The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SUPPORTING HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING WEEK” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H4647-H4649 on June 22, 2010.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORTING HIGH-PERFORMANCE BUILDING WEEK
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1407) supporting the goals and ideals of High-
Performance Building Week.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1407
Whereas the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition has declared the week of June 13 through June 19, 2010, 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;
Whereas the construction of buildings and their related infrastructure consumes 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 the value of all United States construction alone represents more than 13 percent of the Nation's Gross Domestic Product and the value of the Nation's structures is estimated at over $28 trillion;
Whereas poor indoor environmental quality is detrimental to the health of all Americans, especially our children and the 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;
Whereas nearly 7,500,000 Americans are employed in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance sectors and require education and training to achieve and maintain high performance; 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 and water 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-Performance Building Week;
(2) recognizes and reaffirms our Nation's commitment to high-performance buildings by promoting awareness about their benefits and by promoting new education programs, supporting research, and expanding access to information;
(3) recognizes the unique role that the Department of Energy plays through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Building Technologies Program, 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 developing the measurement science needed to develop, test, integrate, and demonstrate the new building technologies; and
(5) encourages further research and development of high-performance building standards, research, and development.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) and the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 1407, the resolution now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 1407, supporting the goals and ideals of High-Performance Building Week.
In 2008, my colleague Representative Judy Biggert and I came together to form the bipartisan High-Performance Buildings Caucus. We both recognized that any conversation about our energy future and the creation of clean-energy jobs must involve our built environment. Investing in building energy-efficiency measures is the most immediate and effective way to reduce carbon pollution, lower energy demand, create good clean-energy jobs, and save American families and businesses money.
The built environment has a larger impact on the overall environment than many think. Each year, our homes, offices, schools, and other buildings account for about 40 percent of our total energy consumption. They consume 70 percent of all electricity from the grid, 60 percent of all raw materials, and 12 percent of all potable water in the United States alone. Through more efficient building practices and new technologies, we are beginning to address these problems in our built environment, but there is still much more to do.
I am a strong advocate of increasing the number of high-performance building technologies and construction throughout the U.S. A high-
performance building is one that incorporates an entire-systems approach to building which includes energy and water efficiencies, lifecycle cost analysis, and other environmental attributes into designs that are accessible, secure, resilient, and in many cases, historically preserved.
{time} 1445
High-performance buildings are more important in these difficult economic times because of their reduced energy cost, higher building values, and lower overall operating and maintenance costs.
Last week, I had the opportunity to visit with many companies and manufacturers that work in this field. The majority of all building products are American-made and manufactured. This is key because here in the U.S., building construction is responsible for 15 percent of GDP per year. And according to the U.S. Green Building Council, greater building efficiency can meet 85 percent of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
The retrofitting of existing buildings or the design and construction of new high-performance buildings will have enormous impacts on the growth of our economy and securing our energy independence.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of H. Res. 1407, supporting the goals and ideals of High-Performance Building Week. The congressional High-
Performance Buildings Caucus declared the week of June 13 through June 19 High-Performance Building Week in order to support and foster the engineering and innovation required for the construction of high-
performance buildings.
High-performance buildings seek to address human, environmental, and economic issues inherent in the development process through the application of the highest level of design, construction, operation, and maintenance principles. These buildings can effectively guard against natural and human-caused events and disasters, including fire, flood, wind, noise, crime, and terrorism. When high-performance standards are used in schools, they also promote higher student achievement with better lighting, a more comfortable indoor environment, and improved ventilation and indoor quality.
Nearly 7.5 million Americans are employed in building design, construction, operation, and maintenance. These professions require high levels of education and training, the need for which will only intensify as the number of high-performance buildings increases. The resolution before us today seeks to promote awareness of the benefits of high-performance buildings and to illustrate continued support for research, education, and access to information in these areas.
We also recognize the important roles the Department of Energy and the National Institute of Standards and Technology play in developing the science necessary to create, test, integrate, and demonstrate new building technologies. Moreover, we recognize the innovative spirit and commitment of Americans to achieving excellence in this field. Our Nation's economy faces a number of obstacles, and we recognize the importance of construction and the value of every job created and maintained by this sector of our economy.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution honoring the goals and ideals of High-Performance Building Week.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to join my colleagues in designating the week of June 13th as High-Performance Building Week. Green buildings present an important opportunity: we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, help people lead healthier, more productive lives, and spur vital economic development through retrofitting, redevelopment and new development of high performing buildings.
As I travel around the country, I have seen the importance of green buildings in communities everywhere. People are realizing that not only do green buildings decrease long term maintenance and utility costs, improve the health of their residents and workers and reduce our impact on the environment, they play an important role in spurring economic development and centering livable communities.
I am particularly excited by the work of Mr. Anthony Malkin, who is taking on the bold and visionary plan of retrofitting the Empire State Building. When it was built, the Empire State Building marked the beginning of a new era in American cities. It's a testament to the pioneering American spirit that we're taking what was a 20th century engineering marvel and turning it into an example of what is revolutionary and necessary in the 21st century. By the time Mr. Malkin and his team are done, the Empire State Building tenants will use 49 percent less energy and provide a cleaner, healthier space for all who work there. I'm glad to see that this American landmark will help lead the way to a cleaner, greener economy.
I can't talk about the green economy without discussing what's happening in my hometown of Portland, Oregon. Officials there are currently finalizing designs and plans for one of the first major living buildings. The Oregon Sustainability Center will be net zero for both energy and water, will be built and operated without using any toxic chemicals common to building materials, and will source materials and workforce from the local area. It will serve as a collaborative hub for Oregon's sustainability industry, encouraging collaboration between organizations, local governments and research facilities, and will show the rest of America showing what's possible. The Oregon Sustainability Center will be the first of the next generation in high performance buildings and I am proud that Portland is leading the way.
I am proud to support this resolution today and hope that my colleagues will join me.
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for H. Res. 1407, which enumerates the ideas and goals of High-
Performance Building Week. The High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition has designated the week of June 13 through June 19, 2010, as ``High-Performance Building Week,'' in recognition of the importance of efficient, green building technology in our quest for energy independence. I believe consideration of the environmental impact of each of our buildings is vital to the future of American society, and I agree with the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition on the need for awareness of the benefits of high-
performance construction.
As a Georgia representative, I am proud of the leadership our universities and agencies have shown in the national movement toward environmental responsibility. Several of Atlanta's foremost institutions are stellar examples of American excellence in high-
performance building. Emory University's Whitehead Biomedical Research Building was the first building in the southeast to be certified as green. With a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating of Silver from the U.S. Green Building Council, the Whitehead Research Building uses high-performance technologies, such as rainwater harvesting, to operate its 150 laboratories. This building marked the inception of Emory's policy of requiring all newly constructed buildings to obtain a minimum LEED rating of Silver.
Also located in Atlanta are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose Division of Laboratory Science in 2005 became the first U.S. government building to receive a LEED Gold certification. Its unique sun-shade structure takes in light and reflects it throughout the building, while simultaneously time blocking solar heat. Aside from the dozens of technological innovations the building boasts, its green design solutions have also saved the CDC an estimated $1 million in annual operating costs. I am excited about the leaps in the science of high-performance building we have seen in my State and across the country over the past decade, and applaud the designation of High-Performance Building Week as I look forward to the bright future of environmentally-friendly construction.
I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Carnahan) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1407.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________
