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Included in the High Performance Buildings Program Area are links to, and highlights from, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System,TM case studies of green construction efforts, software and databases to aid in determining which construction products and processes are the most effective, and assorted high performance construction guidelines and standards.
Both Executive Order (EO) 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, dated 24 January 2007 and EO 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, dated 5 October 2009 include goals and objectives applicable to High Performance Buildings. For example, EO 13423, Section 2(f) and EO 13514, Section 2(g)(ii) both require Federal agencies to ensure that new construction and major renovation of agency buildings comply with the
"Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings" set forth in the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding (2006). EO 13514, Section 2(g)(ii) further requires the "Guiding Principles..." be applied during repair or alteration of Federal buildings.
Additionally, (EO) 13423, section 2(f) and EO 13514, Section 2(g)(ii) both require Federal agencies to ensure that 15 percent of the existing Federal capital asset building inventory of the agency as of the end of fiscal year 2015 incorporates the sustainable practices in the
"Guiding Principles..." EO 13514, Section 2(g)(ii) refines this requirement to only include existing Federal buildings above 5,000 gross square feet and building leases above 5,000 gross square feet. EO 13514, Section 2(g)(ii) also requires that agencies make annual progress toward 100-percent conformance with the "Guiding Principles..." for its building inventory.
EO 13423, Section 3(a) mandates that the heads of each agency implement within the agency sustainable practices for high performance construction, lease, operation, and maintenance
of buildings.
EO 13514, Section 2(g) adds the following goals and objectives for Federal agencies in this Program Area:
- pursue cost-effective, innovative strategies, such as highly reflective and vegetated roofs, to minimize consumption of energy, water, and materials;
- manage existing building systems to reduce the consumption of energy, water, and materials, and identify alternatives to renovation that reduce existing assets' deferred maintenance costs;
- when adding assets to the agency's real property inventory, identify opportunities to consolidate and dispose of existing assets, optimize the performance of the agency's real-property portfolio, and reduce associated environmental impacts;
- ensure that rehabilitation of federally owned historic buildings utilizes best practices and technologies in retrofitting to promote long-term viability of the buildings;
- beginning in 2020 and thereafter, ensure that all new Federal buildings that enter the planning process are designed to achieve zero-net-energy by 2030.
The EOs provide the following definitions applicable to this Program Area:
- Agency - an executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, excluding the Government Accountability Office (EO 13514, Section 19(a)).
- Energy Intensity - energy consumption per square foot of building space, including industrial or laboratory facilities (EO 13514, Section 19(f)).
- Environmental - environmental aspects of internal agency operations and activities, including those aspects related to energy and transportation functions (EO 13514, Section 19(g)).
- Sustainability and Sustainable - to create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirement of present and future generations of Americans (EO 13423, Section 9 and EO 13514, Section 19(l)).
- Zero-Net-Energy Building - a building that is designed, constructed, and operated to require a greatly reduced quantity of energy to operate, meet the balance of energy needs from sources of energy that do not produce greenhouse gases, and therefore result in no net emissions of greenhouse gases and be economically viable (EO 13514, Section 19(o)).
Please use the links below to quickly jump to the information area needed or scroll down to view all items.
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A voluntary product stewardship agreement achieved through multistakeholder dialogue. It has been signed by 7 states, the USEPA, and more than 95% of the industry. The focus of the MOU is a series of goals for reuse, recycling, and waste diversion of carpeting by 2012.
This DA policy memorandum, dated 27 October 2010, changes the way the Army will approach efficient design of Army facilities. The update sets the requirements throughout the planning, programming, budgeting, design and building stages and will strengthen the Army's sustainability, energy security, and energy independence through more responsible consumption and planning. Incorporation of sustainable design and development principles, following guidance as detailed in American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 189.1.
This Army memo establishes policy and guidance to use only efficient light bulbs that meet standards outlined in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007.
Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management
24 January 2007
Executive Order 13423 "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management", signed by President Bush on January 24, 2007. The order sets goals in the areas of energy efficiency, acquisition, renewable energy, toxics reductions, recycling, renewable energy, sustainable buildings, electronics stewardship, fleets, and water conservation. In addition the order requires more widespread use of Environmental Management Systems as the framework in which to manage and continually improve these sustainable practices.
Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance
5 October 2009
This EO sets sustainability goals for Federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in their environmental, energy and economic performance. The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target within 90 days; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage Federal purchasing power to promote environmentally-responsible products and technologies.
This document outlines the activities that the EPA will undertake to help communities implement green infrastructure approaches. EPA's strategy focuses on clarifying how green infrastructure can and should be used within the regulatory and enforcement contexts, outreach and information exchange, financing, and tool development and capacity building.
