1 GW Renewable Energy Goal for Civilian Agencies by 2021 – R. Shepherd, November 2016

Rachel Shepherd, DOE-FEMP’s Renewable Energy Program Manager, introduces the White House goal “for civilian agencies to procure and facilitate development of 1 gigawatt of new renewable electricity by 2021,” announced in October 2016. The presentation includes a look at how this new goal would build on current progress toward federal renewable energy targets.

See the White House blog announcing the new civilian GW goal. For more information on DOE-FEMP’s work on renewable energy projects and technologies, visit FEMP's website.

50001 Ready Federal Cohort Training Update – P. Shaeffer, February 2020

Paul Sheaffer of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory describes the status of the U.S. Department of Energy’s 50001 Ready Program. 50001 Ready is a three-step DOE program to recognize conformance with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 50001 standard for energy management systems, which helps facilities save energy and money through continuous improvement. Paul discusses the DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) resources available to agencies who pursue 50001 Ready, including structured training and ongoing “help desk” support; and lists several federal agencies in active or planned FY 2020 FEMP 50001 Ready Cohorts.For more information, visit the DOE 50001 Ready Program website and the ISO 50001 standard website.

50001 Ready Pilot Program – D. Boomsma, Dec. 2017

ISO 50001 is an international standard that specifies how building energy management systems should be established, implemented, maintained, and improved. In this presentation, David Boomsma of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (DOE-FEMP) introduces DOE’s pilot voluntary recognition program for “50001 Ready” facilities. Interested agencies should contact Mr. Boomsma at the email address contained herein.

For more information, visit the DOE 50001 Ready Program website.

Advanced Metering Networking and Energy Management Information System (EMIS) Overview – J.Murrell, April 2024

Jefferey Murrell of the Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) outlined the agency metering implementation plans, the importance of meter data management and an analysis/supporting details of the multitude of ways that FEMP is helping agencies with their metering plans. Why meter connectivity – “you can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Jefferey states that you can and should collect and utilize metered data.

For more information, please visit the EMIS website (Energy Management Information Systems for Federal Facilities | Department of Energy) and the GEB website (Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings for Federal Agencies | Department of Energy).

AFFECT BIL FAC – S. Motamedi, May 2023

Soudeh Motamedi of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (DOE FEMP) presents key details about the Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Federal Agency Call (FAC), “Advancing Net-Zero Federal Facilities.” With four rounds of applications through winter 2025 and $250 million in total available awards, the AFFECT BIL FAC presents a prime opportunity for federal agencies to leverage grant funding in carrying out the energy efficiency, decarbonization, and carbon pollution-free electricity provisions of the Energy Act of 2020 and Executive Order 14057. To learn more and see all AFFECT BIL FAC questions and answers, visit S3 eXCHANGE (https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov) and select the FAC number DE-FOA-0003026.

AFFECT Grant Program - D. Boomsma, Sept. 2015

David Boomsma of DOE's Federal Energy Management Program described the Assisting Federal Facilities with Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) grant program and invited agencies to provide input for AFFECT's future. For more information, visit the program’s website. To offer comments on what your agency would or would not like to see in terms of topic areas for FY16 and FY17, contact David Boomsma, David.Boomsma@ee.doe.gov.

Analysis of Guiding Principles for High Performance Sustainable Buildings - CMeincke, MMyers, Mar. 2012

A discussion of how standards, compliance and reporting may be improved to help agencies meet sustainability goals. Visit the Federal Energy Management Program for technical assistance with renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 and 10 CFR 433 Regulations, Requirements, and Tips – M. Halverson, December 2019

Mark Halverson of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) discusses past and future changes to ASHRAE Standard 90.1, with implications for how commercial and low-rise multi-family residential buildings in the federal building portfolio are required to save energy. He describes compliance paths for ASHRAE 90.1-2013, including the Performance Rating Method (PRM) whole building design tool.

For more information, visit the ASHRAE Standard 90.1 website. Also see the U.S. Department of Energy’s full list of building energy software tools and Guiding Principles Compliance webpages.

Baseline Energy Efficiency Standards Updates for All New Federal Buildings – N. Baker, April 2022

Nicolas Baker of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program reviews updated federal building efficiency rules for new federal commercial and multi-family high-rise residential buildings (under 10 CFR 433) and for new federal low-rise residential buildings (under 10 CFR 435).To learn more, see the final rules for “Baseline Energy Efficiency Standards Update for New Federal Commercial and Multi-Family High-Rise Residential Buildings” (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/04/07/2022-06949/baseline-energy-efficiency-standards-update-for-new-federal-commercial-and-multi-family-high-rise) and “Energy Efficiency Standards for the Design and Construction of New Federal Low-Rise Residential Buildings Baseline Standards Update.” (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/04/05/2022-07138/energy-efficiency-standards-for-the-design-and-construction-of-new-federal-low-rise-residential)

Baseline Standard Update: Federal Energy Efficiency Performance Standard - S. Jensen, Jan. 2016

Sarah Jensen of DOE's Office of Sustainable Environmental Stewardship provides a briefing on the new DOE rule updating the energy efficiency performance requirement for new federal buildings to ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013. To learn more, visit the Federal Register page.

