---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 17122"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "17122"
heading: "Research and development"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/17122"
units:
  - "Chapter 152 — Energy Independence and Security"
  - "Subchapter III — Energy Savings in Buildings and Industry"
  - "Part E — General Provisions"
---

# §17122. Research and development

- (a) **Establishment—** The [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7) and the [Commercial Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=3), jointly and in coordination with the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/17061.md?p=2), shall—
  - (1)
    - (A) survey existing research and studies relating to [high-performance green buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13); and
    - (B) coordinate activities of common interest;
  - (2) develop and recommend a [high-performance green building](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13) research plan that—
    - (A) identifies information and research needs, including the relationships between human health, occupant productivity, safety, security, and accessibility and each of—
      - (i) emissions from materials and products in the building;
      - (ii) natural day lighting;
      - (iii) ventilation choices and technologies;
      - (iv) heating, cooling, and system control choices and technologies;
      - (v) moisture control and mold;
      - (vi) maintenance, cleaning, and pest control activities;
      - (vii) acoustics;
      - (viii) access to public transportation; and
      - (ix) other issues relating to the health, comfort, productivity, and performance of occupants of the building;
    - (B) promotes the development and dissemination of [high-performance green building](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13) measurement tools that, at a minimum, may be used—
      - (i) to monitor and assess the [life-cycle](/usc/42/17061.md?p=14) performance of facilities (including demonstration [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2)) built as [high-performance green buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13); and
      - (ii) to perform [life-cycle assessments](/usc/42/17061.md?p=15); and
    - (C) identifies and tests new and emerging technologies for [high-performance green buildings](/usc/42/17061.md?p=13);
  - (3) assist the budget and [life-cycle costing](/usc/42/17061.md?p=16) functions of the [Directors](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5)’ Offices under [section 17092(d) of this title](/usc/42/17092.md?p=d);
  - (4) study and identify potential benefits of green buildings relating to security, natural [disaster](/usc/42/5204.md?p=2), and emergency needs of the Federal Government; and
  - (5) support other research initiatives determined by the [Directors](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5)’ Offices.
- (b) **Indoor air quality—** The [Federal Director](/usc/42/17061.md?p=7), in consultation with the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of the Environmental Protection [Agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and the [Advisory Committee](/usc/42/17061.md?p=2), shall develop and carry out a comprehensive indoor air quality [program](/usc/42/17151.md?p=5) for all [Federal facilities](/usc/42/17061.md?p=8) to ensure the safety of Federal workers and facility occupants—
  - (1) during new [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7) and renovation of facilities; and
  - (2) in existing facilities.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 110–140, title IV, § 492, Dec. 19, 2007, 121 Stat. 1651.)

## Notes

### 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.