[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 22 (Tuesday, February 6, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1643-S1648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself, Ms. Snowe, and Mrs. Boxer):
  S. 506. A bill to improve efficiency in the Federal Government 
through the use of high-performance green buildings, and for other 
purposes; to the committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined by my 
colleagues, Senators Snowe and Boxer, to introduce the High Performance 
Green Buildings Act. This legislation encourages the government to 
improve the energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and environmental 
impacts of our Nation's Federal buildings, and will reenergize and 
focus the Federal Government's leadership and commitment on this issue.
  Buildings in the United States have an enormous impact on the 
environment and also on our overall energy situation. According to the 
Department of Energy, buildings in the United States use almost 40 
percent of the total energy consumed in this country. That figure is 
expected to rise to 53 percent by 2030, meaning that over half of the 
energy consumed in this country will be used by buildings alone. In 
addition, buildings are the source of 35 percent of national carbon 
dioxide emissions, 49 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions, and 25 
percent of nitrogen oxide emissions.
  However, the impact of buildings is even broader than that. Americans 
spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors and the quality of 
the air they breathe can have an impact on their health, as well as 
work productivity and absenteeism. The U.S. Green Buildings Council, a 
national non-profit, indicates that on average, installing high 
performance lighting enhances worker productivity by 6.7 percent. There 
are also numerous sources of indoor air pollutants, ranging from mold 
to radon, and strong building design that considers ventilation can 
help to remedy these potential health problems.

[[Page S1645]]

  It is important that we confront these issues, and our legislation 
does just that. High Performance Green Buildings are designed with the 
impact on occupants, surroundings and energy consumption in mind. 
Buildings designed or renovated on these merits save money, have 
healthier occupants, and have a more positive impact on their 
communities.
  While the initial investment cost of green buildings may be higher 
than a traditional building, many of these costs are recouped over 
time. For instance, the Federal government spends about $170 million 
per year on the lighting of federal buildings; using new lighting 
technology can reduce energy use by 50 to 75 percent. Some estimates 
show that the payback time for energy efficient lighting is as little 
as four months.
  The High Performance Green Buildings Act focuses the Federal 
Government's efforts on promoting sustainable design in federal 
buildings, and realizing the economic benefits associated with reduced 
energy use and increased occupant health. It creates an Office of High 
Performance Green Buildings within the General Services Administration 
(GSA), which manages buildings owned or leased by the Federal 
Government. GSA is the largest ``landlord'' in the country the 
government owns or leases nearly 500,000 buildings in the United 
States, covering 3.1 billion square feet. The new Office will promote 
public outreach, focus ongoing research and development, and create an 
Advisory Committee consisting of Agency representatives and experts 
from various sectors, to improve coordination across Federal Government 
agencies and bring best practices to the Federal government.
  Additionally, the High Performance Green Buildings Act provides 
grants to schools, in consultation with the Environmental Protection 
Agency and the Department of Education, to provide technical assistance 
to address environmental and health concerns. The health of our 
children is our primary concern and this legislation takes important 
steps to ensure their well-being.
  It is clear that having sustainable design in our buildings is smart 
public policy and a wise financial investment, and this bill will allow 
the Federal Government to increase its leadership role on the promotion 
of green buildings. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
  I ask unanimous consent that the full text of the bill be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 506

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``High-
     Performance Green Buildings Act of 2007''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act 
     is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.

          TITLE I--OFFICE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILDINGS

Sec. 101. Oversight.
Sec. 102. Office of High-Performance Green Buildings.
Sec. 103. Green Building Advisory Committee.
Sec. 104. Public outreach.
Sec. 105. Research and development.
Sec. 106. Budget and life-cycle costing and contracting.
Sec. 107. Authorization of appropriations.

               TITLE II--HEALTHY HIGH-PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS

Sec. 201. Definition of high-performance school.
Sec. 202. Grants for healthy school environments.
Sec. 203. Model guidelines for siting of school facilities.
Sec. 204. Public outreach.
Sec. 205. Environmental health program.
Sec. 206. Authorization of appropriations.