Building & Grid Integration: A New Frontier for Federal Buildings – K. Sandler and K. Porst Hydras, December 2019

Ken Sandler and Kinga Porst Hydras of GSA’s Office of Federal High-Performance Buildings (OFHPB) introduce the concept of grid-interactive efficient buildings (GEBs), where buildings that provide demand flexibility services such as load shedding and load shifting can help improve energy efficiency, provide cost savings, reduce carbon emissions, and more. To illustrate GEBs’ potential benefits to the federal government, they summarize the findings of a 2019 report by GSA and the Rocky Mountain Institute, "Value Potential for Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings in the GSA Portfolio: A Cost-Benefit Analysis."

For more information, read the GSA-RMI report on the RMI website. You can also read the GSA Green Building Advisory Committee Advice Letter regarding GEBs on the Committee website.

Case Studies – Achieving Carbon-Free Electricity Goals by Harnessing the "Whole-of-Government" Approach – C.Stearn and B. Bueter, August 2024

Bonnie Bueter, J.D. Chief (Acting), and Christine Stearn, Regulatory Program Manager from GSA presented two case studies highlighting carbon-free electricity goals for El Paso Electrics and PJM. The presentation provided an overview of CFE options for different energy markets and resources for enrolling in CFE opportunities.

Clean Energy Rule Update - R. Mears, June 2024

Rick Mears from the Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program presented a brief update on the Clean Energy Rule. This update included a brief summary of what the rule entails, as well as why it is important.

For more information, visit the Clean Energy for Federal Buildings Rule webpage.

Coming Attractions from GSA's Green Building Advisory Committee - K. Sandler, February 2021

Ken Sandler of GSA’s Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings describes the recent findings and recommendations from two task groups of the GSA Green Building Advisory Committee (GBAC): 1) Embodied Energy and Carbon in Federal Building Materials and 2) Sustainable Response to COVID-19 in Federal Buildings.

Cyber Security Challenges for Metering and Enterprise Systems – D. Haegley, January 2017

Daryl Haegley of the Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Energy Installation & Environment (DOD-OASD (EI&E)) discusses topics including: the current status and 2020 goals for DOD advanced meter installations; vulnerability of internet-connected devices, utilities, etc. to cyberattacks; DOD’s use of the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) Cybersecurity Evaluation Tool (CSET); and some results of facility site assessments performed by Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab, showing scenarios in which control systems could be used to exploit vulnerabilities.
For more information: ICS-CERT CSET
United Facilities Criteria (UFC) 4-010-06: Cybersecurity of Facility-related Control Systems (via Whole Building Design Guide)
SERDP-ESTCP (DOD’s Environmental Research Programs): Cybersecurity Guidelines

Data Center Optimization Initiative – D. Pomeroy, September 2016

Dan Pomeroy, Director of the IT Portfolio Management Division in GSA’s Office of Governmentwide Policy (OGP), explains the Data Center Optimization Initiative (DCOI) announced by the Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) in August 2016. DCOI replaces the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative and sets aggressive goals for data center consolidation and optimization to be met by FY 2018. For more information, visit the CIO’s DCOI home page, at https://datacenters.cio.gov, and the press release announcing OGP’s participation as the DCOI Managing Partner, at https://www.gsa.gov/node/85470.

Decarbonization of Federal Buildings – C. Perry, April 2022

Chris Perry of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office (DOE BTO) presents an overview on the topic of decarbonization and describes key technologies, resources and opportunities for federal agencies to decarbonize their building portfolios, including what BTO has to provide. To learn more, visit DOE BTO’s Building Energy Codes Program (https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/building-energy-codes-program)

Driving Health Through Built Environment Interventions: Evidenced Based Design in Action – L. York, July 2017

Liz York, Chief Sustainability Officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), describes the Fitwel building certification system. Operated by the Center for Active Design (CfAD) and developed by CDC and GSA, Fitwel is a voluntary system providing more than 60 low-cost interventions whose high effectiveness in improving occupant health and productivity is supported by research. For more information, visit the Fitwel Website.

