(cover)

(GSA logo)

GSA Office of Governmentwide Policy

REAL PROPERTY

POLICYSITE NEWSLETTER

(cover title)

**\"SUSTAINABILITY AND**

**ASSET MANAGEMENT:**

**THE FUTURE IS NOW\"**

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(cover photo: Smith+Gill's Clean Technology Tower building, Chicago, IL)

(cover photo: Illustration of planet earth)

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[]{.mark}

06-08

June 2008

(inside front cover)

(photo: planet earth)

(quote)

\"Sustainability is a mode of thinking and acting responsibly. It is
grounded in the knowledge that all of life is interdependent - that
local action may have global consequences.\" (source: Whole Building
Design Guide)

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[]{.mark}

(cover photo credit: GSA PBS: Smith+Gill's Clean Technology Tower,
Chicago, IL:

Building form is used to harness the power of the wind and sun to create
a carbon neutral building.)

**[Inside This Issue:]{.underline}**

**1. Building Information Modeling (BIM) 4**

-   BIM, Sustainability And International Partnerships

> **2. Building Design 7**

-   Jean Canfield Building - Leading the Way for Canada\'s PWGSC

> Atlantic in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

**3. Challenges 15**

-   Moving Forward: The Challenges Ahead

**4. Eco-Friendly Conferencing 19**

-   Canada\'s OEAQ Conference to Be a "Green" Trailblazer

**5. Federal Perspective 23**

-   GSA: The Government's Landlord---A Leader in Sustainable Design

**6. Energy Metering 27**

-   Energy Metering and Nationwide Monitoring

**7. Green Rooftops 30**

-   Canada\'s PWGSC Takes Greening Government Operations to \"New
    Heights\"

**8. Legislative Reform 34**

-   High Performance Green Buildings Legislation Raises the Bar

**9. Performance Assessment Tools 36**

-   Greening Our U.S. Embassies

-   Environmental Performance Assessment Tools That Improve

> Buildings\' Life Cycle Management

-   GSA Cost Per Person Model

**10. Sustainable Planning 45**

-   Creating Sustainable, Vibrant, Livable Army Communities

**11. Sustainable Resources 49**

-   The WBDG: Your *'One-Stop Shop'* for Sustainable Building

**12. Workplace/Alternative Officing Solutions 51**

-   Sustainability and Workplace Design

-   Finland\'s Senate Properties: Workplace Management

and Sustainability

-   Telework and the Environment

> [\
> ]{.mark}

***THE FUTURE IS NOW:**\
**SUSTAINABILITY AND ASSET MANAGEMENT***

***[A Message To Our Readers:]{.underline}***

*This edition highlights the latest in sustainable development
perspectives from government and industry experts, covering the diverse
technologies, trends and initiatives that are leading the way in shaping
the stewardship of the nation\'s assets on behalf of the American
people.*

*We are focusing on sustainability in this issue because of its critical
role in the asset management community and society as a whole.
Sustainability is an elemental principle of how we must act towards this
planet. According to the Whole Building Design Guide, \"Sustainability
is a mode of thinking and acting responsibly. It is grounded in the
knowledge that all of life is interdependent - that local action may
have global consequences.\"*

*Sustainable development is no longer a novel concept. As an integral
part of our industry, sustainability principles are being incorporated
in design and energy efficiency throughout the asset management
industry.*

*The continuing importance of sustainability in asset management, in our
workplaces and in our community, as well as in our nation\'s future, is
evidenced by recent executive and legislative efforts of the U.S.
Government.*

*On December 19, 2007, the U.S. Congress enacted a comprehensive bill
which was signed by the President: the Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007. This bill, in conjunction with Executive Order 13423,
signed on January 24, 2007, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy,
and Transportation Management, will increase energy security and make
this country stronger, safer and cleaner for future generations.*

*Sustainability is an ongoing critical and challenging issue for
today\'s asset management and workplace development experts and we would
like to continue to raise the bar through an ongoing dialogue of ideas
and critical thinking in our industry.*

*We would like to thank our contributors for their generous
collaboration and support in assisting us in this dialogue: Finland\'s
Senate Properties, General Services Administration\'s Public Buildings
Service, Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Public Works and
Government Services Canada, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S.
Department of State, as well as many public/private sector real estate
and workplace experts. The articles contributed to this issue reflect
the influence of sustainability in many diverse areas, including
building information modeling, energy metering, planning and
conferencing.*

*We recognize the interdependence of our roles and responsibilities with
these and other industry partners and supporters, as we share these
important ideas and practices with you for a sustainable future.*

*The Office of Real Property Management*

(GSA recycling logo)

Policysite printed using soy-based inks on 100% recycled content, 50%
post-consumer waste, processed chlorine free paper.

**Real Property Policysite: June 2008**

This is the thirty-third issue of Real Property POLICYSITE Newsletter.
The POLICYSITE newsletter is a publication of the Office of
Governmentwide Policy\'s (OGP) Office of Real Property Management of the
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), Washington, DC. OGP is led
by Acting Associate Administrator Kevin Messner, with Stanley F.
Kaczmarczyk as OGP Principal Deputy Associate Administrator, and Carolyn
Austin-Diggs as Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Real
Property Management. The newsletter is produced by the Regulations
Management Division, Stanley C. Langfeld, Director and Editor-in-Chief.

Our mission in GSA is to develop, promote, and assess conformance with
management policies and regulations for the effective and efficient
stewardship of Federal real property assets and alternative workplaces.
GSA is a governmentwide leader in asset management, best practices,
inventory reporting, legislative reform, performance measurement,
sustainability, and telework.

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is a regular
contributor to the POLICYSITE newsletter and language translations are
included for PWGSC articles in this issue.

For more information, comments or input, please contact the Managing
Editor, Richard Ornburn, in the Regulations Management Division, at
richard.ornburn@gsa.gov, or 202-501-2873. Graphic design provided by
GSA\'s Office of Citizen Services and Communications: Graphic Designer -
David Alexander.

For more information about the Office of Real Property Management, visit
our website: *www.gsa.gov/realpropertypolicy*.

[]{.mark}

*(quote)*

\"(Canada\'s) PWGSC is working to incorporate sustainable development
considerations into the very fabric of its business\...\"

(Photo: Atrium, Greenstone Building, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories,
Canada,

LEED Canada-NC 1.0 Gold. Photo credit: Manasc Isaac Architects Ltd)

**1. [BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING (BIM)]{.underline}**

> **BIM, SUSTAINABILITY AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS**

(by Charles Matta, FAIA, Director, Center for Federal Buildings and
Modernizations, Office of the Chief Architect, GSA Public Buildings
Service, charles.matta@gsa.gov)

***\
***In the world of architecture and construction, BIM is the latest
buzz. The acronym stands for Building Information Modeling, and is a
3D-4D-nD tool where detailed three-dimensional renderings take on added
value as "time" (the fourth D) and other dimensions such as "cost" are
integrated with the building model.

The model can also be rich with facts and information including
specifics about site and building orientation, material attributes,
assembly, interior spaces, and mechanical, electrical and plumbing
systems. BIM software also allows users to analyze a variety of design
and construction issues.

The result is a powerful tool that, for any real estate organization,
makes BIM essential to project delivery and facilities management.
Drawings and data within the model can be developed to distinguish
between individual systems and materials. Programs can help design
heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and predict
energy consumption. With laser-scanning technology, BIM can generate
highly accurate as-built documentation of existing structures. It can
help customers visualize and fine tune the design of their spaces and
the phasing of tenant moves. It can generate catalogues of systems and
building components and provide an understanding of construction
details, facts that in turn, can be used as data for quantity take-offs
and cost estimates.

> (photo: Pioneer Courthouse Modernization & Seismic Base, Isolation
> Portland, OR (3D & 4D BIM example))

(photo: BIM Pioneer Courthouse, Portland, OR)

Since 2003, the General Services Administration (GSA) has had a National
3D-4D BIM Program and been an industry leader in implementing BIM
strategies. Validating a design's spatial program was among its first
uses. In 2004, the U.S. Courthouse in El Paso, TX, was modeled with BIM
to confirm that the design fulfilled the program and other requirements,
such as fenestration ratios, efficiency ratios, and - per the ANSI/BOMA
(American National Standards Institute/Building Owners and Managers
Association) standard - totals for rentable square feet. In 2005, BIM
was employed to give judges at the Jackson, MS, courthouse a digital
preview of their courtroom via a virtual model that included layout,
lighting and acoustics. In 2007, laser scans became the basis for
developing a 3D model of the historic U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in
Brooklyn, NY, accurate to a quarter inch. Perhaps most significantly,
all prospectus-level projects funded from fiscal year (FY) 2007 forward
must have a BIM spatial program for Final Concept approval by the
Commissioner for the GSA Public Buildings Service (PBS).

In the years ahead, as the BIM mandate is expanded, the payoff with
respect to sustainability holds great promise.

In the energy arena, it will be possible to profile consumption
substituting alternative designs and HVAC systems. This type of analysis
will be critical in complying with the Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007 that, from a 2003 baseline, specifies a 30 percent reduction
in energy consumption per gross square foot by 2015 in Federally-owned
buildings. But that's just the beginning of the story.

BIM, due to its sophistication and efficiency, offers several other
sustainable benefits. It will enable project managers to more
effectively and efficiently respond to customer space needs as we
provide tenants with digital walk-throughs and 3D models. This should
speed design, improve satisfaction and reduce change orders. For major
renovations of occupied buildings, BIM will yield dependable as-built 2D
and 3D drawings and facilitate the scheduling and relocation of
workspaces. In the construction process, it will permit faster, more
precise take-offs and virtual construction images using 4D models,
providing opportunities to reduce both costs and waste.

> (Photo: U.S. Post Office & Courthouse Modernization Brooklyn, NY (*3D
> Laser Scanning example))*

An impressive example of BIM's impact is found in the renovation of
GSA's 300 North LA (Los Angeles) office built in 1965. From 2006 to
2009, this huge, 1,050,232 square foot building (Federal Building, 300
N. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, CA) was and is to remain fully occupied
as it goes through an extensive modernization. Work planned during this
period includes asbestos abatement and a seismic retrofit, to be carried
out with tenants in place. The good news was that with BIM drawings and
analysis, the project timeline was reduced by 19 percent, and the
temporary relocation process is progressing much more smoothly and
successfully than in non-BIM projects of similar size and scope.

If there is a potential stumbling block on the road to this kind of
success, it would be the development of proprietary BIM software that
does not permit the integration of data from another BIM program. For
this reason, GSA advocates an open standards BIM platform accessible to
all. More specifically, recognizing the global nature of this challenge,
GSA is partnering with public real estate organizations in other nations
to develop and ensure interoperability in BIM software and systems.

**Historic International Partnership**

(Photo: Signing of the International BIM Agreement: (l to r) Morten Lie
of the Directorate of Public\
Construction and Property, Norway; David Winstead, Commissioner, U.S.
General Services Administration (GSA) Public Buildings Service; Aulis
Kohvakka of Senate Properties, Finland; and Les Shepherd, GSA Chief
Architect.)

In an historically noteworthy event, an international agreement
supporting this objective was executed with the public real estate
organizations of [Finland]{.underline}, [Denmark]{.underline} and
[Norway]{.underline}. It was signed in Washington, DC, on January 17,
2008. Our partners in this agreement are Senate Properties (the Finnish
public real estate enterprise), the Danish Enterprise and Construction
Authority and the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and
Property.

Our commitment is "to initiate and participate in open BIM-related
research, development, and collaboration efforts." This includes making
our own construction projects accessible as pilots. We will also issue
corresponding BIM requirements, open standards mandates, and adoption
schedules with the goal of using these on a regular basis within two to
four years. We will take advantage of existing forums to implement the
agreement including The Workplace Network and the International Alliance
for Interoperability. Other countries also plan to join in this effort.

This is a significant collaboration and gives GSA and other users a
leadership role in the development of this important tool. And, it
promotes global cooperation and creativity that will help leverage BIM's
value and its cost-saving and efficiency-related sustainable outcomes.

**You can find the latest on BIM at PBS at www.gsa.gov/bim.**

**BIM - \"Award-winning\" Technology**: GSA\'s Building Information
Modeling (BIM) program was honored during the October 29, 2007, CoreNet
Global Summit with the prestigious \"H. Bruce Russell Global
Innovator\'s Award.\" This corporate real estate award recognized GSA
for the use of innovative BIM technology to more efficiently manage a
portfolio of 8,600 Federal assets. The BIM program was also recognized
as a \"Top Award Winner\" in the 2007 GSA Achievement Award for Real
Property Innovation, for its use of innovative \... technologies to
complement, leverage, and improve existing technologies to achieve major
quality and productivity improvements.\"

> **2. [BUILDING DESIGN]{.underline}**

**JEAN CANFIELD BUILDING - LEADING THE WAY FOR CANADA\'S PWGSC ATLANTIC
IN CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND\
**(provided by Sarah Baggs, A/Manager, Architecture and Interior Design,
Atlantic Region, **Public Works and Government Services Canada
(PWGSC)**)

**Reducing Our Environmental Footprint**

The Jean Canfield Building is located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward
Island (PEI) in Canada. Situated on University Avenue, at the gateway to
the downtown business district, the site was chosen for its prominent
and easily accessible location. The location also provided an
opportunity to restore a brownfield site. It was important to address
the urban design and contextual issues surrounding the site, including
its low-rise downtown density and the surrounding historic building
fabric. Several comparative massing studies were conducted in order to
achieve a balance between appropriate site coverage, building height,
and configurations, which would maximize opportunities for the
penetration of natural light.

This newly constructed flagship for the Canadian Federal government
opened in December 2007. It has a gross floor area of approximately
17,500 square meters (188,368 square feet) and houses approximately 500
public servants, representing 14 departments and several shared
services.

(Photo: Jean Canfield Building, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island,
Canada.

Photo credit: Larry Jones, BGHJ/Urbana Architects in joint venture)

(Photo: Jean Canfield Building, Atrium, Charlottetown, Prince Edward
Island, Canada.

Photo credit: Jack Leclair Photography)

**Project Goals**

Driven by the Government of Canada's commitment to reduce its
environmental footprint, increase energy savings, and lower greenhouse
gas emissions, the team developed a project that would stand as a
testament to these goals. By creating a healthy and sustainable working
environment, both building occupants and Canadian citizens who visit the
building can become more engaged in this environmental effort.

**Project Process - Integrated by Design**

From the onset, the project utilized an interactive and collaborative
integrated design approach. All design disciplines and client
representatives took part in start-up meetings, brainstorming sessions,
and design charettes. Team members were encouraged to think outside of
their traditional disciplines and to explore how each feature or
component of the building could integrate, and contribute to, the
broader goals of the project. Life cycle analysis (investigation and
valuation of the environmental impacts of the project caused by its
existence) and return were emphasized but each design choice was weighed
against its impact on occupancy and maintenance, not just it\'s first
cost and initial impact (as is done in traditional life cycle cost
analysis).

The project was a joint venture between Bergmark Guimond Hammerlund
Jones (Charlottetown, PEI) and HOK (Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum) Canada
(Toronto, Ontario), who brought with them an appreciation of local
materials and conditions, and a broad experience base in sustainable
design principles.

**The Building and its Context**

The design is both empathetic and progressive. A 4-story concrete
structure, clad in traditional red brick, hugs the sidewalk on its two
most visible elevations at the 'gateway' intersection to downtown. The
materials and rhythm of these facades pay homage to the historic
surroundings. At the main entry, the building form steps back from the
sidewalk and begins to break from its rectilinear form, contrasting red
brick with large sandstone panels. Tucked around the next corner, the
building line departs from the city grid and provides a triangular
pocket park at grade, with a striking contrast of elevational treatment
on the south-facing side, utilizing curtain walls mounted with solar
shades bearing photovoltaic panels. A full array of photovoltaic panels
mounted at the rooftop level is also evident on the south side. The
building form maximizes southern exposure and minimizes western
exposure, while respecting adjacent urban density and setbacks on the
two major streets most affected by this development.

The interior planning grouped together all tenant amenities and common
spaces in locations that permit them to remain intact and unaffected by
typical tenant churn and re-fit. Business centers, coffee/relief areas,
recycling centers, meeting rooms, and private telephone rooms were
clustered together and located adjacent to other permanent building
elements. Two of these \"neighborhood clusters\" are provided on each
floor. The resulting tenant floor areas are flexible, loft-like spaces,
with demountable partitions that permit light and air transfer. Exposed
ceilings, underfloor service access, and modular design make the spaces
easy to adapt for client changes. Areas visited by the general public
are on the first floor, allowing the main line of enhanced security to
fall between the ground and second floors.

**Tenant Participation is Crucial**

The project required tenants who would adapt and function effectively
within this framework. The team knew that perception of an interior
aesthetic with exposed structure and systems, as well as the perception
of decreased visual privacy would require a cultural adjustment.
Appropriate tenant security, acoustical privacy, and glare control
required special consideration from both designers and building
operators in order not to compromise natural airflow and daylight
penetration.

A set of Tenant Selection Criteria was developed, focusing on tenants
requiring only generic open office space (maximum 20-30 percent
enclosed), and not excessive enclosed special purpose space. A series of
information sessions were held, from the concept design stage through to
move-in. The intent was to keep tenants aware of the less-typical
aspects of the new building design, help them understand its necessary
covenants, and encourage them to embrace the design philosophies.
Continued information sessions, as well as an outreach program within
the building will serve to encourage building occupants in their role as
ambassadors for sustainability.

