HIGH PERFORMANCE and SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS GUIDANCE
 

Final (12/1/08)
 

PURPOSE 

The Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG), as a subcommittee of the 

Steering Committee established by Executive Order (E.O.) 13423, initiated development 

of the following guidance to assist agencies in meeting the high performance and 

sustainable buildings goals of E.O. 13423, section 2(f).1 

E.O. 13423, sec. 2(f) states “In implementing the policy set forth in section 1 of this 

order, the head of each agency shall: ensure that (i) new construction and major 

renovations of agency buildings comply with the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership 

in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings set forth in the Federal Leadership in High 

Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding (2006)2, and (ii) 15-

percent of the existing Federal capital asset building inventory of the agency as of the 

end of fiscal year 2015 incorporates the sustainable practices in the Guiding Principles.” 

This guidance accomplishes the following: (1) Updates the Guiding Principles for 

Sustainable New Construction and Major Renovations, (2) establishes a separate Guiding 

Principles for Sustainable Existing Buildings, 3) clarifies reporting guidelines for entering 

information on Sustainability Data Element #25 in the Federal Real Property Profile 

(FRPP) database, and (4) explains how to calculate the percentage of buildings/square 

footage that are compliant with the Guiding Principles. 

Legislation enacted subsequent to the issuance of E.O. 13423 was considered in drafting 

both sets of Guiding Principles described herein. This guidance shall be reviewed every 

two years, at a minimum, for potential revisions to keep pace with evolving sustainable 

building practices and new regulations and/or legislation. 

For a set of answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on this guidance, please visit: 

<www.wbdg.org/references/sustainable_eo.php>. These FAQs are based on 

comments received during the development of this guidance, and will be updated as 

necessary. 

1 Additional Federal guidance on the sustainability aspects of Executive Order 13423 can be found at: 

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/controlledaccess/sustainable_E.O.13423.html 

Additional Technical Guidance on requirements and strategies for meeting the Guiding Principles is 

available at www.wbdg.org/sustainableE.O.. 2 In 2006, the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of 

Understanding outlined Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable 

Buildings. http://www.wbdg.org/pdfs/sustainable_mou.pdf 

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REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 

To ensure accuracy and consistency in reporting across agencies and to leverage 

existing resources dedicated to agency real property management, data on compliance 

with E.O. 13423, sec. 2(f), is to be reported to the Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) 

database managed by the Federal Real Property Council (FRPC).3 All Executive 

agencies are already required to report annual inventory and performance data at the 

individual asset level on all real property assets: including land, buildings, and 

structures. 

As part of the Fiscal Year 2008 reporting, the FRPC, in consultation with ISWG, 

established a “sustainability” data element to be reported on all building assets 

(optional for land assets and structures) to capture agency progress toward meeting the 

Executive Order goal in section 2(f). The guidance issued by the FRPC reads as follows: 

Sustainability 

Data Element 

(#25) 

Required Information 

Sustainability Reflects whether or not an asset meets the sustainability 

goals set forth in Section 2 (f) of Executive Order 13423. 

Options are: 

• Yes (1) – asset has been assessed and meets 

guidelines set forth in Section 2 (f) of Executive 

Order 13423 

• No (2) – asset has been assessed and does not meet 

guidelines set forth in Section 2 (f) of Executive 

Order 13423 

• Not yet evaluated (3) – asset has not yet been 

evaluated on whether or not it meets guidelines set 

forth in Section 2 (f) of Executive Order 13423 

• Not applicable (4) – guidelines set forth in Section 2 

(f) of Executive Order 13423 do not apply to the 

asset 

The FRPC issued the Fiscal Year 2008 reporting instructions on June 23, 2008.4 All 

agency data is to be reported to the FRPP database no later than December 15th of each 

year. Reporting of all inventory and performance data is to be coordinated with the 

agency’s Senior Real Property Officer. The reporting of data for the “sustainability” 

data element is optional for FY 2008 and required for FY 2009 and beyond. 

3 The Federal Real Property Council was established under EO 13327, Federal Real Property Asset
 

Managed, issued February 4, 2004.

4 The FRPC annual guidance and FRPP reporting instructions can be found at:
 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/financial/fia_asset.html 

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In order to select “Yes (1)” for a sustainable building, an agency must verify that it 

meets the sustainability requirements for new, existing, or leased buildings as defined 

in this document. 

