### Memorandum ofEx ParteCommunications To: Christopher Calamita, Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Energy Efficiency, U.S. Department ofEnergy 

### From: Justin Koscher, Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing, onbehalfofthe American High-Performance Buildings Coalition 

### Date: September 

### 16, 2013 Re: Meeting ofAmerican High-Performance Buildings CoalitionlDepartment ofEnergy, Office ofEnergy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Federal Green Building Certification System Review Monday, August 

### 19,2013

This memorandum is intended to provide a summary ofa meeting betweenthe American HighPerformance Buildings Coalition (AHBPC), a coalition ofindustry organizations committedto promoting performance-based energy efficiency and sustainable building standards developed through true, consensus-bases processes, and the U.S. Department ofEnergy's Office ofEnergy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) that tookplace onMonday, August 

### 19, 2013. The meeting was organized atthe request ofAHPBC to discuss the ongoing federal green building certification system reviewprocess and rulemaking. A list ofmeeting attendees is provided below. AHPBC opened the meeting with an introduction to the coalition, its members, mission and objectives. AHPBC noted that it had met withthe General Services Administration's Office of Federal High Performance Green Buildings (GSA) to discuss the agency's recommendationto the Secretary ofEnergy onthe federal government's use ofgreen building certification systems. Intheir comments to EERE, AHPBC representatives discussed the importance ofusing full consensus processes when developing green building certification systems for federal use. Full consensus processes, inconformance with full ANSI orISO-type standards, ensure that rating systems are developed with input from all interested stakeholders, require system developers to address all stakeholder comments and objections in an open and transparentprocess, and ensure an equitable voting process. To the extent that green building rating systems currently under reviewby EERE are not developed through full consensus process, AHPBC requested EERE encourage those system or standards developers to address key deficiencies within their developmentprocedures. AHPBC representatives also shared practical, negative consequences onthe construction ordesign offederal energy efficient buildings that canbe caused by deficiencies in the developmentprocess ofa particularrating system or standard. EERE representatives provided a status update onthe current rulemaking processrelated to sustainable design principles and green building rating systems for Federal buildings. EERE referred AHPBC to the May 

### 28, 2010 proposed rule for Energy Efficiency andSustainable Design Standards/orNew FederalBuildings 

### (75 Federal Register 

### 2993). The proposedrule is at

Page 1of2the Department ofEnergy desk at the Office ofManagement and Budget. EERE indicated that AHPBC can contact the Energy desk to schedule a meeting. When asked whether the proposed rule will be subject to further public comment, EERE responded that the document currently under review is a final rule. EERE further explained that generally, at this stage ofthe rulemaking process further comment would not be sought unless there was consideration of provisions outside the scope ofthe rule as proposed. EERE indicated that as permitted based on the timing ofissuance, the current rulemaking effort would take recommendation(s) ofthe GSA Administrator into consideration once issued by GSA. EERE did indicate that the rule as proposed did not specify a specific green building rating system for use within the federal sector. EERE clarified that the recommendation regarding green building rating systems made by GSA's Green Building Advisory Committee on May 1, 2013 , was only a recommendation to GSA and was not a recommendation to the Department ofEnergy. AHPBC encouraged future reviews ofgreen buil ding rating systems to conduct a more stringent review ofthe development procedures employed by system developers. EERE responded that concerns with the manner in which the green building system review is conducted should be directed to GSA. EERE and the Department ofEnergy are not directly involved in the contracting for, or the completion of , the green building system review used by GSA. AHPBC encouraged EERE to use the coalition as a resource for expert information on consensus processes or other matters related to green building certification systems as EERE continues its rulemaking process. Meeting Participants: • Christopher Calamita, Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Energy Efficiency (EERE) • Daniel Gore, Federal Energy Management Program (EERE) • Sarah Jensen, Federal Energy Management Program (EERE) • Steve Harms, Sika-Sarnafil (AHPBC) • Melissa Hockstad, SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association (AHPBC) • Justin Koscher, Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (AHPBC) • Tim Serie, American Coatings Association (AHPBC)

nt for Environmental Innovation in Roofing On ehalfofthe American High-Performance Buildings Coalition

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