**LEED**® **Green Building Rating System**

The goals for the project closely reflect the categories in the
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building
Rating System for New Construction: sustainable sites, water efficiency,
energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor air quality, and
innovation. The LEED® Canada NC (New Construction) 1.0 system was used
as a design guideline, a goal setting strategy and a rating system. This
added rigor to the integrity of the project documentation process and
helped validate other performance indicators.

**Sustainable Design Features**

***Site:***

-   Brownfield site in a downtown location

-   Easy access to public transit and walking

-   Bicycle racks

-   Restored open green space - native and adaptive plants, shade trees
    at grade, small green roof area - reduced heat island effect

-   EnergyStar rated reflective roof

-   On-site stormwater management

***Water:***

-   Potable water use in irrigation reduced through the use of
    indigenous landscaping materials

-   Water efficient fixtures - dual flush toilets and waterless urinals

-   Rainwater collection - re-use in janitor's sinks and the flushing of
    toilets

***Energy:***

-   High performance building envelope

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-   Natural and displacement ventilation

-   Chilled slab cooling

-   Maximized daylight

-   Occupant and daylight dimming lighting control system

-   Photovoltaics

-   Green power from local windmills

-   Projected energy savings of 50 percent

***Materials:***

-   Construction waste management: 75 percent construction waste
    diverted from landfill

-   Locally extracted and manufactured materials

-   Recycled content in drywall, acoustical ceiling tiles, carpet tiles,
    rubber flooring, and aluminum

-   Concrete locally sourced - including high fly ash content

***Indoor Environmental Quality:***

-   Natural and displacement ventilation reduces airborne germs and
    contaminants

-   Separate ventilation and chilled/heated slab allows for a more
    effective ventilation system

-   Interior materials ensure low or no VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)
    content

-   Access to daylight and views - narrow floor plate and daylit atrium

***Innovation LEED***®***:***

-   Exterior solar shades to mount photovoltaics

-   Radiant floor with under-floor air distribution

-   Outreach materials: signage, displays, case study materials, and
    ongoing occupant training sessions

**A Rewarding Project**

The design and construction of the Jean Canfield Building has allowed
Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) staff, consultants,
building operators, and occupants to explore the part each of us can
play in conducting business in a more sustainable fashion. The
construction industry and accommodation services are sectors that play a
significant role in our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint.

**The Government of Canada is committed to challenging both its
employees and citizens as we work together to embrace our common goal of
achieving a more sustainable future.**

> (Following article: French translation of previous article - JEAN
> CANFIELD BUILDING - LEADING THE WAY FOR CANADA\'S PWGSC ATLANTIC IN
> CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND)
>
> **[CONCEPTION DE L'IMMEUBLE]{.underline}**

**L'IMMEUBLE JEAN CANFIELD - CHEF DE FILE POUR LES TPSGC DE
L\'ATLANTIQUE À CHARLOTTETOWN, ÎLE-DU-PRINCE-ÉDOUARD**\
(fourni par Sarah Baggs, directrice adjointe, Architecture et
Aménagement intérieur, Région Atlantique, **Travaux publics et Services
gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC)**)

***Réduction de notre empreinte écologique***

L'immeuble Jean Canfield se trouve à Charlottetown,
Île-du-Prince-Édouard (IPE) au Canada. Situé sur University Avenue, à
l'entrée du quartier des affaires au centre-ville, l'emplacement a été
choisi pour son emplacement éminent et sa facilité d\'accès. Le lieu
offrait également l\'occasion de restaurer un terrain urbain abandonné.
Il était important de prendre en compte la conception urbaine et les
questions contextuelles du site, y compris la faible densité des petits
immeubles du centre-ville et l\'ensemble des immeubles historiques
environnants. Plusieurs études volumétriques comparatives ont été menées
afin d\'obtenir un équilibre entre la couverture appropriée du site, la
hauteur et les configurations de l\'immeuble qui optimiseraient la
pénétration de la lumière naturelle.

Cet immeuble récemment construit est un centre phare du gouvernement
fédéral canadien inauguré en décembre 2007. Sa superficie brute est
d\'environ 17 500 mètres carrés (188 368 pieds carrés) et il abrite
approximativement 500 fonctionnaires, représentant 14 ministères ou
organismes et plusieurs services communs.

(Photo : Immeuble Jean Canfield, Charlottetown, Île-du-Prince-Édouard,
Canada.

Mention de source : Larry Jones, BGHJ et Urbana Architects en
partenariat)

(photo: Immeuble Jean Canfield, Atrium, Charlottetown,
Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Canada.

Mention de source : photographie de Jack Leclair)

**Objectifs du projet**

Poussée par l'engagement du gouvernement du Canada à réduire son
empreinte écologique, à augmenter les économies d'énergie et à réduire
les émissions de gaz à effet de serre, l'équipe a élaboré un projet qui
pourrait être reconnu comme un testament de ces objectifs. En créant un
environnement de travail sain et durable, les occupants de l'immeuble et
les citoyens canadiens qui le visitent peuvent s'engager encore plus
dans les efforts de préservation de l\'environnement.

**Processus du projet - conçu pour s\'intégrer**

Dès le début, le projet a utilisé une approche conceptuelle intégrée,
interactive et participative. Tous les représentants des activités de
conception et du client ont pris part aux réunions de démarrage, aux
séances de remue-méninges et aux ateliers de conception. Les membres de
l\'équipe ont été incités à sortir des sentiers battus de leurs
disciplines conventionnelles et à explorer comment chaque
caractéristique ou composant de l\'immeuble pourrait intégrer et
contribuer aux objectifs génériques du projet. L\'analyse du cycle de
vie (recherche et évaluation des conséquences du projet sur
l\'environnement) et le rendement ont été mis en relief, mais chacun des
choix conceptuels a été pesé en fonction de ses conséquences sur
l\'occupation et la maintenance et non en fonction seulement du coût et
des conséquences initiaux (comme cela se fait lors d\'une analyse
conventionnelle du coût du cycle de vie).

Le projet a été réalisé grâce à un partenariat entre Bergmark Guimond
Hammerlund Jones (Charlottetown, Î.-P.-É.) et HOK (Hellmuth, Obata +
Kassabaum) Canada (Toronto, Ontario), qui ont apporté une évaluation des
conditions et matériaux locaux et une grande expérience basée sur des
principes de conception durables.

**L\'immeuble et son contexte**

La conception est à la fois empathique et progressiste. Une structure en
béton de 4 étages, revêtue de briques rouges traditionnelles, ceinture
le trottoir sur ses deux élévations les plus visibles au 'carrefour à
l\'entrée du centre-ville. Les matériaux et le rythme de ces façades
rendent hommage au milieu historique environnant. À l\'entrée
principale, la forme de l\'immeuble s\'écarte du trottoir et met fin à
sa forme rectiligne, faisant un contraste entre la brique rouge et de
larges panneaux en pierre de taille. Bordé autour du coin de rue
suivant, la ligne de l\'immeuble abandonne la grille de la ville et
fournit un petit parc triangulaire, avec un contraste saisissant du
traitement de l\'élévation sur le côté sud, utilisant des murs de
courtine montés avec des écrans solaires dotés de modules
photovolcaïques. Un ensemble complet de panneaux photovoltaïques montés
sur le toit est aussi évident sur le côté sud. La forme de l\'immeuble
maximise l\'exposition sud et minimise l\'exposition à l\'ouest, tout en
respectant la densité urbaine limitrophe et les retraits sur les deux
rues principales les plus affectées par ce développement.

[]{.mark}

La planification intérieure a regroupé toutes les commodités offertes
aux locataires et les espaces communs qui leur permettent de rester
intacts et inchangés par les réaménagements et les remises en état
habituelles des locataires. Des centres d\'affaires, des aires de
repos/de pauses-café, des centres de recyclage, des salles de réunions
et des salles de téléphone privées ont été groupés ensemble et situés
près d\'autres éléments permanents de l\'immeuble. Deux de ces
groupements de voisinage sont disponibles sur chaque étage. Les surfaces
résultantes pour les locataires sont flexibles, s\'apparentent à des
lofts et sont dotées de cloisons démontables qui permettent le passage
de la lumière et de l\'air. Des plafonds apparents, un accès de service
au sous-sol et la conception modulaire offrent des espaces facilement
adaptables qui leur permettent d\'effectuer des changements. Les aires
visitées par le public sont au premier étage, permettant à la ligne de
sécurité principale évoluée de se retrouver entre le rez-de-chaussée et
le deuxième étage.

**La participation des locataires est essentielle**

Le projet nécessite des locataires qui peuvent s\'adapter et qui
fonctionnent efficacement dans cet environnement. L\'équipe savait que
la perception d\'un intérieur esthétique avec la structure et les
systèmes à découvert, ainsi que la perception d\'une diminution de
l\'intimité visuelle exigeraient un rajustement culturel. La sécurité
appropriée des locataires, l\'intimité acoustique et le contrôle de
l\'éblouissement ont exigé une attention particulière des concepteurs et
des techniciens de l\'immeuble pour ne pas compromettre l\'écoulement de
l\'air et la pénétration de la lumière du jour.

Une série de critères pour la sélection des locataires a été établie, en
se concentrant sur les locataires qui exigent uniquement de l\'espace de
bureau générique et ouvert (au maximum 20 à 30 pour cent d'espaces
fermés) et non trop d\'espace fermé à usage spécial. Une série de
séances d\'information ont été tenues, de la phase de conception
jusqu\'à l\'emménagement. Elles avaient pour but d\'informer les
locataires sur les aspects inhabituels de la nouvelle conception de
l\'immeuble, de les aider à comprendre ses covenants nécessaires et de
les inciter à adopter la philosophie de conception. Des séances
d\'information continues, ainsi qu\'un programme d\'extension au sein de
l\'immeuble serviront à inciter les occupants de l\'immeuble à maintenir
leur rôle d\'ambassadeurs de la durabilité.

**LEED**^MD^**, un système de classement des bâtiments écologiques**

Les objectifs du projet reflètent fidèlement les catégories du système
de classement des bâtiments écologiques du LEED^MD^ (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design) relatif aux nouvelles constructions :
sites durables, efficacité de consommation de l\'eau, énergie et air,
matériaux et ressources, qualité de l\'air à l\'intérieur et innovation.
Le système NC (Nouvelles Constructions) 1.0 du LEED^MD^ du Canada a
servi de guide de conception, de stratégie d\'établissement des
objectifs et de système de classement. Ce système a apporté de la
rigueur à l\'intégrité du processus de documentation du projet et a
permis de valider d\'autres indicateurs de rendement.

**Caractéristiques de la conception durable**

**Site *:***

-   Le site de Brownfield au centre-ville

-   Facilité d\'accès aux transports en commun et aux piétons

-   Supports à vélo

-   Un espace vert ouvert et rénové - des plantes indigènes et
    adaptives, des arbres d\'ombrage au niveau du sol, une petite
    surface verte sur le toit - a réduit l\'effet des îlots de chaleur

-   Un toit fabriqué au moyen de matériaux réfléchissants certifié
    EnergyStar

-   Gestion interne de l\'eau de pluie

**Eau *:***

-   L\'utilisation d\'eau potable pour l\'irrigation a été réduite en
    employant des matériaux d\'aménagement paysager indigènes

-   Des installations à faible consommation d\'eau - toilettes à double
    chasse et urinoirs sans eau

-   Collecte de l\'eau de pluie - réutilisation dans les lavabos des
    concierges et pour chasser l\'eau des toilettes

**Énergie *:***

-   Enveloppe du bâtiment à haut rendement

-   Ventilation naturelle et par déplacement

-   Rafraîchissement par dalles refroidies

-   Maximisation de la lumière du jour

-   Système de commande de l\'éclairage par l\'occupant et par la baisse
    de la lumière du jour

-   Modules photovoltaïques

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-   Énergie écologique produite par des moulins à vent locaux

-   Projection d\'économies d\'énergie de 50 pour cent

**Matériaux *:***

-   Gestion des déchets de construction : 75 pour cent des déchets de
    construction détournés du site d\'enfouissement

-   Matériaux extraits et fabriqués localement

-   Cloisons sèches, panneaux acoustiques du plafond, carrés de
    moquette, sols en caoutchouc et aluminium fabriqués à base de
    produits recyclés

-   Béton fabriqué localement - y compris le contenu des cendres
    volantes

**Qualité de l\'environnement intérieur :**

-   La ventilation naturelle et par déplacement réduit les germes et les
    contaminants dans l\'air

-   Une ventilation distincte et des dalles refroidies/réchauffées
    offrent un système de ventilation plus efficace

-   Des matériaux intérieurs assurent une faible ou aucune concentration
    de COV (composés organiques volatils)

-   L\'accès à la lumière du jour et les vues - étroites dalles de
    plancher et atrium permettant à la lumière du jour de pénétrer

**Innovation LEED**^MD^**:**

-   Des écrans solaires extérieurs pour installer des modules
    photovoltaïques

-   Des sols irradiants avec distribution de l\'air sous le sol

-   Documents de soutien : signalisation, affichages, documents d\'étude
    de cas et sessions de formation des occupants en continu

**Un projet gratifiant**

La conception et la construction de l\'immeuble Jean Canfield ont permis
au personnel des Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada
(TPSGC), aux consultants, aux techniciens d\'immeuble et aux occupants
de découvrir le rôle que chacun d\'entre nous peut avoir dans la
conduite des affaires de manière plus durable. L\'industrie de la
construction et les services d\'hébergement sont des secteurs qui jouent
un rôle important dans les efforts que nous déployons pour réduire notre
empreinte écologique.

**Le gouvernement du Canada s\'est engagé à inviter à la fois ses
employés et ses citoyens à travailler ensemble vers notre objectif
commun d\'un avenir plus durable.**

**3. [CHALLENGES]{.underline}**

**MOVING FORWARD: THE CHALLENGES AHEAD**

(provided by the Office of Applied Science, GSA Public Buildings Service
(PBS), contact: Don Horn, AIA, LEED® AP, Director, Sustainable Design
Program, GSA PBS, donald.horn@gsa.gov)

**On the Brink of Change**

As one of the largest public real estate organizations in the world, the
General Services Administration\'s (GSA) Public Buildings Service (PBS)
has the responsibility to demonstrate an intelligent approach to design,
construction and operation of our buildings that can reduce our
environmental impacts while creating effective places for people to work
and for the government to conduct its business.

Perhaps of greater importance is our obligation to provide the
leadership, as we have so ably demonstrated in the past, to lead the
building industry---in this case to deeper shades of green. Documented
and compelling evidence supports our need to do this. Buildings in the
United States account for 68 percent of all electricity consumed, 39
percent of all energy used, 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and
12 percent of the total water consumption (source: Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)). Building-related waste from construction and
demolition accounts for nearly 60 percent of all non-industrial waste
(136 million tons annually). These numbers oblige us to recognize that
changing the way buildings are created and operated can make a huge and
immediate impact in addressing important global issues including the
threats of climate change.

GSA has a long history of investing in energy efficient building
solutions and we have historically met or exceeded our energy reduction
goals. Now, energy reduction is necessary but not enough. As we have
learned, mechanical systems and efficient building operations are
important facets but not the whole solution to energy efficiency.
Similarly, energy efficiency alone does not answer the quest for
sustainable solutions in the built environment.

This sentiment has become widely acknowledged, with Congress passing and
the President signing into law on December 19, 2007, the [Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007]{.underline}. This new law sets
ambitious goals for Federal agencies and the building industry as a
whole, not just in the area of energy efficiency but in other related
resource areas as well. The mandates for Federal agencies present
immediate and identified challenges in sustainable design, lighting
efficiency, energy efficient products, renewable energy, energy
reduction, and demonstration projects to name a few. Significantly,
Federal buildings designed in 2030 will be required to be carbon
neutral. Mandates for GSA include a requirement to establish the Office
of Federal High Performance Green Buildings to set standards for,
coordinate activities and publicize information related to
high-performance green buildings across the government.

As the singular focus of simply reducing energy consumption evolves
toward goals for using non- fossil fuel energy, developing and using
renewable energy, and achieving sustainable high-performing buildings,
our approach must expand to consider building design holistically.
Successful strategies to address energy, water and other resources must
integrate location and use factors. This includes building orientation,
climate considerations, envelope characteristics mechanical and lighting
systems, and the mission and work requirements of our customers. Though
we have begun this effort with considerable success, we must increase
our commitment to bring the entire building delivery team - client,
designers, engineers, project managers, and building operators into an
integrated design process at the outset. In addition, we must agree on a
set of performance metrics at the outset that will be verified at
building delivery and on an ongoing basis after occupancy.

(Photo: Land Port of Entry, Warroad, MN: This Border Station as well as
others must consider sustainable design solutions such as on-site
renewable power, rainwater collection, and wastewater treatment.)

(Photo: Edith Green/Wendell Wyatt Federal Building: A double glass wall
and a living green screen are orientation-specific treatments under
study to replace the façade of the Edith Green/Wendell Wyatt Federal
Building in Portland, OR.)

