EPA’s Approach to Green Buildings Bucky Green Sustainable Facilities Practices Branch U.S. EPA Office of the Federal Environmental Executive Federal Environmental Summit May 2, 2006

The Pre-LEED TM Seeds for Green Buildings at EPA Research Triangle Park (RTP), NC –1.1 million square foot research facility. –Design start 2002, construction start 1997, final occupancy 2003 EPA Headquarters Consolidation –Leaving Waterside Mall –First moves 1995, final moves 2001 Philadelphia Region 3 Office –First Green Lease Rider –Occupied 1998 Kansas City Region 7 Office –Green Rider #2 –Occupied 1999

Our First Experience with LEED ® New England Regional Lab – Opened 2001 – LEED 1.0 Gold Kansas City Science & Technology Center –Design competition, with environmental performance as part of the evaluation criteria –Opened 2003 –LEED 2.0 Gold RTP National Computer Center –LEED 2.0 Silver –Opened 2003

LEED “PLUS” Potomac Yard Headquarters, Arlington, VA –Spec building –Occupancy May 2006 –LEED 2.1 Silver or Gold Denver Regional Office –Design competition –Occupancy January 2007 –LEED 2.1 Silver or Gold Boston Regional Office –Rehab of 1930s Post Office and Courthouse –LEED Certified, Occupancy 2009

Coming Soon RTP Childcare Center Cincinnati A.W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center –Annex #2

EPA’s Green Building Program “No New Dogs” in the inventory LEED becomes LEED “PLUS” Focus on energy conservation Greening the facility delivery processes Borrowing others’ good ideas Improving the performance of existing buildings Experiments, challenges, and fun

No New Dogs in the Inventory EPA houses 26,000 people nationwide in offices and laboratories. One third of our inventory is made up of energy-intensive labs We have approximately 60 facilities over 20,000 gross square feet EPA brings on about one major new building a year

EPA and LEED “PLUS” LEED ® NC is not perfect. It is a design—not a performance—spec EPA uses LEED in a thoughtful way as one of many tools to get green buildings EPA uses LEED ® “PLUS” –In procurements and construction projects, we add additional requirements to get us a better green building

EPA and LEED “PLUS,” cont. EPA sees LEED ® as: –A great framework for considering the environmental impacts of buildings –An excellent marketing vehicle for the general public –An excellent educational tool for building owners, designers, contractors, and managers –A great tool to achieve sustainable buildings –A means, not an end Our real goal is reduced resource consumption and reduced environmental impacts

Focus on Energy Conservation ENERGY STAR ® Building Label required for offices –LEED-NC is a design spec, not a performance spec Energy modeling for labs Modular boilers, chillers,variable air volume systems, heat recovery, etc.

Green Facility Delivery Process Green Check–set environmental goals for each new major project Green member on project team Green A&Es Commissioning and commissioning line in capital budget Sustainable master planning Lessons learned and case studies Continuously improving specs and requirements

Borrowing Others’ Good Ideas Whole Building Design Guide Case studies Professional conferences October 17-19, 2006, San Antonio, Texas

Improving Performance of Existing Buildings Energy audits, re-commissioning, O&M assessments, mechanical system upgrades Sustainable master plan implementation Water management plans Pollution prevention assessments Green power program Storm water management program

Experiments & Guinea Pig Ideas Extra meters to understand performance Studies on standards and performance results We try and avoid, but are not afraid to make mistakes* *But just little ones

EPA’s Green Building Program Start early, before the building is a twinkle in anyone’s eye Develop a preliminary set of goals and objectives Meet with team members often and at every stage Measure environmental performance

EPA’s Measure of Success Not just LEED ® Gold Award But environmental performance EPA’s first carbon-neutral lab in Ada, Oklahoma

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