News Releases
GSA Building Wins White House Environmental AwardGSA # 10512 June 13, 2008 Contact: MaryAnne Beatty, (202) 501-1231 WASHINGTON – The U.S. General Service Administration’s San Francisco Federal Building, dedicated in July 2007, has won a prestigious 2008 White House Closing the Circle Award. The GSA facility, declared a “model of sustainable architecture,” was among 15 winners and 14 honorable mentions selected by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive from nearly 200 nominations across the nation. “This is a wonderful honor,” said Acting Administrator David Bibb, also GSA’s chief environmental official. “The San Francisco Federal Building demonstrates that we can co-exist with our environment in spectacular fashion, and that we are committed to the world outside our buildings as well as the workers within.” The San Francisco Federal Building is an 18-story, 240–foot office tower that has also been listed among Time Magazine’s top 10 “Architectural Marvels.” A dramatic example of sustainable design principles, the building’s unique shape and orientation maximize natural airflow for cooling and ventilation and take advantage of natural daylight for most office interiors. These features, combined with a number of other energy-saving elements, significantly reduce overall energy consumption compared to conventional offices buildings. Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment while improving the comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, support and create healthy, productive environments. The White House Closing the Circle Awards program is required by Executive Order 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and Transportation Management, and recognizes outstanding Federal environmental stewardship. More than 200 awards have been given since 1996 for innovative, cost-effective contributions in increasing the purchase of recycled content, biobased, and environmentally preferable products and services. GSA, which provides superior workplaces for a million federal employees across the U.S. is responsible for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and disposal of thousands of federally owned properties. ### GSA provides a centralized delivery system of products and services to the federal government, leveraging its enormous buying power to get the best value for taxpayers.
Did You Know? Twenty-five percent of GSA’s owned buildings are historic. Index of News Releases
Last Reviewed 6/16/2008
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