Sustainable Facilities Tool General Services Administration

The stated purpose of the act is "to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes." Search for excerpts relevant to Federal buildings at DOE or view full text at GPO.gov.

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 established a number of energy management goals for Federal facilities and fleets. Many of the energy management requirements of EPAct have been updated in EISA and subsequent Executive Orders. Search for excerpts relevant to Federal buildings or view full text at DOE.

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 established several energy management goals, as well as requirements for water and fleet fuel management. Many of the energy management requirements have been updated in EISA, EPAct 2005 and subsequent Executive Orders, but requirements for low-flow water fixtures and alternative fuel vehicles still apply. View Act on GPO.gov

E.O. 13834, Efficient Federal Operations, was signed on May 17, 2018. It revised guidance on federal building operations and superseded previous Executive Orders. View Order

Several Executive Orders (E.O.) and legislative mandates direct Federal Agencies to achieve specific high performance and sustainable building goals. According to the E.O. 13834 Implementing Instructions, agencies may do so by following six Guiding Principles:

1. 1. Integrated Design Principles
2. 2. Optimize Energy Performance
3. 3. Protect and Conserve Water
4. 4. Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality
5. 5. Reduce the Environmental Impact of Materials
6. 6. Assess and Consider Climate Change Risks

The Guiding Principles were originally established in 2006 in a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Federal agencies at the White House, updated in 2008 based on recommendations of the Interagency Sustainability Working Group, and updated again in 2016. The latest two documents:   Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings and Associated Instructions and Determining Compliance with the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings. Note that the exact compliance criteria vary between new construction versus major renovation projects. In addition, leases are no longer included in reporting compliance, though “agencies should strive to incorporate as many of the Guiding Principles as possible in lease actions.”

A GSA study found that high-performance buildings meeting the Guiding Principles save energy, save water, cost less to operate, produce less waste, and have more satisfied occupants compared with typical buildings.

For additional guidance on meeting the Guiding Principles, search SFTool or see the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG).

10 CFR Part 436 establishes the rules and objectives for Federal energy management and planning programs to promote life cycle cost effective investments in building energy systems, building water systems and energy and water conservation measures for Federal buildings. View Rule

The Federal Acquisition Regulation governs how all government agencies are to make procurements. Specifically, Subchapter D Part 23 dictates how the sustainability aspect of those purchases must be made. FAR - Part 23