On May 18 and 19, the U.S. Green Buildings Council hosted their 2010 Federal Summit, part of which I was able to attend.  Following an opening plenary address, the afternoon offered conference-goers an array of panel presentations that ran the gamut from sustainability in the military, to solar panel installation, to urban regeneration.

At first glance, it seemed as though I could have been at any conference in Washington, DC.  People exchanged business cards between sessions, and casually browsed the tables piled high with literature in hopes of encountering a free pen or a flashlight for their key chain, or some equally enthralling piece of conference shwag.

Nevertheless, this was a bit different than your average trade show.  For starters, I couldn’t help but be amused by the sight of hundreds of people in business suites sipping green tea and munching on trail mix.  More significantly, the people gathered in the Ronald Regan Building last Tuesday were there to learn more about green building, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

I went to a session entitled Cash for Caulkers, where three panelists shared their insights about developing both public and private programs for residential retrofitting.  They were from three different States, but they all agreed on one thing:

We need to pass the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act.

H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, was passed by the House of Representatives on May 6, 2010 by a bipartisan vote of 245-161, and is now headed to the Senate.  This legislation, affectionately known as Cash for Caulkers, would provide $6 billion dollars in rebates to homeowners who increase energy efficiency in their homes.

Passing Home Star would be huge.

Not only would Home Star lessen the monetary burden of retrofitting and make it more affordable for homeowners, it would save energy, and boost the economy.  And isn’t that exactly what we need right now?

Check out the full version of the legislation, or see an overview on the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce website and decide for yourself.