**Moving Forward**

In moving forward, listing requirements and platitudes to do better is
simply a mental exercise. The more important challenge is communicating
data that is persuasive and incontrovertibly demonstrates that green
buildings are, in fact, better; and that high performing green buildings
are the inevitable future of the building industry.

Initial data speak to energy performance, and, as found in a 2007 study
by the New Buildings Institute of 121 buildings nationwide, LEED®
Certified buildings perform 25-30 percent better than average non-LEED®
buildings, LEED® Silver perform 35 percent better, and LEED® Gold and
Platinum buildings perform 45 percent better.

Similarly, GSA conducted a study in 2007 of 14 GSA buildings, both owned
and leased, located in half of its regions to compare energy, water,
maintenance and operations, waste, recycling, transportation, and
occupant satisfaction metrics against industry standard performance.
This whole building performance approach examined actual measured data
from several years of operation. GSA\'s sustainably-designed buildings
investigated under the study cost less to operate, have excellent energy
performance, and have occupants that are more satisfied with the overall
building than the occupants in typical commercial buildings. Several of
GSA\'s early LEED® buildings were not designed from an integrated design
perspective and interestingly, were not energy efficient. It is not
clear if the lack of energy efficiency followed the lack of an
integrated design for the early buildings. However, observations from
the study confirmed the common belief: buildings that intentionally
incorporate energy considerations into design deliver better energy
performance.

This study is only one piece of a larger body of research and data that
needs to be pursued by the building industry and communicated to the
real estate community and its stakeholders. Efforts to continue such
exploration are not only encouraged and applauded, but also mandated by
the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

As perceptions of building performance widen, we must find performance
data addressing infrastructure, customer needs and human health and
comfort. Measuring the performance of recently constructed projects must
include metrics ranging from workplaces, through innovative technologies
and practices, to whole building performance.

The data gathered will help us relate the value of the investment in
sustainable design to the benefits realized. As a corollary, we can
better determine those design features that offer the best return on
investment and value to GSA. This should drive us to better, more
holistic (more harmonious with the environment/more prosperous for the
inhabitants) designs for new buildings and renovations. Conventional
thinking would have you believe that there is a trade-off \-- that
better technology costs more and as a result, less technologically
advanced buildings are built. However, this outmoded thinking needs to
be countered with creative design, creative procurement methods, and
creative financing. Then, a wealth of possibilities will open up.

For GSA, as both a property developer and a property manager, designing
and constructing sustainable buildings is just the first step. To fully
realize the performance of a green building we must improve our
operational practices. Continued research will provide data that can
help advance green building design and construction features and
practices so that we can optimize building operations and maintenance.

(photo: Land Port of Entry, Calais, ME: Metal rain screen walls surround
a courtyard of bio-swales that filter storm water and clean supply air
at the Land Port of Entry in Calais, ME. (Photos courtesy of GSA PBS))

**A New Vision**

In April 2005, GSA, with support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund,
convened a workshop comprised of leading sustainable design
practitioners and thinkers. Participants explored avenues in the
building process and in the integrated design process that could inspire
and propel revolutionary change.

The following excerpts from a GSA publication, \"Expanding Our Approach
to Sustainable Design: An Invitation,\" set the stage for examining the
larger context and posing deeper questions for project teams.

(Photo: Smith+Gill's Clean Technology Tower: Building form is used to
harness the power of the wind and sun to create a carbon neutral
building in Smith+Gill's Clean Technology Tower, Chicago, IL.)

\"Our current approaches are focused on reducing negative impacts. They
can be characterized as \'doing less damage\' or \'doing damage less
quickly.\' They beg the question, is achieving even 100 percent less
damage good enough?

Current green building goals are typically characterized in terms of
relative improvement over conventional practice, as in \'30 percent
energy savings compared with an ASHRAE (American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers) 90.1 baseline.\' Beyond
this relative improvement model, is a vaguely understood idea of
sustainability, where any negative impacts from our projects are somehow
within the capacity of natural systems to absorb and mitigate
indefinitely. But even that goal has two questionable implications: 1)
that the current state of natural systems is good enough, and should be
sustained; and 2) that the built environment will always exist in
opposition to natural systems. Are we really constrained by these
implications?

As practices evolve, we need to be looking further ahead, toward a
vision for the built environment that is not limited by the paradigms of
the current building industry. This vision must expand beyond the idea
of a building as a fixed end-point, toward a more fluid understanding of
project design, construction, and operation as they relate to
sustainability and regenerative relationships.\"

[IN SUMMARY]{.underline} \... it is easy for us to leave everyone to
just ponder this vision of the built environment, the natural
environment and the human environments not only co-existing, but also
contributing to one another. But it is much harder for us to ask each
person, each customer, each GSA associate to *embrace* *the vision* of a
sustainable future. Yet, that is what we are asking and we implore each
of you - in the words of Mahatma Gandhi, *"You must be the change you
wish to see in the world."*

**4. [ECO-FRIENDLY CONFERENCING]{.underline}**

**CANADA\'S OEAQ CONFERENCE TO BE A "GREEN" TRAILBLAZER\
**(provided by the Office of the Chief Appraiser, **Public Works and
Government Services Canada (PWGSC)**)

[]{.mark}

(photo: Logo picture for Ordre des évaluateurs agréés du Québec
(Quebec's association of professional appraisers))

Conferences are an important part of modern professional life but they
can be hard on the environment. Think of the fossil fuels burnt to bring
delegates to an event. Consider the energy consumed and waste produced
by all those plastic water bottles, Styrofoam® cups, reams of paper, and
other throwaway items.

The Ordre des évaluateurs agréés du Québec, or OEAQ (Quebec's
association of professional appraisers) wants to help reverse the trend
by making its October 2008 conference as eco-friendly as possible. Every
aspect of the OEAQ conference \-- location, meals, products, guest
speakers \-- is being planned to have a minimal environmental impact.
The 250 to 300 valuation professionals who gather at the Lac Leamy
Hilton Hotel in Gatineau, Quebec, next October, will have a chance not
only to learn about the latest in the valuation field but also to
contribute to sustainable development.

The initiative has been spearheaded by an organizing committee of seven
OEAQ members, including André Morin, Manager, Real Property Advisory
Services, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). The
committee is concerned about the dangers of global warming and is keen
to promote green practices within the valuation community. The greening
of conferences is increasingly being promoted within government and
other organizations, but the concept is still new in the professional
and business world.

The OEAQ conference organizing committee is working hard to ensure the
October 2008 event will be a trailblazer. Some proposed ideas for
cutting waste and conserving resources at the conference include:

-   Choice of a central location (Gatineau, Quebec) to minimize travel
    distances for participants.

-   Rebates on registration fees for delegates who car-pool.

-   Use of tap water, glasses and pitchers instead of bottled water.

-   Meals featuring as much local food as possible (foods trucked from
    afar entail a high consumption of fuel).

-   Use of china instead of Styrofoam® or paper plates and cups.

-   Reducing paper by offering conference presentations on portable
    memory sticks.

-   Use of recycled paper and other products.

-   Encouraging delegates to reduce, re-use and recycle.

-   Turning off lights and machines when not in use.

-   Inviting guest speakers from Quebec's and Canada's environmental
    movements.

-   Workshop sessions on green valuation (appraisal of \"green\"
    buildings) and information on green buildings.

All these measures will reduce the conference's environmental
"footprint" and save money too by cutting down on waste and consumption
of energy. Delegates will become more aware of what individuals and
groups can do to protect our environment. Important too will be the
leadership example shown to other organizations.

The organizers are well aware that one eco-friendly conference is just a
small step in the battle against global warming. But small steps can
lead to more steps and to the proliferation of grassroots action. Such
action on many fronts will be needed to keep the earth hospitable for
future generations.

\"All these measures will reduce the conference's environmental
"footprint" and save money too by cutting down on waste and consumption
of energy.\"

(Following article: French translation of previous article - CANADA\'S
OEAQ CONFERENCE TO BE A "GREEN" TRAILBLAZER)

**[ORGANISATION DE CONFÉRENCES ÉCOLOGIQUES]{.underline}**

**LE CONGRÈS DE L\'OEAQ AU CANADA EST UNE PREMIÈRE ÉCOLOGIQUE**\
(fourni par le bureau de l\'évaluateur en chef, **Travaux publics et
Services gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC)**)

(photo: Logo picture for Ordre des évaluateurs agréés du Québec)

Les congrès sont une composante importante de la vie professionnelle
moderne, mais ils peuvent néanmoins avoir des répercussions néfastes sur
l\'environnement. Songez aux combustibles fossiles brûlés lors du
déplacement des délégués. Songez à l\'énergie utilisée et aux déchets
produits par toutes ces bouteilles d\'eau en plastique, ces verres en
Styromousse^MD^, ces rames de papier et autres objets jetables.

L\'[Ordre des évaluateurs agréés du Québec]{.underline} ou l\'OEAQ veut
aider à renverser la tendance en faisant en sorte que son congrès
d\'octobre 2008 soit le plus écologique possible. Chaque aspect du
congrès de l\'OEAQ \-- lieu, repas, produits, conférenciers \-- est
planifié de sorte à avoir une répercussion minimale sur
l\'environnement. Les quelque 250 à 300 professionnels de l\'évaluation
qui se réuniront à l\'hôtel Hilton Lac-Leamy à Gatineau (Québec) au mois
d\'octobre prochain, auront l\'occasion non seulement de découvrir les
nouveautés dans le domaine de l\'évaluation mais aussi de contribuer au
développement durable.

L\'initiative a été mise de l\'avant par un comité organisateur composé
de sept membres de l\'OEAQ, dont André Morin, directeur des Services
Immobiliers, Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC).
Le comité s\'inquiète des dangers du réchauffement de la planète et est
déterminé à promouvoir des pratiques écologiques dans le domaine de
l\'évaluation. L\'écologisation des congrès est de plus en plus
favorisée par le gouvernement ainsi que d\'autres organismes, mais
l\'idée ne fait que commencer à se répandre dans les milieux
professionnels et des affaires.

Le comité organisateur du congrès de l\'OEAQ travaille d\'arrache-pied
pour que ce congrès d\'octobre 2008 soit une première. Voici quelques
idées proposées en vue de réduire les déchets et d\'économiser les
ressources pendant le congrès :

-   Choix d\'un emplacement central (Gatineau, Québec) pour minimiser le
    déplacement des participants.

-   Offrir des rabais sur les frais d\'inscription aux délégués qui
    covoiturent.

-   Fournir de l\'eau du robinet, des verres et des pichets au lieu de
    bouteilles d\'eau.

-   Proposer des repas préparés avec des aliments de la région (le
    transport des aliments sur une longue distance entraîne une grande
    consommation d\'essence).

-   Utiliser de la vaisselle au lieu d\'assiettes et verres en
    Styromousse^MD^ ou en papier.

-   Réduire la consommation de papier en fournissant la documentation
    des exposés sur des cartes-mémoires flash.

-   Utiliser du papier et d\'autres produits recyclés.

-   Inciter les délégués à réduire leur consommation, à réutiliser et à
    recycler.

-   Éteindre les lumières et les appareils quand ils ne sont pas
    utilisés.

-   Inviter des conférenciers des mouvements environnementaux du Québec
    et du Canada.

-   Tenir des ateliers sur l\'évaluation verte (évaluation des immeubles
    verts) et fournir de l\'information sur les immeubles verts.

Toutes ces mesures réduiront l\'empreinte écologique du congrès et
engendreront aussi des économies en réduisant les déchets et la
consommation d\'énergie. Les délégués seront plus conscients des mesures
que les individus et les groupes peuvent prendre pour protéger
l\'environnement. De plus, le congrès servira d\'exemple aux autres
organismes.

Les organisateurs savent bien que tenir un congrès écologique n\'est
qu\'un petit geste dans la lutte contre le réchauffement de la planète.
Mais des petits gestes peuvent mener à de plus grands et à la
prolifération de mouvements de masse. De tels gestes sur de nombreux
fronts seront nécessaires pour que la planète puisse abriter les
générations futures.

[]{.mark}

« Toutes ces mesures réduiront l\'empreinte écologique du congrès et
engendreront aussi des économies en réduisant les déchets et la
consommation d\'énergie ».

**5. [FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE]{.underline}**

> **GSA: THE GOVERNMENT'S LANDLORD---A LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE DESIGN**

(by David Winstead, Commissioner, Public Buildings Service, General
Services Administration)

The General Services Administration (GSA) Public Buildings Service (PBS)
is a leader in *\"Building Green\"* not only because of its place in the
U.S. real estate market---we own, lease and manage over 350 million
square feet of space---but because of our level of commitment to
incorporating principles of sustainable design and energy efficiency
into all of our actions, whether building new Courthouses or Land Ports
of Entry, operating buildings at ever lower levels of energy consumption
and cost, or ensuring that cleaning products we use are non-toxic. The
result is an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal and human
benefits---providing high-quality workplace solutions to a million
Federal civilian workers in 2,200 American communities.

GSA has an opportunity--and a responsibility---to lead by example and to
demonstrate how we can create sustainable buildings and reduce energy
consumption by intelligently integrating energy efficiency into building
designs while still creating places where people can work effectively.

**The Sustainability Challenge**

Since the early 1970s, sustainability has been an evolving theme for PBS
beginning with energy efficiency initiatives as a result of the oil
embargo. Shortly thereafter, the public became broadly aware of how
important buildings could be in the health of their occupants when
guests at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia contracted a
then-unknown ailment called "Legionnaires' Disease." GSA, working with
the Centers for Disease Control, helped develop many building protocols
for dealing with indoor air quality. In the early 1990s GSA created the
first program for reducing the toxicity of building cleaning products -
what the world today knows as "green cleaning." In 2001, GSA was the
first Federal agency to join the U.S. Green Building Council, and
continues to be an active participant, including sponsoring the pilot
program for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) for
Commercial Interiors, or LEED®-CI rating system. By 2005, GSA had
reduced its energy consumption by 30 percent from a 1985 baseline, and
was operating buildings with 12 percent less energy cost than comparable
private sector buildings.

We cannot rest on our laurels, though. Three recent events---the
enactment of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the President's issuance of
Executive Order 13423, "Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and
Transportation Management," and the Energy Independence and Security Act
of 2007---have raised the performance bar.

Under a newly created Office of High Performance Green Buildings, PBS is
required to incorporate sustainable design practices into all new
construction and major renovation projects as well as into 15 percent of
the existing Federal inventory by the year 2015. All new buildings and
major renovation must be designs that reduce fossil-fuel consumption by
55 percent by 2010. Also by 2010, all leases must be in buildings
earning the Energy Star® label. We must reduce energy consumption by 30
percent in just 10 years, and every new building must out-perform the
ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning
Engineers) energy standard by at least 30 percent.

In order to accomplish this mandate, we integrate sustainable design
principles as seamlessly as possible into the design, construction and
renovation of our buildings and build-to-suit leases through GSA's
Design Excellence program. We also adhere to the Guiding Principles for
Federal Leadership in High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings. They
provide a common set of sustainable principles for all Federal agencies
to follow. The principles are:

-   Employ Integrated Design Principles,

-   Optimize Energy Performance,

-   Protect and Conserve Water,

-   Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality, and

-   Reduce Environmental Impact of Materials.

Changing mindsets to embrace a whole building, integrated design
approach is a challenge, but this collaborative process allows creative
solutions that are economical, environmentally sound and innovative. GSA
has done just that, both internally and with the consultant teams we
hire. GSA continues to expand its approach to sustainable design to
think beyond current rating system constraints. \"Expanding Our
Approach,\" published by GSA in 2006, encourages thinking outside the
box. The value of this approach is reflected in our numbers, in our
buildings, and in the ratings of GSA's performance by our tenants.

**Federal Building Construction**

To measure how well we are incorporating sustainable design, PBS uses
the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® rating system, and since 2003
GSA has required that all GSA new construction projects and substantial
renovations be LEED® certified targeting a Silver rating. We have found
that LEED® is the most credible and appropriate sustainable buildings
rating system available in the United States. It is the nationally
accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high
performance green buildings.

To date, PBS has earned a LEED® rating for 23 new buildings: 10 are
government-owned buildings; 13 are build-to-suit leased buildings. Of
these, seven achieved the "Silver" level and 10 achieved "Gold." PBS has
registered another 70 buildings under the LEED® system; upon project
completion, these will be eligible for certification.

In San Francisco, GSA completed a remarkable new Federal building, the
first Federal building in the United States to use natural ventilation
instead of mechanical systems to cool and circulate air. It is a project
that captures PBS's culture of action, high performance and
accountability to sustainability. Simply put, its design is a good fit
with its location. This building was designed to exceed the most
stringent energy code in the country, California's Title 24 (Title 24,
Part 6, of the California Code of Regulations: California\'s Energy
Efficiency Standards for Residential and Nonresidential Buildings) by 20
percent. Eighty percent of the building takes advantage of natural
light. This is an important achievement for any office building, where
electric lighting typically represents 35 percent of total energy used.
The building's shape and orientation maximize natural airflow for
cooling and ventilation. And, it was designed to use only 27,000 BTUs
(British Thermal Unit) per square foot per year rather than 77,029 BTUs,
which is PBS's 2003 average energy use for Federal buildings, or nearly
89,000 BTUs per square foot per year which is the commercial average.

(photo: San Francisco Federal Building: The new San Francisco Federal
Building captures the prevailing breeze to cool offices.)

