Sustainability Standards

Review Design Standards General Statements before utilizing this web page.

On this page:
Building Codes & Industry Standards
Denver Service Center (DSC) Requirements
Resources
Government Directives & Government Standards
National Park Service (NPS) Requirements
Laws
Executive Orders (EOs)
Regulations

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Building Codes & Industry Standards

• ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers)
  • ASHRAE Guideline 0 2013 The Commissioning Process
  • ASHRAE Guideline 1.1 2007 HVAC&R (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration) Technical Requirements for The Commissioning Process
  • ASHRAE 52.2-2012 Method of Testing General Ventilation Air-Cleaning Devices for Removal Efficiency by Particle Size
  • ASHRAE Standard 55 2013 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
  • ASHRAE Standard 62.1 2013 Ventilation for Acceptable IAQ (Indoor Air Quality)
  • ASHRAE Standard 90.1 2016 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
  • ASHRAE Standard 189.1 2014 Standard for the Design of High-Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
• IBC 2024 (International Building Code)
• IEBC 2024 (International Existing Building Code)
• IECC 2021 (International Energy Conservation Code)
• IgCC 2021 (International Green Construction Code)
• SMACNA IAQ (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractor's National Association)
  • IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction
  • IAQ: A Systems Approach

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Denver Service Center (DSC) Requirements

• Museum Lighting Power Density Design Values - DSC Policy

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Resources

• ASHRAE GreenGuide: The Design, Construction, and Operation of Sustainable Buildings - Provides guidance to designers of HVAC&R systems in how to participate effectively on design teams charged with producing green buildings.
• BLCC (Building Life-Cycle Cost Programs) - A NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) developed and DOE (Department of Energy) endorsed life cycle cost computer program with annually updated discount rates for use on Federal projects.
• Facility Energy Management Guidelines and Criteria for Energy and Water Evaluations in Covered Facilities - Provides guidance on complying with Section 432 of EISA (Energy Independence Security Act) and mainly applies to the management of existing buildings.
• Greening Federal Facilities - A DOE document with recommendations for incorporating sustainability.
• A Handbook for Planning and Conducting Charrettes for High-Performance Projects - Published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Furnishes guidance for planning and conducting "high-performance building" charrettes.
• IDP (Integrated Design Process) - Resources for solar and low energy building designs including guidelines and case studies.
• Office of the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) Council on Environmental Quality - Promotes energy and environmental sustainability across Federal Government operations.
• US EPA - Green Buildings at EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
• US GSA - Sustainable Design (General Services Administration)
• USGBC (United States Green Building Council) - Non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. Developers of the LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building rating system.
• WBDG (Whole Building Design Guide) - The Gateway to Up-to-Date Information on Integrated 'Whole Building' Design Techniques and Technologies.
• Architectural
  • Bird-Friendly Building Design - American Bird Conservancy guide that suggests ways that buildings may be designed to minimize bird collisions.
• Commissioning
  • California Commissioning Collaborative
    • California Commissioning Guide: New Buildings
    • Commissioning Tools and Templates
  • Commissioning Process for Federal Facilities - FEMP (Federal Energy Management Program)
  • GSA (General Services Administration) The Building Commissioning Guide - GSA guide for "Total Building Commissioning".
    • Facilities Category - GSA includes building commission services from a variety of vendors.
• Energy
  • AEDG 50% (Advanced Energy Design Guide) for Small Office Buildings) - A design guide for achieving 50% energy savings over ASHRAE 90.1 2004 for small office occupancies. Provides regionally specific recommendations for the thermal performance of building envelope elements, HVAC system efficiency recommendations, etc. When used on smaller or less complex buildings, showing compliance with 50% AEDG 2004 will be assumed to meet the Federal requirement of 30% better than the current version of ASHRAE 90.1.
  • Building America: Bringing Building Innovations to Market - DOE program to find energy-efficient solutions for new and existing housing that can be implemented on a production basis.
  • Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey 2018 - Recommend Table E2A for EUI (Energy Use Intensity) data for use with EISA 2007 fossil fuel reduction calculations.
  • Energy Plus - Free building energy modeling software from DOE.
  • EQuest - Free "sophisticated, yet easy-to-use building energy analysis tool" from DOE.
  • Meeting the 2030 Challenge Through Building Codes - Interim code equivalents to achieve a 50% reduction in fossil fuel derived energy for buildings (55% reduction is required by 2007 Energy Independence & Security Act, starting in 2010).
• Site
  • Guidance for Federal Agencies on Sustainable Practices for Designed Landscapes - Describes strategies to achieve sustainable Federal landscape practices.
  • Implementing Instructions - Sustainable Locations for Federal Facilities - These instructions expand on EO 13514, Section 2 (f).
  • Technical Guidance on Implementing the Stormwater Runoff Requirements for Federal Projects under Section 438 of EISA (Energy Independence and Security Act) - Provides information about how to apply the site hydrology requirements for NPS projects.
• Water Efficiency
  • Best Management Practices for Water Efficiency
  • Water Efficiency - Improving water use efficiency for both potable and non-potable water resources.

