United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan
FY 2010-FY 2020
June 2,2010
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1: AGENCY POLICY AND STRATEGY 1
I. AGENCY POLICY STATEMENT 1
AGENCY CONTACTS 2
II. SUSTAINABILITY AND THE AGENCY'S MISSION 3
III. GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION GOALS 4
IV. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION 6
A. Internal Coordination and Communication 6
B. Coordination and Dissemination of the Plan to the Field 7
C. Leadership and Accountability 8
D. Agency Policy and Planning Integration 8
E. Agency Budget Integration 8
F. Methods for Evaluation of Progress 8
V. EVALUATING RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) 9
A. Economic Lifecycle Cost/ROI 9
B. Social Costs and Benefits 9
C. Environmental Costs and Benefits 10
D. Mission-Specific Costs and Benefits 11
E. Operations and Maintenance and Deferred Investments 11
F. Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability 12
VI. TRANSPARENCY 13
SECTION 2: PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND ANNUAL UPDATE 14
I. SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS 14
II. GOAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW 24
GOAL1: SCOPE 1 & 2 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION 24
A. Goal Description 24
B. Agency Lead for Goal 25
C. Implementation Methods 25
D. Agency Status 29
GOAL 2: SCOPE 3 GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 29
A. Goal Description 29
B. Agency Lead for the Goal 30
C. Implementation Methods 31
D. Agency Status 33
GOAL 3: DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AGENCY COMPREHENSIVE GHG INVENTORY
33
A. Goal Description 33
B. Agency Lead for Goal 33
C. Implementation Methods 33
D. Agency Status 34
GOAL 4: HIGH-PERFORMANCE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN/GREEN BUILDINGS 34
A. Goal Description 34
B. Agency Lead for Goal 35
C. Implementation Methods 35
D. Agency Status 38
GOALS: REGIONAL AND LOCAL PLANNING 39
A. Goal Description 39
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
B. Agency Lead for Goal 40
C. Implementation Methods 40
D. Agency Status 42
GOAL 6: WATER USE EFFICIENCY AND MANAGEMENT 43
A. Goal Description 43
B. Agency Lead for Goal 43
C. Implementation Methods 43
D. Agency Status 45
GOAL 7: POLLUTION PREVENTION AND WASTE ELIMINATION 45
A. Goal Description 45
B. Agency Lead for Goal 46
C. Implementation Methods 46
D. Agency Status 50
GOALS: SUSTAINABLE ACQUISITION 50
A. Goal Description 50
B. Agency Lead for Goal 51
C. Implementation Methods 51
D. Agency Status 52
GOAL 9: ELECTRONIC STEWARDSHIP AND DATA CENTERS 53
A. Goal Description 53
B. Agency Lead for Goal 53
C. Implementation Methods 54
D. Agency Status 57
SECTION 3: AGENCY SELF-EVALUATION 58
I. SELF-EVALUATION TABLE 58
APPENDIX A: LIST OF ACRONYMS A-1
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1-1: Communications Chart 7
Figure 2-1: GHG Emissions Reductions Compared with the FY2003 Baseline 14
Figure 2-2: EPA Water Intensity Relative to E.G. 13514 Goals 19
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1-1: Estimated Scope 1 and 2 Emissions* 4
Table 2-1: EPA Facilities with LEED-NC Certification 17
Table 2-2: EPA Facilities with LEED-EB Certification 17
Table 2-3: EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG Emissions Inventory 24
Table 2-4: EPA's FY 2008 Scope 3 GHG Emissions and Target Reductions by FY 2020
30
Table 2-5: Existing EPA FRPP Facilities Meeting the Guiding Principles 37
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
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IV
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
SECTION 1: AGENCY POLICY AND STRATEGY
I. AGENCY POLICY STATEMENT
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) has integrated a
commitment to reduce its carbon footprint and protect the environment into its
core programs, including budget planning, operations, and management
systems. EPA will meet and exceed its key priorities and sustainability goals,
which cover the following issues:
Greenhouse gas (GHG) and energy reductions;
Fleet efficiency;
Water conservation;
High-performance, sustainable buildings;
Regional and local planning;
Pollution prevention, waste reduction and diversion;
Electronics stewardship; and
Sustainable acquisition.
The Agency also recognizes the need to continue to serve as a model for other
Federal agencies in reducing its impact on the environment. In the coming years,
EPA plans to invest human and financial resources to improve its energy and
environmental performance in a cost-effective manner.
As EPA's Senior Sustainability and Chief Acquisition Officer, I am committing the
Agency's leadership and every EPA employee to actively participate in the
implementation of the Agency's Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan
(SSPP). In conjunction with EPA's Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information
Officer, Senior Real Property Officer, General Counsel, and all Program Offices
and Regions, EPA commits to meeting the SSPP's goals in the most
comprehensive and cost-effective manner possible.
