On April 21, 2015, the U.S. Congress passed a modest energy efficiency bill with bipartisan support. The bill—which was passed by voice votes in both chambers of Congress—is expected to be signed by President Obama.

• Key provisions in the bill:
  • Direct federal agencies that lease space without an Energy Star label to include a lease provision that requires the space’s energy efficiency be measured against a nationally recognized benchmark
  • Direct the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop a voluntary “Tenant Star” program to recognize tenants in commercial buildings that voluntarily achieve high levels of efficiency
  • Amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide standards for grid-enabled water heaters for use in electric thermal storage or demand response programs
• The bill sponsors, Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), have been working on a broader range of energy efficiency measures since 2011