The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced plans to use $975 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding for energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades to federal buildings across the country.
The investment will impact about 40 million sf, or about 20% of GSA’s federal buildings portfolio. It will expand the agency’s sustainable building portfolio to 134 million sf. The projects will enable 28 buildings to achieve net zero emissions, and 100 more buildings to become all-electric. GSA currently has about 200 buildings that are all-electric.
The plans include electrifying the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, one of the largest structures in GSA’s portfolio. The work will include installation of heat pumps as the primary heating source, while eliminating onsite combustion emissions and the use of steam onsite for space and water heating. The project calls for installation of 57,000 LED light bulbs, upgrading over 500 high efficiency transformers, and installing a reverse osmosis groundwater recovery system that is estimated to save 35 million gallons of water annually. After work is completed, the Reagan Building is estimated to reduce energy usage by 40% and realize an estimated $6.3 million savings in energy costs annually.
GSA plans to tap into private sector funds through performance contracts such as Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Savings Contracts; make direct investments in building retrofits to maximize greenhouse gas reductions as well as energy and water savings; and expand building technology innovation programs such as the Green Proving Ground and Applied Innovation Learning Lab programs as well as electric vehicle infrastructure.
“The Inflation Reduction Act investments put GSA three-quarters of the way toward meeting the Federal Building Performance Standard released last year, which sets an ambitious goal to cut energy use while electrifying equipment and appliances in 30% of the building space owned by the federal government by 2030,” according to a GSA news release.
Related Stories
| Jun 19, 2012
Energy and Commerce Departments Announce New Centers for Building Operations Excellence
Part of Better Buildings Initiative, Centers Will Focus on Energy Efficiency Workforce Development for Building Operations Professionals
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.
| May 29, 2012
Thornton Tomasetti/Fore Solutions provides consulting for Phase I of Acadia Gateway Center
Project receives LEED Gold certification.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
| May 9, 2012
Shepley Bulfinch given IIDA Design award for Woodruff Library?
The design challenges included creating an entry sequence to orient patrons and highlight services; establishing a sense of identity visible from the exterior; and providing a flexible extended-hours access for part of the learning commons.
| May 7, 2012
2012 BUILDING TEAM AWARDS: Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital
How a Building Team created a high-tech rehabilitation center for wounded veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
| May 2, 2012
Public housing can incorporate sustainable design
Sustainable design achievable without having to add significant cost; owner and residents reap benefits
| Apr 25, 2012
McCarthy introduces high school students to a career in construction
High school students from the ACE Mentoring Program tour the new CHOC Children’s Patient Tower in Orange, Calif.