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United States Government Accountability Office: 
GAO: 

Report to the Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government 
Information, Federal Services, and International Security, Committee 
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate: 

November 2011: 

Green Building: 

Federal Initiatives for the Nonfederal Sector Could Benefit from More 
Interagency Collaboration: 

GAO-12-79: 

GAO Highlights: 

Highlights of GAO-12-79, a report to the Subcommittee on Federal 
Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and 
International Security, Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs, U.S. Senate. 

Why GAO Did This Study: 

Economic, environmental, and health concerns have spurred interest in 
“green building”-—construction and maintenance practices designed to 
make efficient use of resources, reduce environmental problems, and 
provide long-term financial and health benefits. Federal laws and 
executive orders direct agencies to meet green building standards in 
federal buildings and to foster green building in the nonfederal 
sector; the latter includes private, state, local, and tribal entities 
and accounts for the majority of the nation’s buildings. 

GAO was asked to (1) identify current initiatives by federal agencies 
to foster green building in the nonfederal sector and (2) determine 
what is known about the results of these initiatives. As part of the 
review, GAO sent questionnaires to the 11 agencies implementing the 
initiatives identified, including the Departments of Energy (DOE) and 
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA); examined agency documents; and spoke with agency 
officials. GAO did not report funding data because officials stated 
that agencies do not track many green building funds separately. 

What GAO Found: 

GAO identified 94 federal initiatives—implemented by 11 agencies—that 
foster green building in the nonfederal sector. About two-thirds of 
these initiatives are implemented by HUD (29 initiatives), EPA (18), 
and DOE (17). According to GAO’s analysis of agency questionnaire 
responses, the initiatives vary in how they foster green building in 
the following ways: 

* Elements fostered. All initiatives foster at least one of six green 
building elements GAO identified (see table). Three-quarters foster 
more than one element, and 21 initiatives across 7 agencies foster all 
six elements. 

* Direct or indirect fostering. Over two-thirds (64) of the 
initiatives foster green building directly, and the rest foster green 
building as part of a broader effort that is focused not primarily on 
green building but on other purposes, such as expanding the supply of 
affordable housing for low-income elderly. 

* Type of assistance. The initiatives provide multiple types of 
assistance, mostly through grants (47 initiatives) and technical 
assistance (45). 

* Recipients expected to benefit. The direct beneficiaries identified 
by agencies range from individual property owners and renters to state 
governments. 

About one-third of the initiatives have green building goals and 
performance measures; however, the overall results of most initiatives 
and their related investments are unknown. For example, according to 
HUD officials, to measure the results of the Green Retrofit Program 
for Multifamily Housing, HUD analyzes energy consumption data before 
and after retrofitting properties. Other agency officials reported 
various reasons for not having goals and measures, such as challenges 
in gathering reliable performance data. GAO identified some instances 
in which agencies have begun to collaborate to assess results but did 
not identify governmentwide collaboration on initiatives for the 
nonfederal sector. As GAO has reported, agencies and programs working 
collaboratively can often achieve more public value than when they 
work in isolation. Agencies with green building initiatives for the 
nonfederal sector may be missing opportunities to, among other things, 
reach agreement on governmentwide goals and measures for assessing the 
overall progress of their green building efforts. 

Table: Federal Initiatives Fostering Green Building Elements in the 
Nonfederal Sector: 

Green building element: Energy conservation or efficiency; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 83. 

Green building element: Indoor environmental quality; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 60. 

Green building element: Water conservation or efficiency; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 51. 

Green building element: Integrated design (collaborative planning at 
all stages of a building’s life); 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 48. 

Green building element: Sustainable siting or location; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 43. 

Green building element: Environmental impact of materials; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 39. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses for 94 initiatives. 

Note: Numbers total more than 94 because many initiatives foster more 
than one element. 

[End of table] 

What GAO Recommends: 

GAO recommends that DOE, HUD, and EPA lead an effort to collaborate 
with other agencies on assessing the results of federal green building 
initiatives for the nonfederal sector. DOE, HUD, and EPA generally 
agreed with the recommendation, and HUD and other agencies provided 
technical clarifications, which GAO incorporated into the report as 
appropriate. 

View [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-12-79] or key 
components. For more information, contact Frank Rusco at (202) 512-
3841 or ruscof@gao.gov or David J. Wise at (202) 512-2834 or 
wised@gao.gov. 

[End of section] 

Contents: 

Letter: 

Background: 

Agencies Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector through More 
Than 90 Initiatives, Primarily for Energy Conservation or Efficiency: 

The Overall Results of Federal Green Building Initiatives in the 
Nonfederal Sector Are Unknown: 

Conclusions: 

Recommendation for Executive Action: 

Agency Comments: 

Appendix I: Scope and Methodology: 

Appendix II: Federal Initiatives Identified That Foster Green Building 
in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Appendix III: Selected Questionnaire Responses for Federal Initiatives 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Appendix IV: GAO's Questionnaire for Federal Agencies with Initiatives 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Appendix V: Comments from the Department of Energy: 

Appendix VI: Comments from the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development: 

Appendix VII: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments: 

Tables: 

Table 1: Number of Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the 
Nonfederal Sector, by Federal Agency: 

Table 2: Initiatives Fostering Green Building Elements in the 
Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 3: Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector, by Type of Assistance Provided: 

Table 4: Recipients That Agencies Expect to Directly Benefit from 
Initiatives Fostering Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 5: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 6: Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) Initiatives Identified That Foster Green Building in 
the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 7: Department of Defense (DOD) Initiative Identified That 
Fosters Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 8: Department of Education (ED) Initiatives Identified That 
Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 9: Department of Energy (DOE) Initiatives Identified That Foster 
Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 10: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Initiative 
Identified That Fosters Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 11: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 
Initiatives Identified That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Table 12: Department of Transportation (DOT) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 13: Department of the Treasury Initiatives Identified That 
Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 14: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 15: Small Business Administration (SBA) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 16: Department of Agriculture (USDA) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Table 17: Department Commerce's National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) Selected Questionnaire Responses for Initiatives 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 18: Department of Defense (DOD) Selected Questionnaire Responses 
for Initiative That Fosters Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 19: Department of Education (ED) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Table 20: Department of Energy (DOE) Selected Questionnaire Responses 
for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 21: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Selected 
Questionnaire Responses for Initiative That Fosters Green Building in 
the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 22: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Selected 
Questionnaire Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in 
the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 23: Department of Transportation (DOT) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Table 24: Department of the Treasury Selected Questionnaire Responses 
for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Table 25: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Table 26: Small Business Administration (SBA) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Table 27: Total for All Agencies--Selected Questionnaire Responses for 
Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Abbreviations: 

DOD: Department of Defense: 

DOE: Department of Energy: 

DOT: Department of Transportation: 

ED: Department of Education: 

EPA: Environmental Protection Agency: 

GPRA: Government Performance and Results Act of 1993: 

HHS: Department of Health and Human Services: 

HUD: Department of Housing and Urban Development: 

IRS: Internal Revenue Service: 

LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design: 

NIST: National Institute of Standards and Technology: 

Recovery Act: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: 

SBA: Small Business Administration: 

Treasury: Department of the Treasury: 

USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture: 

[End of section] 

United States Government Accountability Office: 
Washington, DC 20548: 

November 2, 2011: 

The Honorable Thomas R. Carper:
Chairman:
The Honorable Scott Brown:
Ranking Member:
Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, 
Federal Services, and International Security: 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs:
United States Senate: 

Economic, environmental, and human health concerns have spurred 
interest in "green building"--construction and maintenance practices 
designed to make efficient use of resources, reduce environmental 
problems, and provide long-term financial and health benefits through 
lower annual operating costs and better indoor air quality. These 
practices are intended to help address issues posed by traditional 
commercial and residential construction and maintenance practices for 
buildings. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), in 2008, 
buildings in the United States consumed almost 40 percent of the 
nation's energy and emitted about 39 percent of its carbon dioxide, a 
greenhouse gas recognized as a major contributor to climate change. 
[Footnote 1] In addition, DOE reports that the approximately 30 
million to 35 million tons of construction, renovation, and demolition 
waste produced annually in the nation accounts for about 24 percent of 
municipal solid waste, although as much as 95 percent of this waste 
could be recycled. Furthermore, according to the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to indoor air pollutants, such as 
radon and formaldehyde, can lead to harmful health effects, from 
headaches to respiratory diseases. 

In response to concerns about energy consumption, among other things, 
federal laws and executive orders have directed agencies to reduce 
energy consumption and meet other green building requirements in 
federally owned or leased buildings.[Footnote 2] For buildings not 
subject to these requirements because they are owned or leased by 
private, state, local, or tribal entities, laws have also directed 
federal agencies to foster green building. In this report, we refer to 
these entities and their buildings as the "nonfederal sector," which 
accounts for the majority of the nation's buildings. For example, one 
provision of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 created 
DOE's Office of Commercial High-Performance Green Buildings to 
facilitate the development of green commercial buildings in 
partnership with other federal and nonfederal entities. In addition, 
agencies have initiated their own efforts to foster green building in 
the nonfederal sector. For example, as we reported in 2008, the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) promotes green 
building in public housing and a small segment of multifamily 
properties by providing training and technical assistance; offering 
financial incentives to housing authorities for energy conservation 
measures; and leveraging resources through partnerships with DOE and 
EPA to expand the use of energy-efficient products in public and 
assisted housing.[Footnote 3] In 2010, the U.S. Green Building Council 
and other sponsoring organizations in energy, housing, environment, 
and real estate identified existing federal authorities and programs 
they believed could be used to achieve green buildings for multifamily 
and commercial buildings.[Footnote 4] In addition, a recent report by 
DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory assessed agency programs 
related to one component of green building--energy efficiency--but not 
others.[Footnote 5] 

In this context, you asked us to review how the federal government is 
fostering green building in the nonfederal sector. Our objectives were 
to (1) identify current initiatives by federal agencies to foster 
green building in the nonfederal sector and (2) determine what is 
known about the results of these initiatives on fostering green 
building in the nonfederal sector. 

To identify current initiatives by federal agencies to foster green 
building in the nonfederal sector, we reviewed (1) the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 requirements for a high-
performance green building, (2) the U.S. Green Building Council's 
green building certification system, (3) the Green Globes assessment 
and rating system, (4) the Enterprise Community Partners green 
communities criteria, and (5) a 2006 memorandum of understanding 
signed by 19 federal agencies and offices to commit to leadership in 
the design, construction, and operation of high-performance and 
sustainable buildings.[Footnote 6],[Footnote 7] From our review, we 
identified six generally recognized green building elements and a list 
of key terms based on these six elements. We searched federal 
documents, websites, and databases for initiatives with descriptions 
containing the terms and that were active during fiscal year 2011. On 
the basis of this search, we identified initiatives and the 11 
agencies responsible for them. We spoke with officials at these 
agencies to confirm that the initiatives were current, and we asked 
the officials to identify other initiatives they were aware of that 
might fall within the scope of our objectives.[Footnote 8] We then 
designed a questionnaire and submitted it to the agencies. For each 
initiative, the questionnaire asked agency officials to (1) confirm 
general information, (2) report funding, (3) identify goals and 
performance measures, and (4) provide other information to help 
understand the initiative. We received a questionnaire response for 
every initiative and conducted follow-up discussions with officials, 
as needed, to clarify responses and collect more data. To determine 
what is known about the results of these initiatives on fostering 
green building in the nonfederal sector, in addition to analyzing 
questionnaire data on goals and performance measures, we selected a 
subgroup of initiatives for which fostering green building is a 
primary goal. For this subgroup, we reviewed agency documents and 
interviewed officials about their progress on fostering green building 
in the nonfederal sector. We also visited projects receiving 
assistance from some of these initiatives and interviewed project 
managers, among others. During this review, we did not evaluate the 
effectiveness of green building initiatives, including the extent to 
which entities may or may not have received benefits, or the 
effectiveness of green building practices in general. We did not 
report questionnaire responses about funding because, during follow-up 
discussions, officials stated that, for many initiatives, green 
building funds are not tracked separately from other activities; 
therefore, we could not collect reliable funding data. We recognize 
that the initiatives may vary greatly in the scale of their funding or 
the number of entities expected to benefit, among other things; 
however, in this report, we do not discuss these differences or 
compare the scale of the initiatives we identified. A detailed 
description of our scope and methodology is presented in appendix I, 
and a copy of our questionnaire is presented in appendix IV. 

We conducted this performance audit from September 2010 to November 
2011 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing 
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit 
to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable 
basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 
We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for 
our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 

Background: 

Green building is the practice of designing, constructing, operating, 
maintaining, and removing buildings in ways that conserve natural 
resources and reduce pollution. There is no generally accepted 
definition for green building, but according to our analysis of 
various standards, it may incorporate one or more of the following six 
generally recognized elements: 

* energy conservation or efficiency measures: the use of strategies to 
reduce energy consumption in a building or use renewable sources of 
energy; 

* indoor environmental quality measures: the use of strategies to 
enhance indoor environmental quality through ventilation, control of 
pollution sources, and the use of low pollution-emitting materials; 

* water conservation or efficiency measures: the use of strategies to 
reduce water consumption inside and outside the building; 

* integrated design principles: the use of a collaborative planning 
and design process that involves a project team with a variety of 
stakeholders, such as architects, builders, and building engineers, 
who participate in all stages of a building's lifecycle, including 
planning, building, and operation; 

* sustainable siting or location measures: the use of certain 
strategies when deciding on building location, including discouraging 
development on previously undeveloped land and minimizing a building's 
impact on the nearby ecosystem, among other things; and: 

* measures to reduce the environmental impact of materials: the use of 
strategies to reduce the environmental impact of materials, such as 
using sustainably grown materials and products with high recycled 
content, among other things. 

Not having a generally accepted definition for green building has led 
to the development of several national and regional standards that 
builders and developers can use to certify whether a particular 
structure is a green building. These standards include the Leadership 
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system--the most 
widely known standard--which was developed and is administered by the 
U.S. Green Building Council.[Footnote 9] Many of these standards use a 
system that assigns points for a variety of practices and certifies a 
building at various levels of "green" depending on the number of 
points acquired. 

The federal government has long shown an interest in promoting green 
building practices in buildings owned or leased by federal agencies. 
For example, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 contains efficiency 
requirements for the use of energy and water in federal buildings. 
[Footnote 10] Furthermore, the federal Interagency Sustainability 
Working Group was formed under DOE's Interagency Energy Management 
Task Force in 2001 in response to an executive order to, among other 
things, serve as a forum and develop policy and technical guidance to 
promote green building for federally owned, operated, and leased 
buildings. The group is coordinated by DOE and consists of 
approximately 60 active members, including at least one representative 
from every major federal department and agency. 

