Shaheen, Portman Applaud $45 Million Available Through Their Efforts to Support Energy Efficient Building Codes
**Shaheen & Portman led the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness (ESIC) Act, of which key components were included in the bipartisan infrastructure law to implement updated building codes**
(Washington, DC) — U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) applauded an announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that $45 million is available in competitive grants to help states and partnering organizations implement updated building energy codes and lower energy bills for American families and businesses.
This funding is the first installment of $225 million allocated as part of Shaheen and Portman’s Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESIC), of which key components were included in the bipartisan infrastructure law. Their landmark energy efficiency legislation helps improve energy efficiency and climate resilience of buildings and industrial facilities, as well as invest in clean jobs. Modernizing building codes is key to driving energy efficiency and combating the climate crisis.
“I’m thrilled to see $45 million now available to support the implementation of energy efficient building codes – a cause I have championed for years with Senator Portman,” said Shaheen. “Investing in energy efficient buildings revitalizes our residential and commercial buildings while simultaneously cutting costs for American families and businesses. It’s rewarding to see these key energy efficiency provisions in action in our communities. I’ll continue to support measures that combat the ongoing climate crisis, lower costs and create jobs in New Hampshire and across the nation.”
“I am proud that the common-sense energy efficiency measures I crafted with Senator Shaheen and passed through our bipartisan infrastructure law are finally going into effect. This new funding – $45 million in competitive grants – will help implement updated building codes all over the country to help lower energy costs for families and businesses while creating jobs for our economy,” said Senator Portman. “Senator Shaheen has been a valuable partner over the years in working to enact important energy efficiency policies and it’s great to see our hard work pay off. I’ve always believed we need a balanced approach to protecting our environment and reducing emissions, while also safeguarding our economy and jobs, and I’m proud that we have put these policies into action.”
Shaheen and Portman have championed the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness (ESIC) Act for years. A targeted version of their bill was signed into law by President Obama in 2015, and several provisions relating to energy efficiency in schools, industry and the federal government were signed into law as part of the Energy Act of 2020. The Inflation Reduction Act also provided $1 billion for building energy code adoption. Policy experts at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) found that if fully enacted, the ESIC Act through 2050 would save consumers more than $51 billion on their energy bills and reduce carbon emissions by 1.3 billion tons, which is the equivalent of taking nearly 280 million cars off the road for one year. A previous study from ACEEE also estimated that their legislation would add more than 100,000 jobs to the economy.
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