---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 13458"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "13458"
heading: "Energy efficient lighting and building centers"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/13458"
units:
  - "Chapter 134 — Energy Policy"
  - "Subchapter IX — Energy and Environment"
  - "Part A — Improved Energy Efficiency"
---

# §13458. Energy efficient lighting and building centers

- (a) **Purpose—** The purpose of this section is to encourage [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) in [buildings](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) through the establishment of regional centers to promote [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) efficient lighting, heating and cooling, and [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) design.
- (b) **Grants for establishment—** Not later than 18 months after October 24, 1992, the [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) shall make grants to nonprofit institutions, or to [consortiums](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) that may include nonprofit institutions, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md), universities, and utilities, to establish or enhance one regional [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) center (hereafter in this section referred to as a “regional center”) in each of the 10 regions served by a Department of [Energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) regional support [office](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1).
- (c) **Permitted activities—** Each regional center established under this section may—
  - (1) provide information, [training](/usc/42/285e–2.md?p=b-2), and technical assistance to [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) professionals such as architects, designers, engineers, contractors, and building code officials, on [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) methods and technologies, including lighting, heating and cooling, and passive solar;
  - (2) operate an outreach [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to inform such [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) professionals of the benefits and opportunities of [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), and of the services of the center;
  - (3) provide displays demonstrating [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) methods and technologies, such as lighting, windows, and heating and cooling equipment;
  - (4) coordinate its activities and [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) with other institutions within the region, such as [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md), utilities, and educational institutions, in order to support their efforts to promote [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5);
  - (5) serve as a clearinghouse to ensure that information about new [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) technologies, including case studies of successful applications, is disseminated to end-users in the region;
  - (6) study the [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) needs of the region and make available region-specific [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) information to facilitate the adoption of [cost-effective](/usc/42/1396e.md?p=e-2) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) improvements;
  - (7) assist educational institutions in establishing [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) engineering and technical [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) and curricula; and
  - (8) evaluate the performance of the center in promoting [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5).
- (d) **Application—** Any nonprofit institution or [consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) interested in receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) an application in such form and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) may require. A lighting or [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) center in existence on October 24, 1992, which is owned and operated by a nonprofit institution or a [consortium](/usc/42/16282.md?p=d-4) as described in [subsection (b)](#b) shall be eligible for a grant under this section.
- (e) **Selection criteria—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) shall select [recipients](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6) of grants under this section on the basis of the following criteria:
  - (1) The capability of the grant [recipient](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6) to establish a [board of directors](/usc/42/12854.md?p=1) for the regional center composed of [representatives](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=5) from utilities, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md), [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) trade and professional organizations, [manufacturers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=3), and nonprofit [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) and environmental organizations.
  - (2) The demonstrated or potential resources available to the grant [recipient](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6) for carrying out this subsection.
  - (3) The demonstrated or potential ability of the grant [recipient](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6) to promote [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) by carrying out the activities specified in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (4) The activities which the grant [recipient](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6) proposes to carry out under the grant.
- (f) **Requirement of matching funds—**
  - (1) **Federal share—** The Federal share of a grant under this section shall be no more than 50 percent of the costs of establishing, and no more than 25 percent of the cost of operating the regional center.
  - (2) **Non-Federal contributions—** No grant may be made under this section in any fiscal year unless the [recipient](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6) of such grant enters into such [agreements](/usc/42/1320b–8.md?p=a-3-A) with the [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) as the [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) may require to ensure that such [recipient](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6) will provide the necessary non-Federal contributions. Such non-Federal contributions may be provided by utilities, [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and [local governments](/usc/42/8401a.md), nonprofit institutions, [foundations](/usc/42/17351.md?p=3), [corporations](/usc/42/2296b–7.md?p=1), and other non-Federal entities.
- (g) **Task force—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) shall establish a [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) to—
  - (1) advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) on activities to be carried out by grant [recipients](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6);
  - (2) review and evaluate [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) carried out by grant [recipients](/usc/42/2996a.md?p=6); and
  - (3) make recommendations regarding the [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5) center grant [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4).
- (h) **Membership terms and administration of task force—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall be composed of approximately 20 members, appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md), with expertise in the area of [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [energy efficiency](/usc/42/6291.md?p=5), including [representatives](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=5) from—
    - (A) [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) or local [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) [offices](/usc/42/3058f.md?p=1);
    - (B) utilities;
    - (C) [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) [construction](/usc/42/7479.md?p=2-C) trade or professional associations;
    - (D) architecture, engineering or professional associations;
    - (E) [building](/usc/42/6881.md?p=i-3) component or equipment [manufacturers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=3);
    - (F) from[^1] [national laboratories](/usc/42/7381c–1.md?p=a-3);
    - (G) building code officials or professional associations; and
    - (H) nonprofit [energy](/usc/42/6311.md?p=7) or environmental organizations.
  - (2) **Geographic representation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/13201.md) shall ensure that there is broad geographical representation among [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) members.
  - (3) **Terms—** Members shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. A vacancy in the [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
  - (4) **Pay—** Members shall serve without pay. Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections [5702](/usc/5/5702.md) and [5703](/usc/5/5703.md) of title 5.
  - (5) **Chairperson—** The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall be elected by the members.
  - (6) **Meetings—** The [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall meet biannually and at the call of the Chairperson.
  - (7) **Inapplicability of termination date—** [Section 1013 of title 5](/usc/5/1013.md) shall not apply to the [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3).
- (i) **Omitted—**
- (j) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated for purposes of carrying out this section, to remain available until expended, not more than $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The word “from” probably should not appear.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 103, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2789; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(276), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4336.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Subsec. (i) of this section, which required the Secretary to transmit annually to Congress a report on the activities of regional centers established under this section, including the degree to which matching funds are being leveraged from private sources to establish and operate such centers, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, the 6th item on page 88 of House Document No. 103–7.

Section was enacted as part of title I of the Energy Policy Act, and not as part of title XXI of that Act which comprises this subchapter.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (h)(7). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “Section 1013 of title 5” for “Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act”.