**Existing Federal Buildings**

Building reuse and historic preservation are key PBS sustainable
strategies. In 2002, PBS initiated a four-year design and construction
process to modernize the Byron G. Rogers U.S. Courthouse in Denver, CO.

Over the past 40 years, little had been done to upgrade this building\'s
systems, functions, or appearance. Prior to enhancing public service and
security of this aged-but-sturdy structure, the Denver courthouse needed
to undergo asbestos abatement as well as replacement of its entire fire
protection system. All materials covered with lead-based paints were
removed, and GSA upgraded all the courthouse's mechanical, electrical,
security and technology systems. Other sustainable features include: a
100 percent wind power purchase, increased open space with native or
adapted vegetation, reduced light pollution from low cut-off fixtures,
and use of environmentally friendly landscape maintenance practices to
protect the habitat for urban wildlife.

This \$45.8 million courthouse renovation project earned a LEED® for
Existing Buildings (LEED® -EB) Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building
Council in 2007. This project was the first LEED® Gold building for GSA
and our first LEED®-EB rated building.

> (photo: Byron Rogers Courthouse in Denver, CO)

**\
Leased Buildings**

In Denver, GSA worked with the developer, OPUS, and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), on a lease construction project for EPA's
regional headquarters office. This was a sustainable success story and
\"win-win\" for all parties. The building is designed to use one-third
less energy and water than a building of similar size and received the
first LEED® Gold rating for a new building in downtown Denver. Some of
the outstanding examples of sustainable design include: a green roof,
high efficiency and waterless plumbing fixtures, forty-eight solar
panels mounted to the building exterior, and a heating and cooling
system designed for energy and ventilation efficiency.

GSA's recent experience in the market is showing that the added cost of
building green often just is not there. We routinely procure LEED®
Silver-rated buildings for the same cost as non-rated buildings. With
increases in choices from manufacturers and more supply of green
materials coupled with increasing experience and abilities in the
building industry, costs of building responsibly are coming down.

(photo: EPA's "Green Roof")

**Energy Management Practices**

PBS encourages energy efficiency by using sustainable design principles,
purchasing cost-effective utilities, and promoting renewable energy in
the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance of all
Federal buildings and in the lease provisions of commercial properties.
By meeting all of these goals and excelling at customer service, GSA has
become the benchmark in energy programs that other real estate
organizations strive to keep up with. Since PBS's energy program\'s
inception in 1973, cost avoidance and energy conservation measures have
produced more than \$2.25 billion in savings.

**Our Commitment**

Sustainability in building design, construction and operation is
fundamental to and indivisible from our core agency mission of providing
superior workplaces for Federal customer agencies, economically to the
American taxpayer. Our goal is to lead other agencies of government and
the private sector by example. We want to be part of transforming
society's perception of building green so that it becomes the standard
way of doing business. From excavation through construction, to
occupancy and use, GSA's Public Buildings Service is committed to
creating workplaces that reduce the negative impacts on the environment,
while enhancing the health and comfort of the building occupants. For
more information, please visit our site at
[www.gsa.gov/sustainabledesign]{.underline}.

[*\
*GSA's Sustainable Design Team]{.underline}

Kevin Kampschroer, Director -- kevin.kampschroer@gsa.gov

Don Horn, Director -- donald.horn@gsa.gov

Lance Davis - lance.davis@gsa.gov

Ann Kosmal -- ann.kosmal@gsa.gov

**GSA ESTABLISHES OFFICE OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE FEDERAL GREEN BUILDINGS**

Congress enacted the \"Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007\" in
December 2007. This new legislation gives GSA a considerable
responsibility and challenges the agency to make energy conservation and
sustainable design mainstream in Federal buildings. This includes
establishing an **Office of High-Performance Federal Green Buildings**
within the Public Buildings Service (PBS). The newly created office will
have responsibility over all Federal buildings, working with the
Department of Energy\'s office that will do the same for commercial
buildings. Its mission is to ensure Federal buildings are meeting
sustainable design and energy-reduction targets mandated by the
legislation. Kevin Kampschroer, GSA PBS's Director of Research and
Expert Services, will serve as the acting head of the office. He has
been leading PBS\' efforts to date in this area.

**COMPELLING BENEFITS OF GOING GREEN: \"HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING
PERSPECTIVES AND PRACTICE\"**

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC) have partnered to produce a compelling film, \"High Performance
Building Perspectives and Practice,\" that documents the business case
for building green. Thirteen LEED® projects (including the General
Services Administration\'s (GSA) San Francisco Federal Building) are
profiled. This film features interviews with the CEOs, business
executives, developers, school administrators, government officials
(including Commissioner David Winstead of GSA\'s Public Buildings
Service), building managers, and design professionals who recognize the
real benefits of going green. Visit the website www.bet.rmi.org/video to
view the video.

**6. [ENERGY METERING]{.underline}**

**ENERGY METERING AND NATIONWIDE MONITORING\
** (by Mark Ewing, Energy Center of Expertise, GSA Public Buildings
Services, mark.ewing@gsa.gov)

**Advanced Energy Metering - Savings for the Future**

As the electric utility industry restructures, standard supply side
electric utility services have changed dramatically. The General
Services Administration (GSA), as a retail customer can now buy
electricity from a number of power marketers or directly from the system
operator. In this environment, GSA can shop around for the lowest price
electricity. Unfortunately, there is a catch. Shopping around means that
you have to become an educated consumer.

The emerging electricity market will be similar to long distance
telecommunications after it was deregulated. Today's long distance
callers have to do more work to get the best service. First, you must
know your usage patterns. Second, you must compare various company
programs and determine the best value. Finally, you have to stay within
the optimal conditions of your plan. Energy companies will market
services the same way.

Remember the long distance telecommunication company that packaged a
special rate around a customer's small circle of most frequently called
friends and family? There are also programs just for weekend usage. In
essence, the long distance calling companies are requiring you to know
your usage patterns and are offering reduced rates reflecting your
commitments to these patterns. These programs serve a dual purpose of
serving the customer and the provider. In a similar fashion, power
marketers operating under the new competitive environment will market to
smarter customers who are exercising greater energy usage discretion
than ever before. There will be many programs, all of which require the
energy consumer to know more about their consumption needs.

**This is where advanced metering comes into play.**

Under the new marketplace, Power Marketers (the new electricity
salesperson) will prefer to have customers with stable power
requirements that do not fluctuate, or in the case of office buildings,
avoid peaking at mid day. Office buildings with sharp peak requirements
typically have what the electric industry refers to as low or poor load
factors. Power Marketers prefer selling to facilities that require
consistent amounts of energy over 24 hours so they can predict
production. This is because power generators can no longer fall back on
State controlled Public Utility Companies (PUC) to bail them out when
they make bad operating decisions and lose money. This new vulnerability
has had unfortunate consequences. Without PUC support, utilities become
direct competitors for customers and are increasingly avoiding
investments that hurt their competitiveness. In addition to building new
generation plants, examples of stranded costs include maintenance of
transmission and distribution lines and generating excess power capacity
when there is little actual demand from customers. Currently, utilities
are required to have enough power capacity on line all year to meet
everyone's potential power needs on the hottest day in August and rates
were established by the PUC to cover these costs. Under the new
environment, the marketplace will dictate the capacity available and the
price at which it will be offered. Under this environment, a building's
electrical consumption profile becomes extremely important in terms of
attracting the best value price.

In response to this new reality, GSA's Energy Center modified its energy
efficiency investment strategy to favor technologies that improve a
building's load profile while still reducing energy consumption.

While there are similarities in the various State programs, significant
differences are emerging in terms of the competitive rules specifying
customer eligibility according to size, duration, flexibility, billing,
and metering. An important feature of GSA's advanced metering
implementation plan is that our demand-side management investments
provide an overarching strategy to deal with this problem.

Historically, utilities have cooperated with each other to supplement
power requirements, but recent developments associated with
restructuring have caused utilities to view each other as competitors.
As newfound competitors, the nation's electric utilities stop working
together, and coordination to maintain the electric grid breaks down.
Deregulated states are reacting to this problem by establishing market
exchanges that attempt to manage the grid by posting prices for a
kilowatt-hour (kWh). When demand is high and near capacity, a high price
is posted to either curtail load or encourage generators to risk
bringing on more capacity. The only problem with this solution is that
customers find themselves under what the industry terms real-time
pricing. This pricing structure poses a serious problem to office
building operations. To avoid tremendously expensive hourly rates,
buildings must be able to curtail load during the most popular hours
between 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

In general, all Federal agencies are operating under tight budget
restraints and cannot afford to have utility bills fluctuate
dramatically. In the past, GSA has been proud of the fact that our
buildings outperform our industry counterparts in terms of utility costs
per square foot. Realizing that fluctuating utility budgets are a
significant possibility under electric restructuring, the Energy Center
has moved to keep this performance within acceptable levels.

**GSA is currently in the second year of its Advanced Metering
Implementation Plan.**

This plan provides advanced metering capabilities for physically large
facilities to reduce energy costs by taking advantage of demand response
programs.

Advanced metering is a necessary component of market-based demand
response programs. This technology provides real-time information to
facility operators, letting them know when to curtail energy
consumption. This capability helps GSA overall to minimize its financial
risks due to high energy costs. GSA can also take advantage of utilizing
financial incentives from energy companies for reducing energy demand at
opportune times.

GSA could save \$58.2 million by participating in market-based demand
response programs that are emerging due to deregulation of the
electricity industry. In order to provide necessary information to
facility managers and to account for/document participation, advanced
meters will be necessary.

GSA has opted to utilize a centralized approach to data collection,
analysis and reporting of advanced metering data which is collected
every five minutes. This approach will simplify these functions and
allow for a uniform reporting appearance to individual users and
regions. Most importantly, system users will be able to monitor a
building's electricity usage in real time from any location and/or
organizational level of GSA.

The system selected provides individual users quick access to customized
screens, delivering up-to-the-minute data consistent with their needs.
The system will utilize the existing wide area network (WAN)
infrastructure to transmit data from field devices to the server(s).
Data storage and warehousing will be handled by the GSA National Capital
Region's information technology staff under an agreement with the Energy
Center of Expertise.

Field devices will be funded by the Energy Center on a prioritized
schedule, using funds approved for metering in GSA's annual budget. The
priorities will be established based on three factors: (1) total annual
cost of electricity (most recent 12-month period); (2) annual
electricity use per GSF (gross square foot); (3) annual electricity
consumption. Similar to investments in energy projects, the funds will
be provided to the regions for this purpose.

The system will be integrated with the GSA Energy Usage Analysis System
(EUAS) in order to provide a familiar reporting engine with up-to-date
information. By integrating the databases, GSA will have an automated
bill verification system that will alert the government to billing
discrepancies.

The system will be deployed over several years, with completion
occurring in fiscal year 2012. The end result will be a fully functional
energy information system for all levels of associates.

**Conclusion**

In conclusion, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 directs
GSA to install advanced metering devices for steam and natural gas in
addition to electricity consumption. We will be doing that over the next
few years, depending on funding. We started installing advanced meters
in the Washington, D.C. and New York areas even before the law required
us to do so. In the long run, advanced meters will save money by
allowing us to manage power consumption more strategically. For example,
GSA was able to contribute to the electrical management in the
Washington area last summer by "shedding load" -- sometimes allowing
buildings to get a little warmer and more humid in the late afternoon --
and thus, we helped avert major brown-outs in this area. Perhaps more
importantly, advanced metering will help us buy power at better prices,
because we will know our use patterns.

***\
*In the long run, advanced meters will save money by allowing us to
manage power consumption more strategically.**

**7. [GREEN ROOFTOPS]{.underline}**

**CANADA\'S PWGSC TAKES GREENING GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TO \"NEW
HEIGHTS\"\
**(provided by Jean-Claude Grant, Project Manager, **Public Works and
Government Services Canada (PWGSC)**)

> Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is dedicated to
> reducing the environmental footprints of its buildings.
>
> As the buyer and property manager for the Government of Canada, PWGSC
> plays a leading role in sustainable development and is committed to
> ensuring a cleaner environment. This commitment was taken to new
> heights by greening the rooftop of the CD Howe Building in downtown
> Ottawa.

The **CD Howe Building**, a 30-year-old, 13-story office and retail
complex that occupies a full city block, provides accommodation for more
than 3,500 employees. It is the corporate headquarters for Industry
Canada and the Office of the Auditor General and Commissioner of the
Environment and Sustainable Development of Canada. PWGSC and the
building owner, Tempest 240 Sparks Inc., are currently mid-way through
an eight-year integrated recapitalization program of works comprising
base building upgrades, office space modernization and retail space
renewal with sustainability as a prime driver in project planning and
delivery.

When PWGSC and Tempest evaluated the replacement of the 6,000 m2 (square
meter) (64,583 square feet) roof, a green roof was recommended. The roof
now grows indigenous flowers, grasses and shrubs and manages to achieve
that delicate harmony between urban and environmental needs. In fact,
more than 30 percent of the roof is landscaped and another 30 percent
uses green roof technology. The new green roof not only addresses a wide
range of environmental concerns including energy conservation, storm
water management, biodiversity and air quality, but it also provides the
occupants new landscaped, tranquil outdoor spaces and even wildlife
refuge!

The project was completed within its approved budget of \$3.5 million,
within its original scope and within its nine-month schedule in an
occupied building. It is the **first office building green roof in
downtown Ottawa** and thus contributes to making the Federal government
a model of environmental excellence in its own operations. PWGSC
Minister Fortier mentioned during the official opening on June 6, 2006,
"It can serve as a model for future roof renovations".

The CD Howe Building green roof has generated much interest and
enthusiasm from building occupants and visitors alike. Two rooftop
gardens offer relaxing green space - hard to find in the concrete core
of downtown. "This roof is a very nice place to take a break from the
hectic workday, and it's good for the environment. I wish our building
had one too", said one visitor. The CD Howe Building green roof project
has been featured in local newspapers and PWGSC's publications.

In 2006, the CD Howe Building green roof project team was honored with
the *PWGSC Greening Government Ministerial Award* for their commitment
to environmental sustainability. The Real Property Institute of Canada
also recognized the uniqueness of the project with its *Best Practices
Award*.

> (photo: **[CD Howe Building]{.underline}** - is a 13-story 148,400 m2
> (1,597,364 square feet) office and retail complex that occupies a full
> city block in downtown Ottawa. Built in 1977, this lease purchase
> asset is one of the Crown's major office holdings, providing
> accommodation for more than 3,500 employees. It is the corporate
> headquarters for Industry Canada and the Office of the Auditor General
> and Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development of
> Canada.

([photo:]{.underline} Project team members at the The Real Property
Institute of Canada *Best Practices Award*. *(from l-r)* John Verity,
Guylaine Tessier, Don Lacelle, Jean-Claude Grant, Chris Jalkotzy. (Not
pictured: Miao Tsai))

### [Project Team Members]{.underline}

**Jean-Claude Grant**, Project Manager

Tel. 613-990-7726, Fax 613-990-9800

jean-claude.grant@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Miao Tsai**, Senior Project Manager

Tel. 613-998-1296, Fax 613-990-9800

miao.tsai@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Chris Jalkotzy**, Sustainable Development Technical Specialist

Tel. 613-993-5994, Fax 613-993-6614

chris.jalkotzy@pwgsc.gc.ca

**John Verity**, Senior Architect

Tel. 819-956-2581

john.verity@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Guylaine Tessier**, Property and Facility Manager

Tel. 613-948-3070, Fax 613-946-9529

guylaine.tessier@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Don Lacelle**, Project Leader

Tel. 819-956-7225

don.lacelle@pwgsc.gc.ca

> (Following article: French translation of previous article - CANADA\'S
> PWGSC TAKES GREENING GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TO \"NEW HEIGHTS\")

**[LES TOITS VERTS]{.underline}**

**TPSGC DU CANADA PORTE L\'ÉCOLOGISATION DES OPÉRATIONS GOUVERNEMENTALES
VERS DE « NOUVEAUX SOMMETS »**\
(fourni par Jean-Claude Grant, chef de projets, **Travaux publics et
Services gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC)**)

> **Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC) s\'engage
> à réduire l\'empreinte écologique de ses immeubles.**
>
> À titre d'acheteur et de gestionnaire immobilier du gouvernement du
> Canada, TPSGC joue un rôle de premier plan dans le domaine du
> développement durable et s\'engage à offrir un environnement plus
> propre. Cet engagement a été porté vers de nouveaux sommets avec
> l\'écologisation du toit de l\'immeuble CD Howe au centre-ville
> d\'Ottawa.

L\'**immeuble CD Howe**, un complexe de bureaux et un centre commercial
de 30 ans, comptant 13 étages et occupant un pâté de maisons entier,
héberge pour plus de 3 500 employés. C\'est le siège social d\'Industrie
Canada et du Bureau du vérificateur général et du commissaire à
l'environnement et au développement durable du Canada. TPSGC et le
propriétaire de l\'immeuble, Tempest 240 Sparks Inc., en sont
actuellement à la moitié d\'un programme intégré de réfection de huit
ans qui prévoit des travaux comprenant des mises à niveau d\'immeuble de
base, la modernisation d\'espace de bureau et la rénovation de centres
commerciaux avec la durabilité comme premier vecteur de la planification
et la livraison du projet.