The “Not applicable (4)” option is only appropriate for structures and land assets. 

Information on the “sustainability” data element is required on all buildings reported to 

the FRPP. 

CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING COMPLIANCE WITH THE GUIDING
 

PRINCIPLES BASED UPON TYPE OF BUILDING
 

New construction and major renovations can be considered compliant with the 

Guiding Principles and reported ‘Yes (1)’ under the sustainability data element when 

either Option New Construction 1 (NC-1) or Option NC-2 is met: 

OPTION NC-1 

An agency can demonstrate that a building is compliant with each of the five 

Guiding Principles for Sustainable New Construction and Major Renovations (provided in 

this document), or 

OPTION NC-2 

A documented commitment to third-party certification was made (e.g., registering a 

project) for projects with a design contract that was awarded prior to October 1, 2008 

AND the building has been third-party certified to meet the requirements of a multiattribute green building standard or rating system developed by an ANSI-accredited 

organization. 

Existing buildings can be considered compliant with the Guiding Principles and 

reported ‘Yes (1)’ under the sustainability data element when either Option Existing 

Buildings 1 (EB-1) or Option EB-2 is met: 

OPTION EB-1 

An agency can demonstrate that a building is compliant with each of the five 

Guiding Principles for Sustainable Existing Buildings (provided in this document), or 

OPTION EB-2 

A documented commitment to third-party existing building certification was made 

(e.g., registering a project) prior to October 1, 2008 AND the building is third-party 

certified to meet the requirements of a multi-attribute green building standard or 

rating system developed by an ANSI-accredited organization. 

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Agency-leased buildings can be considered compliant with the Guiding Principles and 

reported ‘Yes (1)’ under the sustainability data element when Option Leases 1 (L-1) or 

Option L-2 is met: 

OPTION L-1 

An agency can demonstrate that a building is compliant with the appropriate set of 

Guiding Principles, or 

OPTION L-2 

At any point, the building has been third-party certified to meet the requirements of 

a multi-attribute green building standard or rating system developed by an ANSIaccredited organization. 

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING IMPLEMENTATION PLANS 

Progress and status regarding compliance with E.O. 13423, sec. 2(f) shall be 

documented in the agency’s Sustainable Building Implementation Plan (SBIP). 

•	 Agencies should include a discussion of the independent validation and 

verification (IV&V) process established to ensure compliance with the Guiding 

Principles and accuracy of the data reported to the FRPP. 

•	 If the previous version of the Guiding Principles (dated 1/24/06) was used to 

assess a building, document which version is applicable in the agency’s SBIP. 

•	 For sustainable buildings leased by another Federal entity (e.g., General Services 

Administration) on an agency’s behalf, information and characterization of the 

buildings, or spaces within, may be identified in the annual SBIP of the agency 

occupying the building, even though it is not included in that Agency’s FRPP 

submission. 

•	 Agencies should describe the strategies (including disposition) and key 

milestones for evaluating buildings reported to the FRPP as “Not yet evaluated 

(3)”. 

•	 It is recognized that agency-owned and leased facilities have different challenges 

in meeting the Guiding Principles. Therefore, agencies are encouraged to 

separately analyze its agency-owned and leased buildings portfolio in the SBIP. 

•	 Along with the total number of buildings and total square footage, agencies shall 

report their capital asset threshold5, and the percentage of buildings and square 

footage above and below the threshold. 

5 OMB Circular A-11 Part 7 Supplemental & EO 13227 define what constitutes the capital asset building 

inventory. 

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CALCULATION OF PERCENTAGE OF EACH AGENCY’S BUILDING
 

INVENTORY THAT COMPLIES WITH THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES
 

The percentage of each agency’s building inventory meeting the Criteria for 

Compliance with the Guiding Principles shall be calculated in two ways: (1) by square 

footage of buildings and (2) by number of buildings. All buildings, including those 

below the agency’s capital asset threshold, must be reported in the FRPP. 

