republic-os/legal/us/code/title-42/chapter-81/section-6838.md

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LegalText	42 U.S.C. § 6838	Cost-effective codes implementation for efficiency and resilience	us	united_states_code	code_section	42	THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE	81	ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE RENEWAL	6838	42 U.S.C. § 6838	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc42@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t42/s6838	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml	b04141a2d791cecd6bb4dc961d7f6d86eab871d032952f6ab26b8b8d8460b45f	644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e	9c51e7bad6b41ad55e457092cfdf4444cb78acdf0e5c54c768eb700098325bce	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

42 U.S.C. § 6838 - Cost-effective codes implementation for efficiency and resilience

Text

(a) Definitions In this section:

(1) Eligible entity The term “eligible entity” means—

(A) a relevant State agency, as determined by the Secretary, such as a State building code agency, State energy office, or Tribal energy office; and

(B) a partnership.

(2) Partnership The term “partnership” means a partnership between an eligible entity described in paragraph (1)(A) and 1 or more of the following entities:

(A) Local building code agencies.

(B) Codes and standards developers.

(C) Associations of builders and design and construction professionals.

(D) Local and utility energy efficiency programs.

(E) Consumer, energy efficiency, and environmental advocates.

(F) Other entities, as determined by the Secretary.

(3) Secretary The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Energy.

(b) Establishment (1) In general The Secretary shall establish within the Building Technologies Office of the Department of Energy a program under which the Secretary shall award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to enable sustained cost-effective implementation of updated building energy codes.

(2) Updated building energy code An update to a building energy code under this section, including an amendment that results in increased efficiency compared to the previously adopted building energy code, shall include any update made available after the existing building energy code, even if it is not the most recent updated code available.

(c) Criteria; priority In awarding grants under subsection (b), the Secretary shall—

(1) consider—

(A) prospective energy savings and plans to measure the savings, including utilizing the Environmental Protection Agency Portfolio Manager, the Home Energy Score rating of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy of the Department of Energy, the Energy Star Building rating methodologies of the Environmental Protection Agency, and other methodologies determined appropriate by the Secretary;

(B) the long-term sustainability of those measures and savings;

(C) prospective benefits, and plans to assess the benefits, including benefits relating to—

(i) resilience and peak load reduction;

(ii) occupant safety and health; and

(iii) environmental performance;

(D) the demonstrated capacity of the eligible entity to carry out the proposed project; and

(E) the need of the eligible entity for assistance; and

(2) give priority to applications from partnerships.

(d) Eligible activities (1) In general An eligible entity awarded a grant under this section may use the grant funds—

(A) to create or enable State or regional partnerships to provide training and materials to—

(i) builders, contractors and subcontractors, architects, and other design and construction professionals, relating to meeting updated building energy codes in a cost-effective manner; and

(ii) building code officials, relating to improving implementation of and compliance with building energy codes;

(B) to collect and disseminate quantitative data on construction and codes implementation, including code pathways, performance metrics, and technologies used;

(C) to develop and implement a plan for highly effective codes implementation, including measuring compliance;

(D) to address various implementation needs in rural, suburban, and urban areas; and

(E) to implement updates in energy codes for—

(i) new residential and commercial buildings (including multifamily buildings); and

(ii) additions and alterations to existing residential and commercial buildings (including multifamily buildings).

(2) Related topics Training and materials provided using a grant under this section may include information on the relationship between energy codes and—

(A) cost-effective, high-performance, and zero-net-energy buildings;

(B) improving resilience, health, and safety;

(C) water savings and other environmental impacts; and

(D) the economic impacts of energy codes.

(e) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $225,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.

(Pub. L. 94–385, title III, § 309, as added Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title V, § 40511(a), Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1058.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

Prior ProvisionsA prior section 6838, Pub. L. 94–385, title III, § 309, Aug. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1149; Pub. L. 97–35, title X, § 1041(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 621, related to consultations by Secretary with interested and affected groups in developing and promulgating voluntary performance standards and establishment of advisory committees, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 101(a)(2), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2783.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Wage Rate RequirementsFor 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.