Paul Fisette, Department Head of Environmental Conservation has been asked to serve on a National Research Council (NRC) panel to evaluate energy efficiency and sustainability standards used by the Department of Defense for its portfolio of 500,000 buildings and facilities. The study is being undertaken in response to a Congressional directive. The committee will be tasked to:
1) Evaluate the completeness, accuracy, and relevance of a literature review that synthesizes the state-of-the-knowledge about the costs and benefits, return on investment, and long-term payback of specified design standards related to sustainable buildings
2) Evaluate a consultant-generated methodology and analysis of the cost-benefit, return on investment, and long-term payback for specified building design standards and to apply the methodology using empirical data from DOD buildings
3) Identify potential factors and approaches that the DOD should consider in developing a comprehensive strategy for its entire portfolio of facilities that includes standards for energy-efficiency and sustainable design.
The project audiences are the defense committees in Congress and the Department of Defense, including the military services. The findings and recommendations resulting from this study will influence the development of a comprehensive strategy for sustainable buildings across the entire DOD portfolio of facilities.