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Chapter 7 outlines national climate change legislation, tax incentives, Federal regulations, and State programs that have influenced building energy consumption. Section 7.1 summarizes the past 40 years of national energy legislation beginning with the Clean Air Act of 1970. Section 7.2 describes the energy efficiency-related Federal tax incentives created in the last 5 years. Sections 7.3 through 7.8 describe the energy and water efficiency standards currently or soon to be in effect for residential and commercial HVAC equipment, appliances, lighting, and water-consuming products. Section 7.9 covers building energy codes. Following is a summary of the energy legislation discussed in this chapter:

Clean Air Act of 1970 and 1990 Amendments: (7.1.9)

• 1970 Act – Established air quality standards and emissions limits for stationary and mobile sources.
• 1977 Amendments – Lengthened Federal deadlines for meeting pollution reduction criteria. Categorized regions into “attainment” and “non-attainment” regions.
• 1990 Amendments – Mandated controls on hazardous pollution, including a sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide cap-and-trade program.

Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT 1992): (7.1.7)

• Established commercial and industrial equipment efficiency standards.
• Established commercial and industrial equipment efficiency standards.
• Directed DOE to establish energy efficiency standards for new Federal buildings.

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005): (7.2.4)

• Provided tax incentives for new home construction and building retrofits.
• Provided tax incentives for efficient HVAC equipment, appliances, fuels cells, and microturbines.

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA): (7.1.4)

• Created the Office of Commercial High Performance Green Buildings.
• Established the Zero Net Energy Initiative for Commercial Buildings.
• Expanded the Appliances & Commercial Equipment Standards program.

Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008: (7.2.3)

• Extended the tax incentives for new homes and commercial retrofits.
• Reinstated tax incentives for residential retrofits.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA): (7.1.1)

• Provided funding for efficiency retrofits for residential and commercial buildings. Mandated energy consumption reductions for Federal buildings.
• Provided funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program.
• Provided funding for electric grid modernization.
• Provided funding for the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program (SEEARP).
• Provided tax incentives for efficient appliances, renewable energy investments, and residential retrofits. (7.2.2)

Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010: (7.2.1)

• Extended and modified tax credits for home retrofits, efficient new homes, and efficient appliances.