Quand TPSGC et Tempest ont évalué le remplacement des 6 000 m2 (mètre
carré) (64 583 pieds carrés) du toit, ils ont conseillé un toit vert.
Maintenant sur le toit, poussent des fleurs, des graminées et des
arbustes indigènes et l\'harmonie délicate entre les besoins urbains et
environnementaux a été atteinte. De fait, plus de 30 pour cent de la
surface du toit est paysagée et un autre 30 pour cent utilise la
technologie du toit vert. Le nouveau toit vert répond non seulement à un
large éventail de préoccupations sur l\'environnement dont la
conservation de l\'énergie, la gestion de l\'eau de pluie, la
biodiversité et la qualité de l\'air, mais il fournit également aux
occupants de nouveaux espaces en plein air, aménagés et paisibles.

Le projet a été achevé conformément au budget approuvé de 3,5 millions
de dollars, dans sa portée initiale, dans un délai de neuf mois et dans
un immeuble occupé. C\'est le premier immeuble de bureaux avec un toit
vert au centre-ville d\'Ottawa et qui par conséquent contribue à faire
du gouvernement fédéral un modèle d\'excellence environnementale dans
ses propres activités. Pendant l\'inauguration officielle du 6 juin
2006, le ministre du TPSGC, M. Fortier a mentionné : « celui-ci pourra
servir de modèle lors de la rénovation du toit d'autres immeubles
fédéraux ».

Le toit vert de l\'immeuble CD Howe a généré beaucoup d\'intérêt et de
ferveur que ce soit des occupants de l\'immeuble ou des visiteurs. Deux
jardins sur le toit offrent un espace vert reposant - difficile à
trouver dans le cœur de béton du centre-ville. « Ce toit est un très bel
endroit pour faire une pause pendant une journée de travail intense et
c\'est bon pour l\'environnement. J\'aimerais que notre immeuble en ait
un aussi », a déclaré un visiteur. Le projet de toit vert de l\'immeuble
CD Howe a été présenté dans des journaux locaux et dans des publications
du TPSGC.

En 2006, l\'équipe de projet de toit vert de l\'immeuble CD Howe a été
honorée en recevant le *prix de l'écologisation du ministre de TPSGC*
pour son engagement envers la durabilité écologique. L'Institut des
biens immobiliers du Canada a aussi reconnu la singularité du projet
avec son *prix Pratiques exemplaires*.

(photo: L\'**[immeuble CD Howe]{.underline}** - est un complexe de
bureaux et un centre commercial de 13 étages et de 148 400 m2 (1 597 364
pieds carrés) qui occupe un pâté de maisons entier au centre-ville
d\'Ottawa. Construit en 1977, cet actif en location-acquisition est
l\'un des complexes de bureaux les plus importants de la Couronne,
hébergeant plus de 3 500 employés. Il abrite le siège social
d\'Industrie Canada et du Bureau du vérificateur général et du
commissaire à l'environnement et au développement durable du Canada.)

(photo: Les membres de l\'équipe de projet à l\'Institut des biens
immobiliers du Canada

*recevant le prix Pratiques exemplaires*. *(de la droite vers la
gauche)* John Verity, Guylaine Tessier, Don Lacelle, Jean-Claude Grant,
Chris Jalkotzy. (Ne figure pas sur la photo : Miao Tsai))

### [Les membres de l\'équipe de projet]{.underline}

**Jean-Claude Grant**, chef de projets

Tél. 613-990-7726, Télécopieur 613-990-9800

jean-claude.grant@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Miao Tsai**, chef de projets principal

Tél. 613-998-1296, Télécopieur 613-990-9800

miao.tsai@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Chris Jalkotzy**, spécialiste technique du développement durable

Tél. 613-993-5994, Télécopieur 613-993-6614

chris.jalkotzy@pwgsc.gc.ca

**John Verity**, architecte principal

Tél. 819-956-2581

john.verity@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Guylaine Tessier**, chef du service de la gestion des immeubles

Tél. 613-948-3070, Télécopieur 613-946-9529

guylaine.tessier@pwgsc.gc.ca

**Don Lacelle**, maître d\'œuvre

Tél. 819-956-7225

don.lacelle@pwgsc.gc.ca

**8. [LEGISLATIVE REFORM]{.underline}**

**HIGH PERFORMANCE GREEN BUILDINGS LEGISLATION \"RAISES THE BAR\"**

(by Haydee Iglesias, GSA Office of Real Property Management,
haydee.iglesias@gsa.gov)

**Raising the Bar: \"This bill, in conjunction with EO 13423 \... will
increase energy security and make this country stronger, safer and
cleaner for future generations.\"**

During the 110th Congress, energy conservation has been a priority and
12 bills, six in the Senate and six in the House, were introduced to
help reduce America\'s dependence on oil including ways to improve the
efficiency in the Federal government through the use of high-performance
green buildings. On December 19, 2007, Congress enacted a comprehensive
bill which was signed by the President: HR 6 - **Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007** (Energy Act) (Public Law 110-140).

This bill, in conjunction with Executive Order (EO) 13423 signed by
President on January 24, 2007, to strengthen the environmental, energy,
and transportation management of Federal agencies, will increase energy
security and make this country stronger, safer and cleaner for future
generations.

The Energy Act moves the United States toward greater energy
independence and security by reducing our dependence on oil, expanding
the production of clean renewable fuels, and confronting global climate.
Additionally, the bill will impact the management of Federal buildings
as it seeks to improve the energy performance of the Federal government
through the establishment within the General Services Administration of
the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings (OHPGB). The
OHPGB will be managed by a Senior Executive Service Director to promote
green building technology implementation in Federal buildings.

The newly created OHPGB will require its Director to: (1) report
biennially to Congress on green building initiatives; (2) identify a
standard most likely to encourage a comprehensive and
environmentally-sound approach to certification of green buildings; (3)
establish the Green Building Advisory Committee; (4) establish a
national high-performance green building information clearinghouse; (5)
develop a high-performance green building research plan; (6) implement a
Federal facilities indoor air quality program to ensure occupant safety;
and (7) analyze budget and contracting practices that affect
high-performance green buildings, including barriers to green building
life-cycle costing and budgetary issues.

For Federal buildings, the Energy Act specifically creates new energy
efficiency standards; it sets as a goal to cut their energy use 30
percent by 2015, and requires new and renovated Federal buildings to
significantly reduce their reliance on energy from fossil fuels.
Compared with existing Federal buildings, Federal buildings built or
renovated in 2010 must cut their fossil-fuel dependency by 55 percent,
and by 2030, new or renovated Federal buildings must eliminate their use
of fossil fuel energy. The bill:

-   Authorizes the use of Energy Saving Performance Contracts,

-   Updates the authorization for the Department of Energy\'s Industrial
    Technologies Program,

-   Authorizes a Commercial Building Initiative, and

-   Contains new provisions to promote combined heat and power, recycled
    energy, and district energy systems.

On the ongoing efforts to enhance energy conservation and efficiency in
Federal buildings, this bill also includes provisions to improve energy
efficiency in lighting and appliances, as well as requirements for
Federal agency efficiency and renewable energy use that will help reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. To meet these new standards the bill will:

-   Require all general purpose lighting in Federal buildings to use
    Energy Star® products or products designated under the Department of
    Energy\'s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) by the end of
    fiscal year 2013, and

-   Update the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to set new appliance
    efficiency standards that will save Americans money and energy.

Finally, the Energy Act seeks to help reduce America\'s dependence on
oil by setting out a comprehensive energy strategy for the 21st century
which includes:

-   Increasing the supply of alternative fuel sources by setting a
    mandatory Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) requiring fuel producers to
    use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuels in 2022, and

-   Reducing U.S. demand for oil by setting a national fuel economy
    standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 -- which will increase fuel
    economy standards by 40 percent and save billions of gallons of
    fuel. 

The implementation of energy savings in government and public
institutions, improved vehicle fuel economy standard and vehicle
technology, Federal fleet conservation requirement, increases in the
production of biofuels, energy savings through improved standards for
appliance and lighting, accelerated research and development in other
energy forms, carbon capture and sequestration research will allow the
United States to reduce projected CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions by
billions of metric tons and advance the country\'s commitment to climate
change.

**\
9. [PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TOOLS]{.underline}**

**\"GREENING OUR U.S. EMBASSIES\"**

**Measuring and Reporting Compliance with EO 13423 and Other Federal
Mandates *- Agencies with Large Portfolios***

(By Donna McIntire, Architect, LEED® AP, Sustainability Program Manager,
Overseas Buildings Operations, Department of State,
McIntireDM@state.gov)

(Photo: Embassy Panama City, Panama, Second LEED® Certified U.S. Embassy
2008)

Recent Federal mandates such as the Energy Independence and Security Act
(EIS Act) of 2007, Executive Order (EO) 13423 - Strengthening Federal
Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management and the Federal
Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings -- Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) all call for the measurement and reporting of
energy and water use by Federal buildings.

Many agencies are struggling to benchmark their facilities and comply
with the targets set by these new mandates, and those agencies with
large and diverse portfolios are particularly challenged. The Department
of State is one such agency.

The Department of State\'s Overseas Buildings Operations Bureau (OBO)
manages Federally owned and leased property in over 257 locations around
the world in over 18,000 buildings totaling over 117 million square
feet, in a very diverse set of building types ranging from embassies,
consulates, and residences to warehouses and wastewater treatment
plants. OBO established the Energy and Sustainable Design Program
(GreenTeam) as a catalyst for compliance with the aggressive energy
targets set by EO 13423 and EIS Act, such as 30 percent use reduction by
2015 and 100 percent by 2030.

**How to begin?** Create a tool to collect, store, and report on the
portfolio.

Title IV -- Energy Savings in Buildings and Industry, Subtitle C -- High
Performance Federal Buildings, Section 432 -- Management of Energy and
Water Efficiency in Federal Buildings of EIS Act, signed by President
Bush on December 19, 2007, requires web-based tracking systems be used
for monitoring compliance status. While many agencies may choose to use
the Energy Star® Portfolio Manager to fulfill this requirement, OBO has
developed its own database linked to the Real Property Database through
building identification numbers, for the purpose of identifying problem
areas and for prioritizing of projects. To better understand energy
expenditures and issues of sustainability within OBO's portfolio, a
worldwide Sustainability Survey for fiscal year (FY) 2007 was conducted
that included a myriad of questions ranging from reporting utilities'
consumption and cost to issues of indoor air quality, recycling, and
site flooding and erosion. Information will be gathered annually and
deposited into the database. The FY 2007 report revealed which posts are
using the greatest amount of energy and water and which are paying the
most per BTU (British Thermal Unit) and per liter. The report shows
consumption according to the number of square meters (m2) being
supported and by the number of Full-Time-Equivalents (FTE) supported.
These measures give OBO benchmarks, similar to those of Energy Star®
Portfolio Manager, indicating which posts are above or below the mean
use and cost. (See Chart showing Greening Embassies Energy Use by m2
(square meter) and FTE (full time equivalent))

(Chart: showing Greening Embassies Energy Use by m2 (square meter) and
FTE (full time equivalent)

**How to measure?** Individual building metering of utilities is
required.

Section 432 of EIS Act requires that 75 percent of each agency's
facilities be evaluated for energy and water use. This is to be
accomplished on a rolling calendar with 25 percent evaluated each year.
For OBO this translates to 193 posts *(75 percent of 257)* and 48 posts
per year *(25 percent of 193)*. Many of OBO's compounds have multiple
buildings with only one meter. Section 103 of the Energy Policy Act of
2005 requires individual building metering for all utilities to support
accurate reporting for EO 13423 and EIS Act. OBO is initiating a systems
metering program to increase building metering worldwide.

**How to fund improvements?** Funding doesn't have to come from capital
appropriations.

Section 432 of EIS Act specifically states that private financing
through Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC) or Utility Energy
Service Contracts (UESC) are acceptable funding options. ESPCs allow
private companies to pay for the project's first cost and be reimbursed
through the savings realized from the success of the project over a
period of time. Once the project is paid for, then the owner reaps the
benefits of the savings directly. ESPCs have been used by OBO for a
decade, on such projects as:

-   Mexico City (\$578,000 lighting 1999) nine-year contract completed
    in 2006;

-   Seoul (\$12,500,000 geothermal 2001) 19-year contract required
    \$750,000 buy-down;

-   Santo Domingo (\$721,000 lighting 2005) 10-year contract; and

-   Dhaka (\$725,000 gas turbine generators 2007) 11-year contract.

Implementing this type of contract overseas has the unusual obstacles of
exchange rate fluctuations, utility rate instability, and bi-annual
rotations in posts\' management. The Department of Energy's Federal
Energy Management Program (DOE/FEMP) offers agencies support with ESPC
development and use of their pre-competed, indefinite quantity
contractors specifically approved as energy service companies. OBO is
looking to substantially increase the use of ESPCs to meet the targets
of the Federal mandates.

**\
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TOOLS THAT IMPROVE BUILDINGS\' LIFE
CYCLE MANAGEMENT\
**(provided by Vanessa Martin, Communications Advisor, and Jenna Craig,
Sustainable Development Officer, **Public Works and Government Services
Canada (PWGSC)**)

# PWGSC a \"LEEDer\" in Sustainable Construction

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) is working to
incorporate sustainable development considerations into the very fabric
of its business, and relies on two assessment tools, developed and
embraced by industry, to improve the way it manages and operates its
portfolio of office buildings: the Canada Green Building Council's
(CaGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), and the
Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Canada's Go Green Plus.

The department's environmental commitments for buildings are
comprehensive in scope, encompassing new construction, major
renovations, existing office buildings, leased space and heritage
buildings. The tools are used in all of those structures to assess key
environmental aspects. They provide an effective and consistent
framework for gauging sustainable design and performance, and help guide
the decision-making process during the design, operation and maintenance
phases, leading to a more environmentally friendly portfolio.

# Canada Green Building Council's (CaGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

LEED certification distinguishes building projects that meet the
highest performance standards in five key areas: sustainable sites;
water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; materials and resources; and,
indoor environmental quality. The certification process is flexible
enough to apply to a wide range of building projects, and PWGSC has
committed to meeting CaGBC's LEED Canada-NC (New Construction) Gold
standard for new construction and long-term leases and LEED Canada-NC
Silver standard for major renovations. By doing so, the department also
committed to integrating environmental considerations into the
decision-making process behind each new construction or renovation
project it carries out.

**Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Canada's Go Green
Plus**

PWGSC's interest in BOMA Canada's Go Green Plus stems from its ability
to integrate environmental considerations into the management of a
building portfolio. Since April 2007, PWGSC has been using the tool to
evaluate the environmental performance of Federally-owned office
buildings in six key aspects: energy; water; resources (waste reduction
and recycling); emissions, effluents and other impacts; indoor
environment; and, environmental management (purchasing policy; tenant
awareness). All Federally-owned office buildings will have been assessed
within three years.

BOMA Canada's Go Green Plus complements PWGSC's efforts to improve the
environmental performance of its building portfolio. The assessments
provide real-time feedback on a building's current performance, identify
areas where improvements could be made, and can provide a projected
outcome of those improvements. Assessment results can also be used to
compare portfolio performance with Canadian industry benchmarks and
establish a relative understanding of where the performance ranks. PWGSC
will be able to forecast the reduced environmental footprint of its
buildings and adapt operation and maintenance-related activities at any
point in the building's life cycle to achieve the desired performance
results and improve ranking.

Here are two examples of how PWGSC uses these tools to improve the
environmental performance and life-cycle management of its building
portfolio:

(photo: Greenstone Building, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT)
(LEED Canada-NC 1.0 Gold -- July 31, 2007))(Photo credit: PWGSC)

(photo: Greenstone Building, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
(NWT))(Photo credit: Manasc Isaac Architects Ltd)

This four-story office building in Yellowknife, NWT, was the first
office building north of the 60th parallel to achieve LEED Canada-NC
1.0 Gold certification. By designing the building with that target in
mind, specific environmental factors were integrated into the design and
construction phases, including a south-facing photovoltaic exterior
curtain wall to generate energy; water-saving urinals, toilets and
showers; and, diverting over 80 percent of construction waste from
landfills through recycling.

The aim of attaining LEED certification was the driving factor behind
other decisions too. A life-cycle analysis was carried out during the
design phase and a green education program was developed for use
throughout the life of the building. Features such as water-efficient
landscaping, thermal comfort monitoring and a commitment to energy
consumption savings of 53 percent will help ensure that the building is
managed in an environmentally friendly way for the duration of its life.

(photo: Alvin Hamilton Building, Regina, Saskatchewan, (LEED Canada-NC
1.0 Silver -- July 19, 2007)) (Photo credit: PWGSC)

(photo: Alvin Hamilton Building Atrium, Regina, Saskatchewan)(Photo
credit: PWGSC)

Originally built in 1968 as a retail establishment, this building has
undergone a dramatic transformation and is the Federal government's
first major renovation project to achieve LEED Canada-NC 1.0 Silver
certification. The goal of achieving LEED Silver certification drove
the project from planning to completion. Plans focused so significantly
on reducing, reusing and recycling that 78 percent of the original
structure and shell were re-used in the new building, and 77 percent of
the onsite construction waste was diverted from landfills. Replacing the
old windows and walls with high-efficiency ones guarantees reduced
heating and cooling loss, while water-saving toilets and urinals provide
a savings of more than 47 percent over standard practice. For the longer
term, there is a Green Housekeeping Policy requiring tenants to only use
environmentally friendly cleaning products that reduce the environmental
footprint of the building's operations. Best of all, green power sources
meet 50 percent of the building's needs, ensuring this building is one
of the greenest in PWGSC's portfolio. The LEED tool and its incentive
to set the bar high are directly responsible for these environmental
performance factors playing such a key role in this renovation project.