Historic Buildings

• Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings - NPS Preservation Brief that discusses energy audits and upgrades in the context of historic building preservation.
• The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings - Provides guidelines for incorporating sustainability principles in historic building rehabilitations. An interactive web version is available.
• Sustainability and Historic Federal Buildings: Integrating the Requirements of the NHPA (National Historic Preservation Act) with the Requirements of EO 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance - This guidance assists Federal decision makers, usually capital asset managers, facility managers, and other program and project managers, in their considerations regarding sustainability and historic Federal buildings.

Products & Materials

• US DOE EERE (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy) - DOE website for information on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
• US EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency)
  • Energy Star Products and Program Requirements - Helps save the environment and consumers money by using less energy through advanced design or construction. For standards, see Energy.gov.
  • SNAP Program (Significant New Alternatives Policy) - List of alternative products that pose less overall risk to human health and the environment.
• Architectural
  • Energy Star Residential Windows, Doors, & Skylights
  • SF Tools Roofing Materials (Sustainable Facilities)
• Electrical
  • DOE on Lighting
  • IES (Illuminating Engineering Society) - Lighting books, Lighting Guide, Lighting design, Illumination
  • SF Tools Lighting and Celing Fans (Sustainable Facilities)
• Mechanical
  • DOE on Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling Systems
  • Energy Star Heat & Cool Efficently
  • Ground Source Heat Pump design and installation information
  • SF Tools HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)/Mechanical (Sustainable Facilities)
• Recycled or Biopreferred Products
  • EPA's CPG Program (Comprehensive Procurement Guideline)
  • FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
    • Certification - Global Resource for learning about forest certification.
    • Design and Build with FSC
  • USDA BioPreferred Program (United States Department of Agriculture) - Includes information on submitting products for designation, instructions on meeting requirements to purchase biobased materials, and many other useful topics.
    • BioPreferred Program Catalog - The content of this catalog is limited to programs which have been designated for preferred procurement status.
• Water Use
  • EPA WaterSense - Certification system for indoor and outdoor water efficient products:
    • Indoor - residential toilets, bathroom faucets, and showerheads
    • Outdoor - landscape irrigation professionals and irrigation controllers

Programs

• Considerations in the Design of Treatment Best Management Practices (BMPs) to Improve Water Quality
• FEMP (Federal Energy Management Program)
  • Energy Star® and Other Energy-Efficient Products: NPS (National Park Service) promotes the purchase of Energy Star® products and/or products that are in the upper 25% of energy efficiency as designated by the FEMP.
• NPS Climate Friendly Parks Program

Sustainability Rating Systems

• Green Globes - The genesis of this system was the BREEAM (Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method) In 1996, the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) published BREEAM Canada for Existing Buildings. In 2000, the system became an online assessment and rating tool under the name Green Globes for Existing Buildings.
• LEED™ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - A third-party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark of the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED™ provides building owners and operators with the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their buildings' performance.
• Living Building Challenge - "…calls for the creation of building projects at all scales that operate as cleanly, beautifully and efficiently as nature's architecture. To be certified under the Challenge, projects must meet a series of ambitious performance requirements, including net zero energy, waste and water, over a minimum of 12 months of continuous occupancy."
• STARS (The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System) - A voluntary, self-reporting framework for gauging relative progress toward sustainability for colleges and universities.
• The Sustainable SITES Initiative - The SITES program was developed through a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort of the American Society of Landscape Architects, The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden.

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Government Directives & Government Standards

• Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings and Associated Instructions
  • December 2020
  • February 2016
    • 2016 Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings Updates Crosswalk: Existing Buildings

Department of the Interior (DOI) Policies

• Clean Energy Future
• Climate Change Adaptation Plan - Establishes a set of Guiding Principles for climate change adaptation.
• DOI Manual Part 523: Climate Change Adaptation - Issued December 20, 2012. This Chapter establishes Departmental policy and provides guidance to bureaus and offices for addressing climate change impacts upon the Department's mission, programs, operations, and personnel.
• DOI Sustainable Buildings Implementation Plan - Addresses thresholds for compliance with Guiding Principles. (There is an addendum to this document circa 2013 removing the requirement for formal LEED™ certification and defining major renovations).
• Secretarial Order Number 3289: Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America's Water, Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources - Issued September 14, 2009.
• Secretarial Order Number 3407: Department-Wide Approach to Reducing Plastic Pollution - Issued June 8, 2022.