7
Craig E. Hooks
EPA Senior Sustainability Officer
JUNO 2 2010
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AGENCY CONTACTS
Craig E. Hooks, Senior Sustainability Officer (SSO), Office of Administration and
Resources Management (OARM) Assistant Administrator (AA)
hooks.craig@epa.gov
202-564-4600
Renee Page, Office of Administration (OA) Director
page.renee@epa.gov
202-564-8400
Bridget C. Shea, Senior Real Property Officer, Facilities Management and Services
Division (FMSD) Director
shea.bridget@epa.gov
202-564-5441
Dan Amon, Senior Energy Advisor (Primary Point of Contact)
amon.dan@epa.gov
202-564-7509
Bucky Green, Chief, Sustainable Facilities Practices Branch (SFPB)
green.bucky@epa.gov
202-564-6371
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
II. SUSTAINABILITY AND THE AGENCY'S MISSION
EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has established seven key priorities for the Agency:
Taking action on climate change;
Improving air quality;
Assuring the safety of chemicals;
Cleaning up our communities;
Protecting America's waters;
Expanding the conversation on environmentalism and working for environmental
justice; and
Building strong state and tribal partnerships.
Although the Agency has focused on these important challenges in the past, nowhere is it
more important to model environmental stewardship than at EPA's own facilities.
In supporting the Agency's mission to protect human health and the environment and to
demonstrate leadership in environmental stewardship, EPA is committed to actively
managing its operations and activities in a compliant and sustainable manner. This
commitment is supported by environmental management systems (EMS) at all
appropriate organizational levels to address the sustainability goals presented in this
SSPP through Agency wide targets and performance metrics.
EPA's mission is carried out in more than 200 leased office facilities and more than 30
laboratories. Laboratories use significantly more energy and present greater
environmental challenges than offices. For EPA, the goal is to manage laboratories to
accomplish the Agency's mission while minimizing the impact of these operations on the
environment and the surrounding communities. As the Agency enters its fifth decade and
looks to modernize facilities, the Administrator's seven priorities will be integrated into
daily operations and practices.
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III. GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION GOALS
On January 4, 2010, EPA submitted its Scope 1 and 2l GHG emissions reduction target
to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) in accordance with the requirements of Executive Order (E.O.) 13514.
The Agency's goal is to reduce its combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions 25
percent by Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 from a FY 2008 baseline of 140,911 metric tons of
carbon dioxide equivalents (MTCO2e), as shown in Table 1-1.
Table 1-1: Estimated Scope 1 and 2 Emissions*
EPA's Scope 1 Emissions
Estimated
FY 2008
Baseline
(MTCO,e)
Stationary fuel (e.g., natural gas, fuel oil, propane, kerosene) combustion at reporting
facilities
21,762
Fugitive emissions in reporting facilities from refrigerant leakage in air-conditioning
equipment
6,591
Direct emissions from all Agencywide fuel consumption in EPA's fleet (e.g., passenger
cars, minivans, trucks) and tactical vehicles (e.g., trailers, generators, boats)
5,566
Fugitive emissions in reporting facilities from fire-suppression equipment
57
Fugitive emissions from EPA's fleet and tactical vehicles (e.g., refrigerant leakage from
air-conditioning equipment)
507
Process emissions from laboratory fume hood testing
302
Process emissions from National Vehicle Fuel Emissions Laboratory vehicle and
engine testing
175
Process emissions from furnace testing at the High Bay laboratory in Research
Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina
2,818
Process emissions from RTP incinerator/waste-handling facility's stack
49
Total Scope 1 Emissions
37,827
Purchased electricity, steam, hot water, and chilled water in reporting facilities
Total Scope 2 Emissions
*This list represents EPA's inventory of Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions as reported to CEQ
and OMB in January 2010. On March 30, 2010, CEQ issued updated guidance requiring
agencies to account for emissions associated with transmission and distribution (T&D) losses
from purchased heating and cooling as part of Scope 2 GHG emissions. EPA will account for
these emissions (which the Agency had been including in its Scope 3 emissions inventory), along
with other sources of Scope 2 GHG emissions, in January 2011 when reporting FY 2008 and FY
2010 GHG emissions inventory to CEQ and OMB.
EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG reduction plan is based on existing and ongoing efforts to
improve energy efficiency at its reporting laboratories. The Agency will focus on making
Scope 1 emissions are direct GHG emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the Agency. Scope 2
emissions are direct GHG emissions resulting from the generation of electricity, heat, or steam purchased by the
Agency.
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mechanical system improvements during infrastructure replacements, identifying new
energy efficiency projects through energy assessments and re-commissioning, focusing
on preventive maintenance, and making operations and maintenance (O&M) a priority in
existing facilities.
Even as the Agency reduces energy consumption within targeted2 laboratories, it will
continue to mitigate the environmental impacts associated with its electricity use by
continuing to purchase green power or renewable energy credits (REC) for 100 percent of
EPA's electricity needs. The Agency will use the results of a National Onsite Renewable
Energy Study, completed for it in FY 2009, to make decisions regarding onsite renewable
energy generation through technologies such as ground source heat pumps (GSHP). The
Agency is working to reduce fuel consumption and the GHG emissions associated with
its vehicles through several fleet management initiatives, including "right-sizing" the
Agency's fleet, acquiring low GHG-emitting vehicles, promoting alternative fuel vehicles
(AFV) and filling stations, increasing the fleet's average miles per gallon, and educating
and encouraging fleet managers and employees to reduce both vehicle miles traveled and
fuel consumption.
A Broad View of Scope 3
EPA will focus on the following Scope 3 GHG emissions sources in FY 2010:
GHG emissions associated with employees' air and ground business travel and
with employee commuting;
GHG emissions associated with the Agency's contracted waste disposal (solid
waste and wastewater); and
T&D losses related to purchased electricity.