More recently, the federal government has also focused on promoting 
green building practices in the nonfederal sector. For example, the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 provided tax credits for home improvements 
that increase energy efficiency and tax deductions for commercial 
buildings that meet specific efficiency standards; the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 authorized $1.52 billion over 10 
years, starting in fiscal year 2008, for DOE's efforts to promote 
commercial green building in partnership with other federal, as well 
as nonfederal, entities; and the American Recovery and Reinvestment 
Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) provided at least $13 billion to foster 
green building in the nonfederal sector through various agency 
initiatives, such as DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program--which is 
designed to make long-term energy-efficiency improvements to the homes 
of low-income families.[Footnote 11] Weatherization includes 
installing high-efficiency boilers, insulation, and energy-efficient 
windows.[Footnote 12] 

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) provides 
tools that agencies can use to assess the results of their activities, 
including efforts that foster green building.[Footnote 13] Under GPRA, 
federal agencies are required to develop strategic plans with long-
term, outcome-oriented goals and objectives, annual goals linked to 
achieving the long-term goals, and annual reports on the results 
achieved. Principles of good governance also indicate that agencies 
should establish quantifiable performance measures to demonstrate how 
they intend to achieve their program goals and measure the extent to 
which they have done so.[Footnote 14] These measures should allow 
agencies to compare their programs' actual results with desired 
results and should be linked to program goals. Moreover, as we have 
reported, GPRA, with its focus on strategic planning, the development 
of long-term goals, and accountability for results, provides a 
framework that Congress, the Office of Management and Budget, and 
executive branch agencies can use to consider the appropriate mix of 
long-term strategic goals and strategies needed to identify and 
address federal goals that cut across agency boundaries. For example, 
we have reported that the strategic and annual performance planning 
processes under GPRA provide opportunities for federal agencies to 
identify other agencies addressing related outcomes and coordinate 
with agencies across the government to ensure that program goals are 
complementary; strategies are mutually reinforcing; and, as 
appropriate, common performance measures are used.[Footnote 15] To 
this end, under the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, agencies will be 
required to adopt a more coordinated and crosscutting approach to 
achieving common goals and will be required to describe in their 
fiscal year 2012 performance plans, and each fiscal year thereafter, 
how they are coordinating and collaborating with other agencies to 
achieve the plans' goals.[Footnote 16] 

Agencies Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector through More 
Than 90 Initiatives, Primarily for Energy Conservation or Efficiency: 

We identified 94 federal initiatives that foster green building in the 
nonfederal sector; these initiatives, implemented by 11 agencies, vary 
in how they foster green building, including which elements of green 
building they foster, whether fostering green building is a primary 
purpose of the initiative, what types of assistance they provide, and 
what groups are expected to benefit. Furthermore, some of these 
initiatives are required by statute, while others are being 
implemented under agencies' discretionary authority. A description and 
other information for each initiative are presented in appendixes II 
and III. 

Eleven Agencies Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector, Most 
Commonly through Energy Conservation or Efficiency: 

Table 1 shows the 11 federal agencies implementing the 94 green 
building initiatives we identified. As table 1 indicates, 3 of the 11 
agencies fostering green building in the nonfederal sector--HUD, EPA, 
and DOE--are implementing most (about two-thirds) of these initiatives. 

Table 1: Number of Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the 
Nonfederal Sector, by Federal Agency: 

Agency: HUD; 
Number of initiatives: 29. 

Agency: EPA; 
Number of initiatives: 18. 

Agency: DOE; 
Number of initiatives: 17. 

Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture; 
Number of initiatives: 8. 

Agency: Department of the Treasury;
Number of initiatives: 8. 

Agency: Department of Transportation; 
Number of initiatives: 5. 

Agency: National Institute of Standards and Technology; 
Number of initiatives: 3. 

Agency: Department of Education; 
Number of initiatives: 2. 

Agency: Small Business Administration; 
Number of initiatives: 2. 

Agency: Department of Defense; 
Number of initiatives: 1. 

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services; 
Number of initiatives: 1. 

Agency: Total; 
Number of initiatives: 94. 

Source: GAO analysis of agency information and questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

We examined the 94 initiatives by (1) the type of green building 
elements they foster, (2) whether they foster green building directly 
or indirectly as part of a broader effort, (3) the type of assistance 
they provide, and (4) the recipients expected to directly benefit from 
the assistance. 

Type of Green Building Elements Fostered: 

Many of the initiatives we identified foster multiple elements of 
green building. Table 2--which shows the green building elements 
fostered by the 94 initiatives--indicates that energy conservation or 
efficiency is the most commonly fostered element of green building. 

Table 2: Initiatives Fostering Green Building Elements in the 
Nonfederal Sector: 

Green building element: Energy conservation or efficiency; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 83. 

Green building element: Indoor environmental quality; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 60. 

Green building element: Water conservation or efficiency; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 51. 

Green building element: Integrated design; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 48. 

Green building element: Sustainable siting or location; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 43. 

Green building element: Environmental impact of materials; 
Number of initiatives fostering each element: 39. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

Note: Numbers total more than 94 because many initiatives foster more 
than one element. 

[End of table] 

All 11 agencies reported implementing initiatives that foster green 
building through the energy conservation or efficiency element. For 
example, DOE's Tribal Energy Program offers financial and technical 
assistance to Indian tribes to help them evaluate and develop methods 
to reduce their energy consumption through energy efficiency and 
weatherization of buildings. This program also provides education and 
training opportunities to develop and implement energy-efficiency and 
renewable-energy projects. In addition, the tax code offers the Energy 
Investment Tax Credit--implemented by the Department of the Treasury's 
(Treasury) Internal Revenue Service (IRS)--which provides tax credits 
to businesses for certain qualified renewable-energy and energy-
efficiency technologies. This program includes incentives for combined 
heat and power investment and for fuel cells and microturbines. 
However, the agencies reported that most initiatives fostering green 
building through the energy conservation or efficiency element also 
foster green building through one or more additional elements. For 
example, the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) 
Improved Building Energy Performance Program is intended to develop 
better tools for accurately evaluating a building's energy consumption 
and indoor air quality after it is constructed. 

According to our analysis of questionnaire responses, about three-
quarters of the 94 initiatives foster green building through more than 
one element, including 21 initiatives across seven agencies that 
foster green building through all six green building elements. For 
example, through the Tribal Green Building Initiative, EPA is working 
with tribal and federal partners to advance tribes' efforts to adopt 
building codes related to green building and to address barriers 
associated with developing and implementing these codes. The 
initiative supports tribal building codes that reduce energy and water 
use, improve indoor air quality, use nontoxic building materials, and 
conserve other resources--all of which touch on the six elements of 
green building. In addition, HUD's Green Retrofit Program for 
Multifamily Housing makes loans and grants for retrofits (i.e., the 
addition of new technology or features to older systems) that foster 
any or all of the green building elements in certain HUD-assisted 
multifamily buildings. 

Direct or Indirect Fostering of Green Building: 

According to our analysis, over two-thirds (64) of the 94 initiatives 
foster green building directly--that is, one of their primary purposes 
is to foster green building through one or more green building 
elements. For example, EPA's Indoor Environments Program is intended 
to provide resources to promote and protect occupants' health while 
saving energy and money. These resources include Indoor Air Quality 
Tools for Schools, a program whose goal is to help schools establish 
and maintain a healthy environment in school buildings by providing 
guidance, training, checklists, and other resources to identify, 
correct, and prevent indoor air quality problems; and the Radon 
Program, which is intended to promote radon-resistant construction 
techniques for new homes and to educate the public on radon testing 
and mitigation technologies in existing homes. 

The remaining 30 initiatives foster green building indirectly--that 
is, as part of a broader effort not primarily focused on green 
building. For example, HUD's Supportive Housing for the Elderly 
(Section 202) program is intended to expand the supply of affordable 
housing with services for the low-income elderly by providing them 
with options for independent living in an environment with support 
activities, such as cleaning, cooking, and transportation. HUD seeks 
to accomplish this purpose by providing interest-free capital advances 
to private and nonprofit sponsors to finance development of the 
housing. To support HUD's strategic goal of reducing energy 
consumption, however, HUD requires applicants seeking Section 202 
funding for new construction and substantial rehabilitation projects 
to include energy efficiency and water conservation strategies. In 
addition, HUD requires pre-and post-construction energy audits for 
other types of rehabilitation projects funded through the Section 202 
program. 

Type of Assistance Provided: 

Agencies reported that many of the 94 initiatives foster green 
building by providing multiple types of assistance, most commonly 
through grants or technical assistance, as shown in table 3. Technical 
assistance can take many forms, including technical guidance and 
expert advice; tools to evaluate performance against green building 
metrics; education on the benefits of green building; and work with 
organizations and end users to develop strategies to achieve their 
green building goals. 

Table 3: Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector, by Type of Assistance Provided: 

Type of assistance provided: Grants; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 47. 

Type of assistance provided: Technical assistance; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 45. 

Type of assistance provided: Other[A]; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 22. 

Type of assistance provided: Research and development; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 21. 

Type of assistance provided: Contracts; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 16. 

Type of assistance provided: Direct loans; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 9. 

Type of assistance provided: Mortgage-related assistance; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 6. 

Type of assistance provided: Tax credits; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 5. 

Type of assistance provided: Rent subsidies; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 4. 

Type of assistance provided: Tax deductions; 
Number of initiatives providing each type: 3. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

Notes: Numbers total more than 94 because many initiatives provide 
more than one type of assistance. 

[A] Other types of assistance--as marked in questionnaire responses--
include, for example, websites to disseminate information and direct-
to-consumer rebates. 

[End of table] 

Agencies reported providing grants for different purposes related to 
green building. For example, DOE's Energy Efficiency and Conservation 
Block Grant is intended to assist U.S. cities, counties, states, 
territories, and Indian tribes to develop, promote, implement, and 
manage energy efficiency and conservation projects for buildings, 
among other things. In addition, the Small Business Administration's 
(SBA) Small Business Energy Audit and Energy Efficiency Program makes 
grants to Small Business Development Centers--partnerships primarily 
between the federal government and colleges and universities--to 
provide green building-related training to small businesses. Also, the 
Department of Transportation's (DOT) Transit Investments for 
Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction Program is intended to provide 
grants to public transit agencies to implement new strategies to 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions or reduce energy usage from their 
operations. 

Recipients Expected to Directly Benefit: 

Agencies reported that the 94 initiatives are expected to directly 
benefit a variety of recipients and can directly benefit multiple 
recipients, as shown in table 4. 

Table 4: Recipients That Agencies Expect to Directly Benefit from 
Initiatives Fostering Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Recipients expected to directly benefit: Individual property owners or 
renters; 
Number of initiatives expected to provide direct benefits: 55. 

Recipients expected to directly benefit: Local governments; 
Number of initiatives expected to provide direct benefits: 49. 

Recipients expected to directly benefit: Businesses; 
Number of initiatives expected to provide direct benefits: 47. 

Recipients expected to directly benefit: Nonprofit organizations; 
Number of initiatives expected to provide direct benefits: 45. 

Recipients expected to directly benefit: State governments; 
Number of initiatives expected to provide direct benefits: 42. 

Recipients expected to directly benefit: Other[A]; 
Number of initiatives expected to provide direct benefits: 36. 

Recipients expected to directly benefit: Public housing agencies; 
Number of initiatives expected to provide direct benefits: 35. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

Notes: Numbers total more than 94 because agencies expect some 
initiatives to benefit multiple recipients. 

[A] Other recipients--marked Other in questionnaire responses--
include, for example, tribal governments, metropolitan planning 
organizations, U.S. territories, public transit agencies, and water 
and wastewater utilities. 

[End of table] 

As table 4 indicates, the types of recipients that agencies reported 
expecting to directly benefit from these initiatives range widely. For 
example, under IRS's Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction, 
businesses can claim a tax deduction for equipment that reduces energy 
costs in buildings associated with lighting systems; building 
envelopes;[Footnote 17] and heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot 
water systems. In addition, through the Sustainable Community 
Challenge Planning Grants Program, HUD makes funds available to state 
and local governments, tribal governments, and other entities to, 
among other things, promote green building and revise their building 
codes to allow for more energy-efficient rehabilitation of older 
buildings. Furthermore, through the WaterSense program, EPA partners 
with local water utilities, local governments, product manufacturers, 
retailers, and consumers to promote water-efficient products and 
practices, which can benefit a wide variety of recipients--including 
individual property owners, state and local governments, public 
housing agencies, and businesses. Products and new homes can earn the 
WaterSense label by being independently certified to meet EPA's 
criteria for efficiency and performance. For example, WaterSense-
labeled plumbing fixtures reportedly use at least 20 percent less 
water and perform as well or better than standard models. 

Recipients of some of these initiatives told us that these initiatives 
provide indirect benefits as a result of the money saved through green 
building retrofits. For example, officials representing two apartment 
complexes we visited said they are able to use the money saved to 
offer additional services to their tenants that improve their quality 
of life. One official stated these additional services include after-
school programs and dental services. 

Some Agency Efforts to Foster Green Building Are Required by Statute: 

According to our analysis of questionnaire responses, agencies are 
implementing many of the initiatives we identified because they are 
required to by statute. For example, the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007 directed DOE to conduct outreach activities to 
inform the public about education resources, technical assistance, or 
other forms of assistance useful in planning and constructing high-
performance green building. DOE officials stated that they are 
implementing the Commercial Building Initiative because of this 
requirement. According to DOE, this initiative is intended to improve 
the energy efficiency of new and existing commercial buildings by 
researching technologies, strategies, and tools that improve energy 
savings and by working with commercial building owners and operators 
to ensure these technologies are market ready. 

In addition, EPA's Brownfields Program--required by the Small Business 
Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act--provides 
financial and technical assistance intended to encourage states, 
communities, and other stakeholders to prevent, assess, safely clean 
up, and reuse brownfields, which are properties where reuse may be 
complicated by the potential presence of a hazardous substance, 
pollutant, or contaminant. By reusing brownfields, this program, among 
other things, is attempting to encourage economic activity on 
previously developed land rather than on undeveloped land, according 
to an EPA official. 

Furthermore, USDA's Rural Energy for America Program--required by the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008--promotes energy efficiency 
and renewable energy for agricultural producers and rural small 
businesses through the use of (1) grants and loan guarantees for 
energy-efficiency improvements and renewable-energy systems and (2) 
grants for energy audits and renewable energy development assistance. 

According to our analysis of questionnaire responses, agencies are 
also using their discretionary authority to implement some of the 
initiatives we identified. For example, EPA's Green Infrastructure 
Program is intended to promote cost-effective strategies for storm-
water management, including using rain gardens, porous pavements, 
green roofs, trees and tree boxes, and rainwater harvesting for 
nonpotable uses such as landscape irrigation. In addition, DOE's 
Superior Energy Performance Program is a certification program 
intended to provide managers of industrial and commercial buildings 
with guidance on how to achieve continual improvement in energy 
efficiency while maintaining competitiveness. The program is intended 
to provide a transparent, globally accepted system for verifying 
energy performance improvements and management practices. 

The Overall Results of Federal Green Building Initiatives in the 
Nonfederal Sector Are Unknown: 

About one-third of the federal initiatives we identified have green 
building goals and performance measures; therefore, the overall 
results of most initiatives and their related investments are unknown. 
Agency officials provided several reasons for not having performance 
information on the results of most green building initiatives for the 
nonfederal sector. To assess initiatives' results, some agencies have 
begun to collaborate, but we did not identify any broader, or 
governmentwide, efforts to collaborate on assessing the results of 
these initiatives in the nonfederal sector. 

Some Initiatives Have Green Building Goals and Performance Measures: 

According to our analysis of questionnaire responses, about one-third 
of the 94 federal initiatives we identified that foster green building 
in the nonfederal sector had goals and performance measures specific 
to green building. Following are two examples: 

* Under the Recovery Act, HUD established the Green Retrofit Program 
for Multifamily Housing, which makes grants or loans to owners of 
residential assisted housing for energy retrofit or other green 
investments.[Footnote 18] According to HUD officials and our review of 
program requirements and documents, HUD measures this initiative's 
progress toward green building goals by collecting energy consumption 
data for participating properties before and after they are 
retrofitted and plans to compare these data to calculate savings and 
evaluate effectiveness. The Castle Square Apartments in Boston 
received assistance under this initiative. Once completed, the 
project's 192 midrise apartments will reduce energy consumption by 72 
percent, according to estimates by HUD officials and the private 
developer. 

* DOE's Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program is a 
$3.2 billion Recovery Act program that makes grants to cities, 
counties, states, territories, and Indian tribes to develop and 
implement energy efficiency and conservation projects for buildings, 
among other things. DOE officials stated that the program has 
implemented projects in more than 16,000 buildings. For example, 
according to DOE's response to our questionnaire, the city of San 
Francisco used these funds to help multifamily residential property 
owners replace aging, inefficient boiler systems. Also, according to 
its response, DOE has established project management milestones and 
goals for the program that measure overall progress. DOE officials 
told us the program has no official green building targets, and grant 
recipients determine their own green building goals, such as the 
amount of building space they want to retrofit. According to its 
questionnaire response, DOE strongly encourages, but does not require, 
grant recipients conducting green building activities to perform 
industry-standard measurement and verification of their projects to 
track performance on key metrics such as energy savings and emissions 
reductions. To accomplish this purpose, DOE has issued optional 
guidance for grant recipients on program evaluation and has provided 
resources and training on suggested methods for recipients to estimate 
energy savings and collect data. 

