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Federal Government Use of Guiding Principles Can Create Business Opportunities

The U.S. Federal Government continues to be a leader in adopting sustainability strategies for new construction and existing buildings.  Traditionally, government agencies have used green building assessment and certification programs to implement these strategies.  Government contractors and suppliers have used knowledge of these rating systems to open doors and win contracts.  However, the rules may change as agencies work to meet the requirements in the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings.  In an era of fewer building projects, knowledge of these requirements is a tool that can help companies compete more effectively for contract opportunities. Executive Order Drives Change In 2009, the President issued Executive Order 13514, which requires federal agencies to measure, report, and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  The order further requires agencies to implement standards for high performance and sustainable design, construction, operation/management, maintenance, and deconstruction of federal buildings and ensure that all new construction, major renovation, and repair/alteration of federal buildings complies with the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings (Guiding Principles).  Specifically, the order requires that at least 15 percent of an agency's existing buildings over 5,000 gross square feet comply with the Guiding Principles by fiscal year 2015.  In addition, each agency must make annual progress toward 100-percent compliance with the Guiding Principles for its entire building inventory. The five areas that comprise the Federal Guiding Principles are—
  1. Employ Integrated Assessment, Operation and Management Principles
  2. Optimize Energy Performance
  3. Protect and Conserve Water
  4. Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IAQ)
  5. Reduce Environmental Impact of Materials
With a couple of exceptions, most federal agencies have been slow to comply with these requirements—until now. Progress toward meeting the GHG targets is being monitored through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) scorecard process, which holds agencies accountable for achieving statutory and executive order goals as well as individual targets identified in their annual Sustainability Plans.  The Annual Sustainability/Energy Scorecards have made it clear that the clock is ticking down to the 2015 deadline.  Assessment Challenges Agencies have several challenges in meeting and assessing compliance with the Guiding Principles at the heart of the OMB Scorecard, namely: how to assess progress while maintaining objectivity and whether they have the in-house expertise to develop a self-assessment tool or program.  Self-assessment is difficult because agency personnel may not be familiar with the Guiding Principles.  There also is the issue of objectivity, which can be difficult to maintain without third-party assessment.  Furthermore, in-house expertise on green building rating systems may not translate towards assessing progress with the Guiding Principles.  Although the rating systems are good tools towards meeting sustainability goals, they do not necessarily align neatly enough with the Guiding Principles for assessment purposes.  Agency staff would need to create a program outside of their core expertise or hire consultants to do it for them.  The cost and time for such an endeavor are often prohibitive.  The GPC Program Understanding the challenges agencies face, the Green Building Initiative (GBI) created a third-party assessment tool geared specifically towards achieving the goals in the Guiding Principles.  Since 2005, the GBI has administered the Green Globes building assessment and certification system in the U.S.  The GBI used its experience with developing green building rating systems and assessing federal agency buildings to create the Guiding Principles Compliance (GPC) program in 2011.  Since its inception, the GPC program has been used to assess over 260 federal buildings, and versions of the program are available to assess new construction, major renovation, and existing buildings. Guiding Principles Compliance for New Construction (GPC NC) is a web-based program that features an online survey and on-site building verification by a GBI-assigned third-party assessor.  Users enter building design data into the web-based survey, and then a third-party assessor reviews the data and design documents.  The assessor provides feedback to the project team at this point as well as throughout the design and construction process.  The assessor also conducts an on-site visit when construction is complete to verify design implementation, gather additional information, and provide in-person feedback.  The assessor creates a final report containing a summary of accomplishments and recommendations for improvement and submits it to the GBI for review.  The GBI then issues a Compliance Score and Rating based on the report.  Above a minimum achievement threshold, buildings are certified at one of four levels based on their percentage of compliance with the Guiding Principles.

Guiding Principles Compliance NC: Rating & Certification Process

The final report for New Construction provides key information, summarized below.  The Guiding Principles Compliance Program for Existing Buildings provides similar reports.
  • A final GPC score and rating;
  • Graphs, charts, and data to clarify compliance details;
  • Standardized reporting to ensure consistency;
  • The ability to benchmark within and across agencies and
  • A roadmap that identifies areas for future focus and corresponding actions that can be taken when developing a continuous improvement plan.
A Business Development Tool Over the past decade, many architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) firms have become intimately familiar with green building rating systems, often sponsoring a significant number of employees to become better educated about those rating systems.  AEC staff and other sustainability professionals use their knowledge of building certification programs to identify opportunities for current or prospective clients to modify designs or improve the sustainability of existing buildings, often leading to additional work for their firm. Federal agencies are beginning to look for the same level of expertise regarding how to comply with the Guiding Principles.  Government contractors and suppliers who understand the Guiding Principles and can provide an efficient and expedited path to compliance have an opportunity to stand out in a crowded field of bidders—much like early adopters of green building practices.  At the very least, such firms will not be disadvantaged to competitors who have become knowledgeable about Guiding Principles assessment protocols and their impact on construction projects.     For More Information Information on the Guiding Principles, the Executive Order 13514 and other federal green building requirements is available on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website at http://www.epa.gov/oaintrnt/projects/requirements.htm. On the GBI’s Guiding Principles Compliance program:  The GBI offers two programs that can help contractors improve their competitive edge:
  1. Guiding Principles Compliance Professional (GPCP) training and personnel certification
  2. Guiding Principles Compliance assessment and building certification
Article provided by the Green Building Initiative.  For more information on GBI, visit their website at www.thegbi.org.