To estimate the GHG emissions associated with employees' air travel, EPA will use the
U.S. General Services Administration's (GSA) Travel Management Tool. The Agency
plans educate its employees on business travel alternatives, which will translate into a
reduction in associated Scope 3 GHG emissions. The Agency has also used CEQ's tool
to estimate employee commuting-related emissions and set a preliminary target for
reductions by FY 2020.
To calculate the GHG emissions associated with its solid waste disposal, EPA will
estimate the total mass of waste produced Agency wide and use the CEQ Reporting Portal
Tool to quantify the resulting GHG emissions. To calculate GHG emissions associated
with wastewater disposal, EPA researched and collected data on the GHG emissions
associated with the energy used to transport and treat wastewater from its facilities. This
computation was used to verify the estimate for calculating wastewater disposal
emissions using the CEQ Reporting Portal Tool.
To reduce GHG emissions associated with T&D losses of purchased electricity, EPA will
focus on reducing demand for purchased electricity, using the same strategies that it plans
to use to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.
' Targeted laboratories are those that have the opportunities for the greatest return on investment and payback.
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EPA will include Scope 3 target emissions associated with energy use in non-reporting
facilities and with energy used to deliver potable water to EPA facilities as data become
available and as the Scope 3 requirements are increased by OMB/CEQ. EPA is working
with GSA to develop recommendations for tracking and reducing GHG emissions related
to the supply of products and services to the Federal Government through vendors and
contractors. Over time, the Agency plans to develop data collection methods to quantify
emissions associated with its outsourced environmental remediation activities.
IV. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
The SSPP is not EPA's first Agencywide strategy for sustainability; rather, it is built on
years of EPA experience in reducing its environmental footprint. In October 2008, the
Agency released the Energy and Environmental Performance, Leadership,
Accountability, and (Carbon) Neutrality Plan (E2PLAN) as a path to meet and exceed
then current Federal requirements in energy efficiency, water conservation, green
buildings, renewable energy, transportation, and EMSs. That plan was the culmination of
a number of individual strategies for energy and water conservation, sustainable
buildings, and other policies. The SSPP builds on that baseline and outlines a refined
focus on GHG reductions.
A. Internal Coordination and Communication
EPA has demonstrated a firm commitment from the Administrator and SSO, with support
from the Agency's Assistant Administrators, to integrate the GHG reduction goals of the
SSPP into all of the Agency's Programs, facilities, and operations.
To ensure coordination and communication among the key individuals and offices
responsible for implementing the SSPP, EPA has established a process for ongoing input
and feedback. By developing and issuing its EMS objectives, targets, and metrics, EPA
has established a coordination and communications mechanism for setting targets and
monitoring performance in support of environmental compliance, stewardship, and
sustainability.
EPA created an Executive Steering Committee as the premier management committee
charged with overseeing the development of the SSPP. Next, a Technical Advisory
Group (TAG) was convened to develop the SSPP and includes representatives from all of
EPA's Program Offices, Regions, and key administrative bodies. Figure 1-1 is a
snapshot of EPA's communications strategy for developing the SSPP.
Annually, the Agency will review and adjust sustainability targets and metrics to reflect
the Executive Steering Committee's determination of current Federal mandates. The
Agency's EMS objectives, targets, and metrics will be adjusted accordingly.
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EPA Administrator
Lisa P. Jackson
Office of Administration
Renee Page, Director
Facilities Management and
Services Division
Senior Real Property Officer
Bridget C. Shea, Director
Senior Advisor
Dan Amon
Senior Sustainability Officer
(OARM's AA)
Craig Hooks
Office of the Chief Financial
Officer
Barbara J. Bennett
Office of General Counsel
Scott Fulton
Office of Environmental
Information
Linda A. Travers
Executive Steering Committee
Office of Acquisition
Management
John Bashista
Technical Advisory Group
Sustainable
Acquisition
Team
Electronics
Stewardship
Team
Figure 1-1: Communications Chart
B. Coordination and Dissemination of the Plan to the Field
EPA has a number of channels for distributing the SSPP to employees and senior
managers who are directly and indirectly responsible for assisting with implementation.
The Agency already provides updates on implementation of E.O. 13514 and other
sustainability requirements through an internal e-newsletter that is distributed to key
contacts. The Administrator further emphasized her position via an EMS commitment
statement distributed in February 2010. EPA will post a copy of the plan on the
Agency's intranet, as well as on the EPA Office of Administration's Web site,
www. epa. gov/greeningepa.
EPA also will inform senior managers, including Assistant Administrators, Regional
Administrators, and Laboratory Directors, of the development and contents of the SSPP,
as well as their responsibilities for its implementation.
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C. Leadership and Accountability
EPA's support for environmental stewardship and sustainability is grounded in the
Agency's mission. The SSO for the Agency is the Assistant Administrator for OARM,
who reports directly to the Administrator. The SSO chairs the Executive Steering
Committee, composed of Assistant Administrators and Senior Regional Management,
which was established to:
Ensure the ongoing suitability and appropriateness of the Agency's response to
the goals established in the SSPP; and
Provide guidance on continual improvement of the Agency's operations and
sustainability initiatives.
