WHO:
- U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13^th), Co-Chair, Congressional High-Performance Buildings Caucus
- U.S. RepresentativeRuss Carnahan(D-MO-3^rd), Co-Chair, Congressional High-Performance Buildings Caucus
- Dr. Jeffrey P. Chamberlain, Department Head, Electrochemical Energy Storage & Energy Storage Major Initiative Leader, Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory
- Ms. Martha G. VanGeem, PE, Principal Engineer & Group Manager, Building Science and Sustainability, CTL Group
- Mr. Daniel Cheifetz, Chief Executive Officer, Indie Energy Systems Company
- Mr. Michael Lopez, Director of Facility Operations, Bolingbrook High School, the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certified School in Illinois and the third high school in the United States
- Mr. Joseph Ostafi IV, Regional Leader for the Science and Technology Division, Group Vice President, HOK

WHAT:
Biggert and Carnahan, co-chairs of the Congressional High-Performance Buildings Caucus, will hold a field hearing of the House Science and Technology Committee entitled Options and Opportunities for Onsite Renewable Energy Integration.  The hearing will examine the state of the green building industry in Chicago and across the country, and witnesses will discuss programs aimed at promoting the use of renewable energy technologies in building designs and practices.  Witnesses will include experts from prominent Chicago-area energy, architectural, and engineering institutions.

WHEN:
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Central Time, Monday, November 15, 2010

WHERE:
Room 2525, Dirksen Federal Courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois

WHY:
Buildings account for nearly 80 percent of the nation’s electricity expenditures and account for nearly 38 percent of U.S. carbon emissions. In order to reduce costs and minimize waste, experts in Chicago and around the country are increasingly looking for ways to integrate renewable energy technologies like geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass into modern “green” building designs.  The House Science and Technology Committee will hold a field hearing to learn about examples of successful green building construction and design in the Chicago area and hear from witnesses including researchers, engineers and practitioners of high-performance building technology.  The hearing will kick off a full week of green activities in Chicago, where the U.S. Green Building Council is holding its annual International Conference and Expo starting November 17th.

Members of the media are invited to attend.

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