The equations to calculate the percentage (%) of buildings meeting the Guiding Principles 

based on the entries in the Sustainability Data Element are as follows: 

By Square Feet 

Sustainability % = [(square feet of buildings reporting “Yes (1)”) / (square feet of 

buildings reporting “Yes (1),” “No (2),” and “Not yet evaluated (3)”)] x 100 

By Number of Buildings 

Sustainability % = [(number of buildings reporting “Yes (1)”) / (number of buildings 

reporting “Yes (1),” “No (2),” and “Not yet evaluated (3)”)] x 100 

NOTE: The total square footage of buildings reporting “Yes (1),” “No (2),” and “Not 

yet evaluated (3)” should be equal to the square footage of all buildings on which an 

agency reports in their FRPP submission. 

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR SUSTAINABLE NEW CONSTRUCTION AND
 

MAJOR RENOVATIONS
 

I. Employ Integrated Design Principles 

Integrated Design. Use a collaborative, integrated planning and design process that 

•	 Initiates and maintains an integrated project team as described on the Whole 

Building Design Guide <http://www.wbdg.org/design/engage_process.php> in 

all stages of a project's planning and delivery 

•	 Integrates the use of OMB’s A-11, Section 7, Exhibit 300: Capital Asset Plan and 

Business Case Summary 

•	 Establishes performance goals for siting, energy, water, materials, and indoor 

environmental quality along with other comprehensive design goals and ensures 

incorporation of these goals throughout the design and lifecycle of the building 

•	 Considers all stages of the building's lifecycle, including deconstruction. 

Commissioning. Employ commissioning practices tailored to the size and complexity 

of the building and its system components in order to verify performance of building 

components and systems and help ensure that design requirements are met. This 

should include an experienced commissioning provider, inclusion of commissioning 

requirements in construction documents, a commissioning plan, verification of the 

installation and performance of systems to be commissioned, and a commissioning 

report. 

II. Optimize Energy Performance 

Energy Efficiency. Establish a whole building performance target that takes into 

account the intended use, occupancy, operations, plug loads, other energy demands, 

and design to earn the ENERGY STAR® targets for new construction and major renovation 

where applicable. For new construction, reduce the energy use by 30 percent compared 

to the baseline building performance rating per the American National Standards 

Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning 

Engineers, Inc., (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society of North America 

(IESNA) Standard 90.1-2007, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise 

Residential. For major renovations, reduce the energy use by 20 percent below prerenovations 2003 baseline. Laboratory spaces may use the Labs21 Laboratory Modeling 

Guidelines. Use ENERGY STAR® and FEMP-designated Energy Efficient Products, where 

available. 

On-Site Renewable Energy. Per the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) 

Section 523, meet at least 30% of the hot water demand through the installation of solar 

hot water heaters, when lifecycle cost effective. 

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Per Executive Order 13423, implement renewable energy generation projects on agency 

property for agency use, when lifecycle cost effective. 

Measurement and Verification. Per the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct) Section 103, 

install building level electricity meters in new major construction and renovation 

projects to track and continuously optimize performance. Per EISA Section 434, include 

equivalent meters for natural gas and steam, where natural gas and steam are used. 

Benchmarking. Compare actual performance data from the first year of operation with 

the energy design target, preferably by using ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager for 

building and space types covered by ENERGY STAR®. Verify that the building 

performance meets or exceeds the design target, or that actual energy use is within 10% 

of the design energy budget for all other building types. For other building and space 

types, use an equivalent benchmarking tool such as the Labs21 benchmarking tool for 

laboratory buildings. 

III. Protect and Conserve Water 

Indoor Water. Employ strategies that in aggregate use a minimum of 20 percent less 

potable water than the indoor water use baseline calculated for the building, after 

meeting the EPAct 1992, Uniform Plumbing Codes 2006, and the International 

Plumbing Codes 2006 fixture performance requirements. The installation of water 

meters is encouraged to allow for the management of water use during occupancy. The 

use of harvested rainwater, treated wastewater, and air conditioner condensate should 

also be considered and used where feasible for nonpotable use and potable use where 

allowed. 

Outdoor Water. Use water efficient landscape and irrigation strategies, such as water 

reuse, recycling, and the use of harvested rainwater, to reduce outdoor potable water 

consumption by a minimum of 50 percent over that consumed by conventional means 

(plant species and plant densities). The installation of water meters for locations with 

significant outdoor water use is encouraged. 

Employ design and construction strategies that reduce storm water runoff and 

discharges of polluted water offsite. Per EISA Section 438, to the maximum extent 

technically feasible, maintain or restore the predevelopment hydrology of the site with 

regard to temperature, rate, volume, and duration of flow using site planning, design, 

construction, and maintenance strategies. 

