The House of Representatives passed legislation on Wednesday that will allow the Department of Energy to reroute money to the National Science Foundation (NSF) that can be used for undergraduate or graduate engineering and architecture education programs that focus on the design and construction of energy efficient high-performance buildings. The Green Energy Education Act directs the NSF’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program to distribute grants to universities to develop curricula, laboratory activities, training practicums, and design projects focusing on green buildings and advanced energy technologies. Similar legislation passed the House of Representatives during the 110th Congress. The Senate, however, never brought the bill to a vote. Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX), Andre Carson (D-IN), and Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) introduced the legislation. No specific funding amounts have been attached to the bill yet.

“By passing this bill, on Earth Day, no less, the House is showing that they recognize the urgent need to address sustainability in the built environment, and the vital role that architecture students will play in this issue,” says AIA Senior Director of Federal Relations Andrew Goldberg, Assoc. AIA. “We are now working to have this bill passed by the Senate and sent to the president.”