D. Agency Policy and Planning Integration
The Executive Steering Committee and the TAG will play critical roles in continuing to
evaluate the appropriateness and sustainability of Agency policy for compliance. Input
from these groups will be used to review, maintain, and adjust goals and targets in the
Agency's SSPP, as appropriate. This process will be facilitated by the SSO and OARM,
and will be conducted within standard review cycles to ensure timely revision and
issuance of annual SSPP updates.
In addition to representatives from each Program Office and other EPA Offices, the SSPP
TAG includes members of the Agency's strategic planning staff, who ensure that overall
EPA strategic planning goals are incorporated and reflected in the goals of the SSPP.
EPA will ensure that annual updates to the SSPP include feedback from the appropriate
managers to integrate overall Agency goals and objectives.
E. Agency B udget Integration
EPA's annual budget planning process includes reviewing facility needs; facility master
planning incorporates resource efficiency, low-impact development, and other
sustainability strategies.
F. Methods for Evaluation of Progress
EPA will use current reporting systems to assess progress toward the goals contained in
the SSPP. The Agency currently collects data quarterly on energy consumption and
water use, and evaluates facility-specific targets in these areas annually. Solid waste
generation and recycling data, for both owned and leased facilities, are collected to
determine waste diversion rates. Transportation data are tracked using the Automotive
Statistical Tool (AST) database; transportation initiatives and fuel use are evaluated using
the Agency's Alternative Fuel Compliance Program (AFCP). Performance information
for other targets and goals is acquired through an annual data call.
Performance reports will be provided periodically to the SSO and the Executive Steering
Committee, along with recommendations for action and adjustments to the SSPP as
appropriate.
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
V. EVALUATING RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)
EPA has well-established processes to evaluate and prioritize capital improvement
projects for its buildings and facilities based on financial and non-financial criteria.
Through EPA's Five-Year Capital Investment Plan, Energy Conservation Plan, Water
Conservation Strategy, and Buildings and Facilities Capital Budgeting Process (also
known as the Buildings and Facilities [B&F] Project Ranking Process), the Agency ranks
projects based on financial criteria, including initial investment, energy and operational
cost savings, paybacks, and potential for reducing facility maintenance.
A. Economic Lifecycle Cost/ROI
EPA has several processes to evaluate the economic lifecycle costs and ROI related to
new facilities, major renovations, mechanical system upgrades and replacements, and
other facility projects.
For new major EPA facilities, GSA-owned buildings being renovated for EPA, or
buildings leased by GSA from private landlords for EPA, the Agency performs extensive
energy modeling to ensure compliance with the requirement that new buildings and major
renovations perform 30 percent better than the American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 90.1 standard. During this
process, EPA weighs the cost of incremental mechanical system and building envelope
investments against the benefits in terms of energy cost savings to the taxpayer. The
Agency pursues energy efficiency performance beyond the 30 percent better than
ASHRAE standard when it can be achieved in a lifecycle cost-effective manner.
Through the B&F Project Ranking Process, EPA's Architecture, Engineering, and Asset
Management Branch (AEAMB) receives potential projects from the Agency's Regions,
Programs, and Headquarters (after they have been prioritized using the strategies
described above) and places them in one of the following categories:
Energy conservation (includes water conservation and green building projects);
Engineering/planning studies;
Environmental compliance;
Health and safety;
Program requirements;
Repair and upkeep; and
Space alteration.
AEAMB verifies the prioritized project list and assigns a 0 to 100 numeric value based
on the B&F Project Ranking Process scoring criteria. Weighted scoring criteria provide a
basis for analyzing Agencywide and organization-specific priorities.
B. Social Costs and Benefits
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is one of the two key mechanisms that
consider social cost and benefits of EPA's capital investments in facilities. The NEPA
review process is not limited to ecological effects, such as air quality and water quality,
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
but includes aesthetic, cultural, historic, health, and socioeconomic impacts as well. In
future years, the Agency will expand the NEPA process to incorporate social costs and
benefits associated with sustainability initiatives.
NEPA regulations apply to all EPA facility construction projects, regardless of size.
During the NEPA process, the Agency reviews projects to:
Determine the appropriate level of NEPA review for a proposed construction
project;
Define the significant issues to be analyzed through information gathering,
scoping meetings, and public participation;
Evaluate project alternatives, including the proposed action and possible
mitigation measures, to determine whether their environmental impacts are
significant, not significant, or none at all; and
Develop documentation to assist the public and decision-makers in evaluating the
proposed action and alternatives.
To perform a comprehensive review, EPA is updating its GreenCheck and review
processes to ensure that they incorporate the following steps to evaluate social factors:
Consider renewable energy investments in areas with energy security and
reliability issues;
Consider environmental justice issues when siting facilities;
Focus on water conservation efforts near high-drought areas to reduce EPA's
impacts on overburdened water supplies; and
Ensure energy conservation efforts are promoted in areas with higher pollution
levels.
C. Environmental Costs and Benefits
In addition to financial metrics, EPA evaluates each project or initiative to understand its
contribution to the environmental performance goals of E.O. 13514, E.0.13423, the
Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), and the Energy Policy Act of
2005 (EPAct 2005). As described in detail in Section 2, the Agency considers and
includes in projects, where appropriate, key elements of these environmental mandates,
including GHG emission reductions, energy efficiency, renewable energy use, sustainable
buildings, water conservation, stormwater management, indoor environmental quality,
and waste management.
