National Science and Technology Council

Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D

Science Advisory Board Public 

Session

1

Dr. Audrey D. Levine, P.E.

National Program Director for Drinking Water Research, 

Office of Research and Development, U.S. EPA

Levine.Audrey@epa.gov

Net Zero Energy,

High-Performance

Green Buildings: 

Overview of Proposed 

Federal R & D Agenda

Net Zero Energy,

High-Performance

Green Buildings: 

Overview of Proposed 

Federal R & D Agenda

National Advisory Council for

Environmental Policy and Technology

March 25-26, 2009
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 2

Background for Building Technology R&D 

Agenda

 Research Drivers

Primary energy use in the US

Buildings ~40%; Industry ~32%; Transportation ~28%

Greenhouse gas emissions due to buildings: ~40% of US total

The U.S. Federal government owns >342 million square feet of space 

in more than 2,100 communities nationwide: Leadership is critical

Concerns about climate, resource limitations, water availability, and 

energy efficiency 

Goal: improve how buildings use energy and other basic resources. 

New, cost-effective building technologies, practices, and standards, 

Revise and revalidate building requirements, and

Holistic designs for energy and resource use within buildings, building 

sites, campuses, communities, and urban and suburban settings
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 3

U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Defense

U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security 

U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Department of Labor

U.S. Department of State

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. General Services Administration

National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration 

National Science Foundation

Executive Office of the President

Office of the Architect of the Capital

Smithsonian Institution

U.S. Postal Service

OSTP Building Technology Research and Development 

Background & Membership

Purpose

Identify national research & development needs for green building 

Respond to green building directives from EPAct 2005 and EISAct 2007

Involvement by Sixteen Federal Agencies:
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 4

Building Technology R&D Vision

Enable designs of new buildings and retrofits of existing 

buildings that over the life cycle:

Produce as much energy as they consume (Net Zero 

Energy) and significantly reduce GHGs.

Double the service life of building materials, products, 

and systems and minimize life cycle impacts.

Reduce domestic water use, maximize water recovery, 

recycling, and rainwater harvesting, 

minimize stormwater runoff, and restore

hydrologic cycle

Achieve breakthrough improvements 

in indoor occupant health, productivity, and comfort.
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 5

Building Technology R&D Goals

 Measurement science to achieve Net Zero Energy, 

sustainable high-performance building technologies.

 Net Zero Energy building technologies and 

strategies.

 Scientific and technical bases for significant reductions 

in water use and improved rainwater retention.

 Processes, protocols, and products for building 

materials that minimize resource utilization, waste, and 

life cycle environmental impacts.

 Knowledge and associated energy efficiency 

technologies and practices needed to promote 

occupant health, comfort, and productivity.

 Technology transfer for Net Zero Energy, highperformance green buildings.
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D

Lead Agencies in R&D Goals

 Measurement Science and Metrics

DOC, DOE

 Net Zero Energy Building Technologies & Strategies

DOE

 Water Use Optimization, Water Recycling, & 

Rainwater Retention

EPA

 Material Utilization, Waste Reduction, & 

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment

EPA, USDA

 Indoor Environmental Quality and Health

HHA, VA; EPA-Major Partner

 Technology Transfer

DOC, DOD, DOE, EPA, GSA
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 7

Role of water in built environments

Water is integral to residential & commercial building performance

Drinking water

Sanitation

Fire suppression

Other non-potable uses

The water used within a building depends on the building function, 

types of water systems & appliances, & occupant behavior 

Delivery of water to & removal of wastewater & stormwater from 

buildings consumes energy & has environmental impacts

Improved management of rainwater in built environments is critical :

Replenish ground water, surface water, & wetlands

Prevent water contamination

Habitat restoration

Safe Home Products
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 8

Why Now????

EARLY INVESTMENT IN OPTIMIZING WATER 

SYSTEMS WILL YIELD SIGNIFICANT PAY-BACK

• $$$ Energy Savings

• Pro-active integration with infrastructure projects

• Improve water availability—in drought-prone areas

• Improve water quality—particularly urban settings

• Develop workforce & innovations that promote 

energy & water efficiency

Consequences of delaying investment

• Persistence of antiquated in-building & on-site water 

management systems

• Higher future costs to retrofit

• Inefficient use of energy & water resources

• Lack of workforce to promote implementation

.

Safe Home Products
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 9

Water Use Optimization, Water Recycling, 

& Rainwater Retention

Goal 3: Develop the scientific bases for significant reductions in water use & 

improved rainwater retention.

- Reduce water & energy use through more efficient water-saving 

appliances, fixtures & water systems, including drinking, waste, rain and 

ground waters. 

- Reduce environmental, health & technical challenges to better integrate 

water recycling & rainwater harvesting into building, site, and community 

design

- Develop low-impact development practices to reduce runoff & support 

biodiverse hydrologic systems.

Safe Home Products
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 10

Material Utilization, Waste Reduction, and Life Cycle 

Assessment

Goal 4: Develop processes, protocols, and products for building 

materials that minimize resource utilization, waste, and life cycle 

environmental impacts.

- Develop processes that minimize waste generation from building 

construction, renovation, and demolition. 

- Expand life cycle inventory data, perform life cycle assessments, and 

develop enhanced methodologies to illuminate the full 

environmental and public health performance of product and 

material choices, linked to economic factors.

- Develop new materials, products & processes with minimal 

environmental & health impacts over their life cycles. 

Pure Home Center
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 11

Occupant Health and Performance

Goal 5: Develop energy efficiency technologies & practices 

needed to promote occupant health, comfort & productivity.

- Develop & assess technologies to 

improve indoor environmental quality, 

reduce building energy use & materials 

consumption. 

- Develop sound, building-specific 

standards & codes that address health 

& comfort of occupants. 

West Side Yards

Goldman Sachs Image

WBDG
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D 12

Barriers to Tech Transfer & Implementation

Goal 6: Enable technology 

transfer for green buildings.

- Develop building design tools 

for urban planners, architects, 

engineers, contractors, 

regulators, & owner/operators.

- Develop & deploy tools to 

enable adaptive performancebased building codes. 

- Research incentives for 

adopting innovative 

technologies and practices. 
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D

Benefits to EPA’s mission, regulatory 

responsibilities, and current priorities

 Public health protection

 Indoor air quality

 Drinking water quality and availability

 Environmental protection

 Replenish ground water and surface water resources

 Reduce discharges to wastewater systems

 Reduce waste generation; 

 Reduce burden on water resources and water infrastructure:

 Resource Conservation and Recovery

 Health hazard reductions in recycled materials and feedstock; 

 Reduction in hazardous and non-hazardous wastes

 Climate change adaptation

 Reduce greenhouse gases

 Reduce energy demand

 Water security

 Environmental Justice
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D

OSTP Building Technology R & D Status

 Draft implementation plan developed for 2010-2014

 Linked to administration priorities and stimulus package

 Budget discussions in progress

 Prioritization criteria under discussion

 Applicability and Implementability

Retrofits

New construction

 Ability to meet high performance goals

 Effects on building attributes

Energy conservation, environment, safety, security, durability, 

Cost-benefit, productivity, sustainability, functionality, and 

operational considerations optimized on a life-cycle basis
National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee for Buildings Technology R&D

Summary and Conclusions

 Strong inter-agency collaboration

 Draft implementation plan

 Key EPA focus is aligned with agency mission

 Poised to make key contributions

 Public health protection

 Water efficiency

 Environmental restoration

 Energy efficiency

 Resource recovery

 Climate adaptation (GHG reduction)