IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 492 

Supporting the goals and ideals of High-Performance Building Week. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 2, 2009 

Mr. CARNAHAN (for himself and Mrs. BIGGERT) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the goals and ideals of High-Performance 

Building Week. 

Whereas the High-Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus Coalition has declared the week of June 15 through 

June 19, 2009, as ‘‘High-Performance Building Week’’; 

Whereas the House of Representatives has recognized the importance of high-performance buildings through the inclusion of a definition of high-performance buildings in the 

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007; 

Whereas our homes, offices, schools, and other buildings consume 40 percent of the primary energy and 70 percent 

of the electricity in the United States annually; 

Whereas buildings consume about 12 percent of the potable 

water in this country; 


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•HRES 492 IH 

Whereas the construction of buildings and their related infrastructure consume approximately 60 percent of all raw 

materials used in the United States economy; 

Whereas buildings account for 39 percent of United States 

carbon dioxide emissions a year approximately equaling 

the combined carbon emissions of Japan, France, and the 

United Kingdom; 

Whereas Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors; 

Whereas poor indoor environmental quality is detrimental to 

the health of all Americans, especially our children and 

elderly; 

Whereas high-performance buildings promote higher student 

achievement by providing better lighting, a more comfortable indoor environment, and improved ventilation 

and indoor air quality; 

Whereas high-performance residential and commercial building design and construction should effectively guard 

against natural and human caused events and disasters, 

including fire, water, wind, noise, crime, and terrorism; 

Whereas high-performance buildings, which address human, 

environmental, economic, and total societal impact, result 

from the application of the highest level of design, construction, operation, and maintenance principles—a paradigm change for the built environment; and 

Whereas the United States should continue to improve the 

features of new buildings, and adapt and maintain existing buildings, to changing balances in our needs and responsibilities for health, safety, energy efficiency, and 

usability by all segments of society: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 492 IH 

1 (1) supports the goals and ideals of High-Per2 formance Building Week; 

3 (2) recognizes and reaffirms our Nation’s com4 mitment to High-Performance Buildings by pro5 moting awareness about their benefits and by pro6 moting new education programs, supporting re7 search, and expanding access to information; 

8 (3) recognizes the unique role that the Depart9 ment of Energy plays through the Office of Energy 

10 Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Building Tech11 nologies Program, which works closely with the 

12 building industry and manufacturers to conduct re13 search and development on technologies and prac14 tices for building energy efficiency; 

15 (4) recognizes the important role that the Na16 tional Institute of Standards and Technology plays 

17 in developing the measurement science needed to de18 velop, test, integrate, and demonstrate the new 

19 building technologies; and 

20 (5) encourages further research and develop21 ment of high-performance building standards, re22 search, and development. 

Æ 


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