§ 17081 — Commercial High-performance Green Buildings

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, shall appoint a Director of Commercial High-Performance Green Buildings to a position in the career-reserved Senior Executive service, with the principal responsibility to— (1) establish and manage the Office of Commercial High-Performance Green Buildings; and (2) carry out other duties as required under this part. (b) The Commercial Director shall be an individual, who by reason of professional background and experience, is specifically qualified to carry out the duties required under this part. (c) The Commercial Director shall, with respect to development of high-performance green buildings and zero-energy commercial buildings nationwide— (1) coordinate the activities of the Office of Commercial High-Performance Green Buildings with the activities of the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings; (2) develop the legal predicates and agreements for, negotiate, and establish one or more public-private partnerships with the Consortium, members of the Consortium, and other capable parties meeting the qualifications of the Consortium, to further such development; (3) represent the public and the Department in negotiating and performing in accord with such public-private partnerships; (4) use appropriated funds in an effective manner to encourage the maximum investment of private funds to achieve such development; (5) promote research and development of high-performance green buildings, consistent with section 17083 of this title; and (6) jointly establish with the Federal Director a national high-performance green building clearinghouse in accordance with section 17083(1) of this title, which shall provide high-performance green building information and disseminate research results through— (A) outreach; (B) education; and (C) the provision of technical assistance. (d) The Commercial Director shall report directly to the Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, or to other senior officials in a way that facilitates the integrated program of this part for both energy efficiency and renewable energy and both technology development and technology deployment. (e) The Commercial Director shall ensure full coordination of high-performance green building information and activities, including activities under this part, within the Federal Government by working with the General Services Administration and all relevant agencies, including, at a minimum— (1) the Environmental Protection Agency; (2) the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive; (3) the Office of Federal Procurement Policy; (4) the Department of Energy, particularly the Federal Energy Management Program; (5) the Department of Health and Human Services; (6) the Department of Housing and Urban Development; (7) the Department of Defense; (8) the National Institute of Standards and Technology; (9) the Department of Transportation; (10) the Office of Science Technology and Policy; and (11) such nonprofit high-performance green building rating and analysis entities as the Commercial Director determines can offer support, expertise, and review services. (1) Not later than 90 days after December 19, 2007, the Commercial Director shall formally recognize one or more groups that qualify as a high-performance green building partnership consortium. (2) To qualify under this section, any consortium shall include representation from— (A) the design professions, including national associations of architects and of professional engineers; (B) the development, construction, financial, and real estate industries; (C) building owners and operators from the public and private sectors; (D) academic and research organizations, including at least one national laboratory with extensive commercial building energy expertise; (E) building code agencies and organizations, including a model energy code-setting organization; (F) independent high-performance green building associations or councils; (G) experts in indoor air quality and environmental factors; (H) experts in intelligent buildings and integrated building information systems; (I) utility energy efficiency programs; (J) manufacturers and providers of equipment and techniques used in high-performance green buildings; (K) public transportation industry experts; and (L) nongovernmental energy efficiency organizations. (3) The Secretary may make payments to the Consortium pursuant to the terms of a public-private partnership for such activities of the Consortium undertaken under such a partnership as described in this part directly to the Consortium or through one or more of its members. (g) Not later than 2 years after December 19, 2007, and biennially thereafter, the Commercial Director, in consultation with the Consortium, shall submit to Congress a report that— (1) describes the status of the high-performance green building initiatives under this part and other Federal programs affecting commercial high-performance green buildings 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 part; and (B) the status of funding requests and appropriations for those programs; and (2) summarizes and highlights development, at the State and local level, of high-performance green building initiatives, including executive orders, policies, or laws adopted promoting high-performance green building (including the status of implementation of those initiatives).