![](media/image1.wmf) **[Office of the Federal Environmental
Executive]{.smallcaps}**

[White House Task Force on Waste Prevention and Recycling]{.smallcaps}

[1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Mail Code 1600S Washington, DC
20460]{.smallcaps}

[(202) 564-1297 www.ofee.gov task_force@ofee.gov]{.smallcaps}

*[Promoting Sustainable Environmental Stewardship Throughout the Federal
Government]{.smallcaps}*

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Juan D. Lopez\
Friday, January 27, 2006 Office of the Federal Environmental Executive

\(202\) 564-1297 E-mail: lopez.juan@ofee.gov

Federal Agencies Sign Historic MOU

on High Performance and Sustainable Buildings

Washington, DC --- Mr. Ed Piñero, the Federal Environmental Executive,
announced early this week the signing of a first-of-its-kind Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) committing 17 Federal agencies and the Executive
Office of the President (EOP) to federal leadership in the design,
construction, and operation of High-Performance and Sustainable
Buildings. This agreement will accelerate implementation of common
strategies for planning, acquiring, siting, designing, building,
operating, and maintaining High Performance and Sustainable Buildings.
The signatory agencies will also coordinate with complementary efforts
in the private and public sectors.

Pursuant to this MOU, the Agencies have agreed on using specific
"Guiding Principles" to improve the performance of its buildings. These
principles are commitments in the areas of design, energy, materials,
and indoor air quality, among others, that will lead to high performance
buildings. The MOU also provides guidance and assurance that these goals
should be implemented in the context of practical, economic, and
appropriate timeframes and methods, in line with the Agency's respective
missions.

"President Bush has challenged the Federal government to lead by
example, be efficient, be good stewards of our natural resources, be a
good neighbor, and to set measurable goals. This MOU represents how the
federal community will rise to meet those challenges in the area of our
buildings and facilities.\" said Mr. Piñero.

The Federal government owns approximately 445,000 buildings with total
floor space of over 3.0 billion square feet, in addition to leasing an
additional 57,000 buildings comprising 374 million square feet of floor
space. These structures and their sites affect the natural environment,
economy, and the productivity and health of the workers and visitors
that use these buildings.

In discussing the agreement at a White House Summit on Federal
Sustainable Buildings, the Chief of Staff for the Council on
Environmental Quality Bryan Hannegan said, "Buildings in the United
States consume over 37% of the nation's primary energy and 68% of all
electricity. The Federal government's size and buying power uniquely
positions Federal agencies to drive the design and acceptance of
environmentally sustainable and energy efficient building components."

The Energy Policy Act of 2005, which President Bush signed into law last
summer, requires Federal agencies to improve the energy efficiency of
their buildings, purchase Energy Star and energy-efficient products,
purchase electricity from renewable energy sources, and apply
sustainable design principles to the siting, design, and construction of
all new and replacement buildings.

A copy of the signed MOU will be available soon on the Fedcenter web
site at: www.fedcenter.gov/whsummit2006