Process Water. Per the Energy Policy Act of 2005 Section 109, when potable water is 

used to improve a building’s energy efficiency, deploy lifecycle cost effective water 

conservation measures. 

Water-Efficient Products. Specify EPA’s WaterSense-labeled products or other water 

conserving products, where available. Choose irrigation contractors who are certified 

through a WaterSense labeled program. 

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IV. Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality 

Ventilation and Thermal Comfort. Meet ASHRAE Standard 55-2004, Thermal 

Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, including continuous humidity 

control within established ranges per climate zone, and ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007, 

Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. 

Moisture Control. Establish and implement a moisture control strategy for controlling 

moisture flows and condensation to prevent building damage, minimize mold 

contamination, and reduce health risks related to moisture. 

Daylighting. Achieve a minimum daylight factor of 2 percent (excluding all direct 

sunlight penetration) in 75 percent of all space occupied for critical visual tasks. Provide 

automatic dimming controls or accessible manual lighting controls, and appropriate 

glare control. 

Low-Emitting Materials. Specify materials and products with low pollutant emissions, 

including composite wood products, adhesives, sealants, interior paints and finishes, 

carpet systems, and furnishings. 

Protect Indoor Air Quality during Construction. Follow the recommended approach 

of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractor's National Association Indoor Air 

Quality Guidelines for Occupied Buildings under Construction, 2007. After construction 

and prior to occupancy, conduct a minimum 72-hour flush-out with maximum outdoor 

air consistent with achieving relative humidity no greater than 60 percent. After 

occupancy, continue flush-out as necessary to minimize exposure to contaminants from 

new building materials. 

Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control. Implement a policy and post signage 

indicating that smoking is prohibited within the building and within 25 feet of all 

building entrances, operable windows, and building ventilation intakes during building 

occupancy. 

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V. Reduce Environmental Impact of Materials 

Recycled Content. Per Section 6002 of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

(RCRA), for EPA-designated products, specify products meeting or exceeding EPA's 

recycled content recommendations. For other products, specify materials with recycled 

content when practicable. If EPA-designated products meet performance requirements 

and are available at a reasonable cost, a preference for purchasing them shall be 

included in all solicitations relevant to construction, operation, maintenance of or use in 

the building. EPA’s recycled content product designations and recycled content 

recommendations are available on EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guideline web 

site at <www.epa.gov/cpg>. 

Biobased Content. Per Section 9002 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act 

(FSRIA), for USDA-designated products, specify products with the highest content level 

per USDA's biobased content recommendations. For other products, specify biobased 

products made from rapidly renewable resources and certified sustainable wood 

products. If these designated products meet performance requirements and are 

available at a reasonable cost, a preference for purchasing them shall be included in all 

solicitations relevant to construction, operation, maintenance of or use in the building. 

USDA’s biobased product designations and biobased content recommendations are 

available on USDA’s BioPreferred web site at <www.usda.gov/biopreferred>. 

Environmentally Preferable Products. Use products that have a lesser or reduced 

effect on human health and the environment over their lifecycle when compared with 

competing products or services that serve the same purpose. A number of standards 

and ecolabels are available in the marketplace to assist specifiers in making 

environmentally preferable decisions. For recommendations, consult the Federal Green 

Construction Guide for Specifiers at <www.wbdg.org/design/greenspec.php>. 

Waste and Materials Management. Incorporate adequate space, equipment, and 

transport accommodations for recycling in the building design. During a project's 

planning stage, identify local recycling and salvage operations that could process siterelated construction and demolition materials. During construction, recycle or salvage 

at least 50 percent of the non-hazardous construction, demolition and land clearing 

materials, excluding soil, where markets or onsite recycling opportunities exist. 

Provide salvage, reuse and recycling services for waste generated from major 

renovations, where markets or onsite recycling opportunities exist. 

Ozone Depleting Compounds. Eliminate the use of ozone depleting compounds 

during and after construction where alternative environmentally preferable products 

are available, consistent with either the Montreal Protocol and Title VI of the Clean Air 

Act Amendments of 1990, or equivalent overall air quality benefits that take into 

account lifecycle impacts. 