**GSA COST PER PERSON MODEL**

The General Services Administration (GSA) is the Federal Government's
advocate for comprehensive sustainability and asset management. Across
the Federal Government, managers have implemented asset management and
sustainability programs to support these efforts. As a result of this
continuous effort, the GSA Cost Per Person Model (CPPM) was created.

**What is the Cost Per Person Model?** The GSA Cost Per Person Model is
a Microsoft Excel-based planning tool that assesses workspace policy and
identifies cost savings opportunities in the areas of workspace,
information technology, telecommunications and alternative work
environments (such as telework). The CPPM also enables users to analyze
the cost trade-off between greater use of telework and reduced office
space in a facility. By encouraging its users to consider cost factors
beyond the traditional cost per square foot paradigm, the CPPM
facilitates more informed decision-making and increased cost savings.

**How can you receive further information**? For further information and
to obtain a [FREE]{.underline} copy of the CPPM, visit or website at
gsa.gov/cppmodel or contact Nadine Burns at nadine.burns@gsa.gov

(photo: screenshot of www.gsa.gov/cppmodel website)

(Following article: French translation of previous article -
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT TOOLS THAT IMPROVE BUILDINGS\' LIFE
CYCLE MANAGEMENT)

**[OUTILS D\'ÉVALUATION DU RENDEMENT]{.underline}**

**OUTILS D\'ÉVALUATION DU RENDEMENT ENVIRONNEMENTAL QUI AMÉLIORENT LA
GESTION DU CYCLE DE VIE DES IMMEUBLES**\
(fourni par Vanessa Martin, conseillère en communication et Jenna Craig,
agente de développement durable, **Travaux publics et Services
gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC)**)

# TPSGC un \"LEEDer\" en construction durable

Travaux publics et Services gouvernementaux Canada (TPSGC) essaie
d\'incorporer des composantes liées au développement durable au sein
même de ses activités et s\'en remet à deux outils d\'évaluation,
élaborés et adoptés par l\'industrie, pour améliorer la manière de gérer
et d\'exploiter son portefeuille immobilier : Le LEED^MD^ (qui signifie
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) par le Conseil du
bâtiment durable du Canada (CBDCa) ^MD^ et le Visez vert Plus par la
Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) du Canada.

Les engagements en matière d\'environnement du ministère pour les
immeubles ont une portée globale, englobant les nouvelles constructions,
les rénovations importantes, les immeubles de bureaux existants, les
locaux loués et les édifices patrimoniaux. Les outils sont utilisés dans
toutes ces structures pour évaluer les principaux aspects
environnementaux. Ils fournissent un cadre efficace et cohérent pour
évaluer la conception et le rendement durable et guident le processus
décisionnel pendant les phases de conception, d\'opération et de
maintenance, conduisant à un portefeuille inoffensif sur le plan
écologique.

# Le LEED^MD^ (qui signifie Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) par le Conseil du bâtiment durable du Canada (CBDCa^MD^)

La certification LEED^MD^ distingue les projets d\'aménagement
d\'immeubles qui répondent aux normes de rendement les plus rigoureuses
dans cinq aspects clés : sites durables, efficacité de la consommation
de l\'eau, énergie et air, matériaux et ressources et qualité de
l\'environnement à l\'intérieur. Le processus de certification est
suffisamment souple pour s\'appliquer à une vaste gamme de projets
d\'aménagement d\'immeubles, et TPSGC s\'est engagé respecter les normes
« LEED Gold » ^MD^ Canada-NC (Nouvelle Construction) du CBDCa pour les
nouvelles constructions et les locations à long terme et aux normes «
LEED Silver » ^MD^ Canada-NC pour les rénovations importantes. Ce
faisant, le ministère s\'est aussi engagé à intégrer des considérations
environnementales dans le processus décisionnel de chaque nouveau projet
de construction ou de rénovation qu\'il réalise.

**Visez vert Plus de Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
Canada**

L\'intérêt de TPSGC dans le programme Visez vert Plus de BOMA Canada
découle de sa capacité à intégrer des considérations environnementales
dans la gestion du portefeuille d\'immeubles. Depuis le mois d\'avril
2007, TPSGC a utilisé l\'outil pour évaluer le rendement environnemental
des immeubles de bureaux fédéraux sur six principaux aspects :
l\'énergie, l\'eau, les ressources (réduction et recyclage des déchets),
les conséquences des émissions, des effluents et autres,
l\'environnement à l\'intérieur et la gestion de l\'environnement
(politique d\'achat, connaissance des locataires). Tous les immeubles de
bureaux fédéraux seront évalués d\'ici trois ans.

Le programme Visez vert Plus de BOMA Canada est un complément aux
efforts entrepris par TPSGC pour améliorer le rendement environnemental
de son portefeuille d\'immeubles. Les évaluations fournissent une
rétroaction en temps réel du rendement actuel d\'un immeuble,
identifient les aspects à améliorer et peuvent fournir le résultat
attendu de ces améliorations. Les résultats des évaluations peuvent
également servir à comparer le rendement du portefeuille aux points de
repère de l\'industrie canadienne et à établir une compréhension
relative du classement du rendement. TPSGC pourra estimer la réduction
de l\'empreinte écologique de ses immeubles et adapter les activités
d\'exploitation et de maintenance à n\'importe quel moment dans le cycle
de vie de l\'immeuble, afin d\'atteindre les résultats désirés en
matière de rendement et d\'améliorer le classement.

Voici deux exemples sur la manière dont TPSGC utilise ces outils pour
améliorer le rendement environnemental et la gestion du cycle de vie de
son portefeuille d\'immeubles :

(photo: L\'immeuble Greenstone, Yellowknife, Territoires-du-Nord-Ouest
(T.-N.-O.) (« LEED^MD^ Gold » Canada-NC 1.0 -- 31 juillet 2007))
(Mention de source : TPSGC)

(photo: L\'immeuble Greenstone Atrium,
Yellowknife,Territoires-du-Nord-Ouest (T.-N.-O.) (Mention de source :
Manasc Isaac Architects Ltd)

Cet immeuble de bureaux de quatre étages situé à Yellowknife, T.-N.-O.,
était le premier immeuble de bureaux au nord du 60e parallèle à recevoir
la certification « LEED Gold » ^MD^ Canada-NC 1.0. En concevant
l\'immeuble avec cet objectif en tête, des facteurs environnementaux
spécifiques ont été intégrés dans les phases de conception et de
construction, en outre un mur de courtine avec un module photovoltaïque
extérieur sur le côté sud pour générer de l\'énergie; des urinoirs, des
toilettes et des douches économes en eau; et détournement de plus de 80
pour cent des déchets de construction des sites d\'enfouissement en
pratiquant le recyclage.

L\'objectif d\'atteindre la certification LEED ^MD^ était aussi le
facteur déterminant qui a motivé d\'autres décisions. Une analyse du
cycle de vie a été réalisée pendant la phase de conception et un
programme éducatif vert a été élaboré en vue d\'être utilisé tout au
long de la vie de l\'immeuble. Des caractéristiques telles que
l\'aménagement paysager économique en eau, un suivi du confort thermique
et l\'engagement à l\'égard des économies d\'énergie de l\'ordre de 53
pour cent permettront de s\'assurer que l\'immeuble est géré d\'une
manière écologique durant toute sa vie.

(photo: L\'immeuble Alvin Hamilton, Regina, Saskatchewan, (« LEED ^MD^
Gold » Canada-NC 1.0 -- 19 juillet 2007)) (Mention de source : TPSGC)

(photo: L\'immeuble Alvin Hamilton, Regina, Saskatchewan, (Mention de
source : TPSGC)

[]{.mark}

Construit à l\'origine en 1968 à titre d\'établissement commercial, cet
immeuble a subi une transformation dramatique et est le premier projet
de rénovation importante du gouvernement fédéral visant à atteindre la
certification « LEED ^MD^ Silver » Canada-NC 1.0. L\'objectif
d\'atteindre la certification « LEED ^MD^ Silver » a motivé le projet de
la conception jusqu\'à la fin. Les plans se concentraient de façon si
importante sur la réduction, la réutilisation et le recyclage que 78
pour cent de la structure et de la carcasse d\'origine ont été
réutilisées dans le nouvel immeuble et 77 pour cent des déchets de
construction ont été détournés des sites d\'enfouissement. Le
remplacement des anciennes fenêtres et des anciens murs par de nouveaux
murs hautement efficaces garantit réduction de la perte du chauffage et
du refroidissement, alors que les toilettes et urinoirs économes en eau
fournissent une économie de plus de 47 pour cent par rapport aux
pratiques habituelles. À long terme, il y a une politique d\'effet de
serre exigeant que les locataires n\'utilisent que des produits de
nettoyage écologiques qui réduisent l\'empreinte écologique de
l\'exploitation de l\'immeuble. Mieux encore, les sources d\'énergie
écologiques satisfont 50 pour cent des besoins de l\'immeuble, ce qui
permet de s\'assurer que cet immeuble est l\'un des plus écologiques du
portefeuille de TPSGC. L\'outil LEED ^MD^ et son incitative qui consiste
à se fixer des objectifs audacieux sont directement responsables de ces
facteurs de rendement environnemental jouant un rôle clé dans ce projet
de rénovation.

**10. [SUSTAINABLE PLANNING]{.underline}**

**CREATING SUSTAINABLE, VIBRANT, LIVABLE ARMY COMMUNITIES**

(by Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn, AICP, Master Planning Team Associate, US Army
Corps of Engineers, Andrea.W.Kuhn@usace.army.mil)

Military installations are essentially small towns, and in some cases
have populations that exceed those of townships. Similarly, many have
the full spectrum of land uses that towns or small cities do, including
residential, commercial, industrial, retail, educational and
recreational uses, among others. The Army is creating communities on
military installations that offer opportunities to live, work and play
in a more sustainable manner, while minimizing impacts to the
environment, creating a sense of community, and offering alternatives to
reliance on personal autos.

The Army places an ever increasing emphasis on sustainability, and is
now focused on its applicability to planning. The Army's definition of
sustainability has three components: mission, environment, and community
(see \"Triple Bottom Line\" illustration).

> (photo: Army Sustainability: \"Triple Bottom Line\" Poster)

The Army Strategy for the Environment states that "A sustainable Army
simultaneously meets current as well as future mission requirements
worldwide, safeguards human health, improves quality of life, and
enhances the natural environment." Army policy is that all new
construction must meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver standards.

**Planning Trends**

Throughout the country, new communities are being designed and older
ones are being revitalized to embrace "mixed-use development," "new
urbanism" or "traditional neighborhood development." Regardless of the
terminology, the intent is the same --- creating communities that have a
sense of place and promote livability, quality of life and protection of
the environment.

Rather than segregate uses, as traditional zoning practices dictate,
these new communities integrate a variety of uses. Mixed-use development
purposely consolidates multiple uses, such as retail, office, commercial
and residential. Interconnectivity through pedestrian access or public
transportation provides the necessary interconnectivity.

Army master planners are taking their cues from popular "town centers"
that have sprung up across the country in recent years and that have
existed in Europe for centuries. These centers, built around a central
courtyard or square, typically contain retail and commercial businesses
on the ground floor, with residential uses above or within walking
distance. They are characterized by the proliferation of gathering
places, ranging from restaurants or cafés with outdoor seating to public
open spaces for congregating and recreating. These areas are often
served by public transportation and are easily accessible to
pedestrians.

Current research indicates that most people would rather live in a small
town than a large city or a suburban environment. Most appealing are the
convenience of neighborhood stores, the safety of a well-defined area
where people know each other, the local availability of goods and
services and recreational amenities, and the overall sense of belonging.
A winning combination appears to be an element of nostalgia (small town
or old-world ambience) blended with modern conveniences and necessities,
resulting in sustainable, livable communities.

Not only do these concepts meet sustainability goals, but they are also
essential in achieving the Army's four imperatives:

1.  Sustain soldiers, families and civilians;

2.  Prepare soldiers for success in current operations;

3.  Reset to restore readiness and depth for future operations;

4.  Transform to meet the demands of the 21^st^ century.

These goals and those of our soldiers and families can be met by
changing the way the Army plans its installations. Sustainable,
mixed-use developments can provide several benefits.

**Quality of Life, Health**

These concepts are of particular relevance in sustaining the military
community. While monetary bonuses provide a powerful incentive to
encourage enlistment or recruitment, a critical factor relating to
service longevity is the quality of life soldiers and their families
experience when they live on military installations. In fact, the Army
has placed added emphasis on quality of life by signing Army Family
Covenants to ensure that every installation provides soldier and family
services that are standardized, predictable, and flexible.

Living environments such as housing, services, eating establishments,
shopping centers, and recreational amenities that are planned
appropriately can increase satisfaction with on-post quality of life.
Availability of goods and services within walking distance is more
convenient for residents, as well as providing environmental and health
benefits. Americans have become more sedentary over time, resulting in
greater incidences of obesity; in large part because our communities,
including Army installations, are designed around automobile access,
rather than pedestrian accessibility. "Walkable" communities offer
numerous benefits, including sustainable ones such as energy savings,
pollution minimization, and less dependence on private automobiles. In
addition, they offer individual health benefits such as improved
cardiovascular health, weight control, and asthma reduction.

Changing demographics are a key factor to keep in mind as the Army plans
and designs the delivery of these services. Now that more than 60
percent of Army service members are married, master planners must change
the way they plan installations to be able to meet the changing needs of
soldiers and families.

Many families have dual-career military members, and both may be
deployed or have overlapping deployments. Thus, quality-of-life factors
become increasingly important to the well-being of service members and
their families.

**Land Use, Environmental Constraints**

Development on military installations is becoming increasingly
constrained by limited land availability; environmental, energy and
security constraints; encroachment issues; and limited funding. Master
planners can no longer simply identify empty, available parcels of land
and then fit proposed developments into these parcels.

A more holistic approach to planning is necessary, with thorough
consideration of each of those factors. Environmental constraints ---
such as limited natural resources, including air and water --- and the
need to conserve energy can actually help define and encourage mixed-use
development.

More compact development can be designed to complement the natural
environment or topography and create more usable open space, which can,
in turn, be used for recreational purposes for an entire community. The
effect will be fewer automobile trips, which will result in decreased
auto emissions, better air quality and decreased requirements for
parking lots and other impervious surfaces.

**Sense of Community**

Mixed-use development can be designed to provide necessary goods and
services and to create a small town atmosphere with the positive
attributes that so many people desire. Incorporating elements of local
architectural design elements creates a sense of place and complements
the surrounding community.

One example where the Army has embraced sustainability as well as new
urbanism concepts is at Fort Belvoir, in Virginia. The newly constructed
"main street," with retail shops at street level and residential units
above, has proven extremely popular with soldiers and their families.
Twenty-five townhouses were built over retail shops that include a dry
cleaner, barber shop, day spa, convenience food market, coffee shop, and
other stores. The mixture of uses compliments each other while meeting
the needs of the residents. This complex and other newly constructed
townhouses nearby reflect the traditional architectural style of the
local area. Residents have noted that the design, which also
incorporates common recreational areas, provides the sense of community
they seek. The total build-out will include eleven villages with a
variety of houses that meet Energy Star® requirements. In addition to
new construction, existing houses (some of which are historic) were
renovated, rather than demolished. Development of these villages creates
a sense of place and even small-town communities within the larger
community.

(photo: Fort Belvoir, VA \"Community\" housing)

(photo: Fort Belvoir, VA \"Community\" welcome center building)

(photo: Fort Belvoir, VA \"Community\" stores)

**Additional Examples of Army Sustainable Planning and Development**

As the Army continues to incorporate sustainability into master planning
efforts at its installations, a few of the many notable examples
include:

-   Fort Bragg, NC, the first Army installation where LEED® Silver
    compliance was extended beyond the Army's requirements for new
    construction to include existing infrastructure. With more than
    2,000 Federally owned buildings, the beneficial impacts to the
    environment will be extensive.

-   Fort Bragg's conversion of used shipping containers into new
    buildings. Instead of sending the containers back as scrap metal to
    be melted down, integrating them into a new building creates an
    alternative use while conserving energy and resources.

-   Fort Lewis, WA, where the planning vision states that "In support of
    the mission, our soldiers, and families, we will create a
    sustainable community of walkable neighborhoods with identifiable
    town centers connected by great streets." As the post undergoes
    expansion and revitalization, the vision calls for the following
    sustainable features:

    -   Compact development

    -   Mixed use, multi-storied buildings and houses within
        neighborhoods and town centers

    -   Sustainable, walkable neighborhoods

    -   Multi-modal transportation opportunities, including public
        transit, bike paths and lanes, connected sidewalks for
        pedestrian accessibility, on-street parking

    -   Vernacular architecture, a town square, hidden parking, store
        fronts, landscaping, focal points and vistas, and preservation
        of historic structures

**Conclusion**

As the Army transforms installations to meet the changing needs of
soldiers and families, and proceeds with a greater awareness of
environmental stewardship responsibilities, the concepts of mixed-use
development and creation of sustainable, vibrant communities will offer
more secure, convenient, and livable neighborhoods with a multitude of
benefits that meet the overall goals of the Army.

