High-Performance Green Buildings Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-506
Sponsor: Sen. Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2007-02-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Academic performance
Administrative procedure
Air conditioning
Auditing
Bicycles
Building construction
Child health
Child safety
Commuting
Congress
Congressional investigations
Congressional reporting requirements
Cost accounting
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Elementary and secondary education
Emergency Management
Energy
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental assessment
Environmental health
Executive reorganization
Families
Federal advisory bodies
Federal budgets
Federal employees
Federal installations
Federal office buildings
Finance and Financial Sector
General Services Administration
Government Operations and Politics
Government procurement
Government publicity
Green products
Health
Heating
Indoor air pollution
Internet
Labor productivity
Landscape architecture
Law
Lighting
Maintenance and repair
Mass rapid transit
Occupational health and safety
Office of Management and Budget
Pest control
Planning-programming-budgeting
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Recycling of waste products
Research and development
School buildings
School health programs
School personnel
Science, Technology, Communications
Standards
Student transportation
Students
Transportation and Public Works
Walking
Waste reduction
Water Resources Development
Water conservation
Web sites

Summary:
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: 
High-Performance Green Buildings Act of 2007 - Directs the Administrator of General Services to establish a position of, and appoint, a Director who shall: (1) establish an Office of High-Performance Green Buildings; (2) establish a Green Building Advisory Committee; (3) carry out public outreach; (4) develop and recommend a high-performance green building research plan; (5) develop and implement a comprehensive indoor air quality program for federal facilities; and (6) analyze current budget and contracting practices that affect achievement of high-performance green buildings.

Defines a &quot;high-performance green building&quot; as one that, during its life-cycle: (1) reduces energy, water, and material resource use and the generation of waste; (2) improves indoor environmental quality; (3) improves impacts of the building on human health and the environment; (4) increases the use of environmentally preferable products; (5) increases reuse and recycling opportunities; and (6) integrates systems in the building.

Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide grants to state agencies for use in: (1) providing technical assistance for EPA's programs (including the Tools for Schools Program and the Healthy School Environmental Assessment Tool) to schools for use in addressing environmental issues; and (2) developing state school environmental quality plans. 

Requires the EPA to develop school site acquisition guidelines that account for: (1) the special vulnerability of children to hazardous substances or pollution exposure where the potential for site contamination exists; (2) available modes of transportation; and (3) potential use of the school as an emergency shelter.

Requires the Director to ensure that the public clearinghouse established by this Act receives and makes available information on the exposure of children to environmental hazards in school facilities.

Requires the EPA to issue guidelines for states in developing and implementing an environmental health program for schools.

Requires the Director to identify incentives to encourage the use of green buildings and related technology in federal government operations

Requires the Director of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to: (1) revise applicable acquisition regulations to require federal facility acquisition, construction, or renovation to optimize energy performance, conserve water, enhance indoor environmental quality, and reduce environmental impacts of materials and waste flows; and (2) issue guidance to federal procurement executives on renegotiating proposed facilities design, existing facilities renovations, and eased facilities improvements.

Requires the Director to: (1) consult with the Committee to assist in the implementation of the Environmental Stewardship Scorecard announced at the White House Summit on federal sustainable buildings in 2006; and (2) establish guidelines to implement a specified demonstration projects at federal buildings to contribute to its research goals.

action_date: 2007-12-12
text: 
High-Performance Green Buildings Act of 2007 - Defines &quot;high-performance green building&quot; as a building that, during its life-cycle: (1) reduces energy, water, and material resource use and the generation of waste; (2) improves indoor environmental quality; (3) improves indoor and outdoor impacts of the building on human health and the environment; (4) increases the use of environmentally preferable products; (5) increases reuse and recycling opportunities; and (6) integrates systems in the building. 

Title I: Office of High-Performance Green Buildings
 -(Sec. 101) Requires the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide for the establishment of an Office of High-Performance Green Buildings (Office) and to appoint a Director of such Office. 

Requires such Director to: (1) coordinate high-performance green building information and activities within GSA; (2) submit biennial reports to Congress on green building initiatives under this Act; and (3) identify a standard to encourage a comprehensive and environmentally-sound approach to the certification of green buildings and review such standard biennially.

(Sec. 103) Requires the Director to establish the Green Building Advisory Committee to provide advice and expertise to the Director in carrying out this Act.

(Sec. 104) Requires the Director to carry out public outreach to provide information about high-performance green buildings, including the establishment of a national clearinghouse that identifies similar green building activities. 

(Sec. 105) Requires the Director to: (1) conduct research and development activities relating to high-performance green buildings; and (2) develop and carry out a comprehensive indoor air quality program for all federal facilities. 

(Sec. 106) Requires the Director to: (1) identify, review, and analyze current budget and contracting practices for high-performance green buildings; (2) develop guidance and conduct training sessions to apply life-cycle cost criteria to actual projects; (3) identify tools to aid in life-cycle cost decision making; and (4) explore the feasibility of including the benefits of green buildings, such as security benefits, into life-cycle cost decision making.

(Sec. 107) Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012.

Title II: Healthy High-Performance Schools
 - (Sec. 201) Defines &quot;high-performance school&quot; as a school that in its design, construction, operation, and maintenance: (1) uses energy-efficient and affordable practices and materials; (2) is cost-effective; (3) enhances indoor air quality; and (4) protects and conserves water.

(Sec. 202) Authorizes the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make grants to state agencies to: (1) provide technical assistance for implementing certain EPA programs that address environmental issues in schools; and (2) develop state school environmental quality plans. 

(Sec. 203) Requires the Administrator to develop voluntary school site selection guidelines that account for: (1) the special vulnerability of children to hazardous substances or pollution exposures; (2) modes of transportation available to students and staff; (3) the efficient use of energy; and (4) the potential use of a school at the site as an emergency shelter. 

(Sec. 204) Requires the Administrator to report to the Director on all activities carried out under this Title. Requires the Director to make available clearinghouse information on the exposure of children to environmental hazards in schools. 

(Sec. 205) Requires the Administrator to issue voluntary guidelines to states for developing and implementing environmental health programs for schools.

(Sec. 206) Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012.

Title III: Strengthening Federal Leadership
 - (Sec. 301) Requires the Director to identify incentives to encourage the use of green buildings and related technology in the operations of the federal government, including recognition awards and financial incentives.

(Sec. 302) Requires the Director of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy to: (1) promulgate regulations directing federal procurement executives involved in the construction or renovation of federal facilities to adopt specified conservation measures; and (2) issue guidance to such executives on the design and renovation of federal facilities.

(Sec. 303) Requires the Comptroller General to conduct periodic audits to assess the implementation of this Act and report on the results of such audits to the Office, the Green Building Advisory Committee, and the Administrator of GSA. 

Requires the Director of the Office of High-Performance Green Buildings to assist in the implementation of the Environmental Stewardship Scorecard for measuring federal agency implementation of sustainable design and green building initiatives.

(Sec. 304) Establishes a water flow requirement for certain federal development or redevelopment projects.

Title IV: Demonstration Project
 - (Sec. 401) Requires the Director to: (1) establish guidelines to implement a demonstration project to contribute to the research goals of the Office; (2) carry out three such high-performance green building demonstration projects using specified criteria; and (3) make annual reports to the Administrator of GSA through FY2013 on project status and findings. Authorizes appropriations for FY2008-FY2012.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 533.
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-241.
action_date: 2007-12-12
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Reported by Senator Boxer with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 110-241.
action_date: 2007-06-06
text: Committee on Environment and Public Works. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1645-1648)
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1644-1645)
action_date: 2007-02-06
text: Introduced in Senate