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR SUSTAINABLE EXISTING BUILDINGS 

I. Employ Integrated Assessment, Operation, and Management Principles 

Integrated Assessment, Operation, and Management. Use an integrated team to 

develop and implement policy regarding sustainable operations and maintenance. 

•	 Incorporate sustainable operations and maintenance practices within the 

appropriate Environmental Management System (EMS) 

•	 Assess existing condition and operational procedures of the building and major 

building systems and identify areas for improvement 

•	 Establish operational performance goals for energy, water, material use and 

recycling, and indoor environmental quality, and ensure incorporation of these 

goals throughout the remaining lifecycle of the building 

•	 Incorporate a building management plan to ensure that operating decisions and 

tenant education are carried out with regard to integrated, sustainable building 

operations and maintenance 

•	 Augment building operations and maintenance as needed using occupant feedback 

on work space satisfaction. 

Commissioning. Employ recommissioning, tailored to the size and complexity of the 

building and its system components, in order to optimize and verify performance of 

fundamental building systems. Commissioning must be performed by an experienced 

commissioning provider. When building commissioning has been performed, the 

commissioning report, summary of actions taken, and schedule for recommissioning 

must be documented. In addition, meet the requirements of EISA 2007, Section 432 and 

associated FEMP guidance. 

Building recommissioning must have been performed within four years prior to 

reporting a building as meeting the Guiding Principles. 

II. Optimize Energy Performance 

Energy Efficiency. Three options can be used to measure energy efficiency 

performance: 

•	 Option 1: Receive an ENERGY STAR® rating of 75 or higher or an equivalent Labs21 

Benchmarking Tool score for laboratory buildings, 

•	 Option 2: Reduce measured building energy use by 20% compared to building 

energy use in 2003 or a year thereafter with quality energy use data, or 

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•	 Option 3: Reduce energy use by 20% compared to the ASHRAE 90.1-2007 baseline 

building design if design information is available. 

Use ENERGY STAR® and FEMP-designated Energy Efficient Products, where available. 

On-Site Renewable Energy. Per Executive Order 13423, implement renewable energy 

generation projects on agency property for agency use, when lifecycle cost effective. 

Measurement and Verification. Per the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct2005) Section 

103, install building level electricity meters to track and continuously optimize 

performance. Per the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) 2007, the utility 

meters must also include natural gas and steam, where natural gas and steam are used. 

Benchmarking. Compare annual performance data with previous years’ performance 

data, preferably by entering annual performance data into the ENERGY STAR® Portfolio 

Manager. For building and space types not available in ENERGY STAR®, use an 

equivalent benchmarking tool such as the Labs21 benchmarking tool for laboratory 

buildings. 

III. Protect and Conserve Water 

Indoor Water. Two options can be used to measure indoor potable water use 

performance: 

•	 Option 1: Reduce potable water use by 20% compared to a water baseline calculated 

for the building. The water baseline, for buildings with plumbing fixtures installed 

in 1994 or later, is 120% of the Uniform Plumbing Codes 2006 or the International 

Plumbing Codes 2006 fixture performance requirements. The water baseline for 

plumbing fixtures older than 1994 is 160% of the Uniform Plumbing Codes 2006 or 

the International Plumbing Codes 2006 fixture performance requirements, or 

•	 Option 2: Reduce building measured potable water use by 20% compared to 

building water use in 2003 or a year thereafter with quality water data. 

Outdoor Water. Three options can be used to measure outdoor potable water use 

performance: 

•	 Option 1: Reduce potable irrigation water use by 50% compared to conventional 

methods, or 

•	 Option 2: Reduce building related potable irrigation water use by 50% compared to 

measured irrigation water use in 2003 or a year thereafter with quality water data, or 

•	 Option 3: Use no potable irrigation water. 

Measurement of Water Use. The installation of water meters for building sites with 

significant indoor and outdoor water use is encouraged. If only one meter is installed, 

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reduce potable water use (indoor and outdoor combined) by at least 20% compared to 

building water use in 2003 or a year thereafter with quality water data. 

Employ strategies that reduce storm water runoff and discharges of polluted water 

offsite. Per EISA Section 438, where redevelopment affects site hydrology, use site 

planning, design, construction, and maintenance strategies to maintain hydrologic 

conditions during development, or to restore hydrologic conditions following 

development, to the maximum extent that is technically feasible. 