Point of Contact is Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn, 202-761-1859 or
andrea.w.kuhn@usace.army.mil.

**11. [SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES]{.underline}**

**THE WBDG: YOUR 'ONE-STOP SHOP' FOR SUSTAINABLE BUILDING**

(provided by Dana Arnold, Chief of Staff, Office of the Federal
Environmental Executive (OFEE), Arnold.Dana@ofee.gov, reprinted with
permission by OFEE, from Winter-Spring 2007 issue, Closing the Circle
Newsletter)

(Photo: logo text for www.wbdg.org)

[]{.mark}

For those readers in the business of siting, designing, manufacturing,
constructing, operating, maintaining, and/or renovating
buildings---especially Federal buildings---the [Whole Building Design
Guide]{.underline} (WBDG), **www.wbdg.org**, is the 'holy grail' of
'how-to.'

In addition to information and resources covering project management,
operations and maintenance, and the myriad of building-related policies,
criteria, and mandates, the WBDG holistically and seamlessly weaves
together the design objectives of building accessibility, productivity,
cost-effectiveness, functionality, aesthetics, historic preservation,
security, and sustainability. The WBDG is so thorough in its treatment
of these complex and interrelated issues, in fact, that many Federal
agencies, including all the Department of Defense services, have
essentially closed down their own construction criteria websites in
favor of contributing that content, as well as other tools and
resources, to the WBDG.

In particular, the Sustainable Design Objective (SDO) section of the
WBDG has grown exponentially in recent years, drawing attention and
accolades. The SDO begins with an overview of the key principles of
sustainable design as defined by Federal agencies in response to
Executive Order (EO) 13123 (Greening of the Government through Efficient
Energy Management). Those principles are:

• Optimize site potential

• Optimize energy use

• Protect and conserve water

• Use environmentally preferable products

• Enhance indoor environmental quality

• Optimize operational and maintenance practices

Within each principle category, more detailed sections called resource
pages educate users on specific topics, such as daylighting,
environmentally preferable products, and natural ventilation. These
resource pages are written by nationally renowned experts in their
field, in the public and private sectors, as well as academia. Each
resource page contains links, additional resources, and

publications to explore the topic further and is updated on an 'as
needed' basis.

**Sustainable Building MOU Technical Guidance**

Last year, in response to the commitments made by the signatory agencies
to the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Building
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the ISWG (Interagency Sustainability
Working Group) built on the SDO's content and created MOU Technical
Guidance, www.wbdg.org/sustainablemou.

For each of the goals set forth in the MOU Guiding Principles, the
Technical Guidance provides an introduction to the topic, clarification
of the requirement, related mandates, additional

recommendations and considerations; and, most importantly, direct links
to the most

appropriate resources and tools, including model contract and
specification language. In addition, the ISWG recognized that agencies
needed a number of other resources to assist them

in programming sustainable building projects and addressing concepts
included in the MOU. These supporting guidance topics are under
development and will continually be expanded and revised.

As the MOU Guiding Principles are becoming the de facto Federal
sustainable buildings policy, the significance of the WBDG SDO and
Technical Guidance is reaching a new level. The ISWG and the
Sustainability Subcommittee of the WBDG are committed to the continual
improvement of these resources. If you would like to learn more about
the WBDG and/or contribute to its expansion and updates, please contact
Dominique Fernandez at dfernandez@wbdg.org.

**Supporting Guidance for Implementing Sustainable Building Programs**

• Model Sustainable Building Program Implementation Plans

• Renewable Energy and Green Power

• Operations and Maintenance

• Chemicals\*

• Interior Noise

• Sustainable Sites/Smart Growth

• Creative Funding Strategies

• Making the Environmental Case

• Life Cycle Assessment

• EMS (Environmental Management System) Integration

• Selecting A/E (Architecture/Engineering) Contractors

• Minor Alterations\*

• Security and Sustainability

• Addressing Green Building in Asset Management Plans\*

• Guidance for Vendors

• Utilizing Rating Systems and Standards

• Meeting Needs with Space Optimization and Alternative Workplace
Arrangements

• Reporting -- The New EO and the OMB (Office of Management and Budget)
Environmental Scorecard\*

\* Denotes that this supporting guidance is in the earliest stages of
development

**12. [WORKPLACE/ALTERNATIVE OFFICING SOLUTIONS]{.underline}**

> **SUSTAINABILITY AND WORKPLACE DESIGN**

(by Kevin Kelly, AIA, Director, Center for Workplace Management, GSA
Public Buildings Service, kevin.kelly@gsa.gov)

FEW THINGS AFFECT THE ENVIRONMENT AS OFFICE SPACE DOES.

For starters, office buildings use a huge portion of the nation's energy
and that's not counting the millions of car trips a year to get to those
offices. The good news is that sustainable buildings do seem to make a
difference to users. The Center for the Built Environment at the
University of California in Berkeley, which maintains a large database
of post-occupancy responses, recently reported that the mean score for
the 39 workplaces in the database which had achieved Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) rating consistently outstrip the
284 non-certified buildings in their database, except on thermal
comfort. On general satisfaction, LEED® buildings are way ahead.

Since fiscal year (FY) 2003, major renovation, and new,
Government-owned, prospectus-level construction have been required to be
LEED® certified, and in FY 2008, new lease construction over 10,000
square feet will be required to achieve LEED® Silver.

The issue of workplace and sustainability is one of several that the six
year-old Workplace 20\|20 Program has been studying in tackling the
state of the Federal workplace. The Program advises clients on how their
physical (and virtual) workplaces could better serve their
organizations, including in the arena of sustainability. The Program
observes the way space is used and advises on the amount of space and
equipment that is optimal for the agency's work. Helping Federal
agencies accomplish their missions, and providing "superior workplaces
at superior value to the taxpayer" is what the General Services
Administration (GSA) is all about. But what are "superior workplaces" in
a mobile and changing work environment? What is "best value" in the
provision of space and furnishings, rather than just low cost, when
employees represent such a huge portion of an organization's cost, and
when employee satisfaction has been shown to be affected by satisfaction
with the physical environment?

**[GSA's Workplace Program]{.underline}** \-- has, from its inception,
striven (to take liberties with the old saying) to "house two birds with
one nest": making workplaces that support the work of organizations and
that support workers\' health and environment. In fact, the Program's
first lease-construction building, a fruitful collaboration with the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), has recently achieved [*LEED*®
*Silver for the new VA office in Reno, NV*]{.underline} and is one of
the first lease-constructions in the country to do so. The post
occupancy evaluation reports high satisfaction with the way the new
space supports work. (See \"before\" and \"after\" photos of VA office
space, Reno, NV).

> (Photo: VA office space, Reno, NV, \"Before\" Photo
>
> (Photo: VA office space, Reno, NV, \"After\" Photo (more open,
> flexible layout).

That satisfaction is particularly noteworthy, even for those for whom
the bottom line is all that matters, because staff are 82 percent of the
cost of any organization. Satisfaction with the work environment has
been correlated positively with job satisfaction by Canadian
researchers, and an April 2006 survey of 2,000 workers by Gensler found
that 50 percent would work an extra hour a day if they were more
satisfied with the office surroundings. Making staff even a *bit* more
satisfied to make them a *bit* more effective due to occupant
satisfaction is a very good investment indeed, since worker salaries are
more than eight times the rent on a square foot basis and roughly 100
times more than utility costs according to the U.S. Department of Labor
(See \"An Organization\'s Costs\" chart).

> (Chart: chart showing \"An Organization\'s Costs)

Beyond making the spaces better and more environmentally responsible, we
need to go beyond \-- way beyond \-- the status quo and question how we
work, where we work and what we work with on all levels. Even as the
\"Ozzie and Harriet\" vision of a nine-to-five job in an office becomes
less and less relevant, its static vision of work lives on in the minds
of many decision-makers. The fact is that more of us are no longer
tethered to any one space for our entire work week, and this allows us
to take advantage of a second technological revolution: using technology
not only to work better but to benefit the environment. We need to
question how often we need to be in the office, and if we are there
less, what is its new meaning to the organization, and what do we *need*
to be effective.

**[Under-use of Resources]{.underline}** \-- Build it and they will
come? Always a dubious proposition, it is particularly untrue of modern
office space. In fact, \"Ozzie and Harriet's\" typical suburb and 60
percent of typical U.S. office space, (both inside and outside of
Government) have one thing in common. They are pretty much vacant on
weekdays (see Occupancy Chart).

> (Chart: Occupancy chart and legend)
>
> []{.mark}

Regarding the Occupancy chart:

-   Workspaces are temporarily unoccupied 23 percent of the time on
    average

-   Consistent workflow throughout the day, minimal lunch dip

-   Computer work is the dominate activity at the desk -- approximately
    half the time

As the chart shows also, desks are vacant up to 60 percent of the time,
even at times of the highest occupancy. Where are these workers? They
are on site, at client agency offices, on travel -- performing work the
way work is done in the twenty-first century.

In addition, workers have a poor idea of how they are actually using
their space. They may be using it far less and in different ways than
they think (see \"Measurement/Time Utilization Survey chart).

> (Chart: Measurement/Time Utilization Survey chart)

Both of these findings about *actual* space usage observations should
prompt questioning of traditional programming that relies on self
reporting about space needs and use. It has been shown time and again to
be highly inaccurate in reporting organizational needs. The moral of the
story: An organization may need far less "fixed" space than it currently
occupies, and it almost certainly needs more flexible space.

As recently as the 1980's, that could be a cause for mass firings.
Through a series of closely-studied projects, GSA\'s Workplace Program
has documented that the under-use of resources and application of "one
size fits all" thinking are just two of many insights that have
developed regarding the use of existing office space by private sector
and academic leaders in workplace consulting and design. They note that
these phenomena exist across the portfolio of American office space --
not just the Federal arena. But in a world facilitated with technology
like ours, it's a big mistake to assume that the workforce is hanging
out at Starbucks or on the golf course when they should be working -
just because they are not sitting at their assigned desks. In fact, they
may be working at Starbucks (as your author is, dear reader, as he
writes this). They may be elsewhere in the building or visiting clients.
Some of your most skilled and valuable employees may not be sitting at
their desks. We all know this to be the case, but seem to forget about
it when we start planning the next office building. Those who doubt the
proposition of overbuilding in the office environment may want to take a
stroll around the typical open office space at 2:00 in the afternoon.
They may find that it has all the liveliness of \"Ozzie and Harriet's\"
suburb at the same time of day.

The \"Future of Work\" chart indicates the growth of this phenomenon,
which is not expected to change any time soon.

> (Chart: The Future of Work chart\")

The projected decrease of traditional, in-office only, \"nine-to-five,\"
Monday through Friday workers from 34 percent in 1997 to only eight
percent in 2007 illustrates the dramatic change over the last decade.

In light of this, it is easy to see why there is such limited use of the
expensive investment that workplace represents. The wide adoption of
office technology, with its reliance on ubiquitous laptops, cell phones
and PDA\'s (personal digital assistant), has introduced unprecedented
mobility into the nation's work life. As a result, the meaning and use
of the workplace itself has changed over the last two decades - even
though many offices continue to be built-out with the same 1960's design
assumptions that are the bases of the "one size fits all" workplace
design commonly referred to as \"Dilbertville.\" There are other
similarities between \"Dilbertville\" and post-war suburbia: They both
fill up available \"real estate\" with the maximum number of units and
demonstrate little variety or differentiation that gives urban
environments and well designed offices their interest while supporting
their function. The result is utilitarian -- and sterile. \"It makes
little difference how \'green\' an office is if its design is
dysfunctional and results in low user satisfaction and an ineffective
organization.\"

[**\"Dilbertville**\"]{.underline} \-- The term, \"Dilbertville,\" of
course, comes from the comic strip about bleak cubicle life. Moreover,
it seems that every other month the *New Yorker* features a joke about
the lack of responsive design in the workplace. The solution, of course,
is not to throw every cubicle into the landfill, for it is not the
cubicle itself that is the problem, though the WorkPlace 20\|20 has
identified significant possible improvements in the standard
workstation. The workstation takes the rap for the mentality that
believes *laying out* cubicles, rather than *design* workspaces, results
in effective work environments that workers might actually want to go
and might actually support the work they do.

The loss of tenant satisfaction and productivity that poor workplace
design represents, as well as the squandering of resources, is anything
but funny - to say nothing of the impact on the environment. Empty
offices, after all, require energy to build and maintain -- in fact,
buildings in the U.S., office buildings included, account for 1/3 of all
energy consumed, according to the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC).
Inflexible office layouts add to the waste stream when poor
configuration and ill-considered growth paints the organization into a
corner: "Starting over" is the only alternative, with demolition of the
ill-considered unable to be delayed any longer. Much of the discarded
office materials land up in the landfill; in fact, USGBC indicates that
35 percent to 50 percent of building materials will eventually end up in
a landfill, even as landfills across the country are filling up and the
cost of dumping continues to mount. One can only speculate about how
much of that is difficult-to-recycle gypsum board, ripped out of office
buildings during a renovation!

**[Understand Before You Build]{.underline}** \-- The moral of the story
is that taking the time to understand the work of an organization at the
beginning of a project -- pre-design, as it is called by design
professionals, pays huge dividends. That is why, since 2002, GSA has
invested in a program called WorkPlace 20\|20 to do just that. The
alternative to designing without fully understanding the client is
exemplified by the famous case of the Pruitt-Igoe, a massive housing
complex in St. Louis. Finished in 1959, it was imploded in 1974 because
it was based on design theory that had nothing to do with the people who
lived there. One could say of the incessant modification, demolition and
reconfiguration of office space all across America every day,
necessitated as it often is by a lack of understanding of the
organization, and the choice of inflexible systems and furnishings, that
it is like Pruitt-Igoe in \"slo mo.\" Like Pruitt-Igoe, much of it ends
up in the landfill.

WorkPlace 20\|20 highlights that \-- as a result of the worker mobility
and the growth of more strategic, knowledge-based work that is, of its
nature, less routine and more collaborative \-- the "cube farm" seems
stuck in a time warp, poorly fitting the new ways we *really* work
today, and designed for the fiction that all work is a solitary pursuit,
and that it is done exclusively in an office.

[WorkPlace 20\|20 Project:]{.underline}

One of the Program's clients (Department of Energy, Richland, WA
office)), for instance, had to reduce their real estate costs. After the
workplace consultant studied the use of space, they worked with the
architect to come up with a plan that reduced the number of floors
occupied from five to three, while substantially improving light
penetration and access to view. This was possible even though many
enclosed offices were retained because of the type of work the agency
does. (See \"Before\" and \"After\" images)

**WorkPlace 20\|20 Project:** In the Department of Energy (DOE)
Richland, WA office project, cloistered offices gave way to open,
interactive offices.

(Photo: DOE \"[Before]{.underline}\" office layout)

(Photo: DOE \"[After]{.underline}\" office layout

**[Findings of the WorkPlace 20\|20 Program]{.underline}** \-- To create
a better fit between the work of a current,

world class organization and its physical workplace, GSA instituted the
WorkPlace 20\|20 Program

and it has identified the following major findings which ultimately
relate to the environment:

-   The built workspace is often under-utilized.

-   The space available is often allotted in ways that do not support
    the work of the organization.

-   Workers have a poor idea of how they really spend their time. Self
    reporting is a poor source of reliable programming. Third-party
    observation of the way space is used is a better source of
    programming.

-   Inadequate allotment of space for collaboration and support, with
    over allocation of individual work space that is probably
    underutilized.

-   The use of furniture systems in which the work surface is attached
    to supporting partitions, requiring specialized (and expensive)
    labor to reconfigure. An antidote to this is to procure furniture
    that is easily moveable by the users.

-   The introduction of too many workstation or office types which are
    not modular and are difficult, if not impossible, to reconfigure.

-   Poor attention to acoustics in open space, which contributes to
    frustration.

-   There is a lack of awareness that some furniture systems and
    furnishings are far better for the environment though they may look
    similar. Greenguard® for furniture and the Carpet and Rug Institute
    should be referenced when procuring materials for the workplace.

-   Cleaning and maintaining workplaces require strict adherence and
    monitoring of materials used. GSA has policies on green cleaning
    that must be continuously monitored.

**WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH SUSTAINABILITY?**

All of these factors affect the amount and type of space, furnishings,
finishes and artificial lighting that an organization needs. Obviously,
these factors also affect the use of resources and the environment.

While there will always be a place for the closed offices and open
office that well-designed workstations and demountable partitions can
provide, the layouts have to be consciously designed and informed by
expertise in order to serve the organization well. One cannot order a
\'worldclass workplace\' out of a catalogue. Luckily, many furniture
manufacturers are responding to the challenge with much better designs
that are not only more sustainable, but are better suited for the kinds
of work we do today. Nevertheless, for many organizations, *the premise
that 30-50 percent of the workstations will be vacant for the vast
majority of the time may beg the (sustainable) question: Is this really
a beneficial use of resources?*

All of this indicates that building more space may not be the answer to
an organization's overall workplace needs. Desk sharing, sophisticated
desk and conference room scheduling systems may greatly reduce the
amount of office space that is required while increasing its
differentiation and flexibility.

