. 4801 would require the Secretary of Energy to prepare
a report, within one year of enactment, on the effects that
thermal insulation has on both energy consumption and systems
for providing potable water in federal buildings. Based on
information from the Department of Energy about the cost of
similar analyses, CBO estimates that completing the required
report would cost less than $500,000; those costs would be
subject to the availability of appropriated funds. H.R. 4801
would not affect direct spending or revenues; therefore, pay-
as-you-go procedures do not apply.
H.R. 4801 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal
governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Megan Carroll.
The estimate was approved by Theresa Gullo, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act.
DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
No provision of H.R. 4801 establishes or reauthorizes a
program of the Federal Government known to be duplicative of
another Federal program, a program that was included in any
report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress
pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program
related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance.
DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS
The Committee estimates that enacting H.R. 4801
specifically directs no rule makings within the meaning of 5
U.S.C. 551 to be completed.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Report on energy and water savings potential from thermal
insulation
Section 1(a) requires the Department of Energy, in
consultation with appropriate Federal agencies and relevant
stakeholders, to submit a report to Congress on the impact of
thermal insulation on both energy and water use systems for
potable hot and chilled water in Federal buildings, and the
return on investment of installing such insulation.
Section 1(b) provides that the report shall include (1) an
analysis based on the cost of municipal or regional water for
delivered water and the avoided cost of new water; and (2) a
summary of energy and water savings, including short term and
long term (20 years) projections of such savings.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
This legislation does not amend any existing Federal
statute.