              TITLE III--STRENGTHENING FEDERAL LEADERSHIP

Sec. 301. Incentives.
Sec. 302. Federal procurement.
Sec. 303. Federal green building performance.

                    TITLE IV--DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Sec. 401. Coordination of goals.
Sec. 402. Authorization of appropriations.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
     Administrator of General Services.
       (2) Committee.--The term ``Committee'' means the Green 
     Building Advisory Committee established under section 103(a).
       (3) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the individual 
     appointed to the position established under section 101(a).
       (4) Federal facility.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``Federal facility'' means any 
     building or facility the intended use of which requires the 
     building or facility to be--
       (i) accessible to the public; and
       (ii) constructed or altered by or on behalf of the United 
     States.
       (B) Exclusions.--The term ``Federal facility'' does not 
     include a privately-owned residential 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 material 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 acoustic environments that affect occupant 
     health and productivity;
       (iii) improves indoor and outdoor impacts of the building 
     on human health and the environment;
       (iv) increases the use of environmentally preferable 
     products, including biobased, recycled content, and nontoxic 
     products with lower life-cycle impacts;
       (v) increases reuse and recycling opportunities; 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, maintenance, renovation, 
     deconstruction or demolition, 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 performance of a product or 
     service over the life of the product or service, beginning at 
     raw materials acquisition and continuing through 
     manufacturing, transportation, 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), replacements, 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 
     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 Office of High-
     Performance Green Buildings established under section 102(a).

          TITLE I--OFFICE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILDINGS

     SEC. 101. 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 career-
     reserved Senior Executive service, to--
       (1) establish and manage the Office in accordance with 
     section 102; and
       (2) carry out other duties as required under this Act.
       (b) Compensation.--The compensation of the Director 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.

     SEC. 102. OFFICE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILDINGS.

       (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 Environmental Executive;
       (C) the Office of Federal Procurement Policy;
       (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 Director considers 
     to be appropriate;
       (2) establish a senior-level green building advisory 
     committee, which shall provide advice and recommendations in 
     accordance with section 103;

[[Page S1646]]

       (3) identify and biennially reassess improved or higher 
     rating standards recommended by the Committee;
       (4) establish a national high-performance green building 
     clearinghouse in accordance with section 104, 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 development 
     information relating to high-performance green building 
     initiatives under section 105;
       (6) identify and develop green building standards that 
     could be used for all types of Federal facilities in 
     accordance with section 105;
       (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 recommendations to 
     Congress, in accordance with section 106; and
       (9) complete and submit the report described in subsection 
     (c).
       (c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and biennially thereafter, the 
     Director shall submit to Congress a report that--
       (1) describes the status of the green building initiatives 
     under this Act and other Federal programs in effect as of the 
     date of the report, including--
       (A) the extent to which the programs are being carried out 
     in accordance with this Act; and
       (B) the status of funding requests and appropriations for 
     those programs;
       (2) identifies within the planning, budgeting, and 
     construction process all types of Federal facility procedures 
     that inhibit new and existing Federal facilities from 
     becoming high-performance green buildings as measured by--
       (A) a silver rating, as defined by the Leadership in Energy 
     and Environmental Design Building Rating System standard 
     established by the United States Green Building Council (or 
     an equivalent rating obtained through a comparable system); 
     or
       (B) an improved or higher rating standard, as identified by 
     the Committee;
       (3) identifies inconsistencies, as reported to the 
     Committee, in Federal law with respect to product acquisition 
     guidelines and high-performance product guidelines;
       (4) recommends language for uniform standards for use by 
     Federal agencies in environmentally responsible acquisition;
       (5) in coordination with the Office of Management 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 budget-related 
     decisions while simultaneously incorporating 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 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 initiatives, including 
     Executive orders, policies, or laws adopted promoting green 
     building (including the status 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 recommendation, described in 
     paragraphs (1) through (6).
       (d) Implementation.--The Office shall carry out each plan 
     for implementation of recommendations under subsection 
     (c)(7).