This technical guidance has been developed by the Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG). The guidance clarifies requirements and related mandates, contains additional recommendations and considerations, and resources for implementation, including model contract and specification language. The ISWG will review the Guiding Principles and Technical Guidance periodically for updates and to consider adopting additional principles or goals addressing issues such as conservation plantings, integrated pest management, deconstruction, and siting.
This act, signed on 14 December 2010 tasks GSA with the responsibility to identify the core competencies necessary for Federal personnel performing building operations and maintenance, energy management, safety, and design functions to comply with requirements under Federal law. ( Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act of 2010)
A part of the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings MOU, paragraph III of this January 2006 document requires that Federal facilities employ strategies that in aggregate use a minimum of 20 percent less potable water than the indoor water use baseline calculated for the building, after meeting the Energy Policy Act of 1992 fixture performance requirements. For outdoor water use it promotes the use of water efficient landscape and irrigation strategies, including water reuse and recycling, to reduce outdoor potable water consumption by a minimum of 50 percent over that consumed by conventional means (plant species and plant densities).
The Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG), as a subcommittee of the Steering Committee established by Executive Order (E.O.) 13423, initiated development of this guidance, dated 1 December 2008, to assist agencies in meeting the high performance and sustainable buildings goals of E.O. 13423, section 2(f). This guidance also includes the Comment Resolution Summary detailing responses to comments on the draft version of this document.
The Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG), as a subcommittee of the Steering Committee established by Executive Order (E.O.) 13423, initiated development of this guidance, dated 1 December 2008, to assist agencies in meeting the high performance and sustainable buildings goals of E.O. 13423, section 2(f).
In accordance with Section 4(b) of Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management", implementing instructions have been issued to Federal agencies to provide detail and direction to agencies as the work to fulfill the goals and requirement of the Executive Order. Section 8 of these instructions are specific to pollution prevention. These instructions are dated March 29, 2007.
OMB Circular A-11 was revised in 2002 to encourage Federal agencies to incorporate ENERGY STAR® or the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating SystemTM into up front design concepts for new construction and/or building renovations. Agencies must report if they incur or anticipate incurring additional costs for incorporating these standards.
All agencies subject to Executive Order 13423 are required to annually submit on August 15 a plan that outlines how the agency will ensure that (1) all new facilities and renovation projects implement design, construction, and maintenance and operation practices in support of the sustainable design/high-performance buildings goals of the E.O. and statutory requirements and (2) existing facilities' maintenance and operation practices in support of the goals of the E.O. This document provides guidance on the development of the Sustainable Building Implementation Plan.
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The quarterly newsletter for the U.S. DOE Building Technologies Program. Each
issue provides information to improve energy efficiency of new and existing
commercial and residential buildings.
A newsletter published by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
Each online issue of Ecotecture focuses on a particular aspect of the ecological design field, such as the redesign of cities for better ecological performance, sustainable agriculture, ecological housing, and alternative energy. The site also features interviews with a leading ecological designer and a forum for sharing ideas, designs, and the results of experiments.
A subscription-based monthly newsletter from BuildingGreen.com featuring comprehensive, practical information on a range of topics related to sustainable design in the built environment.
An online newsletter about responsible forestry and green building.
This is a quarterly magazine is published by ASHRAE with a mission to help decision makers in the building community learn about the benefits of innovative technologies and energy-efficient design and operation. We do this with case studies of exemplary buildings, developed through the support of leading practitioners in the sustainability movement. High Performing Buildings is available in digital form at no cost.
A listing of proven green building strategies that have been submitted and utilized by LEED Certified projects.
This voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing a high-performance, sustainable building was created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED can be applied to every building type and phase of a building lifecycle. Specific programs exist for the following building types: new commercial construction and major renovation projects; multiple buildings and on-campus building projects; existing building operations and maintenance; commercial interiors; core and shell development projects; homes neighborhood development, schools, and retail operations.
The roster search and referral system is accessible to anyone contemplating the use of consensus building and dispute resolution services where environmental, natural resources, or public lands issues are involved.
A resource directory for local governments to use in developing and implementing climate change initiatives. This guide includes information on, among many other items, how the U.S. EPA can help with:
- greening transportation;
- land-use decisions and building construction requirements;
- improving recycling;
- conserving water; and
- using more efficient and renewable energy
A website-based information resource for the mid-Atlantic region. The SBR Directory is a searchable database of Green Building and Sustainable Development businesses, organizations, and programs.
This directory has been compiled by Lady Bird Johnson’s Wildflower Center to make it easier to find businesses that sell native plants or seeds and provide professional landscape or consulting services.
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This library contains on-line resources on water conservation and efficiency. Subject matter covered in the library include: drought management, alternative supplies, conservation programs, water saving tips, residential efficiency, and metering.