Energy Efficient Product Procurement – A. Ackerman , October 2024

Alison Ackerman, Program Analyst, DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) presented a policy update on Energy Efficient Product Procurement (EEPP) purchasing requirements. This included an explanation of the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Certification, FEMP Designated Products, 42 U.S. Code § 8259b - Federal Procurement of Energy Efficient Products, and FAR Part 23.103 Policy.

Energy Efficient Product Procurement Program Requirements – A. Ackerman, February 2024

Allison Ackerman of the Department of Energy presented on FEMP's Energy Efficient Product Procurement (EEPP). This encompasses the FEMP Designated program and standards, the ENERGY STAR Certification and the law. Ms. Ackerman discussed the energy efficient purchasing requirements, the exceptions to these requirements, as well as GSA's website that assists in purchasing energy efficient products (SFTool GPC).

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager - CHatcher, Mar. 2015

An overview of Portfolio Manager, which assists building managers and owners with evaluating compliance with the Federal High Performance Sustainable Building Guiding Principles. Learn more about ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and see what additional trainings apply to you.

ENERGY STAR Tenant Space – C. Haglund, February 2020

Craig Haglund of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updates the Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG) about the agency’s ENERGY STAR Tenant Space recognition program. After reviewing the results of a pilot phase with more than 30 “charter tenants,” EPA planned a market-scale launch for office tenants in summer 2020. Tenants will use an online tool within Portfolio Manager to determine their eligibility for recognition. For more information, see EPA ENERGY STAR Tenant Space.

EPA Assessment and Recommendation of Private Sector Standards and Ecolabels – A. Kinn Bennett, May 2017

Alison Kinn Bennett of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) describes the importance of the EPA's Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program in the development, assessment, and recommendation of sustainability standards and ecolabels, and in helping federal agencies—and their contractors—choose products based on those recommendations. The presentation includes a look at EPA's implementation focus for 2017, "integrating EPA recommendations into federal procurements.
For more information:
EPA's "Sustainable Marketplace: Greener Products & Services" page
SFTool.gov Green Procurement Compilation
U.S. policy and information resources on standards

EPA’s IRA Low Embodied Carbon Efforts – A. Kinn Bennett, October 2023

Alison Kinn Bennet of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presents key updates regarding EPA’s IRA Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials Program. Alison explains the EPA’s role in the reduction of embodied carbon efforts funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as the program’s path to target reduced GHG emissions from construction materials. To learn more about the broader Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program, visit EPA’s Greener Products and Services webpage (https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts).

ESPC ENABLE Update – I. Birnbaum, March 2017

FEMP ENABLE Program Manager Ira Birnbaum provides updated data and information on the streamlined ESPC ENABLE program. Among other topics, this presentation reviews awarded project investment figures, improvements to the investment grade audit (IGA) tool developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and FEMP resources available for agencies looking to get started with their own ENABLE projects.
For more information, visit the FEMP ESPC ENABLE Website or contact your region’s Federal Project Executive.

ESPC Energy Sales Agreement (ESPC ESA) Update – T. Niro, March 2017

DOE-FEMP's Tracy Niro explains how an early 2017 IRS Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc. 2017-19) may help increase deployment of renewable energy conservation measures on federal buildings and/or land via energy savings performance contract (ESPC) energy sales agreements (ESAs).
For more information, see Rev. Proc. 2017-19 and the Internal Revenue Bulletin of February 13, 2017.

Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act (FBPTA) and Facilities Management Institute - BGilligan, updated Apr2015

An overview of the Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act. GSA's Facilities Management Institute offers pathways to professional development for early or transitional employees as well as more advanced employees.

Federal Climate Resiliency Actions & Tools – E. Hotchkiss, November 2016

Eliza Hotchkiss of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) details the results of a climate resiliency pilot project launched by the White House Council on Environmental Quality, in which NREL partnered with the State of Colorado. Initiated in 2014, this pilot was meant to combine state and federal expertise to determine and plan for climate-related vulnerabilities in that region, and to produce models and lessons learned that could be applied to other localities and agencies. As the main output of this effort, NREL infused its stakeholder-driven, participatory process into an interactive tool, the Climate Change Resilience Roadmap, which guides users through a “collaborative approach to multi-jurisdictional planning.”
Test out the Climate Change Resilience Roadmap here: https://www.nrel.gov/resilience-planning-roadmap/

Federal Renewable Energy Procurement Options – T. Niro and C. Shah, July 2016

FEMP offers guidance and resources on the variety of pathways open to federal government entities looking to meet their renewable energy procurement goals. In this presentation, Tracy (Logan) Niro of FEMP and Chandra Shah of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory describe these pathways—including but not limited to alternative financing options, power purchase agreements (PPAs), and renewable energy certificates (RECs)—in detail. For more information, visit the FEMP Renewable Energy Projects and Technologies website. Viewers are also encouraged to visit the FEMP Training website to explore renewable energy training opportunities.