     SEC. 103. GREEN BUILDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

       (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish 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 102(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;
       (ii) independent green building associations or councils;
       (iii) building experts, including architects, material 
     suppliers, and construction contractors;
       (iv) security advisors focusing on national security needs, 
     natural disasters, and other dire emergency situations; and
       (v) environmental health experts, including those with 
     experience in children's health.
       (2) Non-federal members.--The total number of non-Federal 
     members on the Committee at any time shall not exceed 15.
       (c) Meetings.--The Director shall establish a regular 
     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 Act, including such recommendations relating to 
     Federal activities carried out under sections 104 through 106 
     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.).

     SEC. 104. 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 Government-wide 
     by--
       (1) establishing and maintaining a national high-
     performance green building clearinghouse, including 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 nongovernmental and 
     nonprofit entities and organizations); and
       (iv) other relevant organizations, including those from 
     other countries;
       (2) identifying and recommending educational resources for 
     implementing high-performance green building practices, 
     including security and emergency benefits and practices;
       (3) providing access to technical assistance on using tools 
     and resources to make more cost-effective, energy-efficient, 
     health-protective, and environmentally beneficial decisions 
     for constructing high-performance green buildings, including 
     tools available to conduct life-cycle costing and life-cycle 
     assessment;
       (4) providing information on application processes for 
     certifying a high-performance green building, including 
     certification and commissioning;
       (5) providing technical information, market research, 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. 105. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) Establishment.--The Director, in coordination with the 
     Committee, shall--
       (1)(A) survey existing research and studies relating to 
     high-performance green buildings; and
       (B) coordinate activities of common interest;
       (2) develop and recommend a high-performance green building 
     research plan that--
       (A) identifies information and research needs, including 
     the relationships between human health, occupant 
     productivity, and each of--
       (i) emissions from materials and products in the building;
       (ii) natural day lighting;
       (iii) ventilation choices and technologies;
       (iv) heating, cooling, and system control 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 performance of occupants of the building; 
     and
       (B) promotes the development and dissemination 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 demonstration projects) built as high-
     performance green buildings; and
       (ii) to perform life-cycle assessments;
       (3) assist the budget and life-cycle costing functions of 
     the Office under section 106;
       (4) study and identify potential benefits of green 
     buildings relating to security, natural disaster, and 
     emergency needs of the Federal Government; and
       (5) support other research initiatives determined by the 
     Office.
       (b) Indoor Air Quality.--The Director, in consultation with 
     the Committee, shall develop and carry out a comprehensive 
     indoor air quality program for all Federal facilities to 
     ensure the safety of Federal workers and facility occupants--
       (1) during new construction and renovation of facilities; 
     and
       (2) in existing facilities.

     SEC. 106. BUDGET AND LIFE-CYCLE COSTING AND CONTRACTING.

       (a) Establishment.--The Director, in coordination with the 
     Committee, shall--
       (1) identify, review, and analyze current budget and 
     contracting practices that affect achievement of high-
     performance green buildings, including the identification of 
     barriers to green building life-cycle costing and budgetary 
     issues;
       (2) develop guidance and conduct training sessions with 
     budget specialists and contracting personnel from Federal 
     agencies and budget examiners to apply life-cycle cost 
     criteria to actual projects;
       (3) identify tools to aid life-cycle cost decisionmaking; 
     and

[[Page S1647]]

       (4) explore the feasibility of incorporating the benefits 
     of green buildings, such as security benefits, into a cost-
     budget analysis to aid in life-cycle costing for budget and 
     decision making processes.

     SEC. 107. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     title $4,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012, 
     to remain available until expended.

               TITLE II--HEALTHY HIGH-PERFORMANCE SCHOOLS

     SEC. 201. DEFINITION OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE SCHOOL.

       In this title, the term ``high-performance school'' has the 
     meaning given the term ``healthy, high-performance school 
     building'' in section 5586 of the Elementary and Secondary 
     Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7277e).

     SEC. 202. GRANTS FOR HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS.

