42 USC § 8236 - Voluntary rating guidelines

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s8236"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "42 USC § 8236 - Voluntary rating guidelines"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
section_number: "8236"
section_name: "Voluntary rating guidelines"
chapter_number: 91
chapter_name: "NATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION POLICY"
subchapter_number: "II"
subchapter_name: "RESIDENTIAL ENERGY CONSERVATION"
part_number: "D"
part_name: "Residential Energy Efficiency Rating Guidelines"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 95–619, title II, § 271, as added Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 102(a), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2787.)"
---


# § 8236. Voluntary rating guidelines

**(a)** **In general** October 24, 1992

Not later than 18 months after , the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, representatives of existing home energy rating programs, and other appropriate persons, shall, by rule, issue voluntary guidelines that may be used by State and local governments, utilities, builders, real estate agents, lenders, agencies in mortgage markets, and others, to enable and encourage the assignment of energy efficiency ratings to residential buildings.

**(b)** **Contents of guidelines** The voluntary guidelines issued under subsection (a) shall—

**(1)** encourage uniformity with regard to systems for rating the annual energy efficiency of residential buildings;

**(2)** establish protocols and procedures for—

**(A)** certification of the technical accuracy of building energy analysis tools used to determine energy efficiency ratings;

**(B)** training of personnel conducting energy efficiency ratings;

**(C)** data collection and reporting;

**(D)** quality control; and

**(E)** monitoring and evaluation;

**(3)** encourage consistency with, and support for, the uniform plan for Federal energy efficient mortgages, including that developed under section 946 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12712 note) and pursuant to sections 105 and 106 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992;

**(4)** provide that rating systems take into account local climate conditions and construction practices, solar energy collected on-site, and the benefits of peak load shifting construction practices, and not discriminate among fuel types; and

**(5)** establish procedures to ensure that residential buildings can receive an energy efficiency rating at the time of sale and that such rating is communicated to potential buyers.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 95–619, title II, § 271, as added Pub. L. 102–486, title I, § 102(a), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2787.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 946 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), is , which is set out as a note under .

Sections 105 and 106 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, referred to in subsec. (b)(3), are sections 105 and 106 of . Section 105 amended  and provisions set out as a note under . Section 106 is classified to , Banks and Banking.