In addition to financial metrics, EPA tracks each individual facility project against the
goals and requirements of E.O. 13514, E.O. 13423, EISA, and EPAct 2005, using the
GreenCheck form. EPA developed GreenCheck specifically to track key elements of the
E.O.s and other environmental mandates, including:
GHG impact;
Energy consumption/intensity and renewable energy use;
High-performance, sustainable buildings;
Water consumption/intensity;
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Stormwater management;
Indoor environmental quality; and
Waste management.
Moreover, EPA owns a small number of facilities that have been identified as having
potential historic significance; therefore, EPA complies with all Federal, state, and local
laws and regulations regarding the preservation of cultural resources.
D. Mission-Specific Costs and Benefits
EPA is realigning its real estate portfolio management process, capital budgeting process,
and other facilities processes to support the Agency's seven strategic goals (which align
with the goals of E.G. 13514):
Taking action on climate change;
Improving air quality;
Assuring the safety of chemicals;
Cleaning up our communities;
Protecting America's waters;
Expanding the conversation on environmentalism and working for environmental
justice; and
Building strong state and tribal partnerships.
Currently, AEAMB evaluates the impact of each project submitted based on how it
contributes to EPA's seven strategic goals.
E. Operations and Maintenance and Deferred Investments
One of EPA's greatest challenges is to improve the O&M of its facilities, especially
laboratory operations. Currently, EPA maintains facility-level O&M plans for its owned
facilities. The structure of the O&M plans varies based on the facilities' missions,
functional activities, building inventory composition, and evaluation results. Each
facility's plan documents its operating parameters, maintenance plans and procedures,
requirements, and schedule.
EPA tracks data related to the Federal Real Property Council's key performance
measuresutilization, condition indices, mission dependencies, and annual O&M costs.
The Agency's operations performance is measured by its level of compliance with the
environmental and energy criteria established in E.O. 13423, EPAct 2005, and EISA, as
documented in EPA's Agency wide EMS objectives, targets, and metrics, as well as in the
E2PLAN.
The Agency uses a condition index (CI), derived from the facility condition assessments,
to qualitatively assess the current state of its facilities. EPA tracks the percentage of
office and laboratory space occupied versus the design capacity, referred to as the facility
utilization index. The vacancy rate derived from this calculation is tracked on an asset
level and used as part of EPA's annual performance measures.
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
The Agency also tracks recurring maintenance, utility, cleaning and janitorial, roads and
grounds, and ongoing security operating costs. These operating costs are benchmarked
with those of the private sector for office and laboratory space and used as part of EPA's
annual performance measures. The Agency classifies its owned and direct leased assets
into the following categories: mission critical, mission dependent, not critical, or not
mission dependent. EPA strives to categorize all assets as mission critical or mission
dependent; therefore, if it is determined that an asset no longer meets these criteria, the
Agency will consider disposing of it through appropriate means.
In 2010, EPA will begin piloting a nationwide program to improve the quality of O&M
across its building portfolio. To support this effort, the Agency has developed Building
Management Plan Guidelines (BMPG), described in detail in Section 2, to test in several
facilities.
F. Climate Change Risk and Vulnerability
EPA recognizes that its community and infrastructure may need to cope with severe
weather events; therefore, the Agency will identify vulnerable facilities and systems to
develop an adaptation strategy. EPA's Security Management Division (SMD) in OARM
has an established Continuity of Operations (COOP) Plan that addresses ways the
Agency can resume operations in a rapid and efficient manner following an emergency.
The COOP Plan provides guidance for, and facilitates preparation of, site- and activity-
specific plans and procedures that support EPA during an emergency situation. The
objectives of the COOP Plan are:
Support execution of EPA's essential functions;
Reduce disruptions to essential Agency operations;
Protect essential equipment, records, and other assets needed to support EPA's
essential functions;
Minimize damage to and loss of EPA resources;
Provide organizational and operational stability;
Facilitate decision-making; and
Provide support for the physical protection of information and equipment for
EPA's critical infrastructure.
As part of the security process, EPA identified essential support functions and personnel
and developed lists of the vital records and databases necessary to continue to perform its
essential support function from a COOP relocation site. The Agency will continue to
assess current vulnerabilities and future risks, and develop a risk inventory to document
all the ways EPA's operations are vulnerable to climate change. EPA will evaluate each
sustainability project against this risk inventory. Projects that mitigate the risk will be
highlighted, and the mitigation strategy will be documented. The risk inventory will
provide the input for assessing both mitigation and adaptation scenarios in facing these
risks. EPA will formulate an adaptation strategy and integrate climate change risks and
vulnerabilities into its existing COOP framework after further guidance is provided by
the Climate Change Adaptation Workgroup.
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VI. TRANSPARENCY
EPA has long worked to share with internal and external audiences the information
learned in pursuing sustainability. Its intranet serves as a secure portal for internal
communications, resources, technical assistance, and information sharing among
employees. EPA's external Web site on its sustainable facilities and practices
(www.epa.gov/greeningepa) publicizes all annual progress toward meeting energy
efficiency, water conservation, green buildings, renewable energy, and pollution
prevention goals. The SSPP and associated performance reports will be posted on that
site, along with subsequent annual updates.
In addition, EPA is working on the following actions:
Publishing government information online;
Improving the quality of government information;
Creating and institutionalizing a culture of open government; and
Creating an enabling policy framework for open government.
