Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2014

The Frame

What this does

This legislation impacts homeowners, manufacturers, and federal agencies by setting new energy performance requirements that could lower utility costs while requiring compliance with updated building codes and new federal reporting standards.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Homeowners

Homeowners may see changes in mortgage underwriting processes and potential incentives for energy-efficient home improvements.

Manufacturers

Manufacturers are eligible for rebates on energy-efficient equipment and may participate in new sustainable manufacturing initiatives.

Federal Agencies

Federal agencies must meet stricter energy consumption reduction targets and implement new energy-efficient IT strategies.

State and Local Governments

Governments are encouraged to adopt updated building energy codes and may receive technical assistance and incentive funding.

What changed

Last recorded activity May 12, 2014.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill establishes new federal energy efficiency standards for buildings, manufacturing processes, and federal agencies. It provides grants for worker training, creates rebate programs for energy-efficient motors and transformers, and requires mortgage lenders to consider energy savings when evaluating loan applications.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will this bill affect my home mortgage?

If you provide an energy efficiency report for your home, lenders will be required to consider your expected energy cost savings when calculating your debt-to-income ratio, potentially increasing your loan eligibility.

What are 'grid-enabled' water heaters?

These are electric resistance water heaters designed for use in utility-run s; they require an 'activation key' provided by the utility to operate at full capacity.

Does this bill force states to adopt new building codes?

No, the bill provides technical and financial support for states to adopt model codes, but explicitly states that these codes are not binding on states or local governments as a matter of federal law.

Why It Matters

This legislation impacts homeowners, manufacturers, and federal agencies by setting new energy performance requirements that could lower utility costs while requiring compliance with updated building codes and new federal reporting standards.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Integration of Energy Efficiency into Mortgage Underwriting

The bill marks a shift toward formalizing energy efficiency as a financial asset in mortgage lending by requiring lenders to account for energy savings in debt-to-income calculations.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Connected Entities

personFranken, Al“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personBennet, Mark“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personShaheen, Jeanne“Lead sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personPortman, Rob“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personWarner, Mark“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personHoeven, John“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personIsakson, Lamar“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personLandrieu, Mary“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personCollins, Susan“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personWicker, Roger“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personMurkowski, Lisa“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personCoons, Chris“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

personAyotte, Kelly“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

organizationSecretary of Energy“Defined as the relevant government official.”Map →

personManchin, Joe“Co-sponsor of the bill in the Senate.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance85
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz25
Current news / social attention level