FEMP Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity Resources – T. Niro and E. McClure, November 2022

Tracy Niro of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (DOE FEMP) and Elisabeth McClure, PhD, AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow supporting FEMP, review FEMP’s resources for federal agencies implementing the carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) requirements in Executive Order 14057, “Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability.” For more information, visit the FEMP CFE Resources for Federal Agencies website. Implementing instructions for EO 14057 are available on the Federal Sustainability Resources and Guidance page at Sustainability.gov.

Fitwel: Pilot, Lessons Learned, and Looking Forward – A. Bourne, July 2017

GSA’s Amy Bourne reports on a 2014 pilot program that involved 89 public sector buildings pursuing Fitwel certification. In particular, she describes GSA’s efforts to operationalize and refine its Fitwel approach in support of the agency’s focus on maximizing occupant health and wellness. She closes with a look at GSA’s lessons learned and next steps. For more information, visit the Fitwel “About” page.

Government Facility Sustainability Performance in FY 2016 – C. Tremper, July 2017

Chris Tremper of the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) breaks down federal sustainability performance data from fiscal year 2016. Among the key findings: Federal facility energy intensity fell 5.3 percent year-on-year compared with FY 2015, surpassing the 2.5 percent reduction goal. For more information, visit FEMP’s “Federal Comprehensive Annual Energy Performance Data” Website.

Green Building Certification Rule and Fossil Fuel-Generated Energy Reduction - SJensen, updated May 2015

A look at the requirements of the Fossil Fuel-Generated Energy Consumption Reduction Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“Fossil Fuel SNOPR” and the energy and water requirements of the Green Building Certification Rule.

Green Leasing - A. Kosmides, Mar. 2013

2013 progress on green leasing, showing the development of a green lease, GSA sustainability requirements for leases, LEED standards for green leasing, ENERGY STAR requirements and green leasing resources. Learn more at the GSA Office of Leasing or DOE's Green Lease Procedures.

Grid and Transmission Federal Funding Opportunities – D. Reed, January 2023

Dylan Reed of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) gives an overview of the work of GDO and the grid and transmission funding opportunities in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, and other sources. To learn more, visit the DOE GDO website.

GSA Green Building Advisory Committee's Federal Building Decarbonization Advice Letter – R. Chang, December 2023

Roger Chang of Buro Happold, a member of GSA's Green Building Advisory Committee (GBAC), provided an overview of the Committee's Federal Building Decarbonization Advice Letter, and the process that the Task Group he co-chaired underwent to produce its findings and recommendations. For more information, see the Advice Letter at https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/Decarb%20Phase%20III%20Advice%20Ltr.pdf and its Appendices at https://www.gsa.gov/system/files/GBAC%20Decarb%20Phase%20III%20Appendices.pdf. Additional GBAC Advice Letters are available at https://www.gsa.gov/governmentwide-initiatives/federal-highperformance-green-buildings/policy/green-building-advisory-committee/advice-letters-and-resolutions.

GSA: Office of Leasing Sustainability Update – A. Kosmides, July 2016

Alexandra Kosmides updates the ISWG on the GSA Leasing Office’s current issues of focus: GSA Green Leasing Requirements, including implications of Executive Order 13693; Guiding Principles in Leased Space; Utility Consumption Reporting and EISA Benchmarking Provision; Model Commercial Leasing Provisions – Net of Utilities Leases; and what’s ahead for FY 2017 and FY 2018. For more information, visit the GSA Office of Leasing website.

GSA-OFHPB Advisory Committee Update – K. Sandler, Dec. 2017

The GSA-OFHPB Advisory Committee was established by the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 to advise GSA’s Office of Federal High-Performance Buildings. In this presentation, OFHPB’s Ken Sandler summarizes the committee’s latest recommendations regarding health and wellness, high-performance building adoption, and power purchase agreements.
For more information, visit the Advisory Committee home page at GSA.

Guiding Principles Overview – N. Baker, C. Meincke, and M. Myers, May 2016

To help agencies navigate the 2016 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings, FEMP has developed and is planning several GP resources, tools, and training sessions through FY 2018. Nic Baker, Carol Meincke, and Mike Myers describe these plans, identify the major changes between the 2008 and 2016 GP, and discuss the implications for projects that began prior to the 2016 GP revision.
For more information, visit the FEMP 2016 GPs website at http://energy.gov/eere/femp/articles/council-environmental-quality-issues-2016-guiding-principles-sustainable-federal.