[Side bar: 
Energy Retrofit at Castle Square Apartments: 

[Figure: photograph: Energy-efficiency improvements, including the 
exterior shell, being made to Castle Square Apartments] 

Source: Pinck & Co., Inc.  

[End of figure] 

The owners of Castle Square Apartments in Boston secured a mix of 
federal, private, and Recovery Act funds to retrofit 500 low-income 
family apartments—-a mixture of 192 midrise and 308 garden apartments—-
with energy-efficiency improvements.  

The owners received a $6.7 million loan under HUD's Green Retrofit 
Program and a $4.4 million grant from the state under DOE's State 
Energy Program. The midrise apartment retrofits will include an 
insulated exterior shell (R-40), an insulated reflective roof (R-40), 
and high-efficiency windows (R-5); together, the retrofits are 
expected to increase the insulation value of the midrise buildings by 
about 600 percent, according to the private development official we 
spoke with. According to the official, the funds committed by DOE were 
used for the exterior shell, which made possible additional energy 
improvements—-such as the use of smaller boilers that consume less 
energy to heat the apartments--that would not have been possible 
without the shell improvements. Other retrofits include high-efficiency 
air conditioning units, solar thermal panels to preheat boiler water, 
and bathroom and kitchen exterior exhaust systems for improved indoor 
air quality.  

For the 308 garden apartments without the exterior shell, the majority 
owner of the apartments expects energy savings of 48 percent. In their 
Green Retrofit Plan agreement with HUD, the owners committed to 
provide tenant release forms that authorize HUD to collect utility 
consumption data from utility providers, which HUD may request to 
assess results through postrehabilitation studies. According to our 
review of questionnaire responses, HUD is collecting utility 
consumption data for each participating property before and after the 
retrofits to compare the data, calculate savings, and evaluate the 
effectiveness of the program. End of side bar] 

As we have reported, leading organizations commonly define clear goals 
and related outcomes, measure performance to gauge progress, and use 
performance information to assess the results of their efforts and the 
related investment.[Footnote 19] Leading organizations recognize, as 
well, that performance measures can create powerful incentives to 
influence organizational and individual behavior. When resources are 
limited and public demands are high, it is particularly important that 
agencies are accountable to Congress, the executive branch, and the 
public for the results of their activities and investments. In the 
federal sector, agencies are required to meet green building goals for 
energy and water efficiency, among other things. Federal agencies are 
also required to measure and report to DOE the progress they have made 
meeting federal green building goals. DOE, in turn, uses this 
information to report annually to Congress on agencies' energy use and 
progress toward meeting federal green building goals. 

Agency Officials Provided Reasons for Not Having Performance 
Information on the Results of Green Building: 

Agency officials provided various reasons for not having performance 
information on the results of green building initiatives for the 
nonfederal sector. For example, some agency officials said that many 
of the initiatives we identified have a broader focus than green 
building and may have performance goals and measures but not ones 
specific to green building. Therefore, key performance information 
related to green building is often not available. For instance, the 
HUD Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) program is 
designed to help expand the supply of affordable housing with services 
for the low-income elderly by providing them with options for 
independent living in a supportive environment. According to our 
analysis of questionnaire responses and program documents supplied by 
HUD, in fiscal year 2010, HUD incorporated green building into this 
program by establishing both minimum requirements as well as 
incentives for, among other things, energy efficiency and water 
conservation practices for these properties. In addition, Department 
of Defense (DOD) officials told us that the main goal of DOD's 
Environmental Security Technology Certification Program is to evaluate 
the cost-effectiveness and suitability of energy technologies that 
could help DOD meet mandated reductions in energy use. DOD officials 
said that the program has no overall goals specific to green building; 
instead, individual demonstration projects under the program use goals 
and performance measures specific to those projects. The officials 
stated that it would not be appropriate for DOD to expend the funds 
needed to assess the extent to which any of the technologies developed 
affect green building. 

In addition, agencies reported that they may not have information on 
the results of green building initiatives for the nonfederal sector, 
in part, because they face several challenges in gathering and 
analyzing appropriate and reliable performance data. A 2011 industry 
report identified several challenges in gathering utility usage data 
for multifamily properties, including difficulty in obtaining the 
resources necessary to develop systems for accurate data collection, a 
lack of industry standards for performance data collection, and 
utility companies' diverse policies governing data sharing, as well as 
their wide-ranging capacities to collect data.[Footnote 20] HUD 
officials told us the quality of utility data can vary by utility, 
especially for water consumption data--which can be incomplete and 
inaccurate and is often not available in electronic form. In addition, 
the results of some green building elements are more easily measured 
than others. For example, a General Services Administration official 
we interviewed testified before Congress in 2010 that it is easier to 
compare before and after utility consumption data (water or energy 
conservation or efficiency) than to measure indoor environmental air 
quality or the impact a building's siting has on transportation. 
[Footnote 21] However, several federal and local agencies and entities 
we reviewed reported making progress toward overcoming data gathering 
and reporting challenges through better use of technology. For 
example, officials at the Cambridge Housing Authority in Massachusetts 
told us that they are developing an electronic billing system and 
installing the technology necessary to collect and track utility 
usage.[Footnote 22] They said they anticipate being able to use the 
system to generate quantitative energy reports--a major step toward 
accurately measuring, analyzing, and reporting energy consumption in 
the housing authority's buildings. 

Agencies Have Begun to Collaborate to Assess Results for Some 
Initiatives, but without Apparent Governmentwide Collaboration to 
Assess Overall Results: 

We identified some instances in which agencies are collaborating on 
specific initiatives, including establishing compatible procedures and 
adopting common performance measures for assessing results. As we have 
previously reported, achieving results for the nation increasingly 
requires that federal agencies work together to identify ways to 
deliver results more efficiently and in a way that is consistent with 
their multiple demands and limited resources.[Footnote 23] Agencies 
and programs working collaboratively can often achieve more public 
value than when they work in isolation. We have also identified key 
practices that can help enhance and sustain such federal agency 
collaboration.[Footnote 24] 

We found instances in which agencies used some of these key practices, 
including establishing compatible procedures and adopting common 
performance measures for assessing results, when working together on 
specific initiatives that cut across agencies. For example, under the 
Partnership for Sustainable Communities, DOT, EPA, and HUD 
collaborated on a number of grant and technical assistance 
initiatives, including recently developing guidance for HUD's 
Community Challenge Planning Grants Program. This program makes funds 
available to state and local governments, tribal governments, and 
other entities to promote affordable, economically vital, and 
sustainable communities through green building and a variety of other 
eligible activities, including developing building codes that promote 
the energy-efficient rehabilitation of older buildings to create 
affordable and healthy housing. According to earlier guidance, the 
agencies plan to adopt a common set of performance measures for this 
and other related initiatives, but the more recent guidance does not 
define these measures.[Footnote 25] Also, through the Partnership for 
Sustainable Communities, DOT and HUD coordinated to accept a single 
application for their respective transportation and community planning 
grant programs that, according to agency documents, made it easier for 
communities to apply to both programs simultaneously.[Footnote 26] HUD 
officials told us that, other than through the Partnership for 
Sustainable Communities, they typically coordinate on green building 
on a targeted basis with DOE and EPA. According to these officials, 
HUD has collaborated with EPA on the adoption of the Energy Star 
standard in HUD programs.[Footnote 27] In addition, according to these 
officials, HUD established an active partnership with DOE on the 
implementation of the Recovery Act-funded Weatherization Assistance 
Program, as well as on elements of the Energy Efficiency and 
Conservation Block Grant Program. 

Furthermore, DOE chairs the Interagency Energy Management Task Force, 
a group of agency headquarters energy managers who, among other 
things, address energy issues affecting federal buildings and 
operations. The task force includes 10 of the 11 agencies implementing 
the initiatives in our review and establishes working groups for 
specific issues--including green building--across federal agencies. 
Since 1988, this task force has served as the interagency group for 
collaborating on green building in the federal sector, measuring 
progress, and acting as a forum for addressing challenges to green 
building and developing common solutions for the federal sector. For 
example, one of the task force's working groups sought EPA's expertise 
in storm-water management to respond to new requirements in the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007. EPA developed and provided 
guidance that other agencies could use in meeting the new requirements. 

However, we did not identify a governmentwide effort to collaborate on 
green building issues, including shared goals and common performance 
measures, for the nonfederal sector that is comparable to the task 
force's efforts for the federal sector. Without such an effort, 
agencies may be missing opportunities to, among other things, reach 
agreement on governmentwide goals and measures for assessing the 
overall progress of their efforts to foster green building in the 
nonfederal sector. 

Conclusions: 

The federal government has launched a variety of initiatives to 
promote green building in the nonfederal sector--the vast majority of 
the nation's building stock. These initiatives are intended to reach 
many types of beneficiaries, ranging from individual renters and 
homeowners to state governments. In some cases, agencies have measured 
progress for individual initiatives and have collaborated on 
initiatives across agencies, including identifying shared goals and 
adopting common performance measures for assessing results. However, 
the overall effect of these initiatives on the nation's nonfederal 
buildings is unknown because agencies have largely not assessed either 
the individual or the combined results of green building initiatives 
in the nonfederal sector or the related investments. In contrast, the 
federal government has been measuring, and reporting on, its progress 
in making federal buildings greener. Because federal agencies have 
experience with measuring progress in the federal sector, they are 
well-positioned to apply this experience to measuring such progress in 
the nonfederal sector, as well. In addition, DOE's Interagency Energy 
Management Task Force has served as an agency forum for 10 of the 11 
agencies implementing the initiatives to discuss challenges to green 
building and develop common solutions for the federal sector. However, 
we did not identify a similar governmentwide effort among the 11 
agencies to collaborate on green building in the nonfederal sector. 
Without comprehensive information about individual initiatives' 
effects on fostering green building, and without collaboration across 
federal agencies to establish green building goals and ways to measure 
progress, Congress, agency heads, and the public--including potential 
beneficiaries of federal initiatives--have incomplete information 
about the effectiveness of individual and overall federal efforts to 
foster green building in the nonfederal sector. 

Recommendation for Executive Action: 

To help assess the results of investments in individual federal 
initiatives to foster green building in the nonfederal sector, as well 
as their combined results, we recommend that the Secretaries of Energy 
and of Housing and Urban Development work with the Administrator of 
EPA in leading an effort with other agencies that are implementing 
green building initiatives to collaborate on identifying performance 
information, such as shared goals and common performance measures, for 
green building initiatives for the nonfederal sector. This effort 
should include, if necessary, an exploration of the need for 
additional legislative or executive authority, such as the authority 
to establish a coordinating entity (e.g., an interagency working 
group). 

Agency Comments: 

We provided a draft of this report for review and comment to the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), DOD, the Department of Education 
(ED), DOE, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), HUD, and 
DOT, as well as EPA, IRS, NIST, and SBA. In written comments, 
reproduced in appendix V, DOE generally agreed with our 
recommendation. In written comments, reproduced in appendix VI, HUD 
stated that it welcomes our recommendation and provided technical 
clarifications, which we incorporated into the report as appropriate. 
On October 17, 2011, USDA provided comments in an e-mail message, 
stating that it generally concurred with the information applicable to 
its Rural Development programs. USDA also provided technical 
clarifications, which we incorporated into the report as appropriate. 
On October 20, 2011, DOD provided comments in an e-mail message, 
stating that it concurred with the draft report as written. On October 
21, 2011, EPA provided comments in an e-mail message, stating that it 
generally agreed with our findings, conclusions, and recommendation. 
In particular, EPA stated that it believes significant benefits could 
be achieved by identifying information on performance for green 
building efforts in the nonfederal sector across federal agencies and 
that our recommendation supports the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010. 
DOT, ED, IRS, and SBA did not provide formal written comments but 
provided technical clarifications, which we incorporated into the 
report as appropriate. In its technical clarifications, ED noted the 
announcement of its new Green Ribbon Schools Initiative, which is 
being implemented in fiscal year 2012. According to ED, the initiative 
resulted from cooperative efforts made with other federal agencies, 
state and local school officials, and other potential stakeholders. ED 
also stated that the initiative's preparation work and announcement is 
already having a positive impact on the "efforts of state and local 
officials to recognize the exemplary efforts of schools and 
communities to be energy conscious, promote healthy and sustainable 
environments, and educate students to become environmentally literate 
citizens." HHS and NIST stated that they did not have any comments on 
the draft report. 

As agreed with your offices, unless you publicly announce the contents 
of this report earlier, we plan no further distribution until 30 days 
from the report date. At that time, we will send copies to the 
Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, 
Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and 
Transportation; the Administrators of EPA and SBA; the Commissioner of 
Internal Revenue; the appropriate congressional committees; and other 
interested parties. In addition, the report will be available at no 
charge on the GAO website at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. 

If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please 
contact Frank Rusco at (202) 512-3841 or ruscof@gao.gov or David J. 
Wise at (202) 512-2834 or wised@gao.gov. Contact points for our 
Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on 
the last page of this report. GAO staff who made key contributions to 
this report are listed in appendix VII. 

Signed by: 

Frank Rusco: 
Director: 
Natural Resources and Environment: 

Signed by: 

David J. Wise: 
Director: 
Physical Infrastructure: 

[End of section] 

Appendix I: Scope and Methodology: 

Our objectives were to (1) identify current initiatives by federal 
agencies to foster green building in the nonfederal sector and (2) 
determine what is known about the results of these initiatives on 
fostering green building in the nonfederal sector. For the purposes of 
this review, the nonfederal sector includes private, state, local, and 
tribal entities. 

To identify current initiatives by federal agencies to foster green 
building in the nonfederal sector, we first developed a working 
definition of green building, which often varies, depending on the 
stakeholder. To develop the definition, we reviewed and analyzed five 
sources for key elements of a green building: (1) the requirements for 
a high-performance green building in the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007, (2) the U.S. Green Building Council's green 
building certification system,[Footnote 28] (3) the Green Globes 
assessment and rating system,[Footnote 29] (4) the Enterprise 
Community Partners green communities criteria,[Footnote 30] and (5) a 
memorandum of understanding signed by many federal agencies to commit 
to federal leadership in the design, construction, and operation of 
high-performance and sustainable buildings.[Footnote 31] We identified 
these five sources on the basis of background research and interviews 
with knowledgeable stakeholders from the following nonprofit groups 
and trade associations: the Building Owners and Managers Association 
International, the Housing Assistance Council, the International 
Facility Management Association, the National Housing Trust, the 
National Institute of Building Sciences' High Performance Building 
Council, Neighborworks America, the Public Housing Authorities 
Directors Association, and the U.S. Green Building Council. 
Knowledgeable stakeholders from these organizations stated that these 
sources represent leading efforts to promote green building 
nationwide. From our analysis of these sources, we determined that, 
for the purposes of this report, a "green building" is a building 
that, through its design, construction, rehabilitation, operation, or 
maintenance, incorporates one or more of the following six elements: 
(1) integrated design principles, (2) energy conservation or 
efficiency measures, (3) water conservation or efficiency measures, 
(4) indoor environmental quality measures, (5) measures to reduce the 
environmental impact of materials, and (6) sustainable siting or 
location measures.[Footnote 32] 

With this definition of a green building, we then developed a list of 
key terms and used them to search a broad range of sources for federal 
initiatives with descriptions containing any of the terms. The sources 
we searched primarily included federal agency budget justifications, 
program websites, and databases. We also searched Federal Register 
announcements, agencies' news releases, and strategic planning 
documents. We analyzed each initiative identified through this process 
to determine whether it fell within the scope of our objectives, 
including whether it was active anytime during fiscal year 2011, and 
through this analysis, we developed a list of initiatives organized by 
agency.[Footnote 33] We confirmed these initiatives with officials at 
the federal agencies with roles in implementing the initiatives, and 
we asked the officials to identify other initiatives they were aware 
of that might fall within the scope of our objectives.[Footnote 34] We 
identified at least one initiative at each of the following 11 
agencies: the Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education, Energy 
(DOE), Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 
Transportation (DOT), and the Treasury (Treasury); the Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA); the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology; and the Small Business Administration. Although we 
attempted to ensure that we had a complete list of federal green 
building initiatives, our list is not intended to be comprehensive 
because, in part, of differences in definitions of a green building 
across agencies. 