This website was created to help project teams understand the basic concepts of sustainability, and to provide resources needed to create high performance buildings using either the Sustainable Project Rating Tool (SPiRiT) or US Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating tool. Policy and guidance documents are available for project teams who plan, design or build Army facilities.
Environmental Protection Agency's Green Building website links to tools and resources to help project teams learn about energy efficiency and renewables, green building materials, indoor environment, water conservation and waste.
FEMP has gathered this collection of guidance documents, tools, and other resources to support energy efficiency in laboratories.
This site offers useful information and resources on sustainable building services, practices, products, and techniques. The Sustainable Building Sourcebook is available online, and a searchable directory of green building professionals is located on this site.
The system is sponsored by the DOE Federal Energy Management Program. The system provides easy access to a compilation of federal agency policies and guidelines on energy efficient, sustainable government facilities. Exemplary policies from other levels of government are also included. Documents included range from general policy directives to specific design criteria and operating requirements.
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The AIA COTE annually selects its "Top Ten" examples of architectural and "green" design solutions that protect and enhance the environment.
The BMRA is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to facilitate building deconstruction and the reuse/recycling of recovered building materials.
The Energy Efficient Building Association promotes a systems approach to ensure energy efficiency, building durability, occupant comfort and health, and environmental responsibility. Its Web site provides downloadable information (in PDF format) for energy- and resource-efficient buildings and assists small, low-rise commercial buildings with specific criteria for design, construction, and comprehensive rehabilitation.
Help protect our environment by designing buildings with superior energy performance. Top performing facilities that are designed to earn the ENERGY STAR require less money to operate and are responsible for fewer greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. Take advantage of tools and resources from EPA, and join building design professionals from around the country who are demonstrating their commitment to creating sustainable architecture.
This partnership encourages electricity customers to voluntarily purchase or generate green power. Green Power Partners must use green power in an amount that meets or exceeds EPA’s minimum benchmarks. EPA offers market information, communications assistance and recognition. Many familiar Fortune 500 companies, cities, states, federal agencies, universities and small businesses are Green Power Partners. To learn more about the Green Power Partnership and how to become partner, please visit: http://epa.gov/greenpower/.
A collaborative, public-private sector effort to increase the recycling and reuse of industrial materials in building and transportation construction projects across the nation. It is a part of EPA's Resource Conservation Challenge (RCC).
GBI is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to accelerate the adoption of building practices that result in energy-efficient, healthier and environmentally sustainable buildings by promoting credible and practical green building approaches for residential and commercial construction.
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities' mission is to increase the awareness of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of green roof infrastructure across North America and rapidly advance the development of the market for green roof products and services.
A national network of green building professionals, environmental and health activists, socially responsible investment advocates and others who are interested in promoting healthier building materials as a means of improving public health and preserving the global environment.
NIBS is a non-profit, non-governmental organization bringing together representatives of government, the professions, industry, labor and consumer interests to focus on the identification and resolution of problems and potential problems that hamper the construction of safe, affordable structures for housing, commerce and industry throughout the United States.
A new partnership between the Enterprise Foundation and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is contributing to the greening of affordable housing. In September 2004, these organizations—joined by the American Institute of Architects, the American Planning Association and several other corporate, financial and nonprofit partners—launched the Green Community Initiative, a $550 million fund to build more than 8,500 environmentally friendly affordable housing units over the next five years. Through this new Green Communities Initiative, Enterprise and NRDC will work through community development corporations and homebuilders to provide grants, loans, equity, training and technical assistance to encourage housing developers to incorporate green design into their work.
This is a source of information on technological innovations in the housing industry. The inventory focuses on technologies currently considered to be "emerging" (i.e. with a market share of 5% or less) in a wide range of categories; from new materials, components and systems to complete houses. PATH is a voluntary partnership in which leaders of the homebuilding, product manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries join forces with representatives of Federal agencies concerned with housing.
A consortium of ten federal government Member agencies and over 260 non-federal
Cooperators representing various disciplines within the conservation field: biologists, botanists, habitat preservationists, horticulturists, resources management consultants, soil scientists, special interest clubs, non-profit organizations, concerned citizens, nature lovers, and gardeners. PCA Members and Cooperators work collectively to solve the problems of native plant extinction and native habitat restoration, ensuring the preservation of our ecosystem. This site contains state or regionally-specific guides on native plant landscaping, grant programs, in invasive species.
This web portal is a top favorite of green building experts. It links to tools, references, guidelines, and success stories for many important sustainability topics. Please add it to your favorites list.
SBIC brings together design professionals, corporations, and individuals who are committed to sustainable design. The site has wonderful resources, tools, reference guides and training opportunities.
