Signed on December 19, 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 aims to increase U.S. energy security, develop renewable energy production and improve vehicle fuel economy.

Energy Efficiency:

• EISA required federal agencies to reduce energy intensity by 3 percent per year compared to a fiscal year (FY) 2003 baseline. Executive Order 13693 continues to require annual energy intensity reductions at a rate of 2.5 percent per year, compared to an FY 2015 baseline.
• EISA required agencies to identify all “covered facilities” that constitute at least 75 percent of the agency’s facility energy use and designate an energy manager at each.
• Agencies must complete energy evaluations at 25 percent of covered facilities annually and are encouraged to implement identified energy efficiency measures within two years of evaluations.
• Agencies must also recommission or retro-commission covered facilities every four years to verify that building systems are functional and properly operated and maintained.

Water Conservation:

• Agencies must complete comprehensive water evaluations at 25 percent of covered facilities each year and are encouraged to implement identified water-saving measures within two years of evaluations.

Sustainable Buildings:

• Starting in FY 2010, new or renovated agency building designs must reduce fossil fuel-generated energy consumption by 55 percent compared to an FY 2003 baseline.
• Designs for new buildings or major renovations begun in FY 2030 or later must reduce fossil fuel-generated energy consumption by 100 percent compared to an FY 2003 baseline.
• Federal agencies are required to lease space that has earned the ENERGY STAR^® label in the most recent year.

Renewable Energy:

• At least 30 percent of hot water demand in new or renovated federal buildings must come from solar hot water heating, if life-cycle cost-effective.

Top of Page