High-Performance Building Certification Systems Review – P. Dale, May 2019

GSA’s Patrick Dale discusses GSA’s third review of high-performance building certification systems under the 2007 Energy Independence & Security Act (EISA), providing an overview of GSA’s findings and outlining next steps for the study. For more information, see the GSA HPBCS Review website.

Interior Lighting Campaign – M. Myer, March 2017

Michael Myer of Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL) describes this national program, with a goal to document high-efficiency retrofits of 1 million troffers by April 2017. The campaign met its goal three months early. Also covered in this presentation are case studies of some of the impressive lighting projects that counted toward that 1-million-troffer goal, as well as the new PNNL certificate series on Advanced Lighting Systems available to federal agencies.
For more information, visit the Campaign’s Web site.

ISWG Engagement Strategy for the Future – L.York, April 2024

Liz York of GSA Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings presented on the ISWG co-chair’s strategy and goals for the future of the ISWG meetings. Liz reviewed the results of the end-of-year mentimeter survey that was sent to December's attendees and discussed the proposed structure for the remainder of 2024’s bi-monthly meetings.

LED + Controls Guidance for Federal Buildings – A. Silvestri & M. Myer, December 2023

Andrea Silvestri from GSA's Green Proving Ground and Michael Myer from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) presented on the recently published LED lighting and controls guidance for Federal buildings. This guidance is in support of the BRIGHT Act. Michael explains the decision flow chart, as well as the many elements for Federal agencies to take into consideration when selecting the most cost-effective and energy-efficient lighting systems available.For more information, view or download the complete guidance from GSA. For more information on GSA's Green Proving Ground, please visit its website at GSA.gov/GPG.

Leveraging Private Sector Investment in Federal Facilities – M. Sotos, January 2023

Mary Sotos, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (DOE FEMP), provides a brief update on FEMP’s FY 2022 Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) Federal Agency Call (FAC), which totals $13 million in potential grants for federal agencies. She also gives a brief history of the program and its achievements, and previews FEMP’s plans to issue a total $250 million over five years as appropriated under the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. To learn more about current and past AFFECT, visit the FEMP Federal Funding Opportunities website.

Mastering Campus Sustainability Management: Tools for Success – N. Baker, K. Fowler, O. VanGeet, and J. Maestas, September 2016

Led by Nic Baker, DOE-FEMP’s Large Campus Innovative Change (LCIC) Team explores why the federal government could benefit from a shifting its sustainability focus to the site- or campus-level. A FEMP analysis of EISA reporting data, for example, indicates that the top 450 energy-using federal campuses account for roughly 75% of all federal energy use. LCIC team members Kim Fowler of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Otto VanGeet of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and Jesse Maestas of Verus Resource Management provide a wide-ranging overview of this topic. Included in the presentation are best practices for campus-level sustainability, a particular focus on energy management, and an exploration of the financing options available to agencies doing energy projects.
See the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Global District Energy in Cities Initiative for more information.

National Water Reuse Action Plan – J. Lape, December 2019

Jeff Lape, National Program Leader for Water Reuse at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Water, discusses the draft National Water Reuse Action Plan released at the WateReuse Symposium in San Diego, CA, in September 2019. Noting that in the United States, 40 of 50 state water managers expect freshwater shortages in their states within a decade, the report identifies 10 strategic objectives and 46 proposed actions for stakeholders. Two of these proposed actions directly involve the federal sector.

For more information, read the plan and its appendices on the EPA Water Reuse Action Plan website.

Net Zero Energy, Water, and Waste for Campuses and New and Existing Buildings – R. Shepherd and K. Fowler, Oct. 2017

Rachel Shepherd of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and Kim Fowler of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) give an overview of three new FEMP Net Zero Handbooks. For more information, and to download the handbooks, visit FEMP’s Net Zero Energy, Water, and Waste for Federal Buildings and Campuses web page.

Proposal: An ISWG Health and Wellness Group – K. Sandler, Jan. 2018

Following on recommendations made by the GSA OFHPB Advisory Committee, Ken Sandler (GSA Office of Federal High-Performance Buildings) proposes the formation of a Health and Wellness subgroup under the auspices of the Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG).

Summary Impacts of Energy Act 2020 to Federal Sustainability Community: ISWG Update - N. Baker, February 2021

Nicolas Baker of the U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program (DOE-FEMP) reviews what the relevant provisions of the Energy Act of 2020 (EA 2020) mean for federal sustainability. Among the main changes, EA 2020 adds water conservation and water metering requirements and establishes a Federal Smart Building Program. The law also codifies FEMP.

Sustainable Practices for the Data Center/IT Community - J.Murrell, April 2024

Jefferey Murrell of the Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management program (FEMP) discussed performance contracting and how it differs from traditional federal appropriations. Jefferey explored the different types of projects that the federal IT community can accomplish with performance contracting and the ways to get started.

