42 U.S.C. § 8259a — Energy and water savings measures in congressional buildings

(a) In general — The Architect of the Capitol must (1) create, update, and carry out a cost-effective energy conservation and management plan for all buildings run by Congress (called "congressional buildings" in this section), so they meet the same energy performance goals set for federal buildings under section 8253(a)(1); and (2) send that plan to Congress within 180 days of August 8, 2005.

(b) Plan requirements — The plan must include (1) a description of the life cycle cost^* analysis used to judge whether proposed efficiency projects are worth it; (2) a schedule of energy surveys, so every congressional building is fully surveyed every 5 years, to find the cost and payback period of possible conservation measures; (3) a strategy for installing cost-effective energy and water conservation measures; (4) results of a study on the costs and benefits of adding submetering in congressional buildings; and (5) simple "how-to" guides for each Member of Congress and employing authority, explaining low-cost ways to save energy and taxpayer money at work.

(c) Annual report — Each year, the Architect of the Capitol must send Congress a detailed report on congressional energy management and conservation programs, covering (1) energy costs and savings estimates for each building; (2) energy management and conservation projects; and (3) future priorities for staying in compliance with this section.