The Center supports the Green Energy Education Act of 2009 (H.R. 957) that is pending in 1st Session of the 111th Congress to authorize higher education curriculum development and graduate training in advanced energy and green building technologies. The bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on February 10, 2009 by Rep. Michael McCaul [R-TX], left, and cosponsored by Rep. André Carson [D-IN], Rep. David Loebsack [D-IA], and Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D-NY], right, which was referred to the Committee on Science and Technology. The Center wants to amend the bill to include as diverse a constituency as possible in the curriculum, training and possibly even actual construction of new buildings that could result as an offshoot of the legislation.
H.R. 957 is a bill:
To authorize higher education curriculum development and graduate training in advanced energy and green building technologies.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘Green Energy Education Act of 2009’.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) DIRECTOR- The term ‘Director’ means the Director of the National Science Foundation.
(2) HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING- The term ‘high performance building’ has the meaning given that term in section 914(a) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16194(a)).
(3) SECRETARY- The term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Energy.
SEC. 3. GRADUATE TRAINING IN ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Funding- In carrying out research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities authorized for the Department of Energy, the Secretary may contribute funds to the National Science Foundation for the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program to support projects that enable graduate education related to such activities.
(b) Consultation- The Director shall consult with the Secretary when preparing solicitations and awarding grants for projects described in subsection (a).
SEC. 4. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING DESIGN.
(a) Funding- In carrying out advanced energy technology research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities authorized for the Department of Energy related to high performance buildings, the Secretary may contribute funds to curriculum development activities at the National Science Foundation for the purpose of improving undergraduate or graduate interdisciplinary engineering and architecture education related to the design and construction of high performance buildings, including development of curricula, of laboratory activities, of training practicums, or of design projects. A primary goal of curriculum development activities supported under this section shall be to improve the ability of engineers, architects, landscape architects, and planners to work together on the incorporation of advanced energy technologies during the design and construction of high performance buildings.
(b) Consultation- The Director shall consult with the Secretary when preparing solicitations and awarding grants for projects described in subsection (a).
(c) Priority- In awarding grants with respect to which the Secretary has contributed funds under this section, the Director shall give priority to applications from departments, programs, or centers of a school of engineering that are partnered with schools, departments, or programs of design, architecture, landscape architecture, and city, regional, or urban planning.
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