For more information, please visit the FEMP webpage, the FEMP ESPC Page, and the UESC Resources. Additionally, check out the performance contracting training that is current available, as well as the Center of Expertise for Energy Efficiency in Data Centers website.

Sustainable Products & Purchasing - A.Bennett, Nov. 2014

An overview of EPA's environmentally preferable purchasing program and timeline for developing EPP standards and ecolabels. Learn more at EPA's Green Purchasing Guide or see EPA's guidance on Environmentally Preferably Purchasing.

U.S. EPA Activities to Support Green Power Purchasing - R. Fernandez, Sept. 2015

Roger Fernandez of EPA's Green Power Partnership and Center for Corporate Climate Leadership describes how these two voluntary programs are helping increase renewable energy use. Includes information on Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and the EPA-sponsored Climate Leadership Awards. To learn more, visit the EPA websites for the Green Power Partnership and the Center for Corporate Climate Leadership.

Water Efficiency Provisions of E.O. 13514: Implementation - K.Hatcher, V.Blette, Jan. 2014

Guidance for agencies with meeting water efficiency goals and reporting requirements, including adding water use in Portfolio Manager.

Army Net Zero Initiative - K.Kingery, Jul. 2014

An overview of the Army's net zero pilot program and installations. Visit Army Net Zero or see the Army's Sustainability Report to learn more.

Challenges in Implementing an Agency-wide Advanced Metering System: IT Security and Support Needs – K. Curran and S. Shadchehr, January 2017

GSA’s Karen Curran and Sandy Shadchehr provide background for and describe ongoing efforts of the agency’s Advanced Metering Program. The presentation includes a look at some best practices for advanced metering in federal facilities and how new metering devices are assessed for security and eventually added to the GSA network.

DHS Climate-Related Efforts – C. Merlino and H. Choi, March 2023

In this update from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Chief Readiness Support Officer (OCRSO), Crystall Merlino, Director of Sustainability & Environmental Programs, describes key partnerships helping DHS achieve success in its Resilience, Energy, and Sustainability Programs. Hannah Choi, Director of the Portfolio Transformation Office, follows with an overview of how DHS is prioritizing projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.For more information, visit the DHS Sustainability and Environmental Programs (SEP) website.

DHS Resilience Framework – S. Schultz and C. Merlino, September 2018

In early 2018, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that outlined resilience-related goals on which the agencies will collaborate, including DHS's reassessment and protection of its critical infrastructure. FEMP’s Sandrine Schultz and DHS Energy Manager Crystall Merlino describe DHS efforts to date, including developing the DHS Resilience Framework and working at  pilot sites to determine resilience technology best practices. For more information, visit the DHS Resilience web page; the MOU announcement; and FEMP’s Energy and Water Resilience and Security page.

DOD / National Academies: Green Building Certification Systems - K.Welch, May 2013

Describes the development of the Department of Defense's Sustainable Buildings Strategy. Visit DOD Sustainability to learn more.

DOE’s Sustainability Efforts - JShonder, May 2015

A look at how DOE is working toward a clean energy future. Visit DOE's Sustainability Performance Office to learn more and read their 2014 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan.

Embodied Carbon in Federal Building Materials – D. Horn, April 2022

As part of a team presentation also involving speakers from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Highway Administration, Don Horn of GSA’s Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings discusses how GSA has developed new policies on embodied carbon in building materials, including new standards for procurement of low embodied carbon concrete and asphalt.For more information, visit the American Institute of Architects (AIA) - Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) Embodied Carbon Toolkit for Architects (https://carbonleadershipforum.org/clf-architect-toolkit/) and read GSA’s February 15, 2022, press release, “GSA Announces Actions to Reduce Emissions from Building Materials.” (https://www.gsa.gov/about-us/newsroom/news-releases/gsa-announces-actions-to-reduce-emissions-from-building-materials-02152022)

FHWA Sustainable Pavements Program – M. Carrion, April 2022

As part of a team presentation on embodied carbon with speakers from GSA and the EPA, Migdalia Carrion of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) describes the FHWA Sustainable Pavements Program. She reviews the elements of life-cycle assessment (LCA) of pavement and introduces viewers to the FHWA LCA Pave Tool, used for benchmarking.To learn more, see the FHWA LCA Pave Tool website(https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/lcatool/).

