**National Science and T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings**  **Te chnology**  **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 Ad**  **visory Council for**  **Env ironmental**  **Policy and T echnology**  **March 25 -** **26, 2009 National Science**  **and T echnology**  **Council Subcommittee for Buildings**  **Te chnology**  **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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 V** 

**eterans Af** 

**fairs U.S. Environmental Protection**  **Agency U.S. General**  **Services Administration**  **National Aeronautics**  **and Space Administration**  **National Science Foundation Executive**  **Of**

**fice of the President**  **Of fice of the**  **Architect of the Capital**  **Smithsonian Institution U.S. Postal Service**  

## OSTPBuilding Te chnology Research and Development Background & Membership  Purpose  Identify national research & development needs for green building  Respond to green building directives from EP Act 2005 and EISAct 2007  Involvement by Sixteen Federal Agencies:**National Science and T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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, high performance green buildings.**National Science and T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 Recy cling, &**  **Rainw ater**  **Retention** EPA 

###  

### Material Utilization, **Waste Reduction, & Environmental Life Cy** **cle Assessment**  EPA, USDA 

###  

### Indoor Environmental Quality and Health

HHA, VA; EPA- Major Partner 

###  

### Technology Transfer DOC, DOD, DOE, EPA, GSA**National Science and T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 performance based building codes.

- Research incentives for adopting innovative technologies and practices.**National Science and T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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 T**  **echnology Council**  **Subcommittee for Buildings Te** **chnology 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)