We then developed a questionnaire to collect information on the green 
building initiatives we identified at the 11 agencies. To identify 
officials who were most knowledgeable about each initiative, and thus 
the most appropriate person to complete the questionnaire, we used 
information from our initial meetings with agency officials and 
information gathered by each agency's audit liaisons. Working with an 
independent GAO survey expert, we conducted, in person, pretests of 
draft questionnaires with officials we had identified at three 
agencies. The pretests took place with officials with expertise in 
green building at HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing, officials 
with tax credit expertise at Treasury's Internal Revenue Service, and 
commercial and residential building program officials at DOE. We 
conducted pretests to check that (1) the questions were clear and 
unambiguous, (2) terminology was used correctly, (3) the questionnaire 
did not place an undue burden on agency officials, (4) the information 
could feasibly be obtained, and (5) the questionnaire was 
comprehensive and unbiased. Using the feedback we received, we made 
changes to the content and format of the questionnaire. After deciding 
on the final questionnaire, we sent it to the appropriate agency 
officials by e-mail in an attached Microsoft Word form. For each 
initiative, the questionnaire asked officials to (1) confirm general 
information, (2) report funding for green building, (3) identify goals 
and performance measures for green building, and (4) provide 
additional information that would help us further understand the 
initiative. We received a questionnaire response for each initiative 
and, thus, had a response rate of 100 percent. After analyzing the 
responses, we conducted follow-up interviews, e-mail exchanges, or 
telephone discussions with agency officials when responses were 
unclear or conflicting, such as when both "Yes" and "No" boxes were 
checked or boxes were left completely unchecked. When necessary, we 
used the clarifying information provided by agency officials to update 
answers to questions to improve the accuracy and completeness of the 
data. During our follow-up conversations, agency officials stated 
that, for many initiatives, green building funds are not tracked 
separately from other related activities; therefore, we could not 
determine governmentwide funding for green building in the nonfederal 
sector because we could not collect complete or reliable funding data. 
As a result, we did not report the responses about funding for green 
building. In addition, the questionnaire asked agency officials to 
identify entities expected to directly benefit from the initiatives. 
However, we did not evaluate the effectiveness of the initiatives, 
including the extent to which the entities identified may or may not 
have received benefits. The initiatives we identified may vary in the 
scale of their funding or the number of entities expected to benefit 
from them, among other things; however, in this report, we do not 
discuss these differences or compare the scale of the initiatives we 
identified. A copy of our questionnaire is presented in appendix IV. 

Because this effort was not a sample survey, it has no sampling 
errors. However, the practical difficulties of conducting any survey 
may introduce errors, commonly referred to as nonsampling errors. For 
example, difficulties in interpreting a particular question, sources 
of information available to respondents, or entering data into a 
database or analyzing them can introduce unwanted variability into the 
survey results. We took steps in developing the questionnaire and 
collecting and analyzing the data to minimize such nonsampling errors. 
For example, social science survey specialists designed the 
questionnaire in collaboration with GAO staff who had subject matter 
expertise. We pretested the draft questionnaire to ensure that the 
questions were relevant, clearly stated, and easy to understand. When 
we analyzed the data using computer programs, an independent analyst 
checked the results from all the computer programs. Finally, we 
verified the accuracy of a small sample of keypunched records by 
comparing them with their corresponding questionnaires, and we 
corrected the errors we found. Less than 0.5 percent of the data items 
we checked had random keypunch errors that would not have been 
corrected during data processing. 

To determine what is known about the results of these initiatives on 
fostering green building in the nonfederal sector, in addition to 
analyzing questionnaire data on goals and performance measures, we 
conducted follow-up interviews with officials representing initiatives 
for which fostering green building is a primary purpose. We identified 
this subgroup of initiatives by conducting a content analysis of the 
initiative descriptions each agency had confirmed or updated in its 
questionnaire responses. More specifically, based on the research we 
conducted to develop our full list of initiatives, we had prepopulated 
each questionnaire with a description of the initiative and then asked 
respondents to confirm the description or edit it, as appropriate. 
Using these confirmed or edited descriptions, we categorized 
initiatives into two groups: those where a primary purpose of the 
initiative was to foster the use of one or more green building 
elements by nonfederal entities, and those where it was a secondary or 
other purpose. Our content analysis results indicated that 64 of the 
94 initiatives had green building as a primary purpose. In 
consideration of resource constraints, to limit the number of follow-
up interviews, we listed the initiatives in the primary purpose 
subgroup by agency to identify the agencies with the most initiatives. 
On the basis of this analysis, we determined that HUD, DOE, and EPA 
were the three agencies that had the most initiatives with green 
building as a primary purpose, accounting for about 67 percent of the 
initiatives in our subgroup. We then conducted follow-up interviews 
with officials from the offices chiefly responsible for implementing 
the three agencies' initiatives, based on the number of initiatives, 
general mission of the office, or both. During these interviews, we 
asked officials about their progress and the challenges they face, if 
any, in implementing the pertinent initiatives, including the extent 
to which the agency collects performance data and coordinates--
internally and with other agencies--on similar initiatives. We also 
asked the officials to provide related documents, and we reviewed 
these and other relevant documents from their offices. 

Finally, we conducted site visits to green building projects that have 
received support from some of the initiatives we identified. During 
these site visits, we interviewed officials connected to the projects--
including developers, resident groups, and property managers; local 
housing authority officials implementing green building projects; and 
regional federal officials with expertise in fostering green building 
through some of the initiatives. We identified sites to visit from 
examples provided in agency responses to our questionnaire, and we 
selected locations that had several projects that could be visited, 
covered a range of agencies and building types, and were convenient to 
GAO offices. During these visits, we toured projects at varying stages 
of completion. Specifically, we toured projects funded by the HUD 
Green Retrofit Program at Castle Square Apartments in Boston and Eden 
Issei Terrace Apartments in Hayward, California. In addition, we 
toured a project being conducted by the Cambridge Housing Authority in 
Massachusetts that participates in the HUD Moving to Work program. We 
toured projects funded by the DOT Transit Investments for Greenhouse 
Gas and Energy Reduction program at Alameda-Contra Costa Transit 
District facilities in Oakland, California. We also toured two Energy 
Star hotels in Boston and San Francisco. We interviewed officials 
responsible for overseeing the projects and asked them to discuss, 
among other things, the progress and challenges they faced, if any, in 
implementing the projects. The findings from our site visit interviews 
cannot be generalized to sites or projects not included in this 
nonprobability sample. 

We conducted this performance audit from September 2010 to November 
2011 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing 
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit 
to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable 
basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 
We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for 
our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives. 

[End of section] 

Appendix II: Federal Initiatives Identified That Foster Green Building 
in the Nonfederal Sector: 

We identified 11 federal agencies with 94 initiatives that foster 
green building in the nonfederal sector, which includes private, 
state, local, and tribal entities. The following tables provide 
summaries, based on the questionnaire responses, of each of these 
initiatives by agency, and whether--according to our analysis--they 
foster green building directly or indirectly. A primary purpose of 
direct initiatives is to foster green building (or any element 
thereof); thus, they foster one or more green building elements 
directly. Indirect initiatives are part of broader efforts not focused 
primarily on green building (or any element thereof); thus, they 
foster green building elements indirectly. 

Table 5: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: 

Direct initiatives: 

High Energy Cost Grant Program: This program provides financial 
assistance for a broad range of energy facilities, equipment, and 
related activities to offset the impacts of extremely high residential 
energy costs on eligible communities. Grant funds may be used for on-
grid and off-grid renewable energy systems and for the implementation 
of cost-effective demand-side management and energy conservation 
programs that benefit eligible communities. 

Rural Energy for America: This program promotes energy efficiency and 
renewable energy for agricultural producers and rural small businesses 
through the use of grants and loan guarantees for energy-efficiency 
improvements and renewable-energy systems, and grants for energy 
audits and renewable-energy development assistance. 

Rural Housing Service Section 502 Direct and Guaranteed Loan 
Assistance and Section 504 Loan and Grant Assistance for the Rural 
Economic Development Energy Efficiency Initiative: This initiative is 
a USDA-Department of Energy partnership as part of a governmentwide 
"Recovery Through Retrofit" initiative. Section 502 and Section 504 
funding will be used through the Rural Economic Development Energy 
Efficiency program to improve the energy efficiency of single and 
multifamily housing and businesses. 

Rural Housing Service Section 514 and Section 516 Assistance for Farm 
Labor Housing: These programs provide direct loans and grants for new 
construction of housing for farm laborers. Under Notices of Funding 
Availability for the programs, USDA promotes the use of energy saving 
design, materials, construction, and operation for newly constructed 
or substantially rehabilitated residential housing and for the 
rehabilitation of existing portfolio properties. 

Rural Housing Service Section 515 Assistance for Low-income, Elderly, 
and Handicapped Housing: This program provides direct loans for the 
construction of rural rental housing for low-income eligible tenants. 
Under Notices of Funding Availability for the program, USDA promotes 
the use of energy saving design, materials, construction, and 
operation for newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated 
residential housing and for the rehabilitation of existing portfolio 
properties. 

Rural Utilities Service Electric Loan Programs: USDA's Rural Utilities 
Service is authorized to provide direct loans to provide and improve 
electric generation, transmission, and distribution service in rural 
areas and to assist electric borrowers in implementing demand-side 
management, efficiency and conservation programs, and on-grid and off-
grid renewable-energy systems. In addition, USDA may provide loan 
guarantees to not-for-profit lenders that may be used to make loans 
for a full range of eligible electric and telephone purposes, which 
may include borrower energy efficiency and conservation programs. 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: Section 538 
Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program: This program helps increase 
the supply of affordable rental housing in rural areas and ensures 
that housing is affordable to certain rural residents, among other 
things. Under the program, all new multifamily housing projects 
financed in whole or in part by USDA will be encouraged to use green 
building practices, emphasizing energy efficiency and conservation. 

Indirect initiative: 

Rural Housing Service Section 502 Direct and Guaranteed Loan 
Assistance for the Rural Energy Plus Program: This program provides 
loans primarily to help low-income individuals or households purchase 
homes in rural areas. Under the program, eligible applicants may be 
able to increase qualifying ratios used to determine an applicant's 
ability to repay a home loan by up to 2 percentage points if they are 
purchasing a newer home that is energy efficient. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and USDA information. 

[End of table] 

Table 6: Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) Initiatives Identified That Foster Green Building in 
the Nonfederal Sector: 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: 

Direct initiatives: 

Advanced Building Energy Technologies Program: This program develops 
the measurement science needed to deploy renewable and emerging energy-
efficient technologies to help achieve net-zero energy use in 
residential and commercial buildings. 

Embedded Intelligence in Buildings Program: This program develops the 
measurement science needed to promote the use of embedded intelligence 
systems in buildings that enable more energy-efficient building 
operations, new integrated functionality for building systems, and 
improved occupant comfort and safety. 

Improved Building Energy Performance Program: This program develops 
the measurement science needed to evaluate how buildings perform, 
covering carbon dioxide emissions, indoor air quality, and other 
metrics, in order to better evaluate overall building performance 
compared to other approaches that rely on modeling or other inexact 
assessment methods. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and NIST information. 

[End of table] 

Table 7: Department of Defense (DOD) Initiative Identified That 
Fosters Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: 

Indirect initiative: 

Environmental Security Technology Certification Program: This program 
identifies and demonstrates cost-effective technologies that address 
the agency's highest priority environmental requirements, including 
green building, although the effort is broadly focused on issues 
related to managing the agency's energy needs. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and DOD information. 

[End of table] 

Table 8: Department of Education (ED) Initiatives Identified That 
Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: 

Indirect initiatives: 

Impact Aid Construction Program: Through this program, ED allows local 
school districts to use competitive grant funds to support emergency 
repairs and modernization efforts of school and college facilities, 
including green building efforts. This program's green building 
authority applied only to the one-time funding provided by the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. 

State Fiscal Stabilization Fund: This fund provides funding to states, 
local educational agencies, and public institutions of higher 
education for, among other things, modernization, renovation, and 
repair of public school and college facilities. States and local 
educational agencies may use program funds for construction, but 
public institutions of higher education may not. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and ED information. 

[End of table] 

Table 9: Department of Energy (DOE) Initiatives Identified That Foster 
Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: 

Direct initiatives: 

Building Technologies Program/Commercial Building 
Integration/Commercial Building Initiative: This initiative aims to 
improve the energy efficiency of new and existing commercial buildings 
by researching technologies, strategies, and tools to improve energy 
savings over current building codes; help guide DOE research; 
encourage industry to move toward energy-efficient design and 
strategies; and provide technical assistance for specific commercial-
sector projects that will demonstrate possibilities in energy 
reduction. 

Building Technologies Program/Emerging Technologies: The Emerging 
Technologies subprogram conducts research and development and 
technology transfer activities associated with energy-efficient 
products and technologies for both residential and commercial 
buildings. These efforts address opportunities within building 
components, such as lighting, building envelope technologies 
(including advanced windows), space conditioning (including low Global 
Warming Potential refrigerant research), water heating, appliances, 
solar heating and cooling, and analysis tools. 

Building Technologies Program/Home Energy Score Pilot Program: Under 
the Home Energy Score Pilot subprogram, trained and certified 
contractors use a standardized assessment tool developed by DOE and 
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to evaluate a home's energy 
assets, such as its heating and cooling systems and insulation levels. 
It was launched in November 2010 and is currently being tested with 
local government, utility, and nonprofit partners in nine pilot 
communities across the country, located in both urban and rural areas 
that cover a wide range of climates. 

Building Technologies Program/Residential Buildings Integration: The 
Residential Buildings Integration subprogram focuses on improving the 
efficiency of new and existing homes through research, development, 
deployment, and technology transfer activities. 

Building Technologies Program/Residential Buildings Integration/Solar 
Decathlon: The Solar Decathlon subprogram focuses on educating 
students and the public about the money-saving opportunities and 
environmental benefits presented by clean energy products and design 
solutions. It is intended to demonstrate the comfort and affordability 
of homes that combine energy-efficient construction and appliances 
with renewable-energy systems currently available. 

Building Technologies Program/Technology Validation and Market 
Introduction/Building Energy Codes: The Building Energy Codes 
subprogram assists in the development, adoption, and enforcement of 
energy codes in the states. It develops and maintains free software 
and tools to support those codes and standards, as well as conducts 
outreach and deployment activities related to energy codes and high-
performance sustainably designed buildings. 

Energy Efficient Building Systems Regional Innovation Cluster 
Initiative: This initiative is a multiagency pilot intended to spur 
regional economic growth while developing innovative energy-efficient 
building technologies, designs, and systems. 

Energy Transformation Acceleration Fund/Advanced Research Projects 
Agency/Building Energy Efficiency Through Innovative Thermodevices: 
This subprogram seeks to develop energy-efficient building cooling 
technologies that will reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas 
emissions from overall cooling and refrigerants used in vapor 
compression systems. 

State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program: This program makes 
funds available to states and territories to promote the purchase of 
Energy Star-qualified appliances. Under this program, consumers can 
receive rebates to purchase new energy-efficient appliances when they 
replace used appliances. 

Superior Energy Performance Program: This program is a certification 
program that is intended to provide managers of industrial and 
commercial buildings with a road map for achieving continual 
improvement in energy efficiency while maintaining competitiveness. 
The program is intended to provide a transparent, globally accepted 
system for verifying energy performance improvements and management 
practices. 

Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities/Energy Efficiency and 
Conservation Block Grant: This subprogram is intended to help U.S. 
cities, counties, states, territories, and Indian tribes develop, 
promote, implement, and manage energy-efficiency and conservation 
projects and programs designed to improve energy efficiency in 
buildings, transportation, and other sectors. Grants can be used for 
energy-efficiency and conservation programs and projects 
communitywide, as well as renewable-energy installations on government 
buildings. 

Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities/State Energy Program: 
The goal of this subprogram is to provide financial and technical 
assistance to states through formula and competitive grants. States 
use their formula grants to develop strategies and goals to address 
their energy priorities, including developing energy projects focused 
on buildings. 

Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities/Tribal Energy Program: 
This program is intended to provide financial and technical assistance 
to Indian tribes to help them evaluate and develop their renewable-
energy resources and reduce their energy consumption through 
efficiency and weatherization. The program also provides education and 
training opportunities to build knowledge and skills essential to 
developing, implementing, and sustaining energy-efficiency and 
renewable-energy projects. 

Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities/Weatherization 
Assistance Program: The goal of this program is to enable low-income 
families to permanently reduce their energy bills by making their 
homes more energy efficient. DOE provides funding to states, U.S. 
territories, and Indian tribal governments, each which manages the 
program's day-to-day details. These governments, in turn, fund a 
network of local community action agencies, nonprofit organizations, 
and local governments that provide these weatherization services. 

Weatherization Innovation Pilot Program: This program aims to 
accelerate innovations in whole-house weatherization for low-income 
families. Projects include using new and nontraditional partners and 
weatherization service providers leveraging nonfederal financial 
resources in addition to federal funds and aiming to improve the 
effectiveness of low-income weatherization through the use of new 
materials, technologies, behavior-change models, and processes. 

Indirect initiatives: 

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology 
Transfer programs: These programs allow federal agencies with large 
research and development budgets to set aside a small fraction of 
their funding for competitions among small businesses. Small 
businesses that win awards in these programs keep the rights to any 
technology developed and are encouraged to commercialize the 
technology. These competitions include multiple research areas, 
including energy use in buildings. 

Title 17 Loan Guarantee Program: This program, authorized under the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005, guarantees loans for projects that (1) use 
new or significantly improved technologies, as compared with 
commercial technologies already in service in the United States, and 
(2) avoid, reduce, or sequester emissions of air pollutants or man-
made greenhouse gases. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and DOE information. 

[End of table] 

Table 10: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Initiative 
Identified That Fosters Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: 

Indirect initiative: 

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program: This program is a block 
grant to assist low-income households, particularly those with the 
lowest incomes, in meeting their immediate home energy needs. Under 
this program, grantees, including states, territories, and Indian 
tribes and tribal organizations, may use a portion of the funds for 
weatherization and other energy-related home repair. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and HHS information. 

[End of table] 

Table 11: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 
Initiatives Identified That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Type of initiative/name and description of initiative: 

Direct initiatives; 

Capital Fund Recovery Act Competitive Grant Program: This program was 
included in the Recovery Act. One component was the "Creation of 
Energy Efficient Green Communities" grant competition, which provided 
competitive grants to public housing agencies for either new 
construction or energy retrofit projects that increase the energy 
efficiency and environmental performance of public housing properties. 

Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing: The American Recovery 
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 included authority for HUD to make loans 
or award grants for utility-saving retrofits and other retrofits that 
produce environmental benefits in existing HUD-assisted multifamily 
housing, subject to agreement between HUD and the owner. HUD offered 
Green Retrofit Grants and Green Retrofit Loans of up to $15,000 per 
unit that can be used to finance projects that, among other things, 
lower electricity use, lower the use of raw materials, and increase 
the amount of recycled content. 

Healthy Homes Program: This program awards grants to mostly local 
government agencies to create healthier and greener homes through a 
number of subprograms: (1) the Coordinated Housing Hazard Intervention 
Grant Program, (2) Healthy Homes Production Grants, (3) Asthma 
Interventions in Multifamily Housing Grant Program, (4) Healthy Homes 
Technical Studies Grant Program, and (5) contracts and interagency 
agreements. 

Mark to Market Green Initiative: This initiative is a nationwide pilot 
program to encourage owners and purchasers of affordable, multifamily 
properties to rehabilitate and operate their properties using 
sustainable building principles. When property owners and purchasers 
refinance their properties under HUD's Mark to Market financial 
restructuring program and incorporate environmentally sustainable or 
energy-efficient improvements, HUD will reduce their required 
contribution toward the improvements, allowing those costs to be 
financed rather than paid out of pocket by the owner up front. The 
initiative uses a property assessment and energy audit to determine 
the best energy and green retrofit needs and opportunities for 
specific properties. 

Multifamily Energy Innovation Fund: This fund is directed at the 
multifamily rental market and is designed to help catalyze a home 
energy retrofit market in the United States by providing competitive 
grants to accelerate private investment in cost-saving energy-
efficiency retrofits in the multifamily residential sector. 

PowerSaver Pilot Program: This program offers homeowners low-cost 
loans to make energy-saving improvements to their homes. Backed by the 
Federal Housing Administration, these loans provide single-family 
homeowners with up to $25,000 to make energy-efficient improvements, 
such as the installation of insulation, duct sealing, doors and 
windows, HVAC systems, water heaters, as well as solar panels or 
geothermal systems. The PowerSaver initiative is based on the Federal 
Housing Administration's Title I program and is specifically designed 
and promoted as a green initiative. 

Public Housing Environmental and Conservation Clearinghouse: Through 
this initiative, HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing, among 
other things, provides energy consumption and water consumption 
benchmarking tools for residential public housing buildings. The tools 
are based on energy and water consumption data voluntarily submitted 
for over 9,100 buildings by almost 350 public housing authorities. 

Public Housing Operating Fund, Energy Performance Contract Incentives: 
This initiative provides incentives for public housing authorities to 
secure third-party financing for energy projects implemented with an 
Energy Services Company through an energy performance contract. 
Incentives include an "add-on" subsidy, or a "frozen rolling base" 
incentive. HUD project approval is based on a determination that 
payments under the contract can be funded from reasonably anticipated 
energy savings. 

Public Housing Operating Fund, Streamlining Energy Performance 
Contracting: This initiative is designed to help small public housing 
authorities increase their use of energy performance contracting--the 
use of third-party financing for energy projects. Small public housing 
authorities have been traditionally underserved by the energy industry 
and HUD's utility incentives, and by helping public housing 
authorities adopt the best energy-improvement practices through a 
simplified submission and approval process, HUD hopes to reduce their 
utility consumption and carbon emissions. 

Section 203(b) Mortgage Insurance, Energy Efficient Mortgage: The 
Energy Efficient Mortgage is designed to help homebuyers or homeowners 
finance the cost of adding energy-efficiency features to new or 
existing housing as part of a Federal Housing Administration-insured 
home purchase or refinancing mortgage. 

Section 203(b) Mortgage Insurance, Weatherization: This initiative 
allows borrowers to include up to $3,500 in a Federal Housing 
Administration mortgage to pay for basic weatherization items such as 
thermostats, insulation, storm windows, or similar building envelope 
improvements. 

Sustainable Communities Initiative, Housing-Transportation Integration 
Research: This initiative is a research and development effort 
designed to support location efficient transportation planning and 
housing development for local communities wishing to learn more about 
the combined cost of housing and transportation. The initiative is 
administered by HUD, in partnership with DOT and EPA. 

Sustainable Communities Initiative, Sustainable Community Challenge 
Grants: This initiative is designed to create incentives for state, 
metropolitan, and local organizations to change zoning and land-use 
ordinances in ways that encourage sustainable growth. The grants 
leverage local and federal funds for a variety of eligible activities, 
including revisions to building codes that promote energy-efficient 
rehabilitations of older buildings to create affordable and healthy 
housing. 

Transformation Initiative, Energy Efficiency and Green Building Across 
Affordable Housing Program: This is a coordinated technical assistance 
and capacity building program for HUD partners and grantees to 
incorporate energy-efficient and green activities in their properties 
or programs through energy training and technical assistance to state 
and local housing agencies and other affordable housing organizations. 

Transformation Initiative, Green and Healthy Homes: This initiative is 
designed to reduce the number of homes with health and safety hazards 
in low-and moderate-income homes through targeted physical 
interventions. Projects incorporate green building elements such as 
integrated design, energy conservation and efficiency, water 
conservation and efficiency, and indoor air quality. HUD provides a 
limited amount of technical assistance to some localities where 
projects are active and makes relevant grant programs available to 
initiative participants. 

Transformation Initiative, Sustainable Building Practice: This 
initiative facilitates sustainable construction in Indian country by 
providing technical assistance to tribes, documenting activities, and 
disseminating results. The initiative builds on efforts already 
performed by HUD's Office of Native American Programs to help tribes 
improve their housing, but it focuses on sustainable construction and 
incorporates enhanced communication and information dissemination 
plans. 

Transformation Initiative, Sustainable Communities Grant Program: This 
is a research grant program operated by HUD's Office of Policy 
Development and Research that funds proposals, many of which relate to 
green building principles. It is designed to fill data and information 
gaps regarding sustainability; increase understanding of incentives, 
strategies, and approaches that encourage integrated planning and 
promote sustainable green and energy-efficient practices; and 
encourage strategic thinking about a broad, sustainable agenda for 
urban areas beyond current program priorities. 

Indirect initiatives: 

Choice Neighborhoods: This initiative seeks to transform distressed 
neighborhoods and public and assisted housing projects into 
sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods by linking housing improvements 
with appropriate schools, public assets, transportation, and access to 
jobs. Planning grants enable communities to develop a comprehensive 
transformation plan. Implementation grants include, but are not 
limited to, construction, acquisition or rehabilitation of public, 
assisted and privately owned housing that incorporate sustainable 
design principles, including energy efficiency. 

HOME Investment Partnerships Program: HUD uses this initiative to 
allocate funds by formula to eligible state and local governments to 
expand the supply of decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing 
for very low-income and low-income families, with primary attention to 
rental housing. State and local governments use HOME funds to carry 
out multiyear housing strategies through acquisition, rehabilitation, 
and new construction of housing, as well as tenant-based rental 
assistance. Local housing organizations can encourage or require green 
building elements, including energy efficiency, and must report the 
number of units that meet the Energy Star standard. HUD has developed 
an Energy Star training module and encourages grantees to incorporate 
energy efficiency in their projects. 

HOPE VI Revitalization Grant Program: This program awards funds to 
public housing authorities with severely distressed public housing. 
Grant applicants are awarded points for meeting various criteria for 
physical revitalization projects, including green development and 
energy-efficiency strategies. 

Indian Community Development Block Grant Program: This program, 
created by the Recovery Act, provides funds to low-and moderate-income 
individuals residing in Indian and Alaska native communities for 
improvements to housing, living environments, and economic 
opportunities. Funds may be used for energy-efficient housing 
rehabilitation and new construction under limited circumstances. 

Indian Housing Block Grant Program: HUD received a $510 million 
appropriation under the Recovery Act for this program, also known as 
the Native American Housing Block Grant Program. These funds were 
allocated for new residential construction, acquisition, and 
rehabilitation projects, some of which include energy-efficiency and 
conservation measures. 

Moving to Work Demonstration Program: This program allows public 
housing authorities to design and test innovative, locally designed 
housing and self-sufficiency strategies for low-income families by 
permitting public housing authorities to combine certain housing funds 
into a single source and exempting them from existing public housing 
and Housing Choice Voucher program rules. In addition to other 
activities, it also allows public housing authorities to retain 
monetary savings from projects to reduce energy consumption. 

Section 203(k) Mortgage Insurance, Section 203(k) Streamlined Mortgage 
Insurance: This initiative enables homebuyers and homeowners to 
finance both the purchase (or refinancing) of a house and the cost of 
its rehabilitation through a single mortgage, or to finance the 
rehabilitation of their existing home. HUD's Federal Housing 
Administration insures these mortgages against default. Eligible 
upgrades include making energy-conservation improvements. 

Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 811): In 
fiscal year 2010, HUD began requiring applicants seeking Section 811 
funding to increase energy and water conservation and offered 
incentives to applicants who incorporate green building features into 
their projects. Specific requirements and incentives depend on the 
type of development proposed by applicants. For new construction and 
substantial rehabilitation projects, sponsors and owners are required 
to incorporate energy efficiency and water conservation strategies; 
for acquisition and moderate or modest rehabilitation projects, pre-
and post-construction energy audits and incorporation of conservation 
techniques are required; and for all applicants, incentives in the 
form of additional scoring points are available to applications that 
meet certain criteria concerning green development, sustainable 
design, solar orientation principles, and operations and maintenance 
manuals. 

Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202): This program is 
intended to help expand the supply of affordable housing with services 
for the low-income elderly by providing them with options for 
independent living in a supportive environment. In fiscal year 2010, 
HUD began requiring applicants seeking Section 202 funding to increase 
energy and water conservation and offered incentives to applicants who 
incorporate green building features into their projects. Specific 
requirements and incentives depend on the type of development proposed 
by applicants. For new construction and substantial rehabilitation 
projects, sponsors and owners are required to incorporate energy 
efficiency and water conservation strategies; for acquisition and 
moderate or modest rehabilitation projects, pre-and post-construction 
energy audits and incorporation of conservation techniques are 
required; and for all applicants, incentives in the form of additional 
scoring points are available to applications that meet certain 
criteria concerning green development, sustainable design, solar 
orientation principles, and operations and maintenance manuals. 

Sustainable Communities Initiative, Capacity-building Program and 
Tools Clearinghouse: This grant program provides tools, skills, and 
best practices to educate and assist local or tribal governments, 
metropolitan areas and regional partnerships in adopting integrated 
plans, strategies, and management tools designed to help them become 
more sustainable. The program uses funds from HUD's Sustainable 
Communities Initiative and EPA's Offices of Sustainable Communities, 
Brownfields and Land Revitalization, and Water. 

Sustainable Communities Initiative, Sustainable Communities Regional 
Planning Grants: This initiative is designed to improve regional 
planning efforts that integrate housing and transportation decisions, 
including the challenges of energy use and climate change. Eligible 
activities include developing a comprehensive regional plan for 
sustainable development that will guide local, regional, and state 
governments as they consider a variety of issues, including energy 
reduction strategies. 

Title I Property Improvement Loan Insurance Program (Title I Program): 
This is a home improvement loan initiative that can be used to improve 
a home's energy efficiency. Through the program, the Federal Housing 
Administration insures secured and unsecured loans made by private 
lenders, offering consumers the opportunity to obtain more affordable 
home improvement loans. While the loans are primarily used to make 
needed repairs or improvements to residential properties, they can 
also be used for weatherization or other energy-conservation 
improvements. Title I loans are usually second loans, and the maximum 
loan amount is $25,000. The Federal Housing Administration insures 
private lenders against the risk of default for up to 90 percent of 
any single loan. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and HUD information. 

[End of table] 

Table 12: Department of Transportation (DOT) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Direct initiatives: 

Federal Transit Administration Environmental Management Systems 
Training and Technical Assistance: This program is designed to help 
transit agencies develop and implement environmental management 
systems, using the 14001 Standard of the International Organization 
for Standardization. An environmental management system sets 
procedures that ensure an organization's daily operations comply with 
environmental regulations and support environmental stewardship 
objectives to minimize impact to the environment and increase 
efficiency. 

Federal Transit Administration Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas 
and Energy Reduction: This program offers capital assistance to public 
transit agencies to implement new strategies for reducing greenhouse 
gas emissions or reduce energy usage from their operations, including 
for transit facilities. 

Indirect initiatives: 

Federal Transit Administration Bus and Bus Facilities Program: This 
program provides capital assistance for new and replacement buses, 
related equipment, and facilities. If funds are not earmarked, then 
project selections for funding may be determined when green building 
certification is specified as funding criteria in a notice of funding 
availability. 

Federal Transit Administration Urbanized Area Formula Program: This 
program makes federal resources available to urbanized areas and to 
governors, or their designee, for transit capital and operating 
assistance in urbanized areas and for transportation-related planning. 
Eligible projects that may be funded include capital investments in 
bus and bus-related activities such as construction of maintenance and 
passenger facilities. 

Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas: This formula-based 
program provides funding to states to support public transportation in 
rural areas with a population of less than 50,000. Eligible projects 
that may be funded include capital investments and operating costs 
associated with public transportation facilities that meet green 
building standards. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and DOT information. 

[End of table] 

Table 13: Department of the Treasury Initiatives Identified That 
Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Direct initiatives: 

Accelerated Depreciation Deduction for Specified Energy Property: 
Under the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System, businesses may 
deduct depreciation on certain energy property eligible for the Energy 
Production Tax Credit or the Energy Investment Tax Credit under a 
shorter 5-year recovery period than otherwise is permitted under the 
general depreciation system. This property includes equipment that 
uses solar energy to heat or cool (or to provide hot water for use in) 
a building. 

Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction: This program allows 
businesses to take a tax deduction on the cost of energy-efficient 
property for new or renovated buildings by reducing the energy costs 
associated with three components--lighting systems; building envelope; 
and heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water systems. 

Energy Investment Tax Credit: This program provides tax credits to 
businesses for certain qualified renewable energy and energy-
efficiency technologies. For example, this program offers a 10 percent 
investment tax credit for small (50 megawatts or less) combined heat 
and power systems that have an energy efficiency of greater than 60 
percent (or a lesser efficiency with a reduced credit for biomass 
facilities), produce at least 20 percent of their useful energy as 
useful thermal energy, and produce at least 20 percent of their useful 
energy as either electrical or mechanical energy (or as a combination 
of the electrical and mechanical energy). This program also offers 
investment tax credits for fuel cell and microturbine property. 

New Energy Efficient Home Credit: This program offers tax credits of 
either $1,000 or $2,000 for each new home that meets energy-efficiency 
requirements in the law. 

Nonbusiness Energy Property Tax Credit: This program provides a 
personal tax credit for nonbusiness energy property. Generally, there 
are two categories of nonbusiness energy property: eligible building 
envelope components, such as qualifying insulation and exterior 
windows; and residential energy property, such as qualifying air 
conditioners and electric heat pumps. 

Payments for Specified Energy Property in Lieu of Tax Credits: Section 
1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 established 
this renewable energy grant program for certain qualified renewable-
energy technologies. Cash payments under this program may be taken in 
lieu of the Energy Investment Tax Credit or the Energy Production Tax 
Credit. 

Residential Energy Conservation Subsidy Exclusion: This program makes 
nontaxable certain energy conservation subsidies provided to customers 
by public utilities, either directly or indirectly. Eligible dwellings 
include houses, apartments, condominiums, and mobile homes; and energy-
conservation measures may include installations or modifications made 
that are designed to reduce consumption of electricity or natural gas 
or improve the management of energy demand. 

Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit: This program provides a 
tax credit for homeowners of up to 30 percent of the costs for 
eligible solar electric property, solar water heating property, small 
wind energy property, fuel cell property, and geothermal heat pump 
property. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and Department of the 
Treasury information. 

[End of table] 

Table 14: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Direct initiatives: 

Energy Star Program: The Energy Star Program offers labels for 
products that are more energy efficient than required by current 
standards, works with homebuilders, home energy raters, and other 
stakeholders and organizations to promote energy-efficient homes and 
also promotes guidance, tools, and other resources to help businesses 
and organizations reduce their energy use. 

Green Communities Program: This program is intended to provide a web-
based toolkit and planning guide designed to help communities access 
the tools and information needed to help them become more sustainable 
and livable communities. 

Green Infrastructure Program: This program is intended to promote a 
new approach to storm-water management that is cost-effective, 
sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Practices promoted through 
the program include rain gardens, porous pavement, green roofs, and 
rainwater harvesting. 

Green Power Partnership: This voluntary program is intended to build 
organizational demand for newer sources of green power generation by 
offering expert advice, technical support, tools, and resources. Green 
power is electricity produced from a subset of renewable resources, 
such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass. 

Healthy Communities--Clean, Green, and Healthy Schools: This 
initiative is designed to support states and communities in promoting 
healthier school environments and to broaden the implementation of 
EPA's existing school environmental health programs, including those 
for asthma, indoor air quality, and integrated pest management. 

Indoor Environments Program: This program promotes the use of 
integrated, whole-building approaches to protect occupant health while 
saving energy, resources, and money. These resources include Indoor 
Air Quality Tools for Schools, a program whose goal is to help schools 
establish and maintain a healthy environment in school buildings by 
providing guidance, training, checklists, and other resources to 
identify, correct, and prevent indoor air quality problems; and the 
Radon Program, which is intended to promote radon-resistant 
construction techniques for new homes and to educate the public on 
radon testing and mitigation technologies in existing homes. 

Industrial Materials Recycling Program: This program provides 
information on how industrial materials, such as coal combustion 
products, foundry sand, and construction and demolition debris, can be 
recycled to meet the material needs of the nation's construction 
industry. 

Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program: This voluntary membership 
program works with the nation's pesticide-user community to reduce the 
human health and environmental risks associated with both pest and 
pesticide use, promoting the use of Integrated Pest Management, 
including in schools. 

Smart Growth Program: This program is a key component of EPA's Office 
of Sustainable Communities, which serves as the lead office for EPA's 
involvement in the Partnership for Sustainable Communities with HUD 
and DOT. The office is intended to help communities improve the 
environmental and health outcomes from development by conducting 
research and developing tools, providing information and outreach to 
communities, delivering technical assistance, and engaging other 
federal partners. 

Tribal Green Building Initiative: Through this initiative, EPA works 
with tribes and other federal agencies to advance tribes' efforts to 
adopt building codes related to green building and to address barriers 
associated with developing and implementing these codes. The 
initiative supports tribal building codes that reduce energy and water 
use, improve indoor air quality, use nontoxic building materials, and 
conserve other resources. 

WaterSense: Through this program, EPA partners with local water 
utilities and governments, product manufacturers, retailers, and 
consumers to promote water-efficient products and practices that can 
benefit a wide variety of recipients, including individual property 
owners, state and local governments, public housing agencies, and 
businesses. 

Indirect initiatives: 

Brownfields Program: This program is intended to provide financial and 
technical assistance by encouraging states, communities, and other 
stakeholders to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and reuse 
brownfields, which are properties where reuse may be complicated by 
the potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or 
contaminant. 

Design for the Environment Program: Through this program, EPA works in 
partnership with industry, environmental groups, local and state 
governments, the federal government, and academia to reduce risk to 
people and the environment by finding ways to prevent pollution. 

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program: This program is 
intended to help the federal government "buy green" and, in doing so, 
uses the federal government's buying power to stimulate market demand 
for green products and services. 

Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse: The goal of this 
program is to use enforcement and other agencywide incentives to 
promote sustainable cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated sites. 

Heat Island Reduction Program: This program focuses on translating 
urban heat island research into outreach materials, tools, and 
guidance to provide communities with information needed to develop 
urban heat island projects, programs, and policies. 

Small Business Innovation Research Program: This program is a 
multiagency effort to support research, development, and 
commercialization of technologies by small businesses. EPA focuses on 
the development of green building technologies through the program. 

WasteWise: This voluntary program is intended to help organizations 
eliminate municipal solid waste and select industrial wastes. The 
program is part of EPA's overall efforts to promote resource 
conservation and sustainable materials management through waste 
prevention and recycling. WasteWise's green building-related 
activities have focused on providing tools, information and resources 
to businesses, local governments, state governments, and nonprofit 
organizations to increase municipal solid waste recycling as part of 
greening the operations of buildings. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and EPA information. 

[End of table] 

Table 15: Small Business Administration (SBA) Initiatives Identified 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Direct initiative: 

Small Business Energy Audit and Energy Efficiency Program: This 
program provides energy-efficiency assistance to small businesses 
through small business development centers. Assistance may include, 
among other things, access to information and resources on energy-
efficiency practices and financing options, training and educational 
activities, and free energy audits. 

Indirect initiative: 

Certified Development Company 504 Loan Program: This program provides 
small business with long-term, fixed-rate financing for the purchase 
of land, buildings, and long-life capital equipment. The program is 
for the purposes of, among other things, helping businesses reduce 
energy consumption by at least 10 percent; increase the use of 
sustainable or low-impact design; and promote the use of renewable 
fuel sources. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses and SBA information. 

[End of table] 

[End of section] 

Appendix III: Selected Questionnaire Responses for Federal Initiatives 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

We identified 11 federal agencies with 94 initiatives that foster 
green building in the nonfederal sector, which includes private, 
state, local, and tribal entities. We developed a questionnaire about 
the initiatives and submitted it to the agencies. The following tables 
provide selected questionnaire responses for each of the initiatives, 
by agency. We are reporting responses that elaborate on our report 
findings and for which agencies provided the most complete information. 

Table 16: Department of Agriculture (USDA) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: High Energy Cost Grant Program: 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Rural Energy for America; Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Rural Housing Service Section 502 Direct and Guaranteed 
Loan Assistance and Section 504 Loan and Grant Assistance for the 
Rural Economic Development Energy Efficiency initiative; Green 
building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Check] 
10: [Check]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Rural Housing Service Section 502 Direct and Guaranteed 
Loan Assistance for the Rural Energy Plus Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Check]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Rural Housing Service Section 514 and Section 516 
Assistance for Farm Labor Housing; Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Rural Housing Service Section 515 Assistance for Low-
income, Elderly, and Handicapped Housing; Green building elements 
fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Rural Utilities Service Electric Loan Programs; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: P; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Section 538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; Green building elements fostered: 
1: 6; 
2: 8; 
3: 5; 
4: 5; 
5: 4; 
6: 4; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 2; 
8: 5; 
9: 5; 
10: 2; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 3; 
16: 2; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 7; 
18: 6; 
19: 6; 
20: 5; 
21: 4; 
22: 8; 
23: 5. 

[End of table] 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

Table 17: Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and 
Technology (NIST) Selected Questionnaire Responses for Initiatives 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Advanced Building Energy Technologies Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Embedded Intelligence in Buildings Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Improved Building Energy Performance Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total: 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 3; 
2: 3; 
3: 0; 
4: 3; 
5: 3; 
6: 0; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 3; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 3; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 3; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 0; 
19: 0; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 3. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 18: Department of Defense (DOD) Selected Questionnaire Responses 
for Initiative That Fosters Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Environmental Security Technology Certification Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 1; 
2: 1; 
3: 1; 
4: 1; 
5: 0; 
6: 0; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 0; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 1; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 1; 
18: 0; 
19: 0; 
20: 1; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 1. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 19: Department of Education (ED) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Impact Aid Construction Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: State Fiscal Stabilization Fund; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 2; 
2: 2; 
3: 2; 
4: 2; 
5: 2; 
6: 2; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 2; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 0; 
19: 2; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 1; 
23: 2. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 20: Department of Energy (DOE) Selected Questionnaire Responses 
for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Building Technologies Program/Commercial Building 
Integration/Commercial Building Initiative; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Building Technologies Program/Emerging Technologies; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Building Technologies Program/Home Energy Score Pilot 
Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Building Technologies Program/Residential Buildings 
Integration; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Building Technologies Program/Residential Buildings 
Integration/Solar Decathlon; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Building Technologies Program/Technology Validation and 
Market Introduction/Building Energy Codes;
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Energy Efficient Building Systems Regional Innovation 
Cluster Initiative; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Energy Transformation Acceleration Fund/Advanced Research 
Projects Agency/Building Energy Efficiency Through Innovative 
Thermodevices; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business 
Technology Transfer programs; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Superior Energy Performance Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Title 17 Loan Guarantee Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities/Energy 
Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities/State 
Energy Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Weatherization and Intergovernmental Activities/Tribal 
Energy Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Weatherization and Intergovernmental 
Activities/Weatherization Assistance Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Weatherization Innovation Pilot Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 9; 
2: 17; 
3: 11; 
4: 12; 
5: 7; 
6: 3; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 4; 
8: 1; 
9: 8; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 7; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 13; 
16: 4; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 12; 
18: 14; 
19: 10; 
20: 10; 
21: 9; 
22: 9; 
23: 3. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 21: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Selected 
Questionnaire Responses for Initiative That Fosters Green Building in 
the Nonfederal Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 0; 
2: 1; 
3: 0; 
4: 0; 
5: 0; 
6: 0; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 1; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 1; 
19: 0; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 0. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 22: Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Selected 
Questionnaire Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in 
the Nonfederal Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Capital Fund Recovery Act Competitive Grant Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Choice Neighborhoods; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Green Retrofit Program for Multifamily Housing; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Healthy Homes Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: ; 
2: ; 
3: ; 
4: [Check]; 
5: ; 
6: ; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: HOME Investment Partnerships Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Hope VI Revitalization Grant Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Indian Community Development Block Grant Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Indian Housing Block Grant Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Mark to Market Green Initiative; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Check]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Moving to Work Demonstration Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [A]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Check]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Multifamily Energy Innovation Fund; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: PowerSaver Pilot Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Check]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Public Housing Environmental and Conservation 
Clearinghouse; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Public Housing Operating Fund, Energy Performance Contract 
Incentives; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Public Housing Operating Fund, Streamlining Energy 
Performance Contracting; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Section 203(b) Mortgage Insurance, Energy Efficient 
Mortgage; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Check]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Section 203(b) Mortgage Insurance, Weatherization; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Check]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Section 203(k) Mortgage Insurance, Section 203(k) 
Streamlined Mortgage Insurance; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities (Section 
811); 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Check]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Supportive Housing for the Elderly (Section 202); 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Check]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Sustainable Communities Initiative, Capacity-building 
Program and Tools Clearinghouse; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Sustainable Communities Initiative, Housing-Transportation 
Integration Research; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Sustainable Communities Initiative, Sustainable 
Communities Regional Planning Grants; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Sustainable Communities Initiative, Sustainable Community 
Challenge Grants; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Title I Property Improvement Loan Insurance Program (Title 
I Program); 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Transformation Initiative, Energy Efficiency and Green 
Building Across Affordable Housing Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Check]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Check]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Transformation Initiative, Green and Healthy Homes; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Transformation Initiative, Sustainable Building Practice; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Transformation Initiative, Sustainable Communities Grant 
Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 14; 
2: 24; 
3: 16; 
4: 20; 
5: 10; 
6: 15; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 6; 
8: 2; 
9: 16; 
10: 4; 
11: 4; 
12: 5; 
13: 1; 
14: 0; 
15: 8; 
16: 7; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 5; 
18: 20; 
19: 8; 
20: 11; 
21: 11; 
22: 5; 
23: 10. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[A] GAO could not confirm with HUD whether contracts are provided 
under the Moving to Work Demonstration Program. 

[End of table] 

Table 23: Department of Transportation (DOT) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Federal Transit Administration Bus and Bus Facilities 
Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Federal Transit Administration Environmental Management 
Systems Training and Technical Assistance; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Federal Transit Administration Transit Investments for 
Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Federal Transit Administration Urbanized Area Formula 
Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Formula Grants for Other than Urbanized Areas; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 1; 
2: 5; 
3: 5; 
4: 5; 
5: 2; 
6: 4; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 4; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 1; 
16: 1; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 0; 
19: 5; 
20: 3; 
21: 0; 
22: 4; 
23: 4. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 24: Department of the Treasury Selected Questionnaire Responses 
for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Accelerated Depreciation Deduction for Specified Energy 
Property; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Check]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Check]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Energy Investment Tax Credit; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Check]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: New Energy Efficient Home Credit; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Check]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Nonbusiness Energy Property Tax Credit; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Check]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Payments for Specified Energy Property in Lieu of Tax 
Credits; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Residential Energy Conservation Subsidy Exclusion; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Check]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Check]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 0; 
2: 8; 
3: 0; 
4: 0; 
5: 0; 
6: 1; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 1; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 4; 
14: 3; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 5; 
18: 3; 
19: 1; 
20: 0; 
21: 1; 
22: 1; 
23: 1. 

