RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATINGS.

SEC. 102. RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATINGS. (a) Ratings.— Title II of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 8211 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new part: 106 STAT. 2788 “PART 6— RESIDENTIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATING GUIDELINES “SEC. 271. VOLUNTARY RATING GUIDELINES. “(a) In General.— Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, representatives of existing home energy rating programs, and other appropriate persons, shall, by rule, issue voluntary guidelines that may be used by State and local governments, utilities, builders, real estate agents, lenders, agencies in mortgage markets, and others, to enable and encourage the assignment of energy efficiency ratings to residential buildings. “(b) Contents of Guidelines.— The voluntary guidelines issued under subsection (a) shall— “(1) encourage uniformity with regard to systems for rating the annual energy efficiency of residential buildings; “(2) establish protocols and procedures for— “(A) certification of the technical accuracy of building energy analysis tools used to determine energy efficiency ratings; “(B) training of personnel conducting energy efficiency ratings; “(C) data collection and reporting; “(D) quality control; and “(E) monitoring and evaluation; “(3) encourage consistency with, and support for, the uniform plan for Federal energy efficient mortgages, including that developed under section 946 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12712 note) and pursuant to sections 105 and 106 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992; “(4) provide that rating systems take into account local climate conditions and construction practices, solar energy collected on-site, and the benefits of peak load shifting construction practices, and not discriminate among fuel types; and “(5) establish procedures to ensure that residential buildings can receive an energy efficiency rating at the time of sale and that such rating is communicated to potential buyers. “SEC. 272. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. “Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Secretary shall establish a program to provide technical assistance to State and local organizations to encourage the adoption of and use of residential energy efficiency rating systems consistent with the voluntary guidelines issued under section 271. “SEC. 273. REPORT. “Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Secretary shall transmit to the President and the Congress a final report containing— “(1) a description of actions taken by the Secretary and other Federal agencies to implement this part; “(2) a description of the action taken by States, local governments, and other organizations to implement the voluntary 106 STAT. 2789guidelines issued under section 271 and any problems encountered in implementing such guidelines; and “(3) recommendations on the feasibility of requiring, as a prerequisite to receiving federally assisted, guaranteed, or insured mortgages, the achievement of a minimum energy efficiency rating.”. (b) Conforming Amendment.— The table of contents for such Act is amended by adding at the end of title II the following: “Part 6— Residential Energy Efficiency Ratings “Sec. 271. Voluntary rating guidelines. “Sec. 272. Technical assistance. “Sec. 273. Report”.