**[Using What You Have]{.underline}** \-- One should not get the
impression that the office will disappear overnight. Nor should it.
Face-to-face meeting can be a great source of information exchange.
Certain types of jobs are not conducive to remote work due to
confidentiality concerns, for instance. Just as the need for interior
workplaces will not disappear in the foreseeable future, neither will
the need for buildings. As we consider the need to build, however, we
should think about the impacts of the materials, energy and pollution
that would be generated to construct a structure for a user's needs.
Building new is appealing and often necessary. It provides a blank slate
for the user at a reasonably understood construction cost.
Unfortunately, we do not typically account for the environmental impacts
when we build new and these costs are not associated with our final
price. There is often an overlooked way of providing for the needs of a
user without constructing a new structure. Through building reuse and
reorganization of work for the user, we can often provide space to meet
their needs while minimizing our environmental footprint**.** While the
appeal of the "clean slate" of a new facility is undeniable, it just may
not be entirely reasonable, given the environmental challenges we face:
The slate may not be so clean after all.

In advocating for using what we have, we must realize that we need to
consciously modify a basic human desire. Since the beginning of history,
building has been a primary human endeavor, serving psychic as well as
functional purposes. After all, what could be more optimistic than a new
building, with its wish lists, visions and theories waiting to be
fulfilled in the act of creation?

But as almost every practicing architect will tell you, it is far easier
to start with the blank canvas of a new building than it is to work with
an existing structure. The designer has to be more resourceful working
with unexpected conditions, and with previously-made decisions towards
redefining a structure to serve present day needs. GSA has some stellar
examples such as the San Francisco Court of Appeals where modern offices
and a library/conference center were inserted in a courtyard, for
instance, or the renovation of the Cleveland Federal Courthouse. As in
these instances, when adaptive reuse of existing structures or
rehabilitation is done well, it sings with a creativity that is, in a
sense, doubly creative, while putting less strain on the nation's
rapidly-filling landfills, to boot. For an agency such as GSA, which
controls over 350,000,000 square feet of existing construction, the
opportunity for reuse is vast! Unfortunately, reusing what you have or
deciding not to build at all by fulfilling programmatic needs in an
alternative way (such as making strategic choices to foster more use of
technology for telework instead of building a sub-optimally occupied
facility) is often perceived as far less "glamorous" than making a
"statement" through a new building.

History gives us many examples of creativity using what already exists.
Perhaps the best, though not widely known, is Michelangelo's reuse of
scattered and unrelated, asymmetrical Roman and medieval structures to
create government \"offices\" - the Campidoglio (Rome, Italy), an
architectural masterpiece that is one of the principal reasons that
Bernini said that Michelangelo was \"good as painter, great as a
sculptor, but divine as an architect.\" For us, it's refreshing to
remember that Michelangelo was both a civil servant and a great
practitioner of adaptive reuse!

(Photo: Michelangelo's Campidoglio Buildings (Adaptive reuse at its best
-- Michelangelo's Campidoglio))

**[The Future of the Workplace]{.underline}** \-- Isn't it unusual for a
real estate organization such as GSA to talk about renting less space to
customers in future? Perhaps, but workplace experts generally foresee a
transformation of the workplace rather than its disappearance. Space
that is consolidated by more effective floor plans may well be
"backfilled" by other organizations. There are those in the workplace
field that see the future of the office as something akin to the "clubs"
of the nineteenth and early twentieth century where business people
would gather to discuss business, have critical face-to-face encounters,
and revitalize the organization's culture.

Typical office space will undoubtedly change in allocation, from private
to more collaborative space and there will be a greater variety of
spaces in which to work than there has been in the past. And of course,
some jobs will be done in rather traditional office environments for the
foreseeable future. Again, these are general trends. No workplace
consultant worth his or her salt would want to prognosticate with a "one
size fits all" statement.

The **WorkPlace Program** has developed technological tools that make
customizing space to an organization much easier \-- so much that we say
that it has developed ways to tailor workplace to organizations the way
a good tailor does to a body and to do so cost effectively, with as
little waste as possible!

**FINLAND\'S SENATE PROPERTIES: WORKPLACE MANAGEMENT AND
SUSTAINABILITY**

(by Ms. Päivi Hietanen, Architect, Finland Senate Properties,
paivi.hietanen@senaatti.fi)

**sustainable workplace solutions for public sector FINLAND**

(photo: flag of Finland)

Sustainability is a pressing issue around the world and in Finland, too.
Environmental concerns have prompted the Finnish real estate and
construction business to study sustainable construction and reduction of
the energy consumed by buildings. There is ample room for improvement as
the real estate and construction business generates as much as one-third
of Finland\'s CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions. Because most of the
environmental load generated by a building is caused by its use and
maintenance, the key questions are whether to build new or repair old
buildings, how much space do organizations need in the first place, and
how do they use it.

Since 2003, Senate Properties, the largest property owner in Finland,
has provided workplace development services to its clients in the public
sector. In response to the success of this effort, the workplace
approach is being increasingly applied across Senate Properties\'
operations and projects. It is now becoming increasingly clear that
workplace development is closely related to sustainability issues too.

**Workplace Development Gaining Ground in Public Sector**

Workplace development combines the strategy, operations, facilities,
information and communication (ICT) solutions and facility services of
an organization. The service provided by Senate Properties, called
strategic workplace development, is a comprehensive process in which
both the customer\'s operations and facilities are developed. The
objective is to create a work environment that supports the
organization\'s strategy, business and performance.

Senate Properties\' policy is rather similar to that of the General
Services Administration (GSA) in the United States. Workplace consulting
services are procured for clients from external consultants. In addition
to space planning specialists, development processes always involve
professionals from other fields, too, including experts in process
development, human resources or *branding* (designing physical
environment to support the organization\'s brand). Various methods and
tools are used in the process to provide measured and objective data for
planning and decision-making. In addition, change management,
communications and staff commitment play a key role; the aim is to
mobilize the organization to develop its own workplace. Typically, these
development projects are implemented in conjunction with modernization
or new construction.

Workplace development also aims at supporting the government change
process. As in other Western countries, the Finnish public sector is
subject to change from productivity programs, structural development and
reorganization. Other major challenges include an aging workforce and
competition for skilled labor and what is more, operations and processes
are influenced by new technologies and increasing e-services to
citizens. All this has an effect on the physical environment that needs
to be aligned with new needs.

In the public sector, dozens of development projects of varying scope
have already been completed. Most of the projects have been carried out
in the office and university sectors but the approach has also been
implemented in organizations using special facilities, such as research
institutes and prisons. In 2005, workplace development was also adopted
as a goal in the Government Premises Strategy launched by the Ministry
of Finance (see photos).

**The Win-Win of Workplace Development**

Workplace development projects usually provide customers with a more
efficient, flexible and diverse workplace solution. In the process,
spaces are typically reallocated, space utilization rates improved and
shared spaces and services increased. In most cases, the space
efficiency is also improved; that does not only reduce the environmental
load but also brings financial benefits. The biggest savings have been
in the university sector: in the North Karelia University of Applied
Sciences, for instance, the efficiency was improved no less than 10,000
square meters (107,630 square feet), which means an annual savings of
EUR (euro) 1 million (about \$1.57 million U.S.) in space rental and
maintenance costs.

The performance of an organization is also supported by developing
operations and processes and eliminating workplace obstacles, e.g. by
relocating people and functions based on processes or adjacency needs.
Modern workplace concepts are also designed to enhance interaction and
knowledge sharing between employees. Moreover, productivity can be
promoted with solutions tailored for different functions and work styles
with different needs.

Post occupancy evaluations show an increase in staff satisfaction with
facilities as well as in collaboration and, interestingly, even in work
spirit. Thanks to zoning and new customer service models, the security
and quality of the service have also been improved. Diverse facilities
are more flexible, as well as rapidly and easily reconfigured to satisfy
changing needs.

**Change Management and New Ways of Working Also Reduce Environmental
Loads Because Instead of Walls, People and Furniture Move.**

For property owners, workplace development is a tool to provide
customers with tailored solutions that meet their needs more
effectively. For construction projects, these development processes
often provide a more detailed and cost-effective workspace plan than
conventional programming. In many projects, new construction has been
avoided entirely and replaced by development of the existing premises.
For Senate Properties, offering workplace services provides a
competitive market edge, too. It also promotes an owner\'s business and
customer commitment.

In addition to strategic workplace development, Senate Properties offers
its clients the Optimaze.net system to manage their facilities and
related costs. In collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund, Senate
Properties now offers also the Green Office service, which reduces the
environmental load from office work, such as lowering energy and paper
consumption.

**Cooperation for the Benefit of Environment**

Flexible and diverse workplace solutions, improving efficiency and
avoiding new construction also reduce environmental loads. However,
there is a great untapped potential in developing processes and
exploiting technology in organizations, too. For instance, by
implementing flexible home and teleworking concepts and advanced video
and audio conferencing equipment the amount of required traveling can be
reduced. Indeed, companies should take sustainability issues into
consideration in all of their operations. More development and research
in this field is obviously needed, too.

More than anything else, workplace development demands an open and
unbiased attitude, an integrated approach and cross-functional
collaboration; that is, forming new kinds of teams and networks across
organizational borders. This approach from multiple perspectives and
multidisciplinary collaboration should also be adopted as an objective
in resolving sustainability issues, both in individual businesses and in
the real estate and construction business as a whole.

Photos: Strategic Workplace Development Case: Lappeenranta, Finland Tax
Office

(Photo: Lappeenranta Tax Office before renovation: innovative workplaces
can also be constructed within old shell.

(Photos: After renovation: new workspace is more open and diverse with
small teamwork areas enhancing collaboration and knowledge sharing.

(Photo: Lappeenranta Tax Office new layout: concentrated customer
service model improves security and back office flexibility. (3D model
by Hakanen-Yläoutinen Architects.))

Note: The author, Päivi Hietanen, is an architect and works as a
workplace strategy specialist for Senate Properties in Finland.

**Senate Properties,** (headquartered in Helsinki, Finland), is an
enterprise under the Ministry of Finance and provides property services
mainly to customers in the government. The premises managed by Senate
Properties total some 11,600 buildings with a combined area of 8.2
million square meters (88.3 million square feet). Senate Properties
procures almost all of its planning, construction and maintenance
services from external service providers. It is the largest operator in
the Finnish workplace development sector, too, and has signed
partnership agreements with ten workplace consultancy firms. In Finland,
workplace development services are offered mainly by architects\' and
designers\' offices.

(photo: overall photo of capital Helsinki, Finland, from the harbor)

**TELEWORK AND THE ENVIRONMENT**

(by Theresa Noll, GSA Office of Real Property Management,
theresa.noll@gsa.gov)

In recent years, environmental issues such as global warming and
greenhouse gas emissions have become increasingly important concerns.
\"The proportion of Americans citing environmental problems as a major
global threat increased from 23 percent in 2002 to 37 percent in 2007."
(Reference: The Economist, Special Report: America and the World, March
27, 2008.)

"In the U.S. (United States), our energy-related activities account for
three-quarters of our human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, mostly
in the form of carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels. More
than half the energy-related emissions come from large stationary
sources such as power plants, while about a third comes from
transportation." (Reference:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html accessed April 6, 2008.)

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes the official
national inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and the latest
greenhouse gas inventory shows that in 2005 the U.S. emitted over 7.2
billon metric tons of greenhouse gases. Overall, total U.S. emissions
have risen by 16.3 percent from 1990 to 2005.

According to the February 2008 Draft Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas
Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006, (note: \"Sinks\" - vegetation and soils
acting as naturally occurring buffers which act to store gases and
prevent them from contributing to global warming) \"\... the 2006 total
adjusted energy consumption across all sectors, including territories,
and energy types, was 77,279.1 trillion British Thermal Units (BTU)."

Many daily activities produce greenhouse gas emissions. Individuals can
produce greenhouse gas emissions directly by driving a car or burning
oil or gas for home heating. Individuals can also produce greenhouse gas
emissions indirectly by using electricity generated from fossil fuels.
In the U.S., emissions per person vary depending on location, habits,
and personal choices. For example, the types of fuel used to generate
the electricity a person uses can lead to different levels of emissions.
A power plant that burns coal emits more greenhouse gases per unit of
electricity than a power plant that uses natural gas. How much a person
drives, the vehicle\'s fuel efficiency, and the proportion of driving
time spent idling in traffic also affect the level of emissions.

The greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector accounted
for approximately 33 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions from
fossil fuel combustion, the largest share of any end-use economic sector
in 2005. Over 60 percent of the emissions resulted from gasoline
consumption for personal vehicle use.

"We all make choices everyday that affect our health and the world's
health. It's an ecosystem issue -- if the world is falling down around
us, we can't be healthy," says Liz York, Center for Disease Control,
acting Chief Sustainability Officer.

"With Awareness comes responsibility, or knowing negligence" says New
York Times Dot Earth author, Andrew C. Revkin.

**[Telework\'s Role]{.underline}**

Increased use of telework by Federal agencies would enable the Federal
government to play a larger role in helping to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions coming from 'transportation' in the United States. According
to the latest *Status of Telework in the Federal Government Report to
Congress* (December 2007) by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM),
approximately 69 percent of the 1.8 million Federal civilian non-postal
executive branch workforce were 'eligible' to telework in calendar year
2006. Of those eligible, less than 5 percent teleworked at least one day
per week. (See http://www.telework.gov.)

Legislators and public policymakers in Washington, DC, understand the
positive impact that telework can have on the environment. The House of
Representatives introduced a bill, H.R. 4106, known as the Telework
Improvement Act of 2008, to improve telework in executive agencies. The
Senate has worked on similar legislation, such as S. 1000, the Telework
Enhancement Act of 2007. It is clear that legislation to expand telework
within the Federal sector will help the environment by reducing
automobile emissions caused by personal vehicle trips. Telework serves
to reduce overall traffic congestion, also, thereby reducing greenhouse
gas emissions further by lowering vehicle engine 'idling' caused by too
many cars on the road.

Telework is listed as an environment-friendly travel behavior in the
"Healthy Climate Pledge" -- an on-line commitment, which is part of
American Public Health Association (APHA) 2008 National Public Health
Week, observed April 7-13, 2008. This year's theme was: Climate Change:
Our Health in the Balance. (Take the "Healthy Climate Pledge" at
http://www.nphw.org/

nphw08/08_pg_tools_pledge.htm.)

Action at home, at work, and on travel, can affect your greenhouse gas
emissions levels. One step you can take to reduce your greenhouse gas
emissions is to identify how much your daily commute contributes in
terms of carbon dioxide emissions, and decide if telework can help lower
your overall carbon footprint. (See calculators at:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ individual.html.)

By facilitating the increased use of telework by Federal agencies,
legislators, agency managers and staff can help the Federal government
play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions not only by reducing
Federal commuter contribution to emissions but also by leading by
example in encouraging all employers to follow suit.

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(photo: of empty highway and rainbow)

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*(INSIDE BACK COVER)*

2008 GSA Achievement Award for Real Property Innovation

Recognizes Asset Management and Sustainability

Best Practices

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), Office of Governmentwide
Policy recently announced the Twelfth Annual GSA Achievement Award for
Real Property Innovation program. The Achievement Award program is a
means to gather, and share, cutting-edge real property practices among
those agencies striving to improve their real property asset management.
The 2008 program will recognize exemplary practices in the categories of
asset management and sustainability.

Judged by an independent panel of distinguished government and industry
experts, GSA senior officials will recognize winning entries with a
monetary award of \$5,000 for an individual entrant or \$10,000 for a
team at the Awards Ceremony held in Washington DC, in October 2008. All
submitted entries will be published in the Office of Real Property
Management's Best Practices Special Edition of the Real Property
POLICYSITE Newsletter, a publication that encourages the adoption of
best practices across the Federal government.

Originally established in 1997, the GSA Achievement Award for Real
Property Innovation has enabled GSA to collect hundreds of real property
practices from across the Federal government and share those practices
among the Federal real property community. These real property practices
have spanned a wide spectrum of real property areas, including business
practices, asset management and planning, customer service, information
systems, performance measures, security, sustainability, and
workforce/human capital strategy.

For further information about the 2008 GSA Achievement Award for Real
Property Innovation, visit the website (www.gsa.gov/realpropertyaward)
or contact Patrice Walker at (202) 208-7639 or patrice.walker@gsa.gov.

(photo of business people sitting in conference room)

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(Back cover photo: Green Roof: GSA worked with EPA on its new Regional
Office, Denver, CO (LEED® Gold rating) with sustainable design features
including a green roof.)

(BACK COVER)

U.S. General Services Administration

GSA Office of Governmentwide Policy

Regulations Management Division (MPR)

1800 F Street, NW

Washington, DC 20405

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use \$300

(postage mark)

(quote)

\"Among the benefits of sustainable design are reduced operating costs,
reduced waste, conservation of natural resources\... and increased
occupant satisfaction.\"

(David L. Bibb, GSA Deputy Administrator and Senior Environmental
Official, Federal Real Property Advisory Group (FRPAG) Meeting,
September 11, 2007)

(photo: EPA\'s Green Roof in Denver)