[End of table] 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

Table 25: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Brownfields Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Design for the Environment Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Energy Star Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Green Communities Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Empty]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Green Infrastructure Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Check]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Green Power Partnership; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Healthy Communities--Clean, Green, and Healthy Schools; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Heat Island Reduction Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Indoor Environments Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Industrial Materials Recycling Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Small Business Innovation Research Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Smart Growth Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Check]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Tribal Green Building Initiative; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Check]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: WasteWise; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Empty]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: WaterSense; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Empty]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Empty]; 
5: [Empty]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Empty]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Check]; 
19: [Check]; 
20: [Check]; 
21: [Check]; 
22: [Check]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 11; 
2: 12; 
3: 10; 
4: 10; 
5: 9; 
6: 12; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 4; 
8: 1; 
9: 6; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 5; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 16; 
16: 7; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 15; 
18: 11; 
19: 17; 
20: 15; 
21: 10; 
22: 16; 
23: 6. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 26: Small Business Administration (SBA) Selected Questionnaire 
Responses for Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal 
Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Initiative: Certified Development Company 504 Loan Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Empty]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Empty]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Empty]; 
16: [Check]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Empty]. 

Initiative: Small Business Energy Audit and Energy Efficiency Program; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: [Check]; 
2: [Check]; 
3: [Check]; 
4: [Check]; 
5: [Check]; 
6: [Check]; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: [Empty]; 
8: [Empty]; 
9: [Check]; 
10: [Empty]; 
11: [Empty]; 
12: [Empty]; 
13: [Empty]; 
14: [Empty]; 
15: [Check]; 
16: [Empty]; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: [Check]; 
18: [Empty]; 
19: [Empty]; 
20: [Empty]; 
21: [Empty]; 
22: [Empty]; 
23: [Check]. 

Initiative: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 1; 
2: 2; 
3: 1; 
4: 2; 
5: 2; 
6: 2; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 1; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 1; 
16: 1; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 2; 
18: 0; 
19: 0; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 1. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

Table 27: Total for All Agencies--Selected Questionnaire Responses for 
Initiatives That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

Key: 
1. Integrated design; 
2. Energy conservation or efficiency; 
3. Water conservation or efficiency; 
4. Indoor environmental quality; 
5. Environmental impact of materials; 
6. Sustainable siting or location; Key: 
7. Contracts; 
8. Direct loans; 
9. Grants; 
10. Mortgage-related assistance; 
11. Rent subsidies; 
12. Research and development; 
13. Tax credits; 
14. Tax deductions; 
15. Technical assistance; 
16. Other; 
17. Businesses; 
18. Individual property owners or renters; 
19. Local governments; 
20. Nonprofit organizations; 
21. Public housing agencies; 
22. State governments; 
23. Other. 

Agency: USDA; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 6; 
2: 8; 
3: 5; 
4: 5; 
5: 4; 
6: 4; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 2; 
8: 5; 
9: 5; 
10: 2; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 3; 
16: 2; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 7; 
18: 6; 
19: 6; 
20: 5; 
21: 4; 
22: 6; 
23: 5. 

Agency: NIST; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 3; 
2: 3; 
3: 0; 
4: 3; 
5: 3; 
6: 0; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 3; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 3; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 3; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 0; 
19: 0; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 3. 

Agency: DOD; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 1; 
2: 1; 
3: 1; 
4: 1; 
5: 0; 
6: 0; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 0; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 1; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 1; 
18: 0; 
19: 0; 
20: 1; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 1. 

Agency: ED; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 2; 
2: 2; 
3: 2; 
4: 2; 
5: 2; 
6: 2; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 2; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 0; 
19: 2; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 1; 
23: 2. 

Agency: DOE; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 9; 
2: 17; 
3: 11; 
4: 12; 
5: 7; 
6: 3; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 4; 
8: 1; 
9: 8; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 7; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 13; 
16: 4; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 12; 
18: 14; 
19: 10; 
20: 10; 
21: 9; 
22: 9; 
23: 3. 

Agency: HHS; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 0; 
2: 1; 
3: 0; 
4: 0; 
5: 0; 
6: 0; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 1; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 1; 
19: 0; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 0. 

Agency: HUD; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 14; 
2: 24; 
3: 16; 
4: 20; 
5: 10; 
6: 15; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 6; 
8: 2; 
9: 16; 
10: 4; 
11: 4; 
12: 5; 
13: 1; 
14: 0; 
15: 8; 
16: 7; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 5; 
18: 20; 
19: 8; 
20: 11; 
21: 11; 
22: 5; 
23: 20. 

Agency: DOT; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 1; 
2: 5; 
3: 5; 
4: 5; 
5: 2; 
6: 4; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 4; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 1; 
16: 1; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 0; 
18: 0; 
19: 5; 
20: 3; 
21: 0; 
22: 4; 
23: 4. 

Agency: Treasury; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 0; 
2: 8; 
3: 0; 
4: 0; 
5: 0; 
6: 1; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 1; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 4; 
14: 3; 
15: 0; 
16: 0; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 5; 
18: 3; 
19: 1; 
20: 0; 
21: 1; 
22: 1; 
23: 1. 

Agency: EPA; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 11; 
2: 12; 
3: 10; 
4: 10; 
5: 9; 
6: 12; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 4; 
8: 1; 
9: 6; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 5; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 16; 
16: 7; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 15; 
18: 11; 
19: 17; 
20: 15; 
21: 10; 
22: 16; 
23: 6. 

Agency: SBA; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 1; 
2: 2; 
3: 1; 
4: 2; 
5: 2; 
6: 2; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 0; 
8: 0; 
9: 1; 
10: 0; 
11: 0; 
12: 0; 
13: 0; 
14: 0; 
15: 1; 
16: 1; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 2; 
18: 0; 
19: 0; 
20: 0; 
21: 0; 
22: 0; 
23: 1. 

Agency: Total; 
Green building elements fostered: 
1: 48; 
2: 83; 
3: 51; 
4: 60; 
5: 39; 
6: 43; 
Types of assistance provided: 
7: 16; 
8: 9; 
9: 47; 
10: 6; 
11: 4; 
12: 21; 
13: 5; 
14: 3; 
15: 45; 
16: 22; 
Recipients expected to directly benefit: 
17: 47; 
18: 55; 
19: 49; 
20: 45; 
21: 35; 
22: 42; 
23: 36. 

Source: GAO analysis of questionnaire responses. 

[End of table] 

[End of section] 

Appendix IV: GAO's Questionnaire for Federal Agencies with Initiatives 
That Foster Green Building in the Nonfederal Sector: 

United States Government Accountability Office: 

Questions About Federal Initiatives To Foster Green Building Among 
Local, State, And Private Entities: 

Introduction: 

The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO), an 
independent, legislative branch agency, is examining how the federal 
government is fostering green building among local, state, and private 
entities across the United States—that is, for buildings that are not 
owned or leased by the federal government. GAO is undertaking this 
work at the request of the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Federal 
Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and 
International Security of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security 
and Governmental Affairs. Specifically, we are first seeking to 
identify federal government initiatives to foster green building among 
local, state, and private entities active during fiscal year 2011, 
including those funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
of 2009 (ARRA). Second, we are seeking to collect certain information 
about these initiatives, including the progress federal agencies are 
making and the challenges they face, if any, in implementing them. 

For our purposes, a green building is one that, through the design, 
building, rehabilitation, and/or maintenance or operation of the 
building, incorporates one or more of the following: (1) integrated 
design principles, (2) energy conservation or efficiency measures, (3) 
water conservation or efficiency measures, (4) indoor environmental 
quality measures, (5) measures to reduce the environmental impact of 
materials, or (6) sustainable siting or location measures. 

For our purposes, a green building initiative is any program or 
activity related to one or more of these six elements, regardless of 
funding, that an agency is implementing for the purpose of fostering 
green building among local, state, and private entities. These 
initiatives may include direct financial support, research and 
development, technical assistance, tax credits, tax deductions or 
other types of support or assistance provided by the federal 
government to local, state, and private entities. 

Through this questionnaire, we are asking federal agencies to provide 
certain information about the initiatives that we have identified. 
After we have gathered the responses, we plan to speak with pertinent 
agency officials to discuss in more detail the agency's role in 
implementing the initiatives and to collect other information related 
to this review, such as the progress that the agency has made in 
implementing the initiative and the challenges it has faced, if any. 

Please complete this questionnaire and return it to one of the 
individuals mentioned below by May 5, 2011. When returning the 
questionnaire, please attach any relevant supporting documentation to 
your email. 

If you have any questions or comments about this questionnaire, please 
call or e-mail John Barrett at (202) 512-5902 (barrettj@gao.gov) or 
Nathan Morris at (617) 788-0553 (morrisn@gao.gov). Thank you very much 
for your assistance. 

Instructions: 

This questionnaire can be filled out using MS-Word and returned via e-
mail to barrettj@gao.gov  or morrisn@gao.gov. Please complete this 
questionnaire and return it by May 5, 2011. 

Please use your mouse to navigate by clicking on the field or check 
box you wish to answer. 

To select a check box or button, simply click on the center of the box 
and an 'X' will appear. 

To change or deselect a check box response, simply click on the check 
box and the 'X' will disappear. 

To answer a question that requires that you write a comment, click on 
the answer box and begin typing. The box will expand to accommodate 
your answer. 

Section I: General Information For Initiative: 

We have collected some preliminary information on your initiative, 
which is listed below. 

a) Initiative Title: [Pre-populated information]; 
b) Implementing Agency: [Pre-populated information]; 
c) Implementing Office: [Pre-populated information]; 
d) Description: [Pre-populated information]. 

1) Is the information provided above about the initiative correct and 
complete? 
Yes: 
No: 

If you answered No, what information is incorrect or incomplete, and 
what is the correct or complete information? Please use the space 
provided below. 

2) Has this initiative been active at your agency at any time during 
fiscal year 2011? 
Yes: 
No: 

If you answered No, please explain in the space provided below. 

3) Is your agency mandate external required to implement this 
initiative by statute, executive order or other to the agency? 

a) Statute? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

b) Executive Order? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

c) Other mandate external to the agency? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

d) Other? [Please specify]: 
   
   
If you answered Yes to any of the above, please provide the name or 
citation for the specific statute(s), executive order(s) or other 
mandate(s) in the space provided below. 

If you answered No to all of the above, please explain the impetus for 
the initiative in the space provided below.  

4) Does your agency have documents describing how this initiative 
should be implemented? 
Yes: 
No: 
 
If Yes, please provide electronic copies of these documents when 
returning this questionnaire or provide link(s) to the relevant 
website(s) in the space provided below.   

5) For our purposes, a green building is one that, through the design, 
building, rehabilitation, and/or maintenance or operation of the 
building, incorporates one or more of the elements defined below. 
Additionally, a green building initiative is any program or activity 
related to one of these six elements, regardless of funding, that an 
agency is implementing for the purpose of fostering green building 
among local, state, and private entities.  

Based on the definitions below, which of the following element(s) of 
green building pertain to this initiative?    

a) Integrated design: Integrated design can involve the use of a 
collaborative, integrated planning and design process that initiates 
and maintains an integrated project team in all stages of a building's 
lifecycle, including planning, building, and deconstruction. 
Integrated design can also entail the use of ongoing maintenance and 
operation to verify performance of building components and systems and 
help ensure that design requirements are met: 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 
   
b) Energy conservation/efficiency: The energy conservation/efficiency 
element can involve the use of strategies to reduce energy 
consumption, such as through ongoing maintenance; energy use 
monitoring; efficient design and construction; efficient appliances, 
systems and lighting; the use of renewable and clean sources of energy 
generated on-site or off-site; and other innovative strategies: 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

c) Water conservation/efficiency: The water conservation/efficiency 
element can involve the use of various strategies to reduce water 
consumption inside and outside the building, such as through more 
efficient appliances, fixtures and fittings inside and water-wise 
landscaping outside: 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

d) Indoor environmental quality: The indoor environmental quality 
element can involve the use of various strategies to enhance indoor 
environmental quality through ventilation, thermal comfort, acoustics, 
moisture control, daylighting, pollution source control, and the use 
of low-emission materials: 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

e) Environmental impact of materials: The environmental impact of 
materials element can involve the use of various strategies to reduce 
the environmental impact of materials such as using sustainably grown, 
harvested, and transported products and materials; using products with 
high recycled and/or biobased content; reducing or eliminating the use 
of ozone depleting compounds; and promoting the reduction of waste 
through reuse and recycling: 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

f) Sustainable siting or location: The sustainable siting or location 
element can involve using certain strategies when deciding on building 
location, including discouraging development on previously undeveloped 
land; minimizing a building's impact on ecosystems and waterways; 
encouraging regionally appropriate landscaping; rewarding smart 
transportation choices; controlling stormwater runoff; and reducing 
erosion, light pollution, heat island effect and construction-related 
pollution: 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

If needed, please use the space provided below to provide further 
details regarding your answers above. 

If you answered No to all green building elements listed above, please 
stop and return this questionnaire or contact us to discuss whether 
your initiative should be included in our review (see page one for 
contact information). Thank you very much for your time. 

6) For this initiative, what type(s) of assistance or support does it 
provide to foster green building? 

a) Contracts?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

b) Direct loans? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

c) Grants?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

d) Mortgage-related assistance? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

e) Rent subsidies?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

f) Research and development?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

g) Tax credits?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

h) Tax deductions?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

i) Technical assistance?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

j) Other? [Please specify]: 
   
If needed, please use the space provided below to provide further 
details regarding your answers above. 

7) What type(s) of buildings are eligible for this initiative? 

a) Education?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

b) Hospital/Health Care?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

c) Industrial?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

d) Laboratory?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

e) Lodging?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

f) Office?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

g) Residential (owner-occupied or rental property)?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

h) Retail?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

i) Warehouse?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

j) Other? [Please specify]: 

8) Which entities are expected to directly benefit  from the 
assistance or support provided by this initiative?  

a) Businesses?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

b) Individual property owners or renters?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

c) Local governments?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

d) Nonprofit organizations?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

e) Public housing agencies?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

f) State governments?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

g) Other? [Please specify]:     
   
9) If possible, please describe two or three examples of specific 
projects funded or supported by this initiative in the space provided 
below.  

If needed, please use the space provided below to provide further 
details about your answers in Section 1 of this questionnaire. 

Section II: Funding For Initiative: 

10) For each of the following, please indicate whether your agency 
dedicated funds to this initiative. "Dedicated funds" means that the 
Congress or the agency set aside money to fund the initiative. 

a) From the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

b) In fiscal year 2009 (excluding ARRA)?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

c) In fiscal year 2010?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

d) In fiscal year 2011?
Yes: 
No: 
Not sure: 

11) If you answered Yes to any of the above in Question 10, please 
provide the exact or estimated amount dedicated to the green building 
portion of this initiative. Please round to the nearest $100,000 
(e.g., $1.2 million). 

a) From the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? 
Funds Dedicated ($ million): 
If estimated, please describe how this estimate was determined: 

b) In fiscal year 2009 (excluding ARRA)?
Funds Dedicated ($ million): 
If estimated, please describe how this estimate was determined: 
 
c) In fiscal year 2010? 
Funds Dedicated ($ million): 
If estimated, please describe how this estimate was determined: 

d) In fiscal year 2011? 
Funds Dedicated ($ million): 
If estimated, please describe how this estimate was determined: 

For your answers above in Question 11, please provide electronic 
copies of any relevant budget documents when returning this 
questionnaire. If these documents are not available, please explain in 
the space provided below. 

For your answers above in Question 11, if needed, please use the space 
provided below to further explain any limitations in estimating the 
funds dedicated to the green building portion of this initiative. 

12) Does this initiative, or any portion of it, currently have an 
expiration date? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not Sure: 
Not Applicable: 

If you answered Yes, please provide date: 

If you answered Yes, and if only a portion of the initiative is set to 
expire, please provide details on the portion that is set to expire in 
the space provided below.  

If you answered Yes, please provide electronic copies of documents 
supporting this expiration date when returning this questionnaire or 
provide link(s) to the relevant website(s) in the space provided 
below. If these documents are not available, please explain in the 
space provided below.  

If needed, please use the space provided below to provide further 
details about your answers in Section II of this questionnaire.  

