The House of Representatives approved legislation on Monday that was introduced by Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) to explore the potential for thermal insulation for energy and water systems to lower operating costs in federal buildings.
The Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act would direct the Department of Energy (DoE) to conduct a study on the ability of thermal insulation to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
“I’m proud to see the House investing in research that could significantly save both financial and natural resources all across the country,” Kinzinger said. “With the federal government being the single largest consumer of energy in the U.S., doing our best to maximize the potential savings from improved insulation systems is a commonsense step I think everybody can agree on. I hope the Senate takes up this bill and moves quickly to begin this important analysis.”
Thermal insulation saves 500 times more in energy costs over its lifespan when compared to initial costs, which leads to significant returns on initial investments.
Studies on smaller-scale use of thermal insulation highlight its water and energy resources benefits, but no such study has been conducted on the impact thermal insulation would have on a large scale.
The Thermal Insulation Efficiency Improvement Act would commission a large-scale study to determine how thermal technologies would impact the federal budget.