Fleet and Facility Considerations for Electric Transportation – J. Bennett, June 2022

Jesse Bennett, Research Engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), breaks down the various considerations for agencies exploring electric vehicle (EV) charging at federal sites. Topics include EV charging infrastructure requirements; interconnection agreements with the site’s serving utility; the role of EVs and EV supply equipment (EVSE) in load management; workplace charging fees; and the real-world experience of NREL’s workplace charging program. To learn more, explore the Federal Workplace Charging Program Guide (https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/federal-workplace-charging-program-guide); try out the EV U-Finder (https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/articles/ev-utility-finder-ev-u-finder); and take the on-demand FEMP EV Champion Training (https://www.wbdg.org/continuing-education/femp-courses/fempodw062)via the Whole Building Design Guide.

GSA Sustainable Buildings Program - E. Reed, July 2015

Details GSA's successes and challenges in achieving mandated sustainability targets in its owned and leased buildings portfolio. Includes information on the Guiding Principles, GSA's "On Green" performance measure, and more. Visit the GSA Sustainable Design site to learn more.

GSA’s Total Workplace Program - C.Hardy, Jan. 2015

GSA's office makeover to reduce energy, space, and rent while increasing workplace collaboration. Visit GSA to learn more about this program.

NASA Sustainable Facilities and the Guiding Principles - E.Mszar, updated June 2015

Details the timeline of NASA's sustainable facilities policy and presents their guiding principles, highlighting six retro-commissioning examples.

Net Zero Waste – T. Hood, July 2016

Timonie Hood, Zero Waste & Green Building Coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pacific Southwest Region (Region 9), introduces the concept of net zero waste and details progress on waste reduction nationally and in her EPA region.

• Useful links for further information: EPA’s annual report, Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: Facts and Figures
• Using reusables in packaging: UseReusables.org (includes some inspiring success stories)
• EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge and Federal Green Challenge websites
• EPA.gov | EPA Lauds Recycling and Zero Waste Efforts by Pacific Islands Partners
• Lifecycle Building Challenge

State Department: Sustainable Global Portfolio - D.McIntire, May 2014

An overview of how the State Department is making overseas missions more sustainable with several case studies. Visit Sustasinability and the U.S. Department of State to learn more.

U.S. Army Installation Climate Resilience – S. Dornbos, December 2020

Dr. Stephen Dornbos, a climate and water resilience specialist at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment OASA(IE&E), provides an update on the U.S. Army’s climate readiness and resilience work. This includes the Army Climate Assessment Tool (ACAT), developed with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which installations can use to assess their exposure to climate-related threats.

For more information, see the Army Climate Resilience Handbook (published August 2020). See also the full text of Army Directive 2020-08, U.S. Army Installation Policy to Address Threats Caused by Changing Climate and Extreme Weather.

U.S. Army Net Zero Waste – W. Johnsen, July 2016

Wanda Johnsen of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy & Environment) describes how the Army is carrying out its net zero waste policy. This includes the use of various tools: waste characterization, material flow analysis, green purchasing, an integrated waste management plan, and a recycling program.
For more information, including net zero waste case studies from Joint Base Lewis-McChord and other installations, visit the Army Net Zero website. For the official policy, see Army Directive 2014-2 (Net Zero Installations Policy). 

U.S. Coast Guard Advanced Metering Program - L.Smolinski, Nov. 2013

A description of the Coast Guard's energy metering program, looking at required equipment, data management and lessons learned. Visit the USCG Office of Energy Management to learn more.

VA's Green Building Assessment and Certification - C.Stamper, J.Park, Mar. 2012

An overview of the Department of Veteran's Affairs' green building program including sustainable building surveys and future plans. More information is found at VA: Energy Management Programs.

Waste Diversion in the Presidio of San Francisco – A. Morris, July 2016

Abby Morris of the Presidio Trust gives an overview the agency’s co-management of the Presidio of San Francisco, and how ratcheting up waste diversion fits into the Trust’s mission. The Presidio, a former military base turned national park, looks for opportunities to reduce waste wherever possible. For example, its composting program not only saves some $75,000 in disposal fees annually, but nearly all compost produced is used by the Presidio’s reforestation program, which has restored 30 acres of forest since 2004. In addition, its salvage program allows wood, lighting fixtures, stone countertops, and other building materials and equipment to be creatively repurposed in offices, restaurants, etc. She closes by describing some of the Presidio’s ambitious goals for getting to net zero waste.
To read more about the Presidio, visit http://www.presidio.gov/about. 

ASHRAE Standard 189.1 - D.Horn, D.Carpio, Mar. 2015

An overview of ASHRAE's standard for green buildings and updated sections on site requirements, water, energy, IEQ, materials and construction. Visit ASHRAE to learn more about this standard. 