Section III: Goals And Performance Metrics For Initiative: 

13) Has your agency established goals for the green building portion 
of this initiative? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not Sure: 
Not Applicable: 

If you answered Not Sure or Not Applicable, please explain using the 
space provided below. 

If you answered Yes, does your agency have documents describing the 
goals for the green building portion of this initiative? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not Sure: 
Not Applicable: 

If you answered Not Sure or Not Applicable, please explain using the 
space provided below. 

If you answered Yes, please provide electronic copies of these 
documents when returning this questionnaire or provide link(s) to the 
relevant website(s) in the space provided below. If these documents 
are not available, please explain in the space provided below. 

14) Has your agency established performance metrics or measures for 
the green building portion of this initiative? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not Sure: 
Not Applicable: 

If you answered Not Sure or Not Applicable, please explain using the 
space provided below.  

If you answered Yes, does your agency have documents describing the 
performance metrics or measures for this initiative? 
Yes: 
No: 
Not Sure: 
Not Applicable: 

If you answered Not Sure or Not Applicable, please explain in the 
space provided below. 

If you answered Yes, please provide electronic copies of these 
documents when returning this questionnaire or provide link(s) to the 
relevant website(s) in the space provided below. If these documents 
are not available, please explain in the space provided below. 
 
If needed, please use the space provided to provide further details 
about your answers in Section III of this questionnaire.  

Section IV: Other Information For Initiative: 

15) Are there any additional data, further sources of information, or 
comments that would help us further understand and report on how this 
initiative is being implemented? If so, please describe and/or provide 
link(s) to the relevant website(s) in the space provided below. If 
applicable, please provide electronic copies of the relevant documents 
when returning this questionnaire. Alternatively, you can suggest that 
further discussion about this initiative be conducted through follow-
up conversations with GAO. 

16) Please provide the contact information for a representative from 
your agency for follow-up questions we may have about this initiative:
Agency/Organization: 
Contact Name: 
Email: 
Phone: 

Please remember to attach any relevant supporting documentation when 
returning this questionnaire to either barrettj@gao.gov or 
morrisn@gao.gov. 

Thank you for your time! 

[End of section] 

Appendix V: Comments from the Department of Energy: 

Department of Energy: 
Washington, DC 20585: 

October 28, 2011: 

Mr. Frank Rusco: 
Director: 
Natural Resources and Environment: 
United States Government Accountability Office: 
Washington, DC 20548: 

Dear Mr. Rusco: 

This letter responds to the recommendations for executive action 
contained in the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) report, 
Green Building: Federal Initiatives for the Nonfederal Sector Could 
Benefit from More Interagency Collaboration (GAO-12-79). Specifically, 
the report recommends the following action: 

* To help assess the results of the investments in individual federal 
initiatives to foster. green building in the nonfederal sector, as 
well as their combined results, the Secretaries of Energy and of 
Housing and Urban Development should work with the Administrator of 
EPA to take the lead in developing an approach-including, if 
necessary, exploring the need for any additional legislative or 
executive authority, such as the authority to establish a coordinating 
entity (e.g., an interagency working group)-with the other eight 
federal agencies that implemented the initiatives to collaborate on
identifying performance information, such as shared goals and common 
performance measures, for green building initiatives for the 
nonfederal sector. 

Recognizing the need for increased interagency collaboration, in 2009 
DOE and EPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance and 
expand federal programs, including the Energy Star and the National 
Building Rating Program, to advance energy efficiency which is 
critical to addressing climate change, economic, and energy security 
issues. The Energy Star label identifies top performing, cost-
effective products, homes, and buildings. The National Building Rating 
program will provide efficiency ratings and assessments of cost-
effective improvements for homes and buildings. The MOU helps ensure 
that this collaborative effort will be effective, efficient and avoid 
duplication. It also will help ensure effective communication with 
other Agencies and stakeholders, maximize the use of resources, and 
build upon Agency and stakeholder efforts to date. 

Although we maintain that the key recommendation for executive action 
is correct and have taken measures to further engage other agencies, 
we would like to emphasize certain differences between the federal and 
non-federal sectors that make efforts to identify performance measures 
challenging. As part of its conclusion, GAO states on page 20 of the 
report that, "Because federal agencies have experience with measuring 
progress in the federal sector, they are well positioned to apply this 
experience to measuring such progress in the non-federal sector as 
well." Although this may seem obvious, there are critical differences 
between these two sectors. While the federal government can easily 
collect performance information on federal buildings, it is not the 
case in the private sector. In many instances, the private building 
owners though willing to make "green" improvements, are disinclined to 
monitor the resulting benefits (energy or water saved, for example). 
The federal government may not be able to require monitoring in all 
instances from the non-federal sector to measure progress. 

We look forward to continuing to work with GAO on helping the federal 
government meet its energy goals for the non-federal sector. If you 
have any questions concerning the report or our response, please 
contact me or Mr. Roland Risser, Program Manager, Buildings Technologies
Program at (202) 287-1691. 

Sincerely, 

Signed by: 

Kathleen B. Hogan: 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency: 
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: 

[End of section] 

Appendix VI: Comments from the Department of Housing and Urban 
Development: 

U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development: 
Office Of Departmental Operations and Coordination: 
Washington, D.C. 20410-0003: 

October 21, 2011: 

Mr. Chad M. Gorman: 
Senior Analyst, Natural Resources & Environment: 
U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO): 
301 Howard St., Suite 1200: 
San Francisco, CA 94105: 

Dear Mr. Gorman, 

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) draft report GA0-12-79, entitled "Green 
Building: Federal Initiatives for the Nonfederal Sector Could Benefit 
from More Interagency Collaboration." 

The focus of this draft report was to identify current initiatives by 
federal agencies to foster green building in the nonfederal sector; 
and to determine what is known about the results of these initiatives. 
As part of the review, GAO sent questionnaires to the 11 agencies 
implementing the initiatives identified, including the U.S. Department 
of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); examined HUD documents; and 
spoke with HUD officials. GAO identified 95 federal initiatives 
implemented by those 11 agencies. About two-thirds of these 
initiatives are implemented by HUD (29 initiatives). EPA (18), and DOE 
(17). GAO recommends that HUD, DOE, and EPA work together to develop 
and implement an approach for the 11 agencies to collaborate on 
assessing the results of federal green building initiatives for the 
nonfederal sector. HUD welcomes this recommendation. 

Our edits to the draft report are attached. General comments were 
provided by individual program offices that identify areas in the 
draft report, either in the introduction or in an appendix, which HUD 
found to be ambiguous or require further clarification. 

HUD would like to express its appreciation for the opportunity to 
participate in GAO's Green Building Initiatives review. HUD recognizes 
the professional and courteous manner in which GAO staff worked with 
HUD staff to obtain the information and data needed to complete its 
review and issue its draft report. 

Sincerely, 

Signed by: 

Inez Banks-Dubose: 
Director, Office of Departmental Operations and Coordination: 

Enclosure: 

[End of section] 

Appendix VII: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments: 

GAO Contacts: 

Frank Rusco, (202) 512-3841 or ruscof@gao.gov; or David J. Wise, (202) 
512-2834 or wised@gao.gov: 

Staff Acknowledgments: 

In addition to the contacts named above, Karla Springer (Assistant 
Director), Maria Edelstein (Assistant Director), John Barrett, Cindy 
Gilbert, Chad M. Gorman, Gary Guggolz, Nathan Morris, Carol Herrnstadt 
Shulman, and Barbara Timmerman made key contributions to this report. 

[End of section] 

Footnotes: 

[1] Concentrations of greenhouse gases--including carbon dioxide, 
methane, nitrous oxide, and synthetic chemicals such as fluorinated 
gases--trap heat in the atmosphere and prevent it from returning to 
space. 

[2] We have reported on agencies' responses to these directives on 
several occasions. See GAO, Federal Energy Management: Agencies Are 
Taking Steps to Meet High-Performance Federal Building Requirements, 
but Face Challenges, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-22] (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 30, 
2009); Status of GSA's Implementation of Selected Green Building 
Provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-111R] (Washington, 
D.C.: Oct. 31, 2008); and Federal Energy Management: Addressing 
Challenges through Better Plans and Clarifying the Greenhouse Gas 
Emission Measure Will Help Meet Long-term Goals for Buildings, 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-08-977] (Washington, D.C.: 
Sept. 30, 2008). 

[3] GAO, Green Affordable Housing: HUD Has Made Progress in Promoting 
Green Building, but Expanding Efforts Could Help Reduce Energy Costs 
and Benefit Tenants, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-46] (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 7, 
2008). 

[4] The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit organization that 
runs Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), an 
internationally recognized green building certification system. Van 
Ness Feldman, P.C., et al., Using Executive Authority to Achieve 
Greener Buildings: A Guide for Policymakers to Enhance Sustainability 
and Efficiency in Multifamily Housing and Commercial Buildings 
(Washington, D.C.: Apr. 29, 2010). 

[5] DOE, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Federally Funded 
Programs Related to Building Energy Use: Overlaps, Challenges, and 
Opportunities for Collaboration (Richland, Wash.: October 2010). 

[6] Signatories include senior officials from the departments of 
Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Health and Human Services, 
Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, the Interior, 
Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; the 
Environmental Protection Agency; the Executive Office of the 
President; the General Services Administration; the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Office of Personnel 
Management; and the Tennessee Valley Authority. 

[7] We identified these five sources on the basis of background 
research and interviews with knowledgeable stakeholders from nonprofit 
groups and trade associations, who stated that these sources represent 
leading efforts to promote green building nationwide. 

[8] The 11 agencies include the departments of Agriculture, Defense, 
Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban 
Development, Transportation, and the Treasury; the Environmental 
Protection Agency; the National Institute of Standards and Technology; 
and the Small Business Administration. 

[9] In 2008, we identified several examples of national and regional 
green building standards for commercial, single-family, and 
multifamily properties. In addition to LEED, other examples of 
national green building standards include EPA's Energy Star for 
Qualified Homes, Enterprise Community Partners' Green Communities 
Criteria, and the National Association of Home Builders' Model Green 
Home Building Guidelines. Examples of regional green building 
standards include the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Associations & 
Southface Energy Institute's EarthCraft House, Washington Department 
of Economic Development and Trade's Evergreen Sustainable Development 
Criteria, and the Seattle Office of Housing's SeaGreen Guidelines. See 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-46]. 

[10] Pub. L. No. 102-486, § 152, 106 Stat. 2776, 2884 (1992). 

[11] American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Pub. L. No. 111-
5, 123 Stat. 115 (2009). 

[12] According to EPA information, the ability of insulation to resist 
heat is measured by its R-Value. The higher the R-Value, the better 
the insulation is designed to perform. 

[13] Pub. L. No. 103-62, 107 Stat. 285 (1993). 

[14] GAO, Agencies' Annual Performance Plans under the Results Act: An 
Assessment Guide to Facilitate Congressional Decisionmaking, 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO/GGD/AIMD-10.1.18] 
(Washington, D.C.: February 1998); and The Results Act: An Evaluator's 
Guide to Assessing Agency Annual Performance Plans, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO/GGD-10.1.20] (Washington, D.C.: April 
1998). 

[15] GAO, Results-Oriented Government: Practices That Can Help Enhance 
and Sustain Collaboration among Federal Agencies, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-15] (Washington, D.C.: Oct. 21, 
2005). 

[16] Pub. L. No. 111-352, 124 Stat. 3866 (2011). 

[17] According to DOE documentation, a building envelope includes a 
building's walls, roofs, floors, windows, and doors. 

[18] Public housing under HUD's purview is commonly considered to be 
in the federal sector, but for the purposes of this review, because 
the buildings are privately owned and not subject to the same energy 
efficiency and other green building requirements that federal 
buildings face, we have included them in the nonfederal sector. 

[19] GAO, Executive Guide: Effectively Implementing the Government 
Performance and Results Act, [hyperlink, 
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO/GGD-96-118] (Washington, D.C.: June 
1996). 

[20] Todd Trehubenko and Deidre Schmidt, Multifamily Utility Usage 
Data: Issues and Opportunities (Boston, Mass., June 16, 2011), 
prepared for Living Cities. 

[21] Green Building Practices in the Federal Sector: Progress and 
Challenges to Date, 111th Cong. 16 (2010) (statement of Kevin 
Kampschroer, Director, Office of Federal High-Performance Green 
Buildings, U.S. General Services Administration). 

[22] Cambridge Housing Authority participates in HUD's Moving to Work 
demonstration program, which allows public housing authorities to 
design and test innovative, locally designed housing strategies for 
low-income residents. Cambridge Housing Authority is one of about 12 
housing authorities that, under the program, can seek exemptions from 
existing rules and provide utility subsidies to residents based on 
utility consumption levels "frozen" when they signed their agreement 
with HUD. If resident utility consumption drops due to energy savings 
investments made by the housing authority, HUD's subsidy will not 
decrease, and housing authorities can retain any of the difference 
between the "frozen" subsidy and residents' lower utility consumption 
costs. 

[23] [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-15]. 

[24] Such practices include (1) define and articulate a common 
outcome; (2) establish mutually reinforcing or joint strategies; (3) 
identify and address needs by leveraging resources; (4) agree on roles 
and responsibilities; (5) establish compatible policies, procedures, 
and other means to operate across agency boundaries; (6) develop 
mechanisms to monitor, evaluate, and report on results; (7) reinforce 
agency accountability for collaborative efforts through agency plans 
and reports; and (8) reinforce individual accountability for 
collaborative efforts through performance management systems. See 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-06-15]. 

[25] The 2009 DOT-EPA-HUD partnership established a framework of 
principles that the agencies can use to coordinate federal housing, 
transportation, and environmental investments, as well as promote 
public health and the environment. 

[26] These programs include DOT's Transportation Investment Generating 
Economic Recovery Discretionary Grant Program and HUD's Community 
Challenge Planning Grants. 

[27] Energy Star is a voluntary program that EPA began in 1992 to 
encourage the purchase of energy-efficient computers and monitors as 
part of the agency's broader efforts to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions. Since 1996, EPA has shared management responsibilities for 
the program with DOE. The program is designed to identify appliances 
and other products that deliver the same or better performance as 
comparable models while using less energy. 

[28] The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit organization that 
developed and runs Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design 
(LEED)--an internationally recognized green building certification 
system. 

[29] The Green Globes assessment and rating system is used in Canada 
and the United States. In the United States, the license to promote 
and further develop the Green Globes system is owned by the Green 
Building Initiative, which is an accredited standards developer under 
the American National Standards Institute--the only accreditor of U.S. 
voluntary consensus standards developing organizations. 

[30] Enterprise Community Partners is a nonprofit organization that 
provides development capital and expertise to create affordable homes 
and rebuild communities through public-private partnerships with 
financial institutions, governments, community organizations, and 
others. 

[31] Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings, 
Memorandum of Understanding (January 2006). Signatories include senior 
officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, 
Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and 
Urban Development, the Interior, Justice, Labor, State, 
Transportation, and Veterans Affairs; the Environmental Protection 
Agency; the Executive Office of the President; the General Services 
Administration; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the 
Office of Personnel Management; and the Tennessee Valley Authority. 

[32] During this review, we did not evaluate the overall effectiveness 
of green building practices in general or the effectiveness of any of 
the six green building elements that we identified. 

[33] We defined federal initiatives that could foster green building 
to include those that provide direct financial support, research and 
development, technical assistance, or other types of federal 
assistance to nonfederal entities for promoting green building. Our 
review does not include federal initiatives, such as the Low Income 
Housing Tax Credit implemented by the Internal Revenue Service, 
through which state or local authorities have the flexibility to 
support green building practices, even though the initiatives have no 
specific green building incentives or requirements. 

[34] Based on feedback from agency officials, some initiatives that we 
initially identified were excluded from our review for several 
reasons, such as not being current (as of fiscal year 2011) or having 
only proposed green building requirements or incentives that were not 
yet implemented. Such programs include the Department of Housing and 
Urban Development's Tax Credit Assistance Program and the Department 
of Transportation's Capital Investment Grants New and Small Starts 
Program. 

[End of section] 

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