       The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
     in consultation with the Secretary of Education, may provide 
     grants to qualified State agencies for use in--
       (1) providing technical assistance for programs of the 
     Environmental Protection Agency (including the Tools for 
     Schools Program and the Healthy School Environmental 
     Assessment Tool) to schools for use in addressing 
     environmental issues; and
       (2) development of State school environmental quality plans 
     that include--
       (A) standards for school building design, construction, and 
     renovation; and
       (B) identification of ongoing school building environmental 
     problems in the State and recommended solutions to address 
     those problems, including assessment of information on the 
     exposure of children to environmental hazards in school 
     facilities.

     SEC. 203. MODEL GUIDELINES FOR SITING OF SCHOOL FACILITIES.

       The Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
     in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the 
     Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall develop school 
     site selection guidelines that account for--
       (1) the special vulnerability of children to hazardous 
     substances or pollution exposures in any case in which the 
     potential for contamination at a potential school site 
     exists;
       (2) modes of transportation available to students and 
     staff; and
       (3) the potential use of a school at the site as an 
     emergency shelter.

     SEC. 204. PUBLIC OUTREACH.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency shall provide to the Director information 
     relating to all activities carried out under this title, 
     which the Director shall include in the report described in 
     section 102(c).
       (b) Public Outreach.--The Director shall ensure, to the 
     maximum extent practicable, that the public clearinghouse 
     established under section 104 receives and makes available 
     information on the exposure of children to environmental 
     hazards in school facilities, as provided by the 
     Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

     SEC. 205. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency, in consultation with the Secretary of 
     Education, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and 
     other relevant agencies, shall issue guidelines for use by 
     the State in developing and implementing an environmental 
     health program for schools that--
       (1) takes into account the status and findings of Federal 
     research initiatives established under this Act and other 
     relevant Federal law with respect to school facilities, 
     including relevant updates on trends in the field, such as 
     the impact of school facility environments on student and 
     staff--
       (A) health, safety, and productivity; and
       (B) disabilities or special needs;
       (2) provides research using relevant tools identified or 
     developed in accordance with section 105(a) to quantify the 
     relationships between--
       (A) human health, occupant productivity, and student 
     performance; and
       (B) with respect to school facilities, each of--
       (i) pollutant emissions from materials and products;
       (ii) natural day lighting;
       (iii) ventilation choices and technologies;
       (iv) heating and cooling 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 performance of occupants of the school 
     facilities;
       (3) provides technical assistance on siting, design, 
     management, and operation of school facilities, including 
     facilities used by students with disabilities or special 
     needs;
       (4) collaborates with federally funded pediatric 
     environmental health centers to assist in on-site school 
     environmental investigations;
       (5) assists States and the public in better understanding 
     and improving the environmental health of children; and
       (6) provides to the Office a biennial report of all 
     activities carried out under this title, which the Director 
     shall include in the report described in section 102(c).
       (b) Public Outreach.--The Director shall ensure, to the 
     maximum extent practicable, that the public clearinghouse 
     established under section 104 receives and makes available--
       (1) information from the Administrator of the Environmental 
     Protection Agency that is contained in the report described 
     in subsection (a)(6); and
       (2) information on the exposure of children to 
     environmental hazards in school facilities, as provided by 
     the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

     SEC. 206. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     title $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 
     2012, to remain available until expended.

              TITLE III--STRENGTHENING FEDERAL LEADERSHIP

     SEC. 301. INCENTIVES.

       As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Director shall identify incentives to encourage the 
     use of green buildings and related technology in the 
     operations of the Federal Government, including through--
       (1) the provision of recognition awards; and
       (2) the maximum feasible retention of financial savings in 
     the annual budgets of Federal agencies.

     SEC. 302. FEDERAL PROCUREMENT.

       (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Federal 
     Procurement Policy, in consultation with the Director and the 
     Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and 
     Logistics, shall promulgate revisions of the applicable 
     acquisition regulations, to take effect as of the date of 
     promulgation of the revisions--
       (1) to direct any Federal procurement executives involved 
     in the acquisition, construction, or major renovation 
     (including contracting for the construction or major 
     renovation) of any facility, to the maximum extent 
     practicable--
       (A) to employ integrated design principles;
       (B) to optimize building and systems energy performance;
       (C) to protect and conserve water;
       (D) to enhance indoor environmental quality; and
       (E) to reduce environmental impacts of materials and waste 
     flows; and
       (2) to direct Federal procurement executives involved in 
     leasing buildings, to give preference to the lease of 
     facilities that, to the maximum extent practicable--
       (A) are energy-efficient; and
       (B) have applied contemporary high-performance and 
     sustainable design principles during construction or 
     renovation.
       (b) Guidance.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     promulgation of the revised regulations under subsection (a), 
     the Director shall issue guidance to all Federal procurement 
     executives providing direction and the option to renegotiate 
     the design of proposed facilities, renovations for existing 
     facilities, and leased facilities to incorporate improvements 
     that are consistent with this section.

     SEC. 303. FEDERAL GREEN BUILDING PERFORMANCE.

       (a) In General.--Not later than October 31 of each of the 2 
     fiscal years following the fiscal year in which this Act is 
     enacted, and at such times thereafter as the Comptroller 
     General of the United States determines to be appropriate, 
     the Comptroller General of the United States shall, with 
     respect to the fiscal years that have passed since the 
     preceding report--
       (1) conduct an audit of the implementation of this Act; and
       (2) submit to the Office, the Committee, the Administrator, 
     and Congress a report describing the results of the audit.
       (b) Contents.--An audit under subsection (a) shall include 
     a review, with respect to the period covered by the report 
     under subsection (a)(2), of--
       (1) budget, life-cycle costing, and contracting issues, 
     using best practices identified by the Comptroller General of 
     the United States and heads of other agencies in accordance 
     with section 106;
       (2) the level of coordination among the Office, the Office 
     of Management and Budget, and relevant agencies;
       (3) the performance of the Office in carrying out the 
     implementation plan;
       (4) the design stage of high-performance green building 
     measures;
       (5) high-performance building data that were collected and 
     reported to the Office; and
       (6) such other matters as the Comptroller General of the 
     United States determines to be appropriate.
       (c) Environmental Stewardship Scorecard.--The Director 
     shall consult with the Committee to enhance, and assist in 
     the implementation of, the Environmental Stewardship 
     Scorecard announced at the White House summit on Federal 
     sustainable buildings in January 2006, to measure the 
     implementation by each Federal agency of sustainable design 
     and green building initiatives.

                    TITLE IV--DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

     SEC. 401. COORDINATION OF GOALS.

       (a) In General.--The Director shall establish guidelines to 
     implement a demonstration project to contribute to the 
     research goals of the Office.
       (b) Projects.--
       (1) In general.--In accordance with guidelines established 
     by the Director under subsection (a) and the duties of the 
     Director described in title I, the Director shall carry out 3 
     demonstration projects.

[[Page S1648]]

       (2) Location of projects.--Each project carried out under 
     paragraph (1) shall be located in a Federal building in a 
     State recommended by the Director in accordance with 
     subsection (c).
       (3) Requirements.--Each project carried out under paragraph 
     (1) shall--
       (A) provide for the evaluation of the information obtained 
     through the conduct of projects and activities under this 
     Act; and
       (B) achieve a platinum rating, as defined by the Leadership 
     in Energy and Environmental Design Building Rating System 
     standard established by the United States Green Building 
     Council (or an equivalent rating obtained through a 
     comparable system).
       (c) Criteria.--With respect to the existing or proposed 
     Federal facility at which a demonstration project under this 
     section is conducted, the Federal facility shall--
       (1) be an appropriate model for a project relating to--
       (A) the effectiveness of high-performance technologies;
       (B) analysis of materials, components, and systems, 
     including the impact on the health of building occupants;
       (C) life-cycle costing and life-cycle assessment of 
     building materials and systems; and
       (D) location and design that promote access to the Federal 
     facility through walking, biking, and mass transit; and
       (2) possess sufficient technological and organizational 
     adaptability.
       (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through 
     September 30, 2013, the Director shall submit to the 
     Administrator a report that describes the status of and 
     findings regarding the demonstration project.

     SEC. 402. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the 
     Federal demonstration project described in section 401(b) 
     $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2012, 
     to remain available until expended.
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