Sec. 3. Material choices in buildings for supplemental greenhouse gas emission reductions in United States
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In this section: The term eligible building means a nonresidential building used for commercial or State or local government purposes. The term eligible product means a commercial or industrial product, such as an intermediate, feedstock, or end product (other than food or feed), that is composed in whole or in part of biological products, including renewable agricultural and forestry materials used as structural building material. The term program means the greenhouse gas incentives program established under this section.
The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary shall establish a greenhouse gas incentives program to achieve supplemental greenhouse gas emission reductions from material choices in buildings, based on the lifecycle assessment of the building materials. The Secretary shall provide to owners of eligible buildings incentive payments for the use of eligible products in buildings for sequestering carbon based on a lifecycle assessment of the structural assemblies, as compared to a model building as a result of using eligible products in substitution for more energy-intensive materials in— new construction; or building renovation.
To be eligible to participate in the program, the owner of an eligible building shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. In establishing the program, the Secretary shall require that payments for activities under the program shall be— established at a rate not to exceed the net estimated benefit an owner of an eligible building would receive for similar practices under any federally established carbon offset program, taking into consideration the costs associated with the issuance of credits and compliance with reversal provisions; provided to owners of eligible buildings demonstrating at least a 20-percent reduction in carbon emissions potential, based on a lifecycle assessment of the structural assemblies, as compared to the structural assemblies of a model building, subject to the requirements that— the Secretary shall identify a model baseline nonresidential building— of common size and function; and having a service life of not less than 60 years; and applicants shall evaluate the carbon emissions potential of the baseline building and the proposed building using the same lifecycle assessment software tool and data sets, which shall be compliant with the document numbered ISO 14044; and provided on certification by the owner of an eligible building and verification by the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Energy, that— the eligible building meets the requirements of the applicable State commercial building energy efficiency code (as in effect on the date of the applicable permit of the eligible building); and the State has made the certification required pursuant to section 304 of the Energy Conservation and Production Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6833 ).
A participant in the program shall receive payment under the program on completion of construction or renovation of the applicable eligible building. Not less frequently than once each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that contains— an estimate of annual and cumulative reductions achieved as a result of the program— determined by using lifecycle assessment software that is compliant with the document numbered ISO 14044; and expressed in terms of the total number of cars removed from the road; a summary of any changes to the program that will be made as a result of past implementation of the program; and the total number of buildings under carbon incentives contracts as of the date of the report.
For purposes of this section— any carbon emissions potential calculation shall— be performed in accordance with standard lifecycle assessment practice; and include removal and sequestration of carbon dioxide from the use of biobased products, as well as recycled content materials; a full lifecycle assessment shall be conducted taking into consideration all lifecycle stages, including— resource extraction and processing; product manufacturing; onsite construction of assemblies; transportation; maintenance and replacement cycles over an assumed eligible building service life of 60 years; and demolition; structural assemblies shall be considered to include columns, beams, girders, purlins, floor deck, roof, and structural envelope elements; primary materials shall be considered to include common products used as the structural system, such as wood, steel, concrete, or masonry; and the effects of recycling, reuse, or energy recovery beyond the boundaries of an applicable study system shall not be taken in account.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
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Sec. 3
Material choices in buildings for supplemental greenhouse gas emission reductions in United States
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