Process Water. Per EPAct 2005 Section 109, when potable water is used to improve a 

building’s energy efficiency, deploy lifecycle cost effective water conservation 

measures. 

Water-Efficient Products. Where available, use EPA’s WaterSense-labeled products or 

other water conserving products. Choose irrigation contractors who are certified 

through a WaterSense-labeled program. 

IV. Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality 

Ventilation and Thermal Comfort. Meet ASHRAE Standard 55-2004 Thermal 

Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy and ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2007: 

Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. 

Moisture Control. Provide policy and illustrate the use of an appropriate moisture 

control strategy to prevent building damage, minimize mold contamination, and 

reduce health risks related to moisture. For façade renovations, Dew Point analysis 

and a plan for cleanup or infiltration of moisture into building materials are required. 

Daylighting and Lighting Controls. Automated lighting controls (occupancy/vacancy 

sensors with manual-off capability) are provided for appropriate spaces including 

restrooms, conference and meeting rooms, employee lunch and break rooms, training 

classrooms, and offices. Two options can be used to meet additional daylighting and 

lighting controls performance expectations: 

•	 Option 1: Achieve a minimum daylight factor of 2 percent (excluding all direct 

sunlight penetration) in 50 percent of all space occupied for critical visual tasks, or 

•	 Option 2: Provide occupant controlled lighting, allowing adjustments to suit 

individual task needs, for 50% of regularly occupied spaces. 

Low-Emitting Materials. Use low emitting materials for building modifications, 

maintenance, and cleaning. In particular, specify the following materials and products 

to have low pollutant emissions: composite wood products, adhesives, sealants, 

interior paints and finishes, solvents, carpet systems, janitorial supplies, and 

furnishings. 

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Integrated Pest Management. Use integrated pest management techniques as 

appropriate to minimize pesticide usage. Use EPA-registered pesticides only when 

needed. 

Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control. Prohibit smoking within the building and 

within 25 feet of all building entrances, operable windows, and building ventilation 

intakes. 

V. Reduce Environmental Impact of Materials 

Recycled Content. Per section 6002 of RCRA, for EPA-designated products, use 

products meeting or exceeding EPA's recycled content recommendations for building 

modifications, maintenance, and cleaning. For other products, use materials with recycled 

content such that the sum of postconsumer recycled content plus one-half of the preconsumer content constitutes at least 10% (based on cost or weight) of the total value of 

the materials in the project. If EPA-designated products meet performance 

requirements and are available at a reasonable cost, a preference for purchasing them 

shall be included in all solicitations relevant to construction, operation, maintenance of 

or use in the building. EPA’s recycled content product designations and recycled 

content recommendations are available on EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement 

Guideline web site at <www.epa.gov/cpg>. 

Biobased Content. Per section 9002 of FSRIA, for USDA-designated products, use 

products with the highest content level per USDA's biobased content recommendations. 

For other products, use biobased products made from rapidly renewable resources and 

certified sustainable wood products. If these designated products meet performance 

requirements and are available at a reasonable cost, a preference for purchasing them 

should be included in all solicitations relevant to construction, operation, maintenance 

of or use in the building. USDA’s biobased product designations and biobased content 

recommendations are available on USDA’s BioPreferred web site at 

<www.usda.gov/biopreferred>. 

Environmentally Preferable Products. Use products that have a lesser or reduced 

effect on human health and the environment over their lifecycle when compared with 

competing products or services that serve the same purpose. A number of standards 

and ecolabels are available in the marketplace to assist specifiers in making 

environmentally preferable decisions. For recommendations, consult the Federal Green 

Construction Guide for Specifiers at <www.wbdg.org/design/greenspec.php>. 

Waste and Materials Management. Provide reuse and recycling services for building 

occupants, where markets or on-site recycling exist. Provide salvage, reuse and 

recycling services for waste generated from building operations, maintenance, repair 

and minor renovations, and discarded furnishings, equipment and property. This 

could include such things as beverage containers and paper from building occupants, 

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batteries, toner cartridges, outdated computers from an equipment update, and 

construction materials from a minor renovation. 

Ozone Depleting Compounds. Eliminate the use of ozone depleting compounds 

where alternative environmentally preferable products are available, consistent with 

either the Montreal Protocol and Title VI of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, or 

equivalent overall air quality benefits that take into account lifecycle impacts. 

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