	Introduction and the Role of Energy Efficiency

The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, S. 385 / H.R. The bill addresses energy-efficiency policies for buildings, industry, and federal agencies, among other provisions. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the building and industrial sectors collectively consume 72% of all U.S. primary energy. Challenges to energy efficiency include market forces that do not incentivize investment in energy efficiency, a lack of information or awareness of energy saving opportunities and investment returns, and policy approaches that reward selling energy and discourage investment in energy efficiency. It also identifies differences that may be of interest to policymakers between S. 385 / H.R. The first version of the bill, introduced as S. 1000 in the 112 th Congress, was reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources but received no further action. Title III focuses on federal agencies and energy efficiency. On June 28, 2017, Senators Murkowski and Cantwell (chair and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee) introduced S. 1460 , the Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017. 1443 —The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act—was introduced on March 9, 2017, and referred to the following committees: House Energy and Commerce; House Budget; House Financial Services; House Science, Space, and Technology; House Transportation and Infrastructure; and House Oversight and Government Reform. On May 4, 2017, H.R. Potential Costs and Benefits

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated costs for S. 385 . According to CBO, S. 385 would increase direct spending by $17 million for 2017-2027 and cost $198 million over five years to implement, assuming that appropriations would be consistent with the authorizing legislation. ACEEE's analysis determined that the bill and selected amendments would create jobs, save consumers money, reduce energy use, and avoid greenhouse gas emissions. ACEEE found that the majority of potential energy savings in the bill could be realized through implementation of building energy codes. 1443 . 1443 has provisions addressing these issues, it is yet unknown if the provisions will draw support for the legislation. Supporters of H.R. Title I of the bill addresses energy efficiency, and many of the sections within Title I align with the contents of S. 385 / H.R. It contains several differences that may be of interest to Congress. Many of the differences between S. 385 / H.R. 1443 . 1443 :
A requirement for DOE to establish stretch codes and advanced standards, which refer to building energy codes or standards that are adopted by state, tribal, or local governments that exceed the expected energy-efficiency performance of a building energy code target ahead of schedule by three to six years; Studies on code procedures that consider the lifetime of energy-efficiency measures in trade-offs and performance calculations; S. 1460 instead would call for studies on code procedures that adopt energy-efficiency measures that are "technologically feasible and economically justified"; Energy-efficient targets that are "technologically feasible and life-cycle cost effective"; S. 1460 instead would direct DOE to establish targets that are "technologically feasible and economically justified"; and A paragraph that calls for economic considerations for achieving proposed building energy-efficiency targets that would include potential costs and savings for consumers and building owners and include a return on investment analysis.
Energy efficiency—providing the same or an improved level of service with less energy—has been of interest to some Members of Congress. Proponents of increased energy efficiency see an untapped "resource" that can mitigate the demand for additional energy supplies. Perceived benefits of energy efficiency include lowered energy bills, reduced demand for energy, improved energy security and independence, and reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Challenges to energy efficiency include market barriers that do not incentivize builders or developers to invest in energy efficiency, customers' lack of information or awareness of energy saving opportunities and investment returns, and policy barriers that focus on energy supply rather than investment in energy efficiency.
S. 385—the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act—and its House companion bill, H.R. 1443, address energy efficiency in buildings, industry, and federal agencies, and various regulatory measures. Energy savings through increased efficiency can be significant. Estimates by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Academies of achievable energy savings using available cost-effective technologies are about 20% for the buildings sector and range from 14% to 22% for the industrial sector. Combined, these sectors consume 72% of all U.S. primary energy. Further savings can be realized through efforts to improve energy efficiency across the federal government, which is the single largest energy consumer in the United States.
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that S. 385 would increase direct federal spending by $17 million between 2017 and 2027. Enacting the bill would not affect revenues. CBO estimated that implementing the legislation would cost the government $198 million over the next five years, assuming appropriations actions that fulfill all provisions of the legislation.
Supporters of S. 385/H.R. 1443 state that the bills can improve competitiveness, save consumers money, and increase energy security while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Provisions identified as potentially controversial include directing DOE to establish aggregate energy saving targets for commercial and residential buildings, determining cost-effectiveness of conservation measures over the lifetime of the building, and removing the requirement to eliminate fossil fuel use by federal buildings.
S. 385 was reported without amendment by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (SENR) on May 10, 2017. H.R. 1443 was referred in the House on March 9, 2017, to the following committees: Energy and Commerce; Budget; Financial Services; Science, Space, and Technology; Transportation and Infrastructure; and Oversight and Government Reform.
On June 28, 2017, S. 1460, the Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017, was introduced. Title I of the bill addresses energy efficiency and includes many provisions related to S. 385/H.R. 1443. A comparison of the provisions identified several differences between S. 1460 and S. 385/H.R. 1443 that may be of interest to Congress.