The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has adopted the SITES rating system for its capital construction program.
Green Business Certification Inc.’s SITES is a program for sustainable land development and management and is used by landscape architects, engineers, architects, developers, and policymakers to align land development with innovative sustainable design. SITES certification is for development projects located on sites with or without buildings including national parks, corporate campuses, streetscapes, homes, and more.
GSA is one of the largest and most diversified public real estate organizations in the world with a portfolio of 376.9 million rentable square feet in 8,721 active assets, and more than 144,000 acres of land, including ports of entry and historical properties. The GSA determined that incorporating SITES into the program offers a highly effective and efficient way to ensure environmental performance to meet federal goals on various capital project types.
The rating system provides a metrics-based approach to important concepts like ecosystem services and green infrastructure. The GSA’s decision is incorporated in the 2016 version of Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service (P-100), which establishes design standards and criteria for new buildings, infrastructural projects, major and minor alternations, and work in historic structures for the Public Buildings Service (PBS) of the GSA. This document contains both policy and technical criteria used in the programming, design, and documentation of GSA buildings and facilities.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | May 25, 2021
International Energy Agency lays out roadmap to net zero
Focus is on energy generation, but building efficiency also plays a role.
Codes and Standards | May 24, 2021
Biden Administration will make new investments in building energy efficiency
Focus on grid-interactive buildings; Energy Star expansion; new targets for energy, water reduction.
Codes and Standards | May 20, 2021
Solar panel trade group issues guidelines to rid use of components built with forced labor
Growing concern that PV industry is dependent on work camps in China.
Codes and Standards | May 19, 2021
Smart electric panels can aid transition to renewable energy
Allow customers better control of circuits; utilities can better manage demand.
Codes and Standards | May 18, 2021
Cross-laminated timber performs better than expected in shear test
Tests conducted in support of new criteria for design of CLT diaphragm.
Codes and Standards | May 17, 2021
Latest Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices criticized for not considering bikes, pedestrians
More than a dozen advocacy groups want feds to start over.
Codes and Standards | May 13, 2021
LEED-certified federal buildings don’t use less energy than average
May be due to trade-offs on how score is developed.
Codes and Standards | May 12, 2021
White paper examines how to reduce pathogen transmission in ventilation
Pressure barriers and airflow distribution can be effective in existing buildings.
Codes and Standards | May 11, 2021
Pressure builds on White House to rein in cost of lumber
Spike in prices has added nearly $36,000 to price of average new home.
Codes and Standards | May 11, 2021
Residential codes should be upgraded to protect from cooking pollutants
Report examines ventilation standards, calls for increased public awareness of issue.