Yesterday afternoon, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) voted in favor of H.R. 2126, the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act, which would help commercial landlords and tenants work together to lower energy consumption. The bill would use a market-driven, "best practices" approach to reduce demands on the national energy grid.
"We must consider smart ways to reduce our energy consumption and take advantage of alternative energy sources in order to cut costs for taxpayers and protect our environment for generations to come," said Congresswoman Kuster. "I was proud to join members of both parties in voting in favor of this common sense energy efficiency legislation, and I look forward to the Senate's swift passage of this measure."
Among other things, this bill would enable the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a voluntary incentive program to reward and publicly recognize tenants that design and construct highly energy-efficient spaces. It would also help encourage public-private partnerships between tenants who work for the federal government and private sector building owners who are willing to invest in energy efficient building practices. Introduced by Representative David McKinley (WV-1) and Peter Welch (VT-At Large), this bill is part of a larger bipartisan effort to advance common sense energy efficiency initiatives in the House of Representatives.
The Environmental Protection Agency first established a voluntary private-public partnership program, ENERGY STAR, in 1999. The program has successfully improved how real estate owners, utilities, governments and businesses interact with their customers to improve energy efficiency in buildings and lower energy costs. The Energy Efficiency Improvement Act sets the stage for further innovation by providing incentives not only for the landlords who own buildings, but also for the tenants in those buildings to commit to efficient energy practices.
Kuster's support for the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act is part of her larger effort to encourage smart energy practices that save money for consumers and help businesses create jobs for the middle class. She is a member of the High Performance Buildings Caucus and a cosponsor of H.R. 1616, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, companion legislation to an innovative, bipartisan energy efficiency initiative developed by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Rob Portman (OH).