[Federal Register: October 31, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 210)]
[Notices]               
[Page 61623]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31oc07-47]                         


[[Page 61623]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

 
Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; BEES Please

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 31, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at dHynek@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Barbara C. Lippiatt, (301) 975-6133 or at 
blippiatt@nist.gov


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    Over the last 13 years, the Building and Fire Research Laboratory 
of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has 
developed and automated an approach for measuring the life-cycle 
environmental and economic performance of building products. Known as 
BEES (Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability), the tool 
reduces complex, science-based technical content (e.g., over 400 
material and energy flows from raw material extraction through product 
disposal) to decision-enabling results and delivers them in a visually 
intuitive graphical format. BEES Please is a voluntary program to 
collect data from product manufacturers so that the environmental 
performance of their products may be evaluated scientifically using 
BEES. NIST will publish in BEES an aggregated version of the data 
collected from manufacturers that protects data confidentiality, 
subject to manufacturer's review and approval. BEES measures 
environmental performance using the environmental life-cycle assessment 
approach specified in the International Organization for 
Standardization (ISO) 14040 series of standards. All stages in the life 
of a product are analyzed: Raw material acquisition, manufacture, 
transportation, installation, use, and recycling and waste management.
    Economic performance is measured using the American Society for 
Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard life-cycle cost method, which 
covers the costs of initial investment, replacement, operation, 
maintenance and repair, and disposal.

II. Method of Collection

    Data on materials use, energy consumption, waste, and environmental 
releases will be collected using an electronic, MS Excel-based 
questionnaire. An electronic, MS Word-based User Manual accompanies the 
questionnaire to help in its completion.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0693-0036.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 30.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 62 hours and thirty minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,875.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: October 25, 2007.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-21371 Filed 10-30-07; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-13-P