The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously voted to advance the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act (H.R. 3474) out of committee, sending it to the full House of Representatives for consideration.
The vote was a positive sign for the bipartisan bill, which two weeks ago was unanimously voted out of a 32-member subcommittee and sent to the full Energy and Commerce Committee, which is made up of 54 members, for a vote.
Now, H.R. 3474 is ready for a vote by all 435 members of the House of Representatives.
Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, applauded the vote and support of the legislators.
“Three weeks ago, the FMIA, H.R. 3474, unanimously passed the Energy Subcommittee, and now it passed 54 to 0 in the full Energy and Commerce committee to the House floor. This is huge and a milestone for the Mechanical Insulation Industry,” he said. “This can only happen with the complete labor management cooperation spirit. The Insulation Industry is grateful for the efforts of Rep. Weber, State Federal Strategies, Union Officers, contractors and the dozens of congressional leaders and staff who heard the positive benefits of Mechanical Insulation. Never before has Capitol Hill been so cognitively aware of the value of Mechanical Insulation.
“We look forward to working with all interested parties to continue to advance the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act as it moves toward final passage. The time to celebrate is short; we need to focus on getting this passed on the House floor,” added Ielmini.
Now out of committee, the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act becomes the first piece of legislation advocated by the LMCT to make it to the House floor for a vote. No other Insulators-only bill has advanced this far in the legislative process.
If passed and signed into law, the FMIA will advance federal energy efficiencies, save tax dollars and reduce energy loss and emissions. It will also add an important audit metric for regulators to include when assessing federal buildings’ measure of Mechanical Insulation efficiencies.
The Federal Mechanical Insulation Act should require examination of Mechanical Insulation during energy audits, which are already mandated every four years for federal buildings. It also defines mechanical insulation properties as products that meet the ASHRAE Reference Standard 90.1.
Introduced by Rep. Weber (R-Texas), who owned an air conditioning company for over 35 years, the bill only impacts federally owned buildings.
“H.R. 3474, the Federal Mechanical Installation Act, is a bipartisan practical effort to strengthen the energy efficiency of federal buildings while reducing cost for taxpayers,” said Weber. “The bill takes a straightforward approach. During a federal building’s comprehensive energy and water evaluation, it requires an assessment of whether mechanical insulation should be updated or installed.”
Weber stressed the FMIA is a simple addition to an already existing process and emphasized it does not create a mandate on private property or impose new requirements on the American people.
“The need for the bill is evident. The federal government is the largest energy consumer in the nation,” he said. “And much of that demand comes from more than 300,000 federally owned buildings. Too many of these facilities operate with insufficient mechanical insulation, leading to wasted energy and unnecessary taxpayer expenses.
“By ensuring the federal buildings evaluate the benefits of improving their insulation, we can build a pathway to more efficient and responsible operations. This Federal Mechanical Insulation Act prioritizes true energy efficiency, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation,” he added.
A relatively unknown feature outside of the construction industry, properly installed Mechanical Insulation can make an impact on bottom lines.
It provides large-scale and long-term energy efficiency, emissions reductions, cost savings and safety benefits at manufacturing facilities, power plants, refineries, hospitals, universities and government buildings, while creating thousands of American jobs. Nearly all Mechanical Insulation is manufactured in the U.S.
Beneficial to every sector, Mechanical Insulation is a time-tested technology that offers a quality Return On Investment. From minimizing energy losses to reducing safety risks due to mold, Mechanical Insulation provides savings from day one.
Additional savings will occur as properly installed Mechanical Insulation can help extend the life of mechanical systems by limiting lost energy. This means the system will not work as hard and will likely last longer than a mechanical system that has been regularly pushed hard for years.
Rep. Troy A. Carter (D-La.) co-sponsored the bill and called it smart, targeted and cost-effective legislation to strengthen the federal government’s own energy efficiency standards by making sure the government is not overlooking one of the simplest ways to cut waste.
“Right now, when federal agencies conduct comprehensive energy and water evaluations on their buildings, they review a range of systems, but mechanical insulation is not included, even though it’s one of the most proven tools for reducing energy loss,” he said. “This bill fixes that gap by requiring agencies to evaluate whether mechanical insulation should be installed or updated as part of their review. This is truly a common-sense, bipartisan policy that will save money.”
Carter explained that taxpayers are on the hook for wasted energy that escapes through uninsulated pipes, ducts and equipment.
“By modernizing these standards, we can reduce federal energy costs, which ultimately saves taxpayers money,” he said. “Better insulation means systems run more efficiently, use less fuel and emit fewer greenhouse gases. This is one of the lowest cost ways to lower emissions without interrupting operations or requiring expensive overhauls.”
Carter also explained how the bill will create good-paying jobs for American workers.
“Importantly, this legislation supports well-paying jobs for skilled workers, particularly Insulators and other union trades who are essential to upgrading our federal infrastructure,” Carter said. “These are stable, long-term jobs rooted in technical expertise, and this bill ensures that workers remain at the center of our modernization efforts.
“At its core, H.R. 3474 is about being responsible stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars, reducing waste and investing in efficient federal operations. I’m proud to stand behind this bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it,” he added.
With the Federal Insulation Act advancing out of committee, it now awaits a vote on the full floor of the House of Representatives.
Visit our page for more information on the FMIA.