text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``High Performance Schools Act of 
  2001''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.
  
      (a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
              (1) American K-12 schools spend over $6 billion annually on 
          energy costs, which is more than is spent on books and 
          computers combined.
              (2) Educators teach and students learn best in an 
          environment that is comfortable, healthy, naturally lit where 
          possible, and in good repair, and studies have indicated that 
          student achievement is greater and attendance higher when those 
          conditions are met.
              (3) Over half of our Nation's K-12 schools are more than 40 
          years old and in need of renovation to reach such standard of 
          efficiency and comfort, and 6,000 new schools will be required 
          over the next 10 years to accommodate the growing number of 
          students.
              (4) Inadequate ventilation in school buildings, poor 
          lighting and acoustical quality, and uncomfortable temperatures 
          can diminish students' capacity to concentrate and excel.
              (5) Inefficient use of water, either in consumption or from 
          poorly maintained systems, is prevalent in older schools.
              (6) Using a whole building approach in the design of new 
          schools and the renovation of existing schools--considering how 
          materials, systems, and products connect and overlap and also 
          how a school is integrated on its site and within the 
          surrounding community--will result in high performance school 
          buildings.
              (7) Adoption of whole building concepts has been shown to 
          result in dramatic improvements in student and teacher 
          performance.
              (8) Adopting a whole building approach usually results in a 
          lower life cycle cost for the school building than for a 
          conventionally designed and built building.
              (9) Systematic use of energy conservation in school 
          construction and renovation projects can save at least one 
          quarter of current energy costs, leaving more money for 
          teachers and educational materials.
              (10) The use of renewable energy sources such as 
          daylighting, passive solar heating, photovoltaics, wind, 
          geothermal, hydropower, and biomass power in a building already 
          designed to be low-energy can help meet the building's energy 
          needs without added emissions.
              (11) Using environmentally preferable products and 
          providing for adequate supplies of fresh air will improve 
          indoor air quality and provide healthful school buildings.
              (12) Most school districts do not have the knowledge of 
          cutting-edge design and technologies to implement optimum 
          efficiency into new school construction or into school 
          renovations.
      (b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to assist school 
  districts in the production, through construction or renovation, of 
  high performance elementary and secondary school buildings that are 
  healthful, productive, energy efficient, and environmentally sound.
  
  SEC. 3. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.
  
      (a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of 
  Energy the High Performance Schools Program (in this Act referred to as 
  the ``Program'').
      (b) In General.--The Secretary of Energy may, through the Program, 
  make grants--
              (1) to be provided to school districts to implement the 
          purpose of this Act for new and existing school buildings;
              (2) to State energy offices to administer the program of 
          assistance to school districts pursuant to this Act; and
              (3) to State energy offices to promote participation by 
          school districts in the program established by this Act.
      (c) Grants To Assist School Districts.--Grants under subsection 
  (b)(1) for new school buildings shall be used to achieve energy 
  efficiency performance that reduces energy use at least 30 percent 
  below that of a school constructed in compliance with standards 
  prescribed in Chapter 8 of the 2000 International Energy Conservation 
  Code, or a similar State code intended to achieve substantially 
  equivalent results. Grants under subsection (b)(1) for existing school 
  buildings shall be used to achieve energy efficiency performance that 
  reduces energy use below the school's baseline consumption, assuming a 
  3-year, weather-normalized average for calculating such baseline. 
  Grants under subsection (b)(1) shall be made to school districts that 
  have--
              (1) demonstrated a need for such grants in order to respond 
          appropriately to increasing elementary and secondary school 
          enrollments or to make major investments in renovation of 
          school facilities; and
              (2) made a commitment to use the grant funds to develop 
          high performance school buildings in accordance with the plan 
          developed and approved pursuant to subsection (e)(1).
      (d) Other Grants.--
              (1) Grants for administration.--Grants under subsection 
          (b)(2) shall be used to evaluate compliance by school districts 
          with requirements of this Act and in addition may be used for--
                      (A) distributing information and materials to 
                  clearly define and promote the development of high 
                  performance school buildings for both new and existing 
                  facilities;
                      (B) organizing and conducting programs for school 
                  board members, school district personnel, architects, 
                  engineers, and others to advance the concepts of high 
                  performance school buildings;
                      (C) obtaining technical services and assistance in 
                  planning and designing high performance school 
                  buildings; and
                      (D) collecting and monitoring data and information 
                  pertaining to the high performance school building 
                  projects.
              (2) Grants to promote participation.--Grants under 
          subsection (b)(3) may be used for promotional and marketing 
          activities, including facilitating private and public 
          financing, promoting the use of energy service companies, 
          working with school administrations, students, and communities, 
          and coordinating public benefit programs.
      (e) Implementation.--
              (1) Plans.--Grants under subsection (b)(1) shall be 
          provided only to school districts that, in consultation with 
          State offices of energy and education, have developed plans 
          that the State energy office determines to be feasible and 
          appropriate in order to achieve the purposes for which such 
          grants are made.
              (2) Supplementing grant funds.--The State energy office 
          shall encourage qualifying school districts to supplement their 
          grant funds with funds from other sources in the implementation 
          of their plans.
  
  SEC. 4. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
  
      (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (c), funds 
  appropriated to carry out this Act shall be provided to State energy 
  offices.
      (b) Purposes.--Except as provided in subsection (c), funds 
  appropriated to carry out this Act shall be allocated as follows:
              (1) Seventy percent shall be used to make grants under 
          section 3(b)(1).
              (2) Fifteen percent shall be used to make grants under 
          section 3(b)(2).
              (3) Fifteen percent shall be used to make grants under 
          section 3(b)(3).
      (c) Other Funds.--The Secretary of Energy may retain not to exceed 
  $300,000 per year from amounts appropriated under section 5 to assist 
  State energy offices in coordinating and implementing the Program. Such 
  funds may be used to develop reference materials to further define the 
  principles and criteria to achieve high performance school buildings.
  
  SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
  
      There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy 
  to carry out this Act $200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 
  through 2005, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
  years 2006 through 2011.
  
  SEC. 6. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
  
      The Secretary of Energy shall conduct a biennial review of State 
  actions implementing this Act, and the Secretary shall report to 
  Congress on the results of such reviews. In conducting such reviews, 
  the Secretary shall assess the effectiveness of the calculation 
  procedures used by the States in establishing eligibility of schools 
  for funding under this Act, and may assess other aspects of the program 
  to determine whether they have been effectively implemented.
  
  SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
  
      For purposes of this Act:
              (1) Elementary and secondary school.--The terms 
          ``elementary school'' and ``secondary school'' shall have the 
          same meaning given such terms in paragraphs (14) and (26) of 
          section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
          1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801(14), (26)).
              (2) High performance school building.--The term ``high 
          performance school building'' means a school building which, in 
          its design, construction, operation, and maintenance, maximizes 
          use of renewable energy and energy efficient practices, is 
          cost-effective on a life cycle basis, uses affordable, 
          environmentally preferable, durable materials, enhances indoor 
          environmental quality, protects and conserves water, and 
          optimizes site potential.
              (3) Renewable energy.--The term ``renewable energy'' means 
          energy produced by solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, or 
          biomass power.
target: High Performance Schools Act of 2001 - Establishes the High Performance Schools Program, in the Department of Energy, to assist school districts in the production of high performance elementary and secondary school buildings that are healthful, productive, energy efficient, and environmentally sound. Authorizes the Secretary of Energy to make program grants to State energy offices for: (1) program participation promotion and administration; and (2) subgrants to qualified school districts to implement such school building construction and renovation.
feat_title: To establish the High Performance Schools Program in the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.