The intent of this effort is to provide a framework that, when implemented in an area, can achieve measurable emissions reductions and promote sustainability in urban environments.
The U.S. Green Building Council is the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.
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The annual DOI Environmental Achievement Awards convey high-level recognition to DOI employees and partners for DOI projects in the areas of: Waste/Pollution Prevention, Recycling, Green Purchasing, Environmental Management Systems, Sustainable Design/Green Building, and Alternative Fuel and Fuel Conservation in Transportation.
Competitors were to asked to submit designs and ideas that support cost-effective disassembly and anticipate future use of building materials. The competition was open to architects, reuse experts, engineers, designers, planners, contractors, builders, educators, environmental advocates and students. This year, the competition was extended to include international participants who hailed from Singapore, Taiwan, Argentina, Columbia, France, Egypt, and the United Kingdom.
The intent of the competition is to shape the future of green building and facilitate local building materials reuse.
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EPA Region 10’s website which includes links to demonstration gardens, state POCs.
EPA Region 3’s guidance on designing and maintaining beautiful yards, gardens, and larger landscapes to: reduce harm to the environment; save time and $ with lower maintenance; have healthier places to work and play.
Released by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on 31 October 2011, this guidance describes strategies to achieve sustainable Federal landscape practices. This guidance is to be used by Federal agencies for landscape practices when constructing new, or rehabilitating existing, owned or leased facilities, or when landscaping improvements are otherwise planned.
Landscaping with native plants improves the environment. Native plants are hardy because they have adapted to the local conditions. Once established, native plants do not need pesticides, fertilizers, or watering. Not only is this good for the environment, it saves time and money.
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The pre-publication copy of this report was issued in April 2011. In 2010, the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings asked the National Academies to appoint an ad hoc committee of experts to conduct a public workshop and prepare a report that identifies strategies and approaches for achieving a range of objectives associated with federal high-performance green buildings. This report captures the ideas and brain-storming from that workshop.
The initial 4 case studies were issued May 2011 and each case study focuses on one vital element in the execution of an energy efficiency upgrade program-Getting Started, Program Design, Workforce, and Driving Demand. The case studies are designed and written to highlight the most successful and replicable components of the BetterBuildings partners' programs.
This technical support document, dated September 2009, was created by the DOE national laboratories under the direction of DOE's Building Technologies Program. It describes the assumptions, methodologies, and analyses used to reach 50% energy savings over ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004. This report provides recommendations and user-friendly design assistance to designers, developers, and owners of highway lodging properties and is intended to encourage steady progress towards net-zero energy performance in these buildings.
These case studies were developed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to highlight techniques for saving money and protecting the environment through reuse and recycling of construction and demolition debris. Six case studies are highlighted.
These reports summarize findings from research that was conducted at NREL to assess the energy design and performance of six high-performance buildings, and uses this information to recommend future research on commercial buildings to meet building technologies (BT) goals for creating marketable zero-energy buildings by 2025.
EPA website answering basic questions such as "What makes a building green?" or "What building types can be green."
This is a database that provides case studies of projects ranging from homes and commercial interiors to large buildings and even whole campuses and neighborhoods. These may be certified green projects, or simply projects that have one or more notable environmental features. The information has been reviewed for consistency and presentation, but in most cases the details have not been independently verified.
Energy consumption at labs, data centers, and cleanrooms is characterized by large base-loads operating 24 hours a day with energy intensities much larger than typical commercial buildings. The intent of this website is to provide a portal to a portfolio of research, development, demonstration, and deployment of energy-efficient technologies and practices for high-tech facilities such as laboratories, cleanrooms, and data centers.
A listing of proven green building strategies that have been submitted and utilized by LEED Certified projects.
The document begins with a review of LID, its purpose and methods. It also includes numerous examples of the application of LID at DOD training areas. It then devotes the majority of its pages to a set of fact sheets on such topics as "Secondary Roads", "Small Weapons Firing Ranges", "Maneuver Corridors", and "Bioretention Technology". It ends with good number of plans and drawings for the hard-corps planning/engineering staff.
This comprehensive plan developed by EPA, with state and national partners to reduce runoff and increase environmental and economic benefits for communities is now available. The strategy will help reduce stormwater runoff and sewer overflows by promoting "green infrastructure" approaches, such as green roofs, trees and tree boxes, rain gardens, and porous pavements. The plan explains how states, municipalities, permitting authorities, and non-governmental organizations can use green infrastructure practices to meet water quality goals while sustaining their water infrastructure. The document outlines ways to bring green infrastructure technologies and approaches into mainstream use for runoff and sewer overflow management.
Contains information on studies conducted by the Army and the Air Force on the costs and requirements of meeting energy efficiency, sustainability, and ASHRAE standards.
