- Published by Kathleen Turco on Monday, May 7th, 2012 under Certification,Collaboration,Committee,Federal building,High performance,Policy,Real property,Strategy,Sustainability,Vision
GSA OGP’s Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings (www.gsa.gov/hpgb) has just released its Green Building Certification Systems review report. This report is the first step in an extensive review process — including a public comment period – that evaluates tools that could help federal agencies meet their goals for maintaining and constructing more sustainable and efficient buildings. The findings of this process will help government agencies meet federal requirements for green construction, save taxpayer dollars and meet the goals of President Obama’s Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance (EO 13514). The full report is available at http://www.gsa.gov/gbcertificationreview and the press release is available here.
This report also will be a major topic at the second Green Building Advisory Committee (GBAC) meeting which is coordinated by the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings in accordance with The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). The GBAC will be held on May 9, 2012 from 9:30am to 4:00 pm at 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800 in Washington, DC. It is open to the public, as a Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) meeting. Agenda and meeting materials will be posted on the GBAC site. Questions about the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings or the GBAC may be sent to greenbuildings@gsa.gov. We look forward to your feedback and comments.
This week, OGP’s Office of Technology Strategy/Acquisition Systems Division released a Sources Sought notice on the Federal Business Opportunities site to measure availability of other agencies and industry members to provide a unique identification process in support of governmentwide acquisition systems. The goal is to provide these systems with necessary data and information on current and potential awardees. The capability to provide a unique identifier at registration to entities and individuals seeking to do business with the government is an important part of the acquisition process. OGP’s mission is supported by the ability to maintain integrity and efficiency throughout governmentwide processes. With a unique identification system, GSA can collect data regarding location, performance, and company hierarchical information that is necessary to tracking entities and individuals who receive contracts, grants, and loans from the government.
In order to maintain a competitive environment, this Sources Sought was released to explore options for attaining these services from one or a number of industry competitors. OGP is also interested in attaining responses from other agencies that may have their own unique identification systems, so that all viable options can be explored. Staying committed to saving tax-dollars while increasing efficiency and transparency is everyone’s priority at GSA. Through thorough data collection and operation of a quick and easy registration process for both existing and potential awardees, the acquisition process supports both of these priorities.
This Sources Sought asks for responses by Monday, November 7, 2011 and a team led by Chris Fornecker in the Acquisition Systems Division will then work on compiling analysis and recommendations for further action to ensure that GSA continues to be committed to the goals and missions of the Executive Branch. The Sources Sought notice can be found on www.fbo.gov by searching for “IAE-0002.”
John Ray, Executive Advisor for OGP’s Office of Technology Strategy (ME), returned to speak to the 2011-2012 class at the National Capital Region campus of Year Up. Year Up is a one-year, intensive training program that provides urban young adults 18-24, with a unique combination of technical and professional skills, college credits, an educational stipend and corporate internship. John was asked by the school to return this year to again share his passion for Information Technology (IT) and his career life experiences in the Federal government and industry. John shared highlights from his IT journey including serving as a Communications Officer with the U.S. Air Force, the aerospace industry selling tactical IT systems to the Department of Defense, and as an Intelligence Staff Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency, and his time with GSA since 1974 in a range of IT assignments.
For more information, contact John Ray at (202) 501-3473.
Members of OGP’s Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings (OFHPGB) team and GSA PBS attended Greenbuild 2011, the largest green building conference, in Toronto this past week. Along with 23,000+ attendees, OGP both heard about and reported on the latest advances in the field.
The conference included a Green Jobs Summit that brought together leaders and practitioners for in-depth, interactive conversations to advance the creation of green jobs through a clean energy economy. PBS Commissioner Bob Peck gave a keynote address and John Simpson of OFHPGB presented on GSA implementation of the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act, emphasizing how GSA is greening and elevating the profile of facility management.
Judith Heerwagen of OFHPGB led an inter-disciplinary explanation of the varied effects that buildings have on the health and well being of occupants. Bottom line: good buildings matter.
Kevin Kampschroer, Director of OFHPGB, spoke on the breadth of lessons learned re: building and operating high-performing buildings. Bottom line: green buildings perform better and cost less to operate. Both Judith and Kevin spoke about ways to measure the effects of buildings on productivity and organizational effectiveness.
Don Horn of OFHPGB presented, with PBS’s Kevin Powell, on GSA’s new report, Green Building Performance, http://www.gsa.gov/graphics/pbs/Green_Building_Performance.pdf, a post occupancy evaluation of 22 GSA buildings that found measurable energy and water reductions and increases in occupant satisfaction.
PBS Chief Greening Officer Eleni Reed spoke on use of LEED’s new portfolio analysis program, connecting Executive Order 13514 with the Guiding Principles and GSA’s Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. Brad Nies from the GSA Heartland Region spoke on planning and conducting building performance evaluations.
As the green building field continues to advance, GSA remains committed to staying at the head of the pack, finding innovative, elegant solutions to make our buildings more efficient and healthy for their customers.
