STUDY OF VOLUNTARY STANDARDS FOR MODULAR HOMES.

SEC. 572. STUDY OF VOLUNTARY STANDARDS FOR MODULAR HOMES. (a) In General.— In order to facilitate the construction and delivery of housing, the National Institute of Building Sciences shall prepare and submit to the Congress not later than 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act a report describing feasible alternative systems for implementing one or more voluntary preemptive national codes for modular housing, including the method for inspecting the structures to ensure compliance with the 101 STAT. 1951selected code or set of codes. Such codes may be national model codes and shall provide for periodic upgrading through recognized model code development procedures and the development of modular housing standards for construction, design, and performance that ensure quality, durability, and safety and are in accordance with life-cycle cost-effective energy conservation standards established by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and designed to ensure the lowest total construction and operating costs over the estimated life of such housing. (b) Definition.— For purposes of this section, the term “modular housing” means factory-built single-family and multifamily housing (including closed wall panelized housing) not subject to the requirements of the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974. (c) Grant.— From amounts appropriated pursuant to section 501 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall make a grant to the National Institute of Building Sciences in an amount not to exceed $50,000 to cover the cost of the report under this section.