1 

# Green Building @ EP

A

EP A Kansas City

, KS Science & T

echnology Center: LEED Gold, Federal Energy Saver Showcase Facility

Ken Sandler, US EP

A NACEPTMeeting March 25, 20092 

# Why EPA Is Concerned With Buildings & Development • Buildings in the U.S. are responsible for

– 39 % of our energy use

– 69 % of electricity consumption

– 38 % of carbon dioxide emissions

– 12 % of fresh water consumption

– Urban runoff = a major threat to water quality

– Over 2/3rds of non - industrial secondary materials 

### • We spend 90% of our time indoors, where air is 2 - 5x more polluted than outdoors

– Serious health and productivity impacts3 

# How EPA Defines Green Building • Maximizing the efficiency with which buildings use resources:

– Energy

– Water

– Materials 

## • and minimizing their impacts on human health and the environment • through how we design, construct, operate maintain & reuse buildings and their sites4



# Selected EPA Green Building Programs • **Energy &** **Atmosphere: Energy** **S tar**  **Green Pow er**  

### • **Water: Watersense**  **Green Infrastructure** 

### • **Indoor Air Quality**  **: Tools for Schools**  **Radon** 

### • **Land: Brow**  **nfields Smart Growth**  

### • **General or Sector -**  **Based: Sustainable Healthcare**  **Healthy S**  **chools Greening EPA**  **Sustainability Research** 5 

# Putting The Pieces Together • **A unique effort to take a holistic view** **, bridging the**  **stovepipes** • **EPA Green Building Workgroup** 

– Cross - EPA group formed 2003 for green building coordination, communication & planning. Includes ~30 programs with 100+ members.

– Website: www.epa.gov/greenbuilding • **EPA Green Building Management Steering**  **Committee**

– Senior management group formed 2007 to provide cross - EPA management support and direction on green building. Includes all major HQ program offices and 7 of 10 Regions. • **EPA Green Building Coordination Team** 

– Small dedicated team formed 2008 to support these efforts6 

# Green Building in the Marketplace

EP A Region 8 HQ building, Denver: LEED Gold7 

# Green Building Rating Systems • Major green building rating systems include: • US Green Building Council www.usgbc.org

– LEED (Leadership in Energy & Env. Design) • Programs cover New Construction, Existing Buildings, Core & Shell, Commercial Interiors, Homes, Neighborhood Development 

## • Green Building Initiative www.thegbi.org :

– GreenGlobes for Commercial Buildings 

## • Natl. Assn. of Home Builders (NAHB)/International Code Council (ICC) http://nahbrc.org/technical/standards/greenbuilding.aspx 

### :

– ANSI National Green Building Standard8 

# The Green Building Explosion

**0 5000**  **LE ED**  **Mi l. R** **eg . S**  **q. Ft. 2001**  **2005 2008**  **0 5000**  **10000 15000**  **20000 US**  **GB C**  **Me mb**  **er**

**Org an**  **iz atio**  **ns**

**2001 2005**  **2008 0**  **5000 LE**  **ED C** **ert if** **ie d B**  **uildings 2001**  **2005 2008** 9 

# Green Building Standards Development Efforts • American Society of Heating, Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)

– Standard 189: Standard for the Design of High Performance Green Buildings http://spc189.ashraepcs.org 

### • ASTM:

– Minimum Environmental, Social & Economic Requirements for a Building Promoting Sustainability http://www.astm.org/COMMIT/SUBCOMMIT/E60.htm 

### • Various green product standards and rating systems also relevant10 

# Other Federal Agencies Involved • Whole Building Design Guide

– Federal sustainable design guidance: http://www.wbdg.org/design/sustainable.php 

### • U.S. Department of Energy

– Energy Efficiency and Renewables: www.eere.energy.gov 

### • General Services Administration

– Office of Federal High Performance Green Building http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/channelView.do?pageTypeId= 17109&channelId= -2433111



# EPA’s Green Building Strategy (2008)

EP A Potomac Y

ard, Arlington, V

A: LEED Gold, ENERGY

ST AR12



# Goals & Objectives • **Goal** : Facilitate the mainstream adoption of effective green building practices

– **Sub -** **goal 1**  : Strengthen the scientific, technical, economic & institutional foundations of green building • Advance knowledge & overcome barriers through **research** • Inform building decisions with better **standards and metrics** 13 

# Goals & Objectives, cont’d • **Sub -** **goal 2**  : Engage with stakeholders & the public to facilitate adoption of effective green building practices

– **Lead by example**  with the Agency’s own facilities

– **Expand public understanding** of green building

– **Increase adoption of green building**  **practices in sectors**  where progress has been more limited • Focus on **existing commercial**  **& public buildings** & **homes**14



# Filling Research Gaps • Issue: Major scientific, technical & economic barriers remain, yet green building research = 0.2% of Federal research funding 

## • Support for USGBC Research Agenda and promotion • Participating in OSTP Research Agenda • ID EPA’s role in filling key research gaps15 

# Supporting Development of Standards & Metrics • Issue: Questions of green building performance, competing rating systems and remaining market challenges call for robust standards & metrics 

## • Upgrade EPA participation in standards development processes • Identifying metrics and gaps in them • Help identify and disseminate best practices in greening the codes16



# Enhancing EPA Leadership by Example • Issue: EPA already has 8 LEED buildings, but needs to stay at the cutting edge, including greener O&M at existing buildings 

## • Examine & advance metrics and communication of results of EPA buildings • ID opportunities to green O&M practices17 

# Expanding Public Understanding • Issue: There is increasing public interest in green building, but insufficient understanding by consumers of fundamental issues 

## • Develop green homes website • Executive speeches & other opportunities18 

# Partnering to Boost Adoption of Green Practices in Key Sectors • Issue: Green building has shown more progress in public & commercial new construction, less in homes and existing buildings 

## • EPA will target industry groups in existing buildings & homes sectors for partnerships to improve green performance19 

# For More Information...

EP A New England Regional Lab, Chelmsford, MA: LEED Gold20



## Ken Sandler Co-chair, US EP

A Green Building Wo rkgroup sandler.ken@epa.gov 202 -566 -2202 www.epa.gov/greenbuilding