Building-Grid Integration, Zero Energy Buildings, and Strategic Energy Planning – R. DiNola and A. Miller, Mar. 2018

Ralph DiNola and Alexi Miller of the New Buildings Institute (NBI) update the ISWG community on three building sustainability topics: 1) NBI's findings on the state of zero energy buildings in North America; 2) The new GridOptimal Initiative, a collaboration between NBI and the U.S. Green Buildings Council to encourage grid-friendly building design and operation; 3) Strategic portfolio energy planning. For more information, visit the NBI websites for Zero Net Energy and the GridOptimal Initiative.

Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS): 2012 Preliminary Results - J. Michaels, Sept. 2014

An overview of the CBECS survey and timeline for data releases. The Energy Information Administration has posted the CBECS to provide more detail.

Decarbonization Audits – N. Hart, June 2024

Nora Hart from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab discussed the various resources that are available for greenhouse gas emission reduction audits that were developed as part of the Better Climate Challenge. This presentation included an explanation of the difference between an energy audit and a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction audit.

Defining Zero-Energy Buildings - SPunjabi, Mar. 2015

A look at the High Performance Building Council and the process of defining zero energy buildings (ZEBs): An energy-efficient building where the actual annual source energy consumption is balanced by on-site renewable energy. Visit the National Institute of Building Sciences’ Whole Building Design Guide to learn more.

Energy Storage Overview – E. Elgqvist, Mar. 2018

Emma Elgqvist of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) presents a high-level overview of energy storage. For more information, visit the NREL Battery and Thermal Energy Storage website.

EPA’s Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials – H. Elwood & R. Brooks, February 2024

Holly Elwood of the Environmental Protection Agency announced that the EPA has issued their draft Label Program Approach for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials this past month and welcomed input and feedback regarding the process. Ms. Elwood described EPA's detailed program approach, as well as the scope of the label program. This includes a three-phase approach to ensure data quality of labeled materials. Please visit the Federal Register to share the opportunity to comment on the Draft Label Program Approach with your partners.

For more information, visit the EPA Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials Website. Additionally, see the EPA Press Release providing a summary of the Draft Label Program Approach. Please send any additional questions to embodiedcarbon@epa.gov.

Inventory-Wide Approach to Building Decarbonization – K. Olson, June 2024

Kelly Olson of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Infrastructure Modernization and Resilience presented an overview of the Department of Defense's efforts towards resilient and healthy buildings. This included an explanation of the Why and How the Department of Defense is working to improve new and existing buildings.

Living Building Challenge and Examples - A.Sturgeon, Nov. 2013

Shows progress on the Living Buildings Challenge, which rates buildings on their actual performance, and looks closely at buildings in Hawaii, New York, Washington, Wyoming and Canada. Visit the Living Building Challenge to learn more.

New Data from the 2012 Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS): Consumption and End Uses – J. Michaels, May 2016

Joelle Michaels, the CBECS Survey Manager at the U.S. Energy Information Administration (DOE-EIA), reports on the final consumption and expenditures data from the 2012 survey, released in May 2016. She also requests feedback on interest in a potential CBECS microdata workshop.
For more information, visit the CBECS home page at http://www.eia.gov/consumption/commercial. Also look for an article describing the CBECS results on EIA’s blog Today in Energy: http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/.

The 2018-IgCC Powered by 189.1 – A. Persily and D. Walls, Jan. 2018

Dr. Andrew Persily of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Dave Walls of the International Code Council (ICC) discuss the course of the integration of the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and ASHRAE Standard 189.1, “Standard for the Design of High-Performance Green Buildings.” 

The WELL Building Standard – H. Zichal and K. Quintana, Oct. 2017

Heather Zichal and Karen Quintana of the International WELL Building Institute introduce the WELL Building Standard, a certification system that promotes human health and wellbeing in the built environment. Buildings pursuing WELL Certification are scored on the standard’s seven core concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort, and Mind. Beyond building design, the standard also focuses on building operations and occupant behavior. For more information, visit the IWBI Website.

WELL Designed – Case Study: ASID Corporate Headquarters – Dr. S. Chung, Oct. 2017

Dr. Susan Chung of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) explains how her organization’s headquarters became the world’s first space to earn platinum certification in both the WELL and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) systems. ASID continues to track wellness indicators at its headquarters over time to assess progress and determine areas that need improvement. For more information, visit the ASID website.

Zero Energy Building Definition - C. Taylor, Nov. 2015

Cody Taylor of DOE's Building Technologies Office presents on the DOE report, "A Common Definition of Zero Energy Buildings," released in September 2015. Download the full report here.

Geothermal Energy Portfolio Update – B. Wagner, August 2024

Bobby Wagner, a Mechanical Engineer from GSA discussed his organization's programmatic updates focused on geothermal energy. Bobby presented the advantages and disadvantages of geothermal energy and the usage of heat humps, lessons learned, and next steps for GSA facilities that already employ geothermal heat pump technology.