NEMA, Rosslyn, Va., the association of electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers, welcomed the introduction of the Smart Energy Act (HR 4017) as a step toward reducing energy consumption in the United States and moving toward greater energy independence.

According to NEMA president and chief executive officer, Evan R. Gaddis, the bipartisan legislation introduced by Congressman Charles Bass (R-NH) promotes energy efficiency by making the federal government a smarter consumer of energy and by encouraging energy efficiency upgrades in other buildings throughout the country.

“We commend Congressman Bass for his leadership and hard work on this legislation,” Gaddis said. “The federal government is the largest building owner in the U.S., so reducing energy use in federal buildings is a good place to begin. In addition, the energy savings available in commercial and other buildings represents an enormous opportunity to reduce operating costs, foster job creation, and increase America’s energy security.”

Important provisions of the Smart Energy Act include:

  • a federal loan program for energy-efficiency upgrades in commercial, multifamily residential, industrial, municipal, government, school, and hospital buildings;
  • enabling the federal government to use energy savings performance contracts in support of its deployment of electric vehicles or electric vehicle supply equipment;
  • requiring that federal agencies participate in demand response programs, where available, to reduce agencies’ energy costs; and
  • an analysis of best practices in federal buildings for the advanced metering of energy use, including recommendations on standard requirements or guidelines for automated energy management systems.

 

NEMA is the association of electrical equipment and medical imaging manufacturers, founded in 1926 and headquartered in Arlington, Va. Its member companies manufacture a diverse set of products including power transmission and distribution equipment, lighting systems, factory automation and control systems, and medical diagnostic imaging systems. Worldwide annual sales of NEMA-scope products exceed $120 billion. For information, visit www.nema.org.