datamatters24/research-document-archive huggingface dataset:
333 
systems of the buildings, structures, and facili-
ties). 
(C) EXEMPTION.—The Administrator may 
exempt from the definition of ‘‘GSA facility’’ 
under this paragraph a building, structure, or 
facility that meets the requirements of section 
543(c) of Public Law 95–619 (42 U.S.C. 
8253(c)). 
Subtitle B—Installation of Photo-
voltaic System at Department of 
Energy Headquarters Building 
SEC. 411. INSTALLATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM AT 
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HEADQUARTERS 
BUILDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of General 
Services shall install a photovoltaic system, as set forth 
in the Sun Wall Design Project, for the headquarters 
building of the Department of Energy located at 1000 
Independence Avenue, Southwest, Washington, DC, com-
monly known as the Forrestal Building. 
(b) FUNDING.—There shall be available from the 
Federal Buildings Fund established by section 592 of title 
40, United States Code, $30,000,000 to carry out this sec-
tion. Such sums shall be derived from the unobligated bal-
ance of amounts made available from the Fund for fiscal 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00333
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
334 
year 2007, and prior fiscal years, for repairs and alter-
ations and other activities (excluding amounts made avail-
able for the energy program). Such sums shall remain 
available until expended. 
(c) OBLIGATION
OF FUNDS.—None of the funds 
made available pursuant to subsection (b) may be obli-
gated prior to September 30, 2007. 
Subtitle C—High-Performance 
Green Buildings 
SEC. 421. SHORT TITLE. 
This subtitle may be cited as the ‘‘High-Performance 
Green Buildings Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 422. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) high-performance green buildings— 
(A) reduce energy, water, and material re-
source use and the generation of waste; 
(B) improve indoor environmental quality, 
and protect indoor air quality by, for example, 
using materials that emit fewer or no toxic 
chemicals into the indoor air; 
(C) improve thermal comfort; 
(D) improve lighting and the acoustic envi-
ronment; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00334
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
335 
(E) improve the health and productivity of 
individuals who live and work in the buildings; 
(F) improve indoor and outdoor impacts of 
the buildings on human health and the environ-
ment; 
(G) increase the use of environmentally 
preferable products, including biobased, recy-
cled, and nontoxic products with lower lifecycle 
impacts; and 
(H) increase opportunities for reuse of ma-
terials and for recycling; 
(2) during the planning, design, and construc-
tion of a high-performance green building, the envi-
ronmental and energy impacts of building location 
and site design, the minimization of energy and ma-
terials use, and the environmental impacts of the 
building are considered; 
(3) according to the United States Green Build-
ing Council, certified green buildings, as compared 
to conventional buildings— 
(A) use an average of 36 percent less total 
energy (and in some cases up to 50 to 70 per-
cent less total energy); 
(B) use 30 percent less water; and 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00335
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
336 
(C) reduce waste costs, often by 50 to 90 
percent; 
(4) the benefits of high-performance green 
buildings are important, because in the United 
States, buildings are responsible for approximately— 
(A) 39 percent of primary energy use; 
(B) 12 percent of potable water use; 
(C) 136,000,000 tons of building-related 
construction and demolition debris; 
(D) 70 percent of United States resource 
consumption; and 
(E) 70 percent of electricity consumption; 
(5) green building certification programs can be 
highly beneficial by disseminating up-to-date infor-
mation and expertise regarding high-performance 
green buildings, and by providing third-party 
verification of green building design, practices, and 
materials, and other aspects of buildings; and 
(6) a July 2006 study completed for the Gen-
eral Services Administration, entitled ‘‘Sustainable 
Building Rating Systems Summary,’’ concluded 
that— 
(A) green building standards are an impor-
tant means to encourage better practices; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00336
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
337 
(B) the Leadership in Energy and Envi-
ronmental Design (LEED) standard for green 
building certification is ‘‘currently the dominant 
system in the United States market and is 
being adapted to multiple markets worldwide’’; 
and 
(C) there are other useful green building 
certification or rating programs in various 
stages of development and adoption, including 
the Green Globes program and other rating sys-
tems. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this subtitle are— 
(1) to encourage the Federal Government to act 
as an example for State and local governments, the 
private sector, and individuals by building high-per-
formance green buildings that reduce energy use and 
environmental impacts; 
(2) to establish an Office within the General 
Services Administration, and a Green Building Advi-
sory Committee, to advance the goals of conducting 
research and development and public outreach, and 
to move the Federal Government toward construc-
tion of high-performance green buildings; 
(3) to encourage States, local governments, and 
school systems to site, build, renovate, and operate 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00337
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
338 
high-performance green schools through the adop-
tion of voluntary guidelines for those schools, the 
dissemination of grants, and the adoption of envi-
ronmental health plans and programs; 
(4) to strengthen Federal leadership on high- 
performance green buildings through the adoption of 
incentives for high-performance green buildings, and 
improved green procurement by Federal agencies; 
and 
(5) to demonstrate that high-performance green 
buildings can and do provide significant benefits, in 
order to encourage wider adoption of green building 
practices, through the adoption of demonstration 
projects. 