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National Park Service (NPS) Requirements

Management Policies 2006 - The Guide to Managing the National Park System

• Chapter 1 The Foundation
  • 1.9.5.2 Facilities
• Chapter 4 Natural Resource Management
  • 4.9 Soundscape Management - Preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the natural soundscapes of the parks.
  • 4.10 Lightscape Management (natural ambient) - The effective use of good design to appropriately light areas and minimize or eliminate light clutter, the spill over of light into areas where light is not wanted, and light pollution, all of which wastes energy and impacts park visitors, neighbors and resources.
• Chapter 9 Park Facilities
  • 9.1.1.6 Sustainable Energy Design - "...All projects that include visitor centers or major visitor services facilities must incorporate LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards to achieve a silver rating."
  • 9.1.4.2 Acquisition of Environmentally Preferable and Energy-Efficient Products
  • 9.1.7 Energy Management
    • Alternative energy
      • 9.1.5 Utilities
      • 9.2 Transportation Systems and Alternative Transportation
      • 9.4.5 Miscellaneous Management Facilities
    • Charges to concessionaires - 10.2.6.4 Utilities and Services
    • Conservation
      • 9.1.1 Facility Planning and Design
      • 9.1.3.1 Construction Sites
      • 9.2 Transportation Systems and Alternative Transportation
    • Efficiency
      • 9.1.4.1 General
      • 9.1.4.2 Acquisition of Environmentally Preferable and Energy-Efficient Products
      • 9.1.7 Energy Management
      • 9.3.2.1 Campgrounds
      • 9.3.2.3 Hostels and Shelters
    • Performance - 9.1.1 Facility Planning and Design
    • Use of environmentally friendly and energy efficient products - 9.1.4.2 Acquisition of Environmentally Preferable and Energy-Efficient Products
• Chapter 10 Commercial Visitor Service
  • 10.2.2 Commercial Visitor Services Planning - Adopts appropriate energy and water conservation, source reduction, and environmental purchasing standards and goals.

Director's Orders (DOs)

• DO 13A: Environmental Management Systems (EMS) - Articulates the principles and policies for developing and implementing a Servicewide EMS approach that guides environmental decision-making and actions at all levels. Its purpose is to help ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and a commitment to pollution prevention, waste reduction, sustainable planning, environmentally preferable purchasing, and the incorporation of environmental best management practices
• NPS Director's Order 77-2: Floodplain Management - Articulates NPS policies regarding development and actions in areas subject to flooding.

Handbooks, Reference Manuals (RMs), Strategies, Plans, & other Professional Materials

• A Call to Action: Preparing for a Second Century of Stewardship and Engagement 2011 - (Updated in 2012, 2013, 2014.) Outlines strategies to advance the mission of the NPS in the future. Strategies include reducing the NPS carbon footprint and to showcase the value of renewable energy to the public.
• Climate Change Response Strategy 2010 - Provides agency climate change direction using four goals: science, adaptation, mitigation, and communication; and establishes goals and objectives for handling climate change in NPS facilities.
• Green Parks Plan - Focuses on advancing the NPS mission through sustainable operations including reducing waste and energy consumption, limiting waste generation, buying green products and facility operations improvements.
• Integrated Pest Managment Program
• Metering of Water and Energy Use - New Construction
• Procedural Manual 77-2: Floodplain Management - NPS policies regarding development and actions in areas subject to flooding.
• Radon-Resistant Construction Basics and Techniques

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Laws

Public Law (PL)

