The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently released updated building efficiency standards for federal buildings.
The mandatory design and construction standards and performance criteria apply to 300,000 federal buildings. The standards will advance building efficiency, reduce emissions, and increase resilience, according to a GSA news release.
The standards will advance the Federal Sustainability Plan to achieve net-zero emissions from all federal buildings by 2045, and promote the use of American-made, low carbon construction materials.
The P100 standards require that facilities adopt advanced energy conservation strategies and eliminate on-site fossil fuel use. The standards call for grid-interactive efficient buildings, leverage innovative technologies through GSA’s Green Proving Ground, require the use of low-embodied carbon materials, and potable water reuse.
The standards address:
• Electrification: New standards for building equipment and systems to be powered by clean energy sources.
• Embodied Carbon: Requirement to utilize low-embodied carbon materials, including salvaged, reused, regenerative, and biomimetic options.
• Energy Efficiency: Enhanced building envelope performance to minimize energy loss and improve overall efficiency.
• Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings: New measures to support a more resilient, responsive grid.
Related Stories
Industry Research | Feb 22, 2016
8 of the most interesting trends from Gensler’s Design Forecast 2016
Technology is running wild in Gensler’s 2016 forecast, as things like virtual reality, "smart" buildings and products, and fully connected online and offline worlds are making their presence felt throughout many of the future's top trends.
Government Buildings | Feb 4, 2016
Bronx police station design revealed by Bjarke Ingels Group
The blocky, modern design is meant to convey accessibility and public service.
Government Buildings | Jan 26, 2016
California governor proposes $1.5 billion to repair, replace state buildings
The program would include two new state office buildings in Sacramento.
Architects | Jan 15, 2016
Best in Architecture: 18 projects named AIA Institute Honor Award winners
Morphosis' Perot Museum and Studio Gang's WMS Boathouse are among the projects to win AIA's highest honor for architecture.
| Jan 14, 2016
How to succeed with EIFS: exterior insulation and finish systems
This AIA CES Discovery course discusses the six elements of an EIFS wall assembly; common EIFS failures and how to prevent them; and EIFS and sustainability.
Government Buildings | Dec 29, 2015
Federal appropriations bill will boost construction activity in 2016
$1.1 trillion spending package includes tripling of GSA’s construction budget.
Government Buildings | Dec 18, 2015
Sustainable design is the only option for public-sector clients
Government projects that feature sustainable practices like high-efficiency LED lighting, improved HVAC systems, and rooftop solar arrays are no longer the exception.
Giants 400 | Aug 7, 2015
GOVERNMENT SECTOR GIANTS: Public sector spending even more cautiously on buildings
AEC firms that do government work say their public-sector clients have been going smaller to save money on construction projects, according to BD+C's 2015 Giants 300 report.
Giants 400 | Aug 6, 2015
GREEN BUILDING GIANTS: Green building movement hits a new plateau, but the underlying problems remain
Today, the green building movement is all about eliminating toxic substances in building materials and systems and, for manufacturers, issuing environmental and health product declarations. Whether these efforts will lead to healthier products and building environments remains an open question.
Fire and Life Safety | May 27, 2015
7 bold applications and innovations for fire and life safety
BD+C’s roundup features colorful sprinklers for offices, hotels, museums; a fire-rated curtain wall at a transit hub in Manhattan; a combination CO/smoke detector; and more.