---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17084"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17084"
heading: "Separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17084"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter III — Energy Savings in Buildings and Industry"
  - "Part B — High-Performance Commercial Buildings"
---

# §17084. Separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **High-performance energy efficiency measure—** The term “high-performance energy efficiency measure” means a technology, product, or practice that will result in substantial [operational cost savings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=9-A) by reducing energy consumption and utility costs.
  - (2) **Separate spaces—** The term “separate spaces” means areas within a commercial building that are leased or otherwise occupied by a tenant or other occupant for a period of time pursuant to the terms of a written agreement.
- (b) **Study—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 1 year after April 30, 2015, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3), acting through the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, shall complete a study on the feasibility of—
    - (A) significantly improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings through the design and [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7), by [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) and tenants, of separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures; and
    - (B) encouraging [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4) and tenants to implement high-performance energy efficiency measures in separate spaces.
  - (2) **Scope—** The study shall, at a minimum, include—
    - (A) descriptions of—
      - (i) high-performance energy efficiency measures that should be considered as part of the initial design and [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) of separate spaces;
      - (ii) processes that [owners](/usc/42/13641.md?p=4), tenants, architects, and engineers may replicate when designing and constructing separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures;
      - (iii) policies and best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) to achieve reductions in energy intensities for lighting, plug loads, heating, cooling, cooking, laundry, and other systems to satisfy the needs of the commercial building tenant;
      - (iv) return on investment and payback analyses of the incremental cost and projected energy savings of the proposed set of high-performance energy efficiency measures, including consideration of available incentives;
      - (v) models and simulation methods that predict the quantity of energy used by separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures and that compare that predicted quantity to the quantity of energy used by separate spaces without high-performance energy efficiency measures but that otherwise comply with applicable building code requirements;
      - (vi) measurement and verification platforms demonstrating actual energy use of high-performance energy efficiency measures installed in separate spaces, and whether such measures [generate](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=8) the savings intended in the initial design and [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) of the separate spaces;
      - (vii) best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) that encourage an integrated approach to designing and constructing separate spaces to perform at optimum energy efficiency in conjunction with the central systems of a commercial building; and
      - (viii) any impact on employment resulting from the design and [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) of separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures; and
    - (B) case studies reporting economic and energy savings returns in the design and [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) of separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures.
  - (3) **Public participation—** Not later than 90 days after April 30, 2015, the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall publish a notice in the Federal Register requesting public comments regarding effective methods, measures, and [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) for the design and [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) of separate spaces with high-performance energy efficiency measures.
  - (4) **Publication—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) shall publish the study on the website of the [Department](/usc/42/17001.md?p=1) of Energy.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IV, § 424, as added Pub. L. 114–11, title I, § 103(a), Apr. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 183.)