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New Higher Sustainability Standard for Federal Buildings
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Certain new federal building construction and substantial renovation projects will be subject to a new and higher standard equivalent to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold Certification standard . This shift to a higher standard was recently announced by the United States General Services Administration (GSA), the federal agency which manages governmental assets, including government owned and leased buildings. Until now, the GSA has required that certain buildings owned or leased by a governmental agency be constructed or renovated in accordance with the lower LEED® Silver Certification standard.
In order to ramp up the federal government’s response to growing concerns regarding climate change, healthy and productive workplace environments, scarcity of natural resources and responsible use of taxpayers’ dollars, the GSA has raised the bar for achievement of minimum sustainability standards among its real estate holdings.
As part of the implementation of the mandate described in President Obama’s 2009 Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance (Executive Order #13514), the GSA has been charged with reducing the carbon footprint of 360 million square feet of space owned or leased by governmental agencies.
According to a GSA press release, projects funded prior to FY 2010 which are still in the design phase must adhere to LEED® Gold standards where possible, considering timing, budget and design constraints. For GSA leased buildings of 10,000 square feet or more, the standard remains at the LEED® Silver level, with adherence to LEED® Commercial Interiors standards for tenant improvements being optional. These requirements will be incorporated into the GSA’s Facilities Standards by the end of this year
Jamie L. Cox is an Associate in the firm's Louisville office where her practice concentrates on commercial real estate development and leasing, commercial lending and corporate-related real estate issues. She is a LEED® Accredited Professional.