---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 13458"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "13458"
heading: "Energy efficient lighting and building centers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/13458"
units:
  - "Chapter 134 — Energy Policy"
  - "Subchapter IX — Energy and Environment"
  - "Part A — Improved Energy Efficiency"
---

# §13458. Energy efficient lighting and building centers

- (a) **Purpose—** The purpose of this section is to encourage energy efficiency in buildings through the establishment of regional centers to promote energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling, and building design.
- (b) **Grants for establishment—** Not later than 18 months after October 24, 1992, the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall make grants to [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institutions, or to [consortiums](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) that may include [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institutions, [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) and local governments, universities, and utilities, to establish or enhance one regional building energy efficiency center (hereafter in this section referred to as a “regional center”) in each of the 10 regions served by a Department of Energy regional support office.
- (c) **Permitted activities—** Each regional center established under this section may—
  - (1) provide information, training, and technical assistance to building professionals such as architects, designers, engineers, contractors, and building code officials, on building energy efficiency methods and technologies, including lighting, heating and cooling, and passive solar;
  - (2) operate an outreach program to inform such building professionals of the benefits and opportunities of energy efficiency, and of the services of the center;
  - (3) provide displays demonstrating building energy efficiency methods and technologies, such as lighting, windows, and heating and cooling equipment;
  - (4) coordinate its activities and programs with other institutions within the region, such as [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) and local governments, utilities, and educational institutions, in order to support their efforts to promote building energy efficiency;
  - (5) serve as a clearinghouse to ensure that information about new building energy efficiency technologies, including case studies of successful applications, is disseminated to end-users in the region;
  - (6) study the building energy needs of the region and make available region-specific energy efficiency information to facilitate the adoption of cost-effective energy efficiency improvements;
  - (7) assist educational institutions in establishing building energy efficiency engineering and technical programs and curricula; and
  - (8) evaluate the performance of the center in promoting building energy efficiency.
- (d) **Application—** Any [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institution or [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) interested in receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) an application in such form and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) may require. A lighting or building energy center in existence on October 24, 1992, which is owned and operated by a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institution or a [consortium](/usc/42/17061.md?p=4) as described in [subsection (b)](#b) shall be eligible for a grant under this section.
- (e) **Selection criteria—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall select recipients of grants under this section on the basis of the following criteria:
  - (1) The capability of the grant recipient to establish a board of [directors](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) for the regional center composed of representatives from utilities, [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) and local governments, building trade and professional organizations, manufacturers, and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) energy and environmental organizations.
  - (2) The demonstrated or potential resources available to the grant recipient for carrying out this subsection.
  - (3) The demonstrated or potential ability of the grant recipient to promote building energy efficiency by carrying out the activities specified in [subsection (c)](#c).
  - (4) The activities which the grant recipient proposes to carry out under the grant.
- (f) **Requirement of matching funds—**
  - (1) **Federal share—** The Federal share of a grant under this section shall be no more than 50 percent of the costs of establishing, and no more than 25 percent of the cost of operating the regional center.
  - (2) **Non-Federal contributions—** No grant may be made under this section in any fiscal year unless the recipient of such grant enters into such agreements with the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) as the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) may require to ensure that such recipient will provide the necessary non-Federal contributions. Such non-Federal contributions may be provided by utilities, [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) and local governments, [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institutions, foundations, [corporations](/usc/42/2297h.md?p=2), and other non-Federal entities.
- (g) **Task force—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall establish a [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) to—
  - (1) advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) on activities to be carried out by grant recipients;
  - (2) review and evaluate programs carried out by grant recipients; and
  - (3) make recommendations regarding the building energy efficiency center grant program.
- (h) **Membership terms and administration of task force—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall be composed of approximately 20 members, appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2), with expertise in the area of building energy efficiency, including representatives from—
    - (A) [State](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14) or local energy offices;
    - (B) utilities;
    - (C) building [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) trade or professional associations;
    - (D) architecture, engineering or professional associations;
    - (E) building component or equipment manufacturers;
    - (F) from[^1] national laboratories;
    - (G) building code officials or professional associations; and
    - (H) [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) energy or environmental organizations.
  - (2) **Geographic representation—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) shall ensure that there is broad geographical representation among [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) members.
  - (3) **Terms—** Members shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. A vacancy in the [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
  - (4) **Pay—** Members shall serve without pay. Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5.
  - (5) **Chairperson—** The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall be elected by the members.
  - (6) **Meetings—** The [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3) shall meet biannually and at the call of the Chairperson.
  - (7) **Inapplicability of termination date—** [Section 1013 of title 5](/usc/5/1013.md) shall not apply to the [task force](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=3).
- (i) **Omitted—**
- (j) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated for purposes of carrying out this section, to remain available until expended, not more than $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. The word “from” probably should not appear.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 103, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2789; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(276), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4336.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Subsec. (i) of this section, which required the Secretary to transmit annually to Congress a report on the activities of regional centers established under this section, including the degree to which matching funds are being leveraged from private sources to establish and operate such centers, terminated, effective May 15, 2000, pursuant to section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance. See, also, the 6th item on page 88 of House Document No. 103–7.

Section was enacted as part of title I of the Energy Policy Act, and not as part of title XXI of that Act which comprises this subchapter.

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (h)(7). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “Section 1013 of title 5” for “Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act”.