In response to OMB's Open Government Directive, issued December 8, 2009, EPA
established an Open Government Plan that describes a framework for increased
transparency and engagement of stakeholders. The Agency will work to measure and
evaluate how its open government activities are promoting its mission and strategic goals.
EPA also created an open government Web page (http://www.epa.gov/open/) as a
gateway for obtaining information on Agency activities and for receiving public feedback
on EPA's efforts. This effort is furthered by the launch of
http://www.openepa.ideascale.com, which enables the public to make suggestions,
present new ideas, or vote and comment on others' ideas.
EPA will use the open.gov Web page to post information regarding the Agency's
progress and performance with respect to achieving the goals and metrics outlined in the
SSPP.
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
SECTION 2: PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND ANNUAL UPDATE
I.
1.
SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Scope 1 & 2 Greenhouse Gas Reduction
As shown in Figure 2-1, EPA has reduced its GHG emissions considerably since FY
2003. In FY 2009, as a direct result of energy efficiency improvements, the Agency
reduced these emissions from energy consumption at its reporting facilities by 15,529
MTCC^eapproximately 10 percentcompared with the FY 2003 baseline. Taking
into account its extensive green power and REC purchases, the Agency reduced GHG
emissions by 85,298 MTCC^e (approximately 61 percent) in FY 2009 compared with FY
2003. EPA follows the Climate Leaders Protocol, which allows GHG emissions to be
adjusted for green power and REC purchases.
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FY2003
FY2007
FY2008
FY2009
D Emissions Reduction (torn Improved Energy Efficiency
n Emissions Reduction from Green Power Purchases
Net Emissions
Figure 2-1: GHG Emissions Reductions Compared with the FY 2003 Baseline
In September 2006, EPA became the first major Federal agency to offset 100 percent of
its Agencywide annual electricity consumption with green power and REC purchases,
and it has continued to do so since. The Agency has also purchased enough green power
to offset 100 percent of its electricity use through the end of FY 2010 and has purchased
80 percent of the RECs needed to offset electricity use in FY 2011.
In January 2009, EPA commissioned a feasibility study of potential onsite renewable
energy projects in its reporting laboratories. The study, completed in September 2009,
evaluated solar, wind, and GSHP projects and concluded that the Agency could generate
5.5 percent of its FY 2003 baseline energy consumption through onsite renewables. The
study confirmed that GSHP systems are the most economical renewable technology to
reduce fossil fuel use at EPA facilities. The Agency has installed a number of onsite
renewable energy projects: solar awnings, solar arrays, solar hot water heaters, and "solar
walls," as well as GSHPs. These systems collectively generate 8.5 billion British thermal
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
units (BBtu), or 0.59 percent of EPA's FY 2003 energy consumption baseline. The
avoided GHG emissions from these projects represent 0.41 percent of the Agency's total
FY 2008 Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.
EPA's recent successes in reducing GHG emissions from its vehicle fleet include:
Tested and promoted advanced fuel-cell technology during FY 2008 and FY 2009
with the hydrogen fuel cell Chevy Equinox, producing zero direct emissions;
Increased FY 2009 alternative fuel consumption to highest levels since before the
baseline year of FY 2005; and
Reduced petroleum consumption by 23 percent in FY 2009 from the baseline
year, meeting the requirement of E.O. 13423 a full 6 years early.
2. Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Reduction
EPA has taken a phased approach to quantifying and managing the identified sources of
Scope 3 GHG emissions. The Agency has accounted for the following categories of
Scope 3 GHG emissions:
Employee Business Travel: The Green Travel Working Group (GTWG),
chaired by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), has done extensive
work on "greening" EPA business travel. The GTWG, established in summer
2009 as a budget and GHG planning exercise, is developing policies and
approaches (e.g., videoconferencing, smart travel, green meetings) to reduce
expenses and Scope 3 GHG emissions associated with Agency travel and to
measure the resulting economic and environmental benefits;
Employee Commuting Emissions: EPA gathered existing employee commuting
data from several Regional and Program Laboratories, including Headquarters
(HQ), Regions 2, 3, 4, 9, and the RTF campus in North Carolina, and provided
studies, findings, and advice on how to quantify employee commuting
nationwide. Using these data, EPA calculated a rough estimate for GHG
emissions associated with employee commuting nationwide, recognizing that
regional differences can be significant; and
Emissions from T&D Losses from Purchased Electricity: EPA applied the
conversion factors in the Federal Emergency Management Program (FEMP)
March 3, 2010, Federal GHG Accounting and Reporting Draft Guidance to
calculate Scope 3 emissions associated with T&D losses from purchased
electricity.
3. Develop and Maintain Agency Comprehensive Greenhouse Gas
Inventory
In January 2008, EPA voluntarily began developing a GHG emissions inventory to better
understand and manage the environmental impacts of its day-to-day operations. In May
2009, the Agency formally became a Climate Leaders Partner and, as part of this
commitment, began developing a comprehensive Inventory Management Plan (IMP) that
transparently documents the Agency's management systems and inventory development
processes. EPA also is required to establish a long-range GHG emissions reduction
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
target and to report its GHG emissions annually to Climate Leaders to demonstrate
progress in meeting the Agency targets.
