By signing Executive Order Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, President Obama set new sustainability goals for the federal government that have the potential to make a huge impact on energy and water use in both the federal and private sectors. Signed on March 19, 2015, the Order requires federal agencies to reduce carbon pollution 40% by 2025 over 2008 levels by:
- Reducing energy use in Federal buildings by 2.5% per year over 2015 through 2025
- Reducing water intensity in Federal buildings by 2% per year over 2007 through 2025 for a total water use reduction goal of 36%
- Ensuring that 25% of total electric and thermal consumption is from clean energy sources by 2025
- Reducing per mile GHG emissions from vehicle fleets by 30% over 2014 by 2025
- Ensuring that all new Federal construction (over 5000sf) after 2020 will designed as net-zero energy and after 2030 to be water or waste net-zero (where feasible)
- Instituting advanced waste and pollution prevention
As a leader for and in collaboration with the private sector, Federal agencies will: report and track their progress via the Energy Star Portfolio Manager system, conform to local city performance benchmarking efforts, and participate where feasible, in the Green Button data access system.
To push the effort into the private sector, the Order seeks to promote sustainable Federal purchasing sustainable products and services identified by EPA including:
- Recycled content products
- Significant New Alternative Policy (SNAP) chemicals or other alternatives to ozone-depleting substances and high global warming potential hydrofluorocarbons, where feasible
- WaterSense certified products and services (water efficient products)
- Safer Choice labeled products
- SmartWay Transport partners and SmartWay products
- Additionally the Order seeks to purchase: Energy and water efficient products and services, such as ENERGY STAR qualified and Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP)-designated products, identified by EPA and DOE and BioPreferred/ biobased designated products designated by the United States Department
of Agriculture - Sets reporting and energy efficiency language for Federal leases over 10,000sf and
- Requires supply chain vendors to manage their GHG emissions
So what? This Executive Order builds on the progress that the Administration has already achieved and sets aggressive yet achievable goals for the Federal government. These goals will also have a significant impact on the private sector through the Federal government’s purchasing power increasing demand for sustainable products and spurring innovation of new products; will support the growing solar panel manufacture and installation industries; and will provide incentive to the private sector to broaden and strengthen sustainability goals by being a Federal leader and leading by example.
