---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17121"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17121"
heading: "Demonstration project"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17121"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter III — Energy Savings in Buildings and Industry"
  - "Part E — General Provisions"
---

# §17121. Demonstration project

- (a) **In general—** The [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) and the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3) shall establish guidelines to implement a demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to contribute to the research goals of the [Office of Commercial High-Performance Green Buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=17) and the [Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=18).
- (b) **Projects—** In accordance with guidelines established by the [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) and the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3) under [subsection (a)](#a) and the duties of the [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) and the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3) described in this title,[^1] the [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) or the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3) shall carry out—
  - (1) for each of fiscal years 2009 through 2014, 1 demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) per year of green features in a Federal building selected by the [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) in accordance with relevant [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and described in [subsection (c)(1)](#c-1), that—
    - (A) provides for instrumentation, monitoring, and data collection related to the green features, for study of the impact of the features on overall energy use and operational costs, and for the evaluation of the information obtained through the conduct of [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) and activities under this title;[^1] and
    - (B) achieves the highest rating offered by the high performance green building system identified pursuant to [section 17092(h) of this title](/usc/42/17092.md?p=h);
  - (2) no fewer than 4 demonstration [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) at 4 universities, that, as competitively selected by the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3) in accordance with [subsection (c)(2)](#c-2), have—
    - (A) appropriate research resources and relevant [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to meet the goals of the demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) established by the [Office of Commercial High-Performance Green Buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=17); and
    - (B) the ability—
      - (i) to serve as a model for [high-performance green building](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13) initiatives, including research and education[^2] by achieving the highest rating offered by the high performance green building system identified pursuant to [section 17092(h) of this title](/usc/42/17092.md?p=h);
      - (ii) to identify the most effective ways to use [high-performance green building](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13) and landscape technologies to engage and educate undergraduate and graduate students;
      - (iii) to effectively implement a [high-performance green building](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13) education [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) for students and occupants;
      - (iv) to demonstrate the effectiveness of various high-performance technologies, including their impacts on energy use and operational costs, in each of the 4 climatic regions of the United States described in [subsection (c)(2)(B)](#c-2-B); and
      - (v) to explore quantifiable and nonquantifiable beneficial impacts on public health and employee and student performance;
  - (3) demonstration [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to evaluate replicable approaches of achieving high performance in actual building operation in various types of commercial buildings in various climates; and
  - (4) deployment activities to disseminate information on and encourage widespread adoption of technologies, [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19), and policies to achieve [zero-net-energy commercial buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=20) or low energy use and effective monitoring of energy use in commercial buildings.
- (c) **Criteria—**
  - (1) **Federal facilities—** With respect to the existing or proposed [Federal facility](/usc/42/17061.md?p=8) at which a demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under this section is conducted, the [Federal facility](/usc/42/17061.md?p=8) shall—
    - (A) be an appropriate model for a [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) relating to—
      - (i) the effectiveness of high-performance technologies;
      - (ii) analysis of materials, components, systems, and emergency operations in the building, and the impact of those materials, components, and systems, including the impact on the health of building occupants;
      - (iii) [life-cycle costing](/usc/42/17061.md?p=16) and [life-cycle assessment](/usc/42/17061.md?p=15) of building materials and systems; and
      - (iv) location and design that promote access to the [Federal facility](/usc/42/17061.md?p=8) through walking, biking, and mass transit; and
    - (B) possess sufficient technological and organizational adaptability.
  - (2) **Universities—** With respect to the 4 universities at which a demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under this section is conducted—
    - (A) the universities should be selected, after careful review of all applications received containing the required information, as determined by the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3), based on—
      - (i) successful and established public-private research and development partnerships;
      - (ii) demonstrated capabilities to construct or renovate buildings that meet high indoor environmental quality standards;
      - (iii) organizational flexibility;
      - (iv) technological adaptability;
      - (v) the demonstrated capacity of at least 1 university to replicate lessons learned among nearby or sister universities, preferably by participation in groups or consortia that promote sustainability;
      - (vi) the demonstrated capacity of at least 1 university to have officially-adopted, institution-wide “[high-performance green building](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13)” guidelines for all campus building [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2); and
      - (vii) the demonstrated capacity of at least 1 university to have been recognized by similar institutions as a national leader in sustainability education and curriculum for students of the university; and
    - (B) each university shall be located in a different climatic region of the United States, each of which regions shall have, as determined by the [Office of Commercial High-Performance Green Buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=17)—
      - (i) a hot, dry climate;
      - (ii) a hot, humid climate;
      - (iii) a cold climate; or
      - (iv) a temperate climate (including a climate with cold winters and humid summers).
- (d) **Applications—** To receive a grant under [subsection (b)](#b), an eligible applicant shall submit to the [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) or the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3) an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) may require, including a written assurance that all laborers and mechanics employed by contractors or subcontractors during [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7), alteration, or repair that is financed, in whole or in part, by a grant under this section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) in the locality, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Labor in accordance with sections 3141 through 3144, 3146, and 3147 of title 40. The [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) of Labor shall, with respect to the labor standards described in this subsection, have the authority and functions set forth in Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (5 U.S.C. App.) and [section 3145 of title 40](/usc/40/3145.md).
- (e) **Report—** Not later than 1 year after December 19, 2007, and annually thereafter through September 30, 2014—
  - (1) the [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) and the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3) shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) a report that describes the status of the demonstration [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2); and
  - (2) each University at which a demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under this section is conducted shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/17001.md?p=3) a report that describes the status of the demonstration [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) under this section.
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—** There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) described in section[^3] (b)(1), $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2012, and to carry out the demonstration [project](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) described in section[^3] (b)(2), $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2012, to remain available until expended.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.
[^2]: So in original. A comma probably should appear.
[^3]: So in original. Probably should be “subsection”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IV, § 491, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1649.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This title, referred to in subsec. (b), is title IV of Pub. L. 110–140, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1596, which enacted this subchapter, part C (§ 6341 et seq.) of subchapter III of chapter 77 of this title, sections 6371h–1 and 7628 of this title, and subchapter V (§ 2695 et seq.) of chapter 53 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, amended sections 6832, 6834, 6862, 6872, 8253, 8254, and 12709 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 6834 and 6872 of this title. For complete classification of title IV to the Code, see Tables.

Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950, referred to in subsec. (d), is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on the date that is 1 day after Dec. 19, 2007, see section 1601 of Pub. L. 110–140, set out as a note under section 1824 of Title 2, The Congress.