GSA releases updated standards to move federal buildings toward zero emissions

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.

The American Institute of Architects' Committee on the Environment has selected the top ten examples of sustainable architecture and ecological design projects that protect and enhance the environment. Projects range from a project for Portland's homeless to public parks to a LEED Platinum campus center.

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