To develop its initial inventory, EPA followed the GHG Inventory Guidance developed
by the Climate Leaders Program. EPA's initial GHG emissions inventory quantified
Scope 1 and Scope 2 stationary emissions associated with energy consumption at the
Agency's 34 reporting facilities for three of the six major GHGscarbon dioxide (CC^),
methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O)and accounted for the efforts that EPA had
made to offset, or "adjust," the emissions through green power and REC purchases.
In FY 2009, EPA expanded the inventory to include estimated CC>2, CH4, and N2O
emissions resulting from energy consumption in the Agency's non-reporting facilities,
fuel consumption in its fleet vehicles, and fugitive emissions of hydrofluorocarbons
(HFC) and perfluorocarbons (PFC) associated with building air-conditioning and
refrigeration equipment. EPA's initial inventory used FY 2003 as the baseline to align
with the annual energy reduction requirements in E.O. 13423 and EISA. Thus, the
Agency was well prepared when, in October 2009, E.O. 13514 established the first
comprehensive Federal requirements for GHG emissions quantification and management.
EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, as reported in January 2010, are described in
Table 2-3.
4. High-Performance Sustainable Design/Green Buildings
EPA has been "greening" its real estate portfolio since the early 1990s. The Agency has
been striving for "green" since before the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
launched its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDฎ) Green Building
Rating System. All EPA major new buildings acquisitions initiated since 1997, whether
owned or leased through GSA, have achieved LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC)
Silver or Gold certification (see Table 2-1). In addition, three of EPA's large, leased
office buildings have achieved LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Gold or
Platinum certification in the past 2 years (see Table 2-2).
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
Table 2-1: EPA Facilities with LEED-NC Certification
acility
Region
Certification
Version Level
EPA-Owned Facilities
RTP, NC-National Computer Center
RTP, NC-Childcare
Cincinnati, OH-Annex 2
Gulf Breeze, FL-Building 67
4
4
5
4
100,922
24,225
42,400
9,048
2.0
2.1
2.1/2.2
2.2
Silver
Silver
Gold
Silver
Jan 2005
Mar 2008
Dec 2008
Apr 2009
GSA-Owned or -Leased Facilities Occupied by EPA
Chelmsford, MA-New England Regional
Laboratory
Kansas City, KS-Science & Technology Center
Arlington, VA-Potomac Yard One
Arlington, VA-Potomac Yard Two
Denver, CO-Region 8 Headquarters
1
7
HQ
HQ
8
Total
70,440
71,955
309,179
95,938
248,849
972,956
1.0
2.0
2.1
2.1
2.1
Gold
Gold
Gold
Gold
Gold
Apr 2003
Aug 2003
Jun 2006
Jun 2006
Sep 2007
Table 2-2: EPA Facilities with LEED-EB Certification
Facility
Region
Square
Feet
Version Level
GSA-Owned or-Leased Facilities Occupied by EPA
Arlington, VA-Potomac Yard One
HQ
309,179
2.0
Gold
Jul 2008
San Francisco, CA-Region 9 Headquarters
227,745
2.0
Gold
May 2009
Seattle, WA-Region 10 Headquarters
10
141,094
2.0
Platinum
Nov 2009
Total
678,018
At the end of FY 2009, 8.2 percent* of the buildings in EPA's projected FY 2015 Federal
Real Property Profile (FRPP)3 inventory met the Guiding Principles for Federal
Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings (Guiding Principles).
EPA has three carbon-neutral facilities in its inventory. The Agency's first carbon-
neutral laboratory building, the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center in Ada,
Oklahoma, installed a GSHP system, uses variable air volume (VAV) laboratory
ventilation to reduce fossil fuel use onsite, and purchases RECs to offset its remaining
electricity use. EPA's all-electric Region 7 Office in Kansas City, Kansas, which has
earned the ENERGY STARฎ label, purchases enough RECs to offsets its conventional
energy use. EPA's Gulf Breeze, Florida, laboratory complex, also an all-electric facility,
purchases enough RECs to offset its conventional electricity use.
* Calculated by number of buildings, but including only buildings that exceed a 5,000 Gross Square Feet (GSF)
threshold.
EPA's FRPP is the inventory of buildings that EPA owns or directly leases from a private landlord. All of EPA's
FRPP buildings are laboratories.
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
5. Regional and Local Planning
EPA considers the overall impact of new facilities on surrounding communities and their
local environments in an effort to promote sustainable locations and to strengthen the
vitality and livability of the communities in which those facilities are located. As a
result, the Agency strongly encourages reducing or eliminating potential environmental
impacts by promoting the use of green design and planning principles that are inherent in
its missionprotecting human health and the environment. A number of Agency
strategies, guidelines, and processes ensure compliance with E.O. 13514, E.O. 13423,
EPAct 1992, EPAct2005, and EISA.
In FY 2010, EPA's Smart Growth Team worked with GSA, the U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD), in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the
Department of Defense (DOD), to publish recommendations, according to Section 10 of
E.O. 13514, that address sustainable strategies for Federal facility siting.
In FY 2008 and again in 2009, the Agency revised and updated its Architecture and
Engineering (A/E) Guidelines to incorporate sustainable siting and transportation
planning. These guidelines serve as a working policy document to be used during new
construction and major renovation projects. EPA also incorporated sustainable principles
and provisions into the lease acquisition process by creating the Best Practices
(Environmental) Leasing Provisions (BPLP). The BPLP integrates EPAct 2005, E.O.
