[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15841-15842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-6948]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology


BEES Please

ACTION: Proposed collection; Comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506c(2)(A).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 21, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, 
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
6086, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Barbara C. Lippiatt, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8603, 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8603.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    Over the last six years, the Building and Fire Research Laboratory 
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has 
developed and automated an approach for measuring the life-cycle 
environmental and economic performance of building products. Known as 
BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability), the tool 
reduces complex, science-based technical content (e.g., up to 400 
material and energy flows from raw material extraction through product 
disposal) to decision-enabling results and delivers them in a visually 
intuitive graphical format. BEES Please is a voluntary program to 
collect data from building product manufacturers so that the 
environmental performance of their products may be evaluated 
scientifically using BEES.
    NIST will publish in BEES an aggregated version of the data 
collected from manufacturers that protects data confidentiality, 
subject to

[[Page 15842]]

manufacturer's review and approval. BEES measures environmental 
performance using the environmental life-cycle assessment approach 
specified in the ISO 14040 series of standards. All stages in the life 
of a product are analyzed: raw material acquisition, manufacture, 
transportation, installation, use, and recycling and waste management. 
Economic performance is measured using the American Society for Testing 
and Materials (ASTM) standard life-cycle cost method, which covers the 
costs of initial investment, replacement, operation, maintenance and 
repair, and disposal. Environmental and economic performance are 
combined into an overall performance measure using the ASTM standard 
for Multi-Attribute Decision Analysis.

II. Method of Collection

    Data on materials use, energy consumption, waste, and environmental 
releases will be collected using an electronic, MS Excel-based 
questionnaire. An electronic, MS Word-based User Manual accompanies the 
questionnaire to help in its completion.

III. Data

    OMB Number: None.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 90.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 62.5 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1875 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to the Public: $0 (no capital 
expenditures required).

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to the notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of the information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 15, 2001.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-6948 Filed 3-20-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P