SEC. 423. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of General Serv-
ices. 
(2) 
COMMITTEE.—The 
term 
‘‘Committee’’ 
means the Green Building Advisory Committee es-
tablished under section 433(a). 
(3) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 
the individual appointed to the position established 
under section 431(a). 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00338
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
339 
(4) FEDERAL FACILITY.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Federal fa-
cility’’ means any building or facility the in-
tended use of which requires the building or fa-
cility to be— 
(i) accessible to the public; and 
(ii) constructed or altered by or on be-
half of the United States. 
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘Federal fa-
cility’’ does not include a privately-owned resi-
dential or commercial structure that is not 
leased by the Federal Government. 
(5) HIGH-PERFORMANCE
GREEN
BUILDING.— 
The term ‘‘high-performance green building’’ means 
a building— 
(A) that, during its life-cycle— 
(i) reduces energy, water, and mate-
rial resource use and the generation of 
waste; 
(ii) improves indoor environmental 
quality, including protecting indoor air 
quality during construction, using low- 
emitting 
materials, 
improving 
thermal 
comfort, and improving lighting and acous-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00339
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
340 
tic environments that affect occupant 
health and productivity; 
(iii) improves indoor and outdoor im-
pacts of the building on human health and 
the environment; 
(iv) increases the use of environ-
mentally preferable products, including 
biobased, recycled content, and nontoxic 
products with lower life-cycle impacts; 
(v) increases reuse and recycling op-
portunities; and 
(vi) integrates systems in the building; 
and 
(B) for which, during its planning, design, 
and construction, the environmental and energy 
impacts of building location and site design are 
considered. 
(6) LIFE CYCLE.—The term ‘‘life cycle’’, with 
respect to a high-performance green building, means 
all stages of the useful life of the building (including 
components, equipment, systems, and controls of the 
building) beginning at conception of a green building 
project and continuing through site selection, design, 
construction, landscaping, commissioning, operation, 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00340
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
341 
maintenance, renovation, deconstruction or demoli-
tion, removal, and recycling of the green building. 
(7) LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT.—The term ‘‘life- 
cycle assessment’’ means a comprehensive system 
approach for measuring the environmental perform-
ance of a product or service over the life of the prod-
uct or service, beginning at raw materials acquisition 
and continuing through manufacturing, transpor-
tation, installation, use, reuse, and end-of-life waste 
management. 
(8) LIFE-CYCLE COSTING.—The term ‘‘life-cycle 
costing’’, with respect to a high-performance green 
building, means a technique of economic evaluation 
that— 
(A) sums, over a given study period, the 
costs of initial investment (less resale value), re-
placements, operations (including energy use), 
and maintenance and repair of an investment 
decision; and 
(B) is expressed— 
(i) in present value terms, in the case 
of a study period equivalent to the longest 
useful life of the building, determined by 
taking into consideration the typical life of 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00341
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
342 
such a building in the area in which the 
building is to be located; or 
(ii) in annual value terms, in the case 
of any other study period. 
(9) OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Office’’ means the Of-
fice of High-Performance Green Buildings estab-
lished under section 432(a). 
PART I—OFFICE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE GREEN 
BUILDINGS 
SEC. 431. OVERSIGHT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall establish 
within the General Services Administration, and appoint 
an individual to serve as Director in, a position in the ca-
reer-reserved Senior Executive service, to— 
(1) establish and manage the Office in accord-
ance with section 432; and 
(2) carry out other duties as required under 
this subtitle. 
(b) COMPENSATION.—The compensation of the Di-
rector shall not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay for 
the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title 
5, United States Code, including any applicable locality- 
based comparability payment that may be authorized 
under section 5304(h)(2)(C) of that title. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00342
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
343 
SEC. 432. OFFICE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILD-
INGS. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director shall establish 
within the General Services Administration an Office of 
High-Performance Green Buildings. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Director shall— 
(1) ensure full coordination of high-performance 
green building information and activities within the 
General Services Administration and all relevant 
Federal agencies, including, at a minimum— 
(A) the Environmental Protection Agency; 
(B) the Office of the Federal Environ-
mental Executive; 
(C) the Office of Federal Procurement Pol-
icy; 
(D) the Department of Energy; 
(E) the Department of Health and Human 
Services; 
(F) the Department of Defense; and 
(G) such other Federal agencies as the Di-
rector considers to be appropriate; 
(2) establish a senior-level green building advi-
sory committee, which shall provide advice and rec-
ommendations in accordance with section 433; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00343
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
344 
(3) identify and biennially reassess improved or 
higher rating standards recommended by the Com-
mittee; 
(4) establish a national high-performance green 
building clearinghouse in accordance with section 
434, which shall provide green building information 
through— 
(A) outreach; 
(B) education; and 
(C) the provision of technical assistance; 
(5) ensure full coordination of research and de-
velopment information relating to high-performance 
green building initiatives under section 435; 
(6) identify and develop green building stand-
ards that could be used for all types of Federal fa-
cilities in accordance with section 435; 
(7) establish green practices that can be used 
throughout the life of a Federal facility; 
(8) review and analyze current Federal budget 
practices and life-cycle costing issues, and make rec-
ommendations to Congress, in accordance with sec-
tion 436; and 
(9) complete and submit the report described in 
subsection (c). 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00344
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
345 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter, the Di-
rector shall submit to Congress a report that— 
(1) describes the status of the green building 
initiatives under this subtitle and other Federal pro-
grams in effect as of the date of the report, includ-
ing— 
(A) the extent to which the programs are 
being carried out in accordance with this sub-
title; and 
(B) the status of funding requests and ap-
propriations for those programs; 
(2) identifies within the planning, budgeting, 
and construction process all types of Federal facility 
procedures that inhibit new and existing Federal fa-
cilities from becoming high-performance green build-
ings, as measured by the standard for high-perform-
ance green buildings identified in accordance with 
subsection (d); 
(3) identifies inconsistencies, as reported to the 
Committee, in Federal law with respect to product 
acquisition guidelines and high-performance product 
guidelines; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00345
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
346 
(4) recommends language for uniform stand-
ards for use by Federal agencies in environmentally 
responsible acquisition; 
(5) in coordination with the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget, reviews the budget process for 
capital programs with respect to alternatives for— 
(A) restructuring of budgets to require the 
use of complete energy- and environmental-cost 
accounting; 
(B) using operations expenditures in budg-
et-related decisions while simultaneously incor-
porating productivity and health measures (as 
those measures can be quantified by the Office, 
with the assistance of universities and national 
laboratories); 
(C) permitting Federal agencies to retain 
all identified savings accrued as a result of the 
use of life cycle costing; and 
(D) identifying short- and long-term cost 
savings that accrue from high-performance 
green buildings, including those relating to 
health and productivity; 
(6) identifies green, self-sustaining technologies 
to address the operational needs of Federal facilities 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00346
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
347 
in times of national security emergencies, natural 
disasters, or other dire emergencies; 
(7) summarizes and highlights development, at 
the State and local level, of green building initia-
tives, including Executive orders, policies, or laws 
adopted promoting green building (including the sta-
tus of implementation of those initiatives); and 
(8) includes, for the 2-year period covered by 
the report, recommendations to address each of the 
matters, and a plan for implementation of each rec-
ommendation, described in paragraphs (1) through 
(6). 
(d) IDENTIFICATION OF STANDARD.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—For the purpose of sub-
section (c)(2), not later than 60 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall identify 
a standard that the Director determines to be the 
most likely to encourage a comprehensive and envi-
ronmentally-sound approach to certification of green 
buildings. 
(2) BASIS.—The standard identified under 
paragraph (1) shall be based on— 
(A) a biennial study, which shall be carried 
out by the Director to compare and evaluate 
standards; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00347
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
348 
(B) the ability and availability of assessors 
and auditors to independently verify the criteria 
and measurement of metrics at the scale nec-
essary to implement this subtitle; 
(C) the ability of the applicable standard- 
setting organization to collect and reflect public 
comment; 
(D) the ability of the standard to be devel-
oped and revised through a consensus-based 
process; 
(E) an evaluation of the adequacy of the 
standard, which shall give credit for— 
(i) efficient and sustainable use of 
water, energy, and other natural resources; 
(ii) use of renewable energy sources; 
(iii) improved indoor environmental 
quality through enhanced indoor air qual-
ity, thermal comfort, acoustics, day light-
ing, pollutant source control, and use of 
low-emission materials and building system 
controls; and 
(iv) such other criteria as the Director 
determines to be appropriate; and 
(F) national recognition within the build-
ing industry. 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00348
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
349 
(3) BIENNIAL REVIEW.—The Director shall— 
(A) conduct a biennial review of the stand-
ard identified under paragraph (1); and 
(B) include the results of each biennial re-
view in the report required to be submitted 
under subsection (c). 
(e) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Office shall carry out 
each plan for implementation of recommendations under 
subsection (c)(7). 
SEC. 433. GREEN BUILDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall estab-
lish an advisory committee, to be known as the ‘‘Green 
Building Advisory Committee’’. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Committee shall be 
composed of representatives of, at a minimum— 
(A) each agency referred to in section 
432(b)(1); and 
(B) other relevant agencies and entities, as 
determined by the Director, including at least 1 
representative of each of— 
(i) State and local governmental green 
building programs; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00349
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
350 
(ii) independent green building asso-
ciations or councils; 
(iii) building experts, including archi-
tects, material suppliers, and construction 
contractors; 
(iv) security advisors focusing on na-
tional security needs, natural disasters, 
and other dire emergency situations; and 
(v) environmental health experts, in-
cluding those with experience in children’s 
health. 
(2) NON-FEDERAL MEMBERS.—The total num-
ber of non-Federal members on the Committee at 
any time shall not exceed 15. 
(c) MEETINGS.—The Director shall establish a reg-
ular schedule of meetings for the Committee. 
(d) DUTIES.—The Committee shall provide advice 
and expertise for use by the Director in carrying out the 
duties under this subtitle, including such recommenda-
tions relating to Federal activities carried out under sec-
tions 434 through 436 as are agreed to by a majority of 
the members of the Committee. 
(e) FACA EXEMPTION.—The Committee shall not be 
subject to section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee 
Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00350
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
351 
SEC. 434. PUBLIC OUTREACH. 
The Director, in coordination with the Committee, 
shall carry out public outreach to inform individuals and 
entities of the information and services available Govern-
ment-wide by— 
(1) establishing and maintaining a national 
high-performance green building clearinghouse, in-
cluding on the Internet, that— 
(A) identifies existing similar efforts and 
coordinates activities of common interest; and 
(B) provides information relating to high- 
performance 
green 
buildings, 
including 
hyperlinks to Internet sites that describe related 
activities, information, and resources of— 
(i) the Federal Government; 
(ii) State and local governments; 
(iii) the private sector (including non-
governmental and nonprofit entities and 
organizations); and 
(iv) other relevant organizations, in-
cluding those from other countries; 
(2) identifying and recommending educational 
resources for implementing high-performance green 
building practices, including security and emergency 
benefits and practices; 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00351
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
352 
(3) providing access to technical assistance on 
using tools and resources to make more cost-effec-
tive, energy-efficient, health-protective, and environ-
mentally beneficial decisions for constructing high- 
performance green buildings, including tools avail-
able to conduct life-cycle costing and life-cycle as-
sessment; 
(4) providing information on application proc-
esses for certifying a high-performance green build-
ing, including certification and commissioning; 
(5) providing technical information, market re-
search, or other forms of assistance or advice that 
would be useful in planning and constructing high- 
performance green buildings; and 
(6) using such other methods as are determined 
by the Director to be appropriate. 
SEC. 435. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Director, in coordination 
with the Committee, shall— 
(1)(A) survey existing research and studies re-
lating to high-performance green buildings; and 
(B) coordinate activities of common interest; 
(2) develop and recommend a high-performance 
green building research plan that— 
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00352
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS
353 
(A) identifies information and research 
needs, including the relationships between 
human health, occupant productivity, and each 
of— 
(i) emissions from materials and prod-
ucts in the building; 
(ii) natural day lighting; 
(iii) ventilation choices and tech-
nologies; 
(iv) heating, cooling, and system con-
trol choices and technologies; 
(v) moisture control and mold; 
(vi) maintenance, cleaning, and pest 
control activities; 
(vii) acoustics; and 
(viii) other issues relating to the 
health, comfort, productivity, and perform-
ance of occupants of the building; and 
(B) promotes the development and dissemi-
nation of high-performance green building 
measurement tools that, at a minimum, may be 
used— 
(i) to monitor and assess the life-cycle 
performance of facilities (including dem-
VerDate Aug 31 2005 
01:58 Jun 30, 2007
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00353
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2950.IH
H2950
ccoleman on PRODPC75 with BILLS