The results are in…when it comes to the business case for sustainability, green buildings “walk the talk.”
In a recently issued white paper, GSA outlined the results of a post-occupancy evaluation study of 22 green federal buildings from across the country; the findings compared to national average commercial buildings:
- They cost less to maintain, by 19%
- They use less energy and water, by 25%
- They emit fewer carbon dioxide emissions, by 36% and
- They have more satisfied occupants, by 27%.
The study, conducted by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, built on a good indication of the potential for increased productivity and performance pilot research completed two years ago, with similarly impressive results.
For more than a decade, the federal government has declared its commitment to sustainable building though presidential directives and executive orders, congressional legislation and governmentwide policies. PBS began its sustainable design program in 1999, and they completed their first green roof in 1975.
There’s no question that focusing on sustainability is the right thing to do for our environment: commercial buildings account for 18% of the nation’s energy use. The numbers show that greening federal buildings in most cases makes good business sense, as well. By looking critically at real world performance, this report demonstrates that the GSA is very much on track to achieve its green building goals, and that GSA is delivering high-performance, sustainable workplaces federal agencies need to fulfill their missions on behalf of the American people.
Find out more by reading the white paper. BD+C
--
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Healthcare Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. healthcare facilities sector
HDR, Jacobs, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest healthcare facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Government Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. government buildings sector
HNTB, Jacobs, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest government sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Cultural Facilities Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. cultural facilities sector
AECOM, Arup, and Populous head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest cultural facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 Retail Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. retail building sector
Gensler, Jacobs, and PCL Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest retail sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 University Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the higher education sector
Gensler, AECOM, and Turner Construction top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest university sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 Multifamily Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. multifamily building sector
Clark Group, Humphreys & Partners Architects, and Kimley-Horn head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest multifamily building sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 2, 2020
2020 Airport Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. airport facilities sector
AECOM, Hensel Phelps, and PGAL top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest airport sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 29, 2020
Top 40 Engineering Architecture Firms for 2020
Jacobs, AECOM, and Kimley-Horn top the rankings of the nation's largest engineering architecture (EA) firms for nonresidential buildings and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 29, 2020
Top 155 Architecture Firms for 2020
Gensler, Perkins and Will, and HKS Architects top the rankings of the nation's largest architecture firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2020 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Nov 29, 2020
Top 100 Architecture Engineering Firms for 2020
Stantec, HDR, and HOK head the rankings of the nation's largest architecture engineering (AE) firms for nonresidential and multifamily buildings work, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2020 Giants 400 Report.
