H. Res. 492 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
June 8, 2009. 
Whereas the High-Performance Buildings Congressional Cau-
cus 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 im-
portance of high-performance buildings through the inclu-
sion of a definition of high-performance buildings in the 
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007; 
Whereas our homes, offices, schools, and other buildings con-
sume 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; 
Whereas the construction of buildings and their related infra-
structure 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 in-
doors;
•HRES 492 EH 
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 com-
fortable indoor environment, and improved ventilation 
and indoor air quality; 
Whereas high-performance residential and commercial build-
ing 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, con-
struction, operation, and maintenance principles—a para-
digm change for the built environment; and 
Whereas the United States should continue to improve the 
features of new buildings, and adapt and maintain exist-
ing buildings, to changing balances in our needs and re-
sponsibilities for health, safety, energy efficiency, and 
usability by all segments of society: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the goals and ideals of High-Perform-
ance Building Week; 
(2) recognizes and reaffirms our Nation’s commit-
ment to High-Performance Buildings by promoting 
awareness about their benefits and by promoting new 
education programs, supporting research, and expanding 
access to information;
•HRES 492 EH 
(3) recognizes the unique role that the Department 
of Energy plays through the Office of Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy’s Building Technologies Pro-
gram, which works closely with the building industry and 
manufacturers to conduct research and development on 
technologies and practices for building energy efficiency; 
(4) recognizes the important role that the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology plays in devel-
oping the measurement science needed to develop, test, 
integrate, and demonstrate the new building tech-
nologies; and 
(5) encourages further research and development of 
high-performance building standards, research, and de-
velopment. 
Attest: 
Clerk.