• PL 102-486 - Energy Policy Act of 1992
• PL 109-058 - Energy Policy Act of 2005 - Among other things this legislation requires:
  • Reduced building energy consumption by at least 30% (20% for renovation) compared with ASHRAE 90.1 / IECC (where LCC (Life-Cycle Cost) effective).
  • Reduced water usage.
  • Specification of premium efficiency motors.
  • Procurement of both on-grid and off-grid renewable energy generation systems (solar hot water, solar electric, solar outdoor lighting, small wind turbines, fuel cells, etc.) where such systems are life-cycle cost-effective.
  • Specification of recovered minerals in cement and concrete as recommended by EPA guidance in their "Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines".
  • Provides a mechanism whereby design firms may obtain an income tax credit up to $1.80 per square foot of designed building, when design can be shown to meet specific energy targets.
  • Requires the use of Energy Star or FEMP designated products - for products covered by either of these programs.
• PL 110-140 - Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 - Among other things this legislation:
  • Lengthens study period for LCC analyses from 25 years to 40 years.
  • Requires projects to dramatically reduce their use of fossil fuel derived energy. See reference below in General Design Guidance, Energy for link to comparative Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS) data for calculation.
  • Requires projects to derive at least 30% of their energy for water heating from solar (where LCC effective).
  • Projects with a footprint exceeding 5,000 square feet must use site planning, design, construction, and maintenance strategies to control storm water runoff. (See DSC Briefing Paper - Project Hydrology Requirements of EISA.)
  • Summary of Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
• 42 USC (United States Code) Chapter 82 Solid Waste Disposal §6962 Federal Procurement - Procure products that meet RCRA (Resource Conservation Recovery Act) Section 6002 where applicable.
• Section 9002 of FSRIA - USDA Department of Agriculture Biobased Affirmative Procurement Program - Procure products that meet FSRIA (Farm Security and Rural Investment Act) Section 9002, USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) biobased preference program where applicable.

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Executive Orders (EOs)

• EO 11988 Floodplain Management
  • Reinstated by EO 14030 Climate-Related Financial Risk - see below.
  • Requires Federal agencies to determine if their actions will occur in a floodplain and consider alternatives to development within floodplains.
  • See NPS DO 77-2, Floodplain Management and associated Procedural Manual 77-2 described above.
• EO 11990 Protection of Wetlands
  • Directs Federal agencies to minimize the destruction, loss, or degradation of wetlands; and preserve and enhance the natural beneficial values of wetlands in the conduct of the Agency's responsibilities for: acquiring, managing, and disposing of Federal lands and facilities; providing Federally undertaken, financed, or assisted construction and improvements; and conducting Federal activities and programs affecting land use, including but not limited to water and related land resources planning, regulating, and licensing activities.
• EO 12072 Federal Space Management
  • Where not prohibited, the process for meeting Federal space needs shall give first consideration to a centralized community business area and adjacent areas of similar character, including other specific areas which may be recommended by local officials.
• EO 13006 Locating Federal Facilities on Historic Properties in our Nation's Central Cities
  • Encourages the Location of Federal Facilities on Historic Properties in Our Central Cities.
• EO 13221 Energy Efficient Standby Power Devices
  • Federal Register Volume 68, Issue 142, July 24, 2003
• EO 13690 Federal Flood Risk Management Standard
  • Reinstated by EO 14030 Climate-Related Financial Risk - see below.
• EO 13834 Efficient Federal Operations
  • Revoked in part by EO 13990 - see below.
  • Revoked by EO 14057 - see below.
• EO 13990 Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis
• EO 14008 Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
• EO 14030 Climate-Related Financial Risk
  • Reinstates EO 11988 Floodplain Management - see above.
  • Reinstates EO 13690 Federal Flood Risk Management Standard - see above.
• EO 14057 Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability
  • EO 14057 Implementing Instructions for Federal Agencies
  • Federal Building Performance Standard (Council on Environmental Quality)
    • The Federal Building Performance Standard December 2022

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Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

• 7 CFR PART 2902 - Designation of Biobased Products for Federal Procurement
• 10 CFR 430 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products - Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Furnaces and Boilers; Final Rule
• 10 CFR 433 - Energy Efficiency Standards for the Design and Construction of New Federal Commercial and Multi-Family High-Rise Residential Buildings (Final Rule effective Jan 22, 2008.)
• 10 CFR 434 - Energy Code for New Federal Commercial and Multi-Family High Rise Residential Buildings (Final Rule effective Jan 22, 2008.)
• 10 CFR 435 - Energy Efficiency Standards for New Federal Low-Rise Residential Buildings (Final Rule effective Jan 22, 2008.)
• 10 CFR 436 - Federal Energy Management and Planning Programs - Requires Federal gencies to specify Energy Star qualified or FEMP designated products (in product categories covered by these two programs) unless an exception is granted, in writing, by the head of the agency.
• Standard for Premium Energy Efficient Electric Motors for Federal Acquisition - Federal Register Volume 71, Number 160 August 18, 2006

Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)

• FAR Parts 2, 4, 7, 11, 12, 13, 23, 42, 45 and 52.2 - FAR addresses environmental considerations in contracting and procurement procedures. These parts outline acquisition planning, energy and water efficiency, renewable energy, use of recovered materials, biobased products, hazardous materials, and waste reduction.

 

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