13423, EISA, the Guiding Principles, and LEED principles into standard lease language
to be addressed during the solicitation for offers.
6. Water Use Efficiency and Management
In January 2007, E.O. 13423 instituted the first specific numeric water conservation goals
for Federal agencies and called for each agency to reduce water intensity by 2 percent per
year through FY 2015, for a total reduction of 16 percent from an FY 2007 baseline year.
For EPA, that baseline water use was 133.6 million gallons, or 35.0 gallons per gross
square foot (GSF). The Agency's water use in FY 2009 was 119 million gallons, and its
water intensity was 31 gallons per GSF, a reduction of 11.3 percent relative to the FY
2007 water intensity baseline (see Figure 2-2) that far surpassed the required 4 percent
reduction.
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E.G. 13514 Target
EPA's Actual gal/GSF
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Fiscal Year
Figure 2-2: EPA Water Intensity Relative to E.G. 13514 Goals
In FY 2008, EPA developed its first formal Water Conservation Strategy, based on years
of experience in water conservation, to ensure the Agency as a whole could meet the E.O.
13423 water reduction goals. The strategy set out a rough timetable for implementing
water conservation projects at individual facilities and estimated the potential water
reductions and savings on utility costs from each potential project.
In October 2009, E.O. 13514 extended 2 percent annual water conservation goals, and
EPA updated its Water Conservation Strategy to remain on track to meet the new
requirement for Federal agencies to reduce water intensity 26 percent by FY 2020.
In FY 2009, EPA focused efforts on several water conservation initiatives: irrigation
system elimination or operational improvements; air handler condensate recovery; steam
sterilizer retrofits; vacuum pump replacements; and restroom fixture retrofits or
replacements. The Agency completed water efficiency projects representing 3.6 million
gallons of savings, or nearly 1 gallon per GSF per year.
Stormwater Management Accomplishments
As with water conservation, EPA voluntarily took steps to improve Stormwater
management at Agency facilities prior to any Federal requirement. Many EPA facilities
currently incorporate design features that reduce the volume and intensity of wet weather
peak flows leaving the property, reduce the occurrence of combined sewer overflow, and
increase the amount of water retained onsite to maintain the natural hydrology of
groundwater, streams, and wetlands. Stormwater management projects provide such
benefits as decreases in runoff most efficiently using a combination of techniques and
technologies. Examples of successful EPA Stormwater management projects include:
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Wet weather green infrastructure master planning: In early FY 2010, EPA
completed a stormwater management retrofit site master plan at the Andrew W.
Breidenbach Environmental Research Center (AWBERC) in Cincinnati, Ohio.
That 20-acre site is currently 50 percent impervious. This master plan follows the
requirements of EISA Section 438 Guidance issued December 4, 2009;
Pervious paving: In FY 2009, EPA completed a 97-space parking lot with
pervious paving at the Edison, New Jersey, laboratory. The Agency completed
other smaller pervious parking lot projects at a Chapel Hill, North Carolina,
laboratory, and pervious parking additions at the Office of Research and
Development (ORD) laboratory in Athens, Georgia;
Rain gardens and bioretention areas: In FY 2009, EPA installed a rain garden
and a rain barrel at the entrance to its Environmental Science Center in Fort
Meade, Maryland. Rain gardens and bioretention systems are also used at EPA
HQ in Washington, DC; in Edison, New Jersey; and at the Agency's RTF campus
in North Carolina;
Green roofs: In FY 2009, EPA installed a 2,600-square-foot green roof at the
Narragansett, Rhode Island, laboratory. In addition, the Cincinnati AWBERC
Annex 2 (EPA-owned) has an 8,300-square-foot green roof; and four major GSA-
provided facilitiesEPA's Regional Offices in Denver (19,200 square feet),
Seattle (7,400 square feet), and Boston (8,800 square feet), and a HQ satellite
building in Arlington, Virginia (1,700 square feet)also have green roofs; and
Rainwater collection and reuse: EPA collects rooftop runoff in large cisterns
and stores the water in manufactured tanks or built underground storage areas.
The collected rainwater is used for toilet flushing and cooling tower makeup
water at EPA's Kansas City, Kansas, Science and Technology Center (STC);
toilet flushing at the Gulf Breeze Computational Science Building in Florida; and
landscape irrigation at the Federal Triangle HQ in Washington, DC.
7. Pollution Prevention and Waste Elimination
Hazardous Material and Chemical Use Reductions
EPA encourages best practices in chemical management, such as procurement controls
and efficient chemical tracking, to minimize the purchase of toxic or hazardous chemicals
and ensure that chemicals are used up or "adopted out" before they expire. The chemical
management targets and metrics in EMSs across all appropriate laboratory facilities
establish baselines for "priority" chemicals and ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and
also promote reduction of specific chemicals and mercury thermometers.
The Agency actively encourages its laboratories to regularly review existing analytical
methods to determine whether more environmentally preferable options are available.
EPA laboratories have implemented a variety of practices to analyze environmental
samples using less solvent, acid, and other reagents. Nearly half of EPA's laboratories
have implemented chemical adoption programs in which the laboratories identify
unneeded chemicals in their inventories and donate them to local high schools,
universities, and other organizations. In addