President Obama is seeking funding increases for many federal programs that are designed to promote green construction. Among the agencies that would receive funding for their efforts to promote green buildings in fiscal 2011 are the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and U.S. General Services Administration (GSA).

DOE's Building Technologies Program (BTP)

Earlier this month, Obama proposed a FY'11 DOE Building Technologies Program (BTP) budget of $230.698 million, an increase of $8.698 million over the FY'10 appropriation of $222 million. The mission of BTP is to "change the landscape of energy demand in homes and buildings" through energy productivity and increased use of "clean, secure energy, which will lower greenhouse gas emissions, foster economic prosperity, and increase national energy security."

BTP Residential Buildings Integration

Within the FY'11 budget for BTP, there would be $39 million for Residential Buildings Integration (RBI), a slight drop-off from the $40 million enacted for the current fiscal year. The long-term goal of the RBI subprogram is to develop cost-effective, production-ready systems in five major climate zones that result in houses producing as much energy as they use on an annual basis.

Toward this end, DOE intends to develop integrated, cost-effective whole-building strategies to reduce the energy consumption of residential buildings by 70 percent compared to the Building America benchmark and provide energy for the remaining 30 percent through the use of integrated onsite power systems.

RBI's Building America activity demonstrates strategies to achieve a zero energy home on a production basis by building community subdivisions that will reduce whole-house energy use in new homes by an average of 50 percent by 2015 and 70 percent by 2020 compared to the Building America benchmark.

BTP Commercial Buildings Integration

Within BTP, Obama also wants $39 million for FY'11 Commercial Buildings Integration, the same as this year's funding level for the subprogram. In support of this effort, DOE is implementing a comprehensive program to achieve the goals of its Net-Zero Energy Commercial Building Initiative. These goals are to develop and establish net zero energy commercial buildings for the following: any commercial building newly constructed in the U.S. by 2030; 50 percent of the commercial building stock of the U.S. by 2040; and all commercial buildings in the U.S. by 2050.

The comprehensive program may include the following activities:

• Research and development on building science, design, materials, components, equipment and controls, operation and other practices, integration, energy use measurement, and benchmarking.
• Pilot programs and demonstration projects to evaluate replicable approaches to achieving energy-efficient commercial buildings for various building types in several climate zones.
• Deployment, dissemination, and technical assistance activities to encourage widespread adoption of technologies, practices, and policies to achieve energy-efficient commercial buildings.
• Other research, development, and deployment activities necessary to achieve each goal of the initiative.
• Development of training materials and courses for building professionals on achieving cost-effectiveness of high-performance energy-efficient buildings.
• Support of code-setting organizations and state and local governments in developing minimum performance standards in building codes that recognize the ready availability of many technologies used in high-performance energy-efficient buildings.
• Development of strategies for overcoming the split incentives between builders and purchasers, and landlords and tenants to ensure that energy efficiency and high-performance investments are cost-effective on a lifecycle basis.
• Development of improved means of measurement and verification of energy savings and performance for public dissemination.

"By the end of FY'11, Commercial Buildings Integration research and development activities, in collaboration with industry, will develop, document, and disseminate a complete set of 16 technology packages that provide builders energy-efficient options to meet their complex performance demands," according to DOE. "These packages will enable the achievement of a 30 percent (12 packages) or 50 percent (four packages) reduction in the purchased energy use in new, small-to-medium-sized commercial buildings relative to American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 90.1-2004.

"Commercial Buildings Integration will also complete five retrofit and five new commercial buildings case studies (that achieve at least 30 percent and 50 percent increase, respectively, in energy efficiency relative to the ASHRAE 90.1-2004 benchmark) with a payback of five years or less. These activities and outputs lead directly to decreased energy use in commercial buildings and reduced energy bills for American businesses with direct benefits to the U.S. economy."

BTP Emerging Technologies

Also within the proposed FY'11 BTP budget, there would be $92.698 million for the Emerging Technologies subprogram compared to $86 million in FY'10. The long-term goal of the subprogram is to develop cost-effective, advanced technologies -- such as lighting, windows, and space heating and cooling -- for commercial and residential buildings. Research focuses on developing technologies to support the residential and commercial building goal of reducing total energy use in buildings by up to 70 percent.

BTP is analyzing technology advancement in areas that will be required to reach zero-energy-building goals and is using this analysis to inform the continued direction of the program and corresponding funding needs. When coupled with research to integrate onsite renewable energy supply systems into commercial and residential buildings, the improvement in component and system energy efficiency will establish the technologies from which to package marketable net-zero-energy designs.

The Emerging Technologies subprogram focuses on the following areas:

• Lighting Research and Development (R&D). Solid state lighting (SSL) with long-term efficiencies with the technical potential to approach 200 lumens per watt compared to most conventional technologies with maximum efficiencies of 85-115 lumens per watt.
• Space Conditioning and Refrigeration R&D. Heating and cooling systems with the technical potential to reduce annual heating, ventilation, and cooling, dehumidification, and water heating energy consumption by 80 percent aligned with advanced technology performance requirements of the RBI subprogram.
• Building Envelope R&D. Advanced windows that incorporate advanced insulation materials and dynamic solar control, which have the potential to become net energy producers in many climates by harvesting passive heating while reducing peak cooling loads.
• Analysis Tool. Rating and simulation tools, such as EnergyPlus, with full capabilities to model whole-building integration of emerging energy-efficiency technologies and renewable energy systems into building design and operation.
• Solar Heating and Cooling. Technologies to support the thermal energy needs of a zero energy building, such as building end uses that can be met by solar-thermal technologies, including domestic water heating, space heating, and space cooling.
• Energy Innovation Hub -- Energy-Efficient Building Systems Design. Integrating smart materials, designs, and systems to tune building functionality for increased conservation of energy and well-managed usage of lighting, heating, air-conditioning, and electricity.

Obama predicted that Emerging Technologies activities will accelerate the introduction of highly efficient technologies and practices for new and existing commercial and residential buildings.

"Without advanced components and subsystems, such as SSL technologies developed in Emerging Technologies activities, the goal of zero energy buildings will not be met," DOE stated.

BTP Technology Validation and Market Introduction

Obama proposed $20 million for BTP's Technology Validation and Market Introduction budget for FY'11, which would be $2 million less than the FY'10 enacted level. This subprogram is designed to accelerate the adoption of "clean and efficient" domestic energy technologies, including Energy Star and Building Energy Codes activities.

Through its partnership with more than 7,000 private- and public-sector organizations, Energy Star is designed to deliver the technical information and tools that organizations and consumers need to choose energy-efficient solutions and best-management practices. DOE plans to continue raising the efficiency targets of Energy Star products and support program enhancements as stated in a DOE-EPA memorandum of understanding signed last fall. DOE's Energy Star team will work with EPA to promote currently labeled products.

DOE plans to deploy a two-pronged strategy to support the portfolio of existing technologies: developing and updating efficiency criteria, including Energy Star test procedures for products to keep the label relevant and meaningful in the market; and working with EPA and participating manufacturers, retailers, and energy-efficiency program sponsors on certification and product testing.

Building Energy Codes activities support upgrading building industry model energy codes and standards, and their adoption, implementation, and enforcement by state and local jurisdictions. DOE intends to support upgrading the next generation of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 codes and set "substantial" new efficiency targets. Upgrades would include performance criteria based on size, internal functions, and envelope characteristics beyond the current prescriptive criteria, permitting the next substantial increase in code stringency, according to DOE.

Obama proposed to discontinue funding for the Rebuild America and Solar Decathlon activities through the Technology, Validation, and Market Introduction subprogram.

BTP Equipment Standards and Analysis

Obama is seeking a $5-million increase for BTP Equipment Standards and Analysis subprogram, from $35 million enacted for FY'10 to $40 million in FY'11. The subprogram is designed to develop minimum energy-efficiency standards that are "technologically feasible and economically justified." For FY'11, DOE expects to continue implementing productivity enhancements, allowing multiple rulemaking activities to proceed simultaneously while "maintaining the rigorous technical and economic analysis required by statute."

"Equipment Standards and Analysis activities lead to improved efficiency of appliances and equipment by conducting analyses and developing standards that are technologically feasible and economically justified," DOE stated. "In 2011, BTP will issue 13 proposals and final rules for 11 product categories. Test procedures and energy conservation standards developed by this subprogram correlate directly to energy policy objectives such as increasing energy savings, reducing peak electricity demand, and reducing carbon emissions."

The subprogram is expected to continue ongoing rulemakings or begin rulemakings for the following product categories in FY'11: 1-500 horsepower electric motors; fluorescent lamp ballasts; clothes dryers; room air conditioners; central air conditioners and heat pumps; battery chargers; external power supplies; residential clothes washers; walk-in coolers and freezers; residential refrigerators; elliptical reflector/bulged reflector/reflector lamps; metal halide lamp fixtures; microwave ovens; commercial refrigeration equipment; furnace fans; high-intensity discharge lamps; automatic ice makers; distribution transformers; and furnaces and boilers.

EPA's Green Building Programs

Obama has requested FY'11 funding for several EPA programs that are designed, at least in part, to promote green buildings nationwide. The programs cover various facets of green buildings, including energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

Energy Efficiency Coordination/Energy Star

Obama proposed a $1.9-million increase for EPA's Energy Efficiency Coordination/Energy Star program, from $53.6 million enacted for FY'10 to $55.5 million in FY'11.

The president wants to expand the Energy Star program across the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. "Key investments in EPA's energy-efficiency programs will expand their reach and make an important contribution to advancing the administration's climate change objectives."

Clean, Green and Healthy Schools Initiative

Obama requested a $6.2-million increase to create healthier school environments for children through the Clean, Green and Healthy Schools Initiative. The program was funded at $100,000 for FY'10.

Under this program, EPA intends to co-lead an interagency effort in integrating existing school programs, including asthma, indoor air quality, chemical clean out, green practices addressing cleaning products and energy use, and enhanced use of integrated pest management.

Among other things, the program increases technical assistance on voluntary Energy Independence Security Act school siting and environmental health guidelines.

Indoor Air

Under Obama's FY'11 budget request for EPA, there would be $47.111 million for the agency's Indoor Air program, up slightly from the $45.456 million enacted for the program in FY'10. The Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory (R&IE) maintains the capacity to conduct field measurements, assessments, and technical support for indoor air quality remediation. R&IE also conducts training and provides technical support for development of tribal capacity for indoor air quality programs such as environmental asthma triggers in homes and schools, mold remediation, assessment, and characterization of sources of volatiles and intruding vapors, and monitoring and measurement techniques.

In FY'11, EPA intends to continue to support tribal capacity building by conducting in-person and online training courses on asthma and indoor air quality intervention and remediation approaches. EPA additionally plans to support tribal communities with field measurements and assessments upon request and provide technical support for indoor air quality remediation. The agency's indoor air quality technical assistance and training work primarily is focused on tribal communities.

EPA would continue to work under its long-term strategic goal for 2014 that 7.2 million people with asthma take essential actions to reduce their exposure to environmental triggers. EPA's stated goal is to motivate an additional 400,000 people with asthma to take these actions in 2011, bringing the total number to approximately 6.1 million people with asthma who are taking essential actions to reduce their exposure to environmental triggers. EPA wants to reduce existing disparities between disproportionately impacted populations and the overall population.

The agency additionally would continue to work toward its 2012 goal that 40,000 primary and secondary schools  (35 percent of schools) implement effective indoor air quality management programs that are consistent with EPA guidelines.

Radon

Obama requested  $6.076 million for EPA's FY'11 Radon Program, a slight decline from the $6.319 million enacted for the program in FY'10.

EPA's non-regulatory indoor radon program promotes actions to reduce the public's health risk from indoor air. This voluntary program promotes partnership between national organizations, the private sector, and state, local, and tribal government programs to achieve radon risk reduction.

In FY'11, EPA intends to carry out the following activities:

• Continue to partner with national- and private-sector organizations as well as state, local, and tribal government organizations to reduce radon exposure.
• Work with states, tribes, and localities to improve their radon programs to increase risk reduction.
• Continue partnerships that will make radon risk reduction a normal part of doing business in the marketplace.
• Improve scientific knowledge and technologies to support and drive "aggressive" action on radon in conjunction with partners. 

HUD's Green Building Programs

Obama is seeking $150 million for a second year of the agency's Sustainable Communities Initiative, matching the current year's enacted level.

The initiative would have four components in FY'11:

• Sustainable Communities Planning Grants administered by HUD in collaboration with EPA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The grants would catalyze the next generation of integrated metropolitan transportation, housing, land use, and energy planning using "the most sophisticated" data, analytics, and geographic information systems. These integrated plans would inform state, metropolitan, and local decisions on how and where to allocate federal, state, and local transportation, infrastructure, and housing investments.
• Sustainable Communities Challenge Grants to help localities implement Sustainable Communities Plans. These investments would provide a local complement to the regional planning initiative, enabling local and multi-jurisdictional partnerships to put in place the policies, codes, tools, and critical capital investments to achieve sustainable development patterns.
• The creation and implementation of a capacity-building program and tools clearinghouse designed to support both Sustainable Communities grantees and other communities interested in becoming more sustainable. This clearinghouse and educational program would be designed to assist various stakeholders and build the capacity of all levels of government to implement sustainable communities strategies.
• A joint HUD-DOT-EPA research effort designed to advance transportation and housing linkages on several levels. This effort would "aggressively" pursue data development, information platforms, analytic tools, and research that support HUD's mission of affordable housing and community development, DOT's mission of efficient transportation, and EPA's mission of environmentally sustainable communities, according to HUD.

HUD's collaboration with DOE

HUD intends to work with DOE to support the achievement of the president's goal of weatherizing one million homes per year by enabling the cost-effective energy retrofits of a total of 1.226 million homes in FY'10 and FY'11. Of this number, HUD would complete energy retrofits of an estimated 126,000 HUD-assisted and public housing units. Apart from HUD's joint energy retrofit goal with DOE, it plans to complete green and healthy retrofits of 33,000 housing units.

HUD believes the largest number of retrofits will be in the public housing inventory followed by the multifamily inventory as well as significant contributions through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control. About one-third of the effort would be accompanied via American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. In addition, approximately 20 percent of the units would involve green housing methodologies.

HUD stated that it is committed to creating energy-efficient housing as a part of a broader commitment to supporting the development of inclusive, sustainable communities. Obama established a goal of retrofitting one million homes per year as part of a long-term strategy to reduce the environmental impact of these buildings and reduce utility costs for owners and residents with an emphasis on the affordable housing stock serving low- and moderate-income families.

Much of HUD's own portfolio was built before the advent of energy codes and therefore does not have the level of energy efficiency that has resulted from more recent energy codes. The outdated HUD housing stock therefore has both environmental and affordability impacts. Currently, families in poverty pay $1,485 annually for energy in 2005, or 9 percent of the three-person poverty threshold while families with incomes near the median family income paid $1,924. HUD acknowledged that it has significant outlays associated with energy costs, more than $5 billion each year, both for public housing and for voucher holders.

GSA's Green Building Efforts

Obama requested $4 million for FY'11 for salaries and expenses associated with GSA's Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings. He wants permanent funding to continue the activities funded by ARRA. This office fulfills responsibilities assigned by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

The administration seeks $676.362 million in FY'11 for construction and acquisition of facilities, substantially less than the $894.037 million enacted level for FY'10. However, the repairs and alterations budget would rise from $413.776 million in FY'10 to $703.467 million in FY'11. All GSA new construction projects and substantial renovations must achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification. Projects are encouraged to exceed LEED Silver and achieve LEED Gold.