Bryan Howard, Legislative Director,  U.S. Green Building Council

Reps. Charles Bass, R-N.H., and Jim Matheson, D-Utah, have introduced legislation that would deploy energy efficiency programs across many sectors of the federal government's built environment.

H.R. 4017, which they titled “The Smart Energy Act,” picks up on the bipartisan work of Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Rob Portman, R-Ohio, by enhancing financing options for building efficiency at the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as boosting energy conservation within the federal government.

In announcing the legislation, Bass said, "The federal government spends $7 billion annually to heat, cool, and operate its 445,000 buildings. Given our nation's fiscal constraints, a common-sense place to save taxpayer dollars is by improving the energy efficiency of the hundreds of thousands of federal buildings across the country."

In addition to Matheson, Bass said Peter Welch, D-Vt., John Barrow, D-Ga., Robert Dold, R-Ill., and Michael Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., were co-sponsors. Bass, Matheson and Barrow are on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.