This report compares different green building rating systems for Federal use. The report was authored by Pacific Northwest National Lab.
This report, released by the National Trust's Preservation Green Lab provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of the potential environmental benefit of building reuse. The report uses a life cycle assessment approach to compare the environmental impacts from reuse of existing buildings with demolition and construction of new buildings.
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A summary of the impact of the Energy Star Program in homebuilding.
A building professional's guide to more than 90 environmentally-appropriate technologies and practices. Architects, engineers and buildings managers can improve the energy and resource efficiency of commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings through the use of the technologies and practices described in this web site. The following design and construction issues are covered: indoor air quality; water conservation; waste management; electricity production; non-toxic materials; recycled materials; daylighting; and energy efficiency. New technologies are added to the site during the updating process.
Image of LEED Gold Certified Brigade and Battalion Headquarters, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Issued by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), this report, dated 1 December 2008, highlights combined heat and power (CHP) as a realistic solution to enhance national energy efficiency, ensure environmental quality, promote economic growth, and foster a robust energy infrastructure.
A government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.
EPA has partnered with the Federal Environmental Executive and the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) to develop the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers. The intent of the document is to address the need for a comprehensive guide for procuring green building products and construction services within the Federal government.
Green Globes is a web-based program for green building guidance and certification that includes an onsite assessment by a third party. The program has modules supporting new construction, existing buildings, and Healthcare buildings. It is suitable for a wide range of buildings from large and small offices, multi-family structures, hospitals, and institutional buildings such as courthouses, schools, and universities. The program includes best practices guidance for green construction and operations as well as a rating and certification system.
Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design published by the US Department of Interior and National Park Service.
This is a collection of resources to support the design, construction, and operation of high-performance laboratories. The tools include design guides, case studies, a performance rating system, a video, and other products that are planned or under development.
This voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing a high-performance, sustainable building was created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED can be applied to every building type and phase of a building lifecycle. Specific programs exist for the following building types: new commercial construction and major renovation projects; multiple buildings and on-campus building projects; existing building operations and maintenance; commercial interiors; core and shell development projects; homes neighborhood development, schools, and retail operations.
The latest generation of water-saving, high-efficiency toilets must use less than 1.3 gal per flush and meet performance standards for quality in order to qualify for EPA's WaterSense label.
A voluntary public-private partnership that identifies and promotes high performance products and programs that help preserve the nation’s water supply (EO 13423, Section 2(c)).
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A building professional's guide to more than 90 environmentally-appropriate technologies and practices. Architects, engineers and buildings managers can improve the energy and resource efficiency of commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings through the use of the technologies and practices described in this web site. The following design and construction issues are covered: indoor air quality; water conservation; waste management; electricity production; non-toxic materials; recycled materials; daylighting; and energy efficiency. New technologies are added to the site during the updating process.
This guide was released May 2012. It targets standard mid- to large-size hospital, typically at least 100,000 ft2 in size, but the strategies apply to all sizes and classifications of large hospitals. Space types covered include cafeterias and kitchens; conference and office areas; reception and waiting areas; examination and treatment rooms; clean and soiled workrooms; nurse stations; nurseries and patient rooms; operating, procedure and recovery rooms; sterilizer equipment areas; pharmacies and laboratories; triage, trauma, and emergency rooms; physical therapy and radiology/imaging rooms; storage, receiving, and mechanical/electrical/telecom rooms. This Guide does not directly address other, atypical or special-use spaces. This guide was developed through the collaboration of ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), with support from the Department of Energy (DOE), to help meet all of an owner's energy performance requirements. In an effort to promote building energy efficiency, ASHRAE and its partners has made this guide available for download (PDF) at no charge.
These guides offer contractors and designers the tools, including recommendations for practical products and off-the-shelf technology, needed for achieving a 30% energy savings compared to buildings that meet the minimum requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-1999. These guides have been developed through the collaboration of ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), with support from the Department of Energy (DOE), to help meet all of an owner's energy performance requirements. Sector-specific guides are available for: small hospitals and healthcare facilities; lodging facilities; small warehouses and self-storage; schools; small retail buildings; small office buildings. ASHRAE and its partners have made these guides available for download (PDF) at no charge.
This guide provides the tools, including recommendations for practical products and off-the-shelf technology, needed for achieving a 50% energy
savings compared to buildings that meet the minimum requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1-2004. The guide applies to small to medium office buildings up to 100,000 ft2, including a wide range of office types and related activities such as administrative, professional, government, bank
or other financial services, and medical offices without medical diagnostic equipment. Also provides a greater emphasis on integrated design as a necessary component in achieving 50% energy savings.
AFCEE's LEED-based guide to sustainable facilities. Includes the following steps: pre-design, a-e procurement, design, construction, and occupancy. You will have to first save the zipfile to your hard drive, then unzip the contents to a folder, then click on the file "index.html" to begin the self-contained, web-based guide.
Image of LEED Gold Certified Brigade and Battalion Headquarters, Fort Carson, Colorado.
The purpose of the California Gold Sustainable Carpet Standard is to establish consistent requirements for sustainable carpet products.
This checklist was developed by EPA. Called GreenCheck, the process provides a method for EPA to track the compliance of projects at facilities it owns and/or occupies where Federal sustainable building requirements apply.
Developed by Health and Human Services, this matrix is for use in collecting and measuring how well an existing building meets the requirements of the Guiding Principles, as well as EO 13423 and EISA 2007. It also includes two additional measures: Economics and Conformance with Local Environmental Compliance.
The Field Guide for Sustainable Construction is a joint project between PENREN/C and The Pennsylvania State University. It is intended to be a helpful, practical reference for construction personnel working on building sites. It guides decision-making that helps the project team achieve sustainable project goals for planned and ongoing projects.
Green Globes is a web-based program for green building guidance and certification that includes an onsite assessment by a third party. The program has modules supporting new construction, existing buildings, and Healthcare buildings. It is suitable for a wide range of buildings from large and small offices, multi-family structures, hospitals, and institutional buildings such as courthouses, schools, and universities. The program includes best practices guidance for green construction and operations as well as a rating and certification system.
This is a companion document to the GSA LEED Cost Study, which outlines an evaluation process in which the predicted first cost impacts of the individual LEED prerequisites and credits (developed from the Cost Study) are used as a basis for structuring an overall LEED project approach. The process also illustrates how LEED criteria relate to existing GSA mandates, performance goals, and programmatic requirements.
Two building types (new construction courthouses and Federal Building modernization) are modeled against two scenarios for each LEED rating (Certification, Silver, Gold), identifying differential costs of construction, design, and documentation/submission requirements.
This guide is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). The FEMP guide walks users through renewable energy options to help select appropriate types of renewable energy technologies and integrate these technologies into all phases of new construction or major renovation projects. This Guide also provides introductory information on why Federal agencies should consider renewable energy, specific guidance on major renovations, and guidance and resources for training and outreach for projects that use renewable energy.
The purpose of this document is to provide a roadmap for the design and construction of efficient, cost-effective, durable, and environmentally sound buildings and landscapes. This document was produced by over 50 facility managers and other local staff professionals in Durham, Orange, and Wake Counties, North Carolina.
This voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing a high-performance, sustainable building was created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED can be applied to every building type and phase of a building lifecycle. Specific programs exist for the following building types: new commercial construction and major renovation projects; multiple buildings and on-campus building projects; existing building operations and maintenance; commercial interiors; core and shell development projects; homes neighborhood development, schools, and retail operations.
This guide is for the construction company owner, contractor, architect, and other personnel involved in construction and development. Use this guide during the pre-bid phase to learn what is required; use it during the pre-construction phase to assign environmental responsibilities; and during the construction phase to find answers to ongoing environmental questions or conducting self audits.
Efficient water use helps to reduce the need for costly water supply and wastewater treatment facilities, helps maintain stream flows and healthy aquatic habitats, and reduces the energy used to pump, heat and treat water. A broad spectrum of stakeholders, from homeowners to State governments, can find information here that can help them become more water-efficient.
A web-based portal providing government and industry practitioners with one-stop access to up-to-date information on a wide range of building-related guidance, criteria and technology from a 'whole buildings' perspective. Currently organized into two major categories—Design Guidance and Project Management. Development of the WBDG is a collaborative effort among federal agencies, private sector companies, non-profit organizations and educational institutions.
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A Guide for Building Owners and Facility Managers This guide provides practical suggestions on preventing, identifying, and resolving indoor air quality (IAQ) problems in public and commercial buildings.
This document was designed to meet the needs of building owners and managers who want an easy-to-understand path for taking their building from current conditions and practices to the successful institutionalization of good IAQ management practices.
The starting point for EPA's Indoor Air Quality Program.
This EPA voluntary guidance document, released November 2011, provides a set of best practices for improving indoor air quality in conjunction with energy upgrade work in homes. The guidance was developed in collaboration with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Recovery Through Retrofit Initiative and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to develop "Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals."
Includes the best practices for design, construction, and commissioning of new non-residential buildings. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and an industry consortium developed this reference.
EPA website devoted to IAQ in large buildings such as office buildings.
A guidance tool designed for use by building professionals and others interested in indoor air quality in commercial buildings. I-BEAM supplements EPA's Building Air Quality (BAQ) guide.
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Image of LEED Gold Certified Brigade and Battalion Headquarters, Fort Carson, Colorado.
EPA has partnered with the Federal Environmental Executive and the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) to develop the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers. The intent of the document is to address the need for a comprehensive guide for procuring green building products and construction services within the Federal government.
This EPA website providing links to help you find a variety of funding sources including grants, tax-credits, loans, or others.
Green infrastructure is an approach to wet weather management that is cost-effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Green Infrastructure management approaches and technologies infiltrate, evapotranspire, capture and reuse stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrologies.
Building owners, architects, and engineers can use the charrette process to save time and money by identifying and solving design problems before design and construction begin. A charrette is an intensive workshop in which various stakeholders and experts are brought together to address a particular design project. It is the mechanism that starts the communication process among the project team members, building users, and project management staff.
LID is an approach to land development (or re-development) that works with nature to manage stormwater as close to its source as possible.
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The focus of this 2-hour EPA course is retrofitting stormwater management practices into watersheds that have already been developed. This approach can help restore watersheds by providing stormwater treatment in locations it was not originally included. This course is available online or in an MP4 version.
The use of natural sunlight, known as daylighting, to illuminate a building can save energy, reduce operating costs, create visual appeal, and enhance occupant health and productivity. The U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) rating system encourages the use of daylighting to achieve high performance buildings. This course provides an introduction to the use of daylighting in commercial spaces. The course objective is to show why daylighting should be considered, the basic guidelines of using daylighting and some words of caution when using certain daylighting techniques.
Version 1 of the Federal High Performance Sustainable Buildings Checklist(Guiding Principles Checklist) is now available through EPA's web-based ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, an interactive energy and water management tool that allows users to track and assess energy and water consumption across entire building portfolios. The resulting metrics will populate the appropriate Guiding Principle within the Guiding Principles Checklist. Along with other options therein, these metrics and associated reports can be used to meet and demonstrate compliance with the Guiding Principles. EPA's ENERGY STAR Program, DOE's Federal Energy Management Program, and the General Services Administration have partnered together to incorporate the High Performance Checklist into ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager to assist Federal agencies with assessing their existing building stock against the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Existing Buildings, and for reporting on the sustainability data element of the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP).
Image of LEED Gold Certified Brigade and Battalion Headquarters, Fort Carson, Colorado.
Building commissioning facilitates all parties working together to ensure that the facility functions as intended. Fine-tunes building systems to operate at optimum efficiency which saves money and minimizes wear and tear. Ensures thorough and complete O&M manuals and training are provided to the operations staff. Includes a process of systematic testing of building systems which helps identify problems more accurately and quickly than the standard punchlist inspection.
This course is offered by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The purpose of this course is to enable you to reduce operating cost and provide energy savings to the building a student is responsible for. Students will learn the initial steps involved in re-tuning a building controlled via a building automation system (BAS). Interactive exercises are included to provide students "hands-on" practice of the re-tuning process within a virtual building. Students will practice identifying opportunities for energy improvement and then deciding how to re-tune for more efficiency. The intended audience for this course is onsite employees responsible for day-to-day building operations; offsite contractors (retro-commissioning agents or control vendors) hired to improve a building's energy efficiency; and college students interested in entering this field. The focus is on large (100,000 sq. ft.) commercial buildings (office buildings, malls, and schools), but the concepts and techniques presented can be applied to any type and size of facility that has a BAS.
The focus of this 2-hour EPA course is how to develop an effective SWPPP. IT includes a discussion of common problems found on construction sites. This course is available online or in an MP4 version.
Facility managers, energy managers, contractors, and others need to understand the latest information about energy and water management in order to help the Federal government be save energy and money and meet energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation goals. With targeted and up-to-date courses, FEMP helps Federal energy managers become more proficient in energy management and learn about alternative forms of financing energy-saving projects. Additional classes are listed also.
The In-Person Workshop on the Guiding Principles for High Performance Sustainable Existing Buildings is a one-day FEMP training session to provide step-by-step guidance on complying with the Guiding Principles.
This FEMP webinar will provide an overview of the Guiding Principles (GP) for Existing High-Performance Sustainable Buildings, and will discuss planning, strategies, documentation, reporting and data integrity for compliance.
This FEMP webinar will provide an overview of the Guiding Principle: Optimize Energy Performance for Existing High-Performance Sustainable Buildings. The webinar will also discuss planning, strategies, documentation, reporting and data integrity for compliance.
Welcome to the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council's (SBIC) special "classroom" about High-Performance School Buildings. This Training Center was developed with support from the US Department of Energy's Rebuild America/EnergySmart Schools program and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Valuable resources also linked to website.
This FEMP webinar was originally presented 24 January 2012. This webinar provides attendees with an exterior SSL technology update, an overview of product and application-related support resources available from FEMP, and case studies of exterior SSL applications. Focus is placed on a performance specification that energy managers can use to help ensure that their SSL sites deliver high-quality lighting while saving energy and minimizing maintenance requirements.
This FEMP webinar was originally presented 25 January 2012. This webinar provides attendees with an exterior SSL technology update, an overview of product and application-related support resources available from FEMP, and case studies of exterior SSL applications. Focus is placed on a performance specification that allows the user to select SSL, induction, or fluorescent technology, and apply it in a manner that helps ensure energy-efficient, high-quality lighting results.
By incorporating Green Building principles, commercial building operators can achieve a high performance building that results in improved efficiency, decreased utility costs, and increased life of the building. Federal facility managers and operators are now required by Executive Order to instill water and energy efficiency measures by meeting the goals set forth in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. These requirements instruct Federal facility managers and operators to achieve steadily improved energy and water efficiency through the year 2015. Specifically, key requirements give Federal facility operators impetus to achieve greater efficiency and sustainability in operations. The target audience is building owners and operators, design teams for major renovations, contractors, and others responsible for the operation, maintenance, and upgrades of buildings.
This FEMP webinar was originally presented 12 July 2012. Implementing Deep Retrofits: A Whole Building Approach fosters competency in developing retrofit solutions that demonstrate integrated, holistic, and synergistic approaches to energy-efficient retrofits. The goal is to yield higher performance results than are achieved with standard, individual, and routine energy conservation measures. Develop skills in scoping opportunities and drafting a statement of work; building system synergies and areas of technology integration; and selecting a contractor. Success stories will also be reviewed.
Offered by Federal Occupational Health, this 8-h classroom training addresses the most common identifiable causes and health effects of poor indoor air quality and presents an overview of Indoor Air Quality in office settings. If you have any questions or are interested in a training for your Federal employees, please contact the FOH Training Center at 202-205-2853 or email fohtrainingcenter@foh.hhs.gov.
This course contains 7 modules in an enhanced web-based powerpoint format. The module topics include an introduction to the LEED 2.2 rating system and extensive coverage of the six categories of LEED, from Sustainable Sites to Innovation and Design Processes. These modules are the time-tested product of the Southface Commercial Green Building Services team and have been delivered "live" to thousands of LEED-AP prospects. The presentations cover the intent, requirements, issues and strategies associated with each of the credits, focusing on the level of knowledge you will need to pass the Exam to become a LEED Accredited Professional.
Overview of the intent of the WBDG and how to use the WBDG and implement the portions applicable to your project. Presentation given at the Federal Environmental Symposium – East, June 2008 by Richard R. Paradis of the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council.
This FEMP webinar was originally presented 2 February 2012. This webinar illustrates the uses and benefits of spectrally enhanced light (SEL) and solid-state lighting (SSL), such as LED technologies. Topics include best deployment opportunities, correct applications, project examples, and measurement and verification protocols.
Developed by the DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, this purpose of this course is to enable you to reduce operating cost and provide energy savings to the building you are responsible for. The intended audience for this course is onsite employees responsible for day-to-day building operations; offsite contractors (retro-commissioning agents or control vendors) hired to improve a building's energy efficiency; and college students interested in entering this field. The focus is on large (100,000 sq. ft.) commercial buildings (office buildings, malls, and schools), but the concepts and techniques presented can be applied to any type and size of facility that has a building automation system (BAS).
This presentation was given 28 April 2010 at the Department of Interior Conference on the Environment in Portland, OR. It addresses acceptable and unacceptable approaches to upgrades of historic buildings.
This webcast will teach Federal energy and sustainability professionals how to use the ENERGY STAR measurement and tracking tool, Portfolio Manager, to help ensure compliance with the Guiding Principles for High Performance Sustainable Buildings required by Executive Orders 13423 and 13514. The focus is on the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Existing Buildings.
This 2-hour EPA training includes guidance on conducting a program self-assessment, developing effective stormwater management criteria, and incorporating credits for LID and runoff reduction. This course is available online or in an MP4 version.
The SBIC website calendar shows training opportunities offered by SBIC and other green building organizations.
Simply click on the Search button for a complete list of workshops that are currently open for registration or enter specific search criteria for a filtered list. Please note that our calendar is frequently updated, so continue to check back to find upcoming workshops. After clicking the Search button, the page will refresh and you will need to scroll down to see the workshop listings.
This module provides an overview of water efficiency with the intention of evaluating various types of commercial and institutional water uses, water efficient technological options available, and potential water conservation savings that can be achieved.
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October 2012
November 2012
March 2013
June 2013
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Oct 04, 2012
Sep 06, 2012
Aug 20, 2012
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Executive Order 13514
