Part B—Buildings

§18801. Building, training, and assessment centers

(a) In general

The Secretary shall provide grants to institutions of higher education (as defined in section 1001 of title 20) and Tribal Colleges or Universities (as defined in section 1059c(b) of title 20) to establish building training and assessment centers—

(1) to identify opportunities for optimizing energy efficiency and environmental performance in buildings;

(2) to promote the application of emerging concepts and technologies in commercial and institutional buildings;

(3) to train engineers, architects, building scientists, building energy permitting and enforcement officials, and building technicians in energy-efficient design and operation;

(4) to assist institutions of higher education and Tribal Colleges or Universities in training building technicians;

(5) to promote research and development for the use of alternative energy sources and distributed generation to supply heat and power for buildings, particularly energy-intensive buildings; and

(6) to coordinate with and assist State-accredited technical training centers, community colleges, Tribal Colleges or Universities, and local offices of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and ensure appropriate services are provided under this section to each region of the United States.

(b) Coordination and nonduplication

(1) In general

The Secretary shall coordinate the program with the industrial research and assessment centers program under section 17116 of this title and with other Federal programs to avoid duplication of effort.

(2) Collocation

To the maximum extent practicable, building, training, and assessment centers established under this section shall be collocated with industrial research and assessment centers (as defined in section 18811 of this title).

(c) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, to remain available until expended.

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title V, §40512, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1059.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wage Rate Requirements

For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.

§18802. Career skills training

(a) Definition of eligible entity

In this section, the term "eligible entity" means a nonprofit partnership that—

(1) includes the equal participation of industry, including public or private employers, and labor organizations, including joint labor-management training programs;

(2) may include workforce investment boards, community-based organizations, qualified service and conservation corps, educational institutions, small businesses, cooperatives, State and local veterans agencies, and veterans service organizations; and

(3) demonstrates—

(A) experience in implementing and operating worker skills training and education programs;

(B) the ability to identify and involve in training programs carried out under this section, target populations of individuals who would benefit from training and be actively involved in activities relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy industries; and

(C) the ability to help individuals achieve economic self-sufficiency.

(b) Establishment

The Secretary shall award grants to eligible entities to pay the Federal share of associated career skills training programs under which students concurrently receive classroom instruction and on-the-job training for the purpose of obtaining an industry-related certification to install energy efficient buildings technologies.

(c) Federal share

The Federal share of the cost of carrying out a career skills training program described in subsection (b) shall be 50 percent.

(d) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, to remain available until expended.

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title V, §40513, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1060.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wage Rate Requirements

For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.

§18803. Commercial building energy consumption information sharing

(a) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Administrator

The term "Administrator" means the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration.

(2) Agreement

The term "Agreement" means the agreement entered into under subsection (b).

(3) Survey

The term "Survey" means the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey.

(b) Authorization of Agreement

Not later than 120 days after November 15, 2021, the Administrator and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall sign, and submit to Congress, an information sharing agreement relating to commercial building energy consumption data.

(c) Content of Agreement

The Agreement shall—

(1) provide, to the extent permitted by law, that—

(A) the Administrator shall have access to building-specific data in the Portfolio Manager database of the Environmental Protection Agency; and

(B) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall have access to building-specific data collected by the Survey;

(2) describe the manner in which the Administrator shall use the data described in paragraph (1) and subsection (d);

(3) describe and compare—

(A) the methodologies that the Energy Information Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and State and local government managers use to maximize the quality, reliability, and integrity of data collected through the Survey, the Portfolio Manager database of the Environmental Protection Agency, and State and local building energy disclosure laws (including regulations), respectively, and the manner in which those methodologies can be improved; and

(B) consistencies and variations in data for the same buildings captured in—

(i)(I) the 2018 Survey cycle; and

(II) each subsequent Survey cycle; and

(ii) the Portfolio Manager database of the Environmental Protection Agency; and

(4) consider whether, and the methods by which, the Administrator may collect and publish new iterations of Survey data every 3 years—

(A) using the Survey processes of the Administrator; or

(B) as supplemented by information in the Portfolio Manager database of the Environmental Protection Agency.

(d) Data

The data referred in subsection (c)(2) includes data that—

(1) is collected through the Portfolio Manager database of the Environmental Protection Agency;

(2) is required to be publicly available on the internet under State and local government building energy disclosure laws (including regulations); and

(3) includes information on private sector buildings that are not less than 250,000 square feet.

(e) Protection of information

In carrying out the agreement, the Administrator and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall protect information in accordance with—

(1) section 552(b)(4) of title 5 (commonly known as the "Freedom of Information Act");

(2) subchapter III of chapter 35 of title 44; and

(3) any other applicable law (including regulations).

(Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title V, §40514, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1061.)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wage Rate Requirements

For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for construction, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.