Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1974

(LATEST SUMMARY)

Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act - Sets forth the Congressional findings and policy with regard to solar heating and cooling.

Provides that the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall carry out a program for the development of prototype solar heating systems and prototypes of combined solar heating and cooling systems for use in residential dwellings. Requires the Secretary and the Administrator to prescribe performance criteria for solar heating equipment and systems to be used in residential dwellings and for the dwellings themselves, and to prescribe procedures whereby manufactuers of solar heating components and systems shall have their products tested in order to provide certification that such products conform to the performance criteria established under this Act.

Directs the Administrator of NASA to enter into such contracts and make such grants as may be necessary or appropriate for the development for commercial production and residential use of solar heating components and systems and combined solar heating and cooling systems meeting the performance criteria prescribed under this Act.

Provides for the development and demonstration of solar heating and cooling systems for commercial buildings. Provides that such project be undertaken in conjunction with appropriate Federal agencies.

Authorizes the Secretary of HUD to undertake large-scale demonstrations of the utilization of solar heating and combined solar heating and cooling systems.

Requires the Secretary of HUD to arrange for the installation of Solar heating systems and combined solar heating and cooling systems in a substantial number of residential dwellings and provide for the satisfactory operation of such installations during the demonstration period. Requires the Secretary of Defense to arrange for such installation on Federally owned property.

Requires the Secretary of HUD to take all possible steps to assure full and complete information with respect to solar heating and cooling projects undertaken under this Act is made available to Federal, State, and local authorities, the building industry and the public at large.

Requires the Secretary to study the effects of building codes, zoning ordinances, and other practices on the use of solar energy for the heating and cooling of buildings. Provides for the establishment, by the Secretary of HUD, of a solar heating and cooling information data bank. Sets out the types of information to be included in the data bank.

Requires that small business concerns have a realistic opportunity to participate in the programs authorized under this Act.

Sets out the criteria the Secretary of HUD shall use in determining solar heating and cooling project priorities.

Provides that, within sixty days after the effective date of the law creating the Energy Research and Development Administration or any similar Federal agency, all research and development functions vested under this Act in NASA and any funds which may have been appropriated pursuant to this Act may be transferred to and vested in the Energy Research and Development Administration or such other organization or agency as Congress may establish.

Authorizes the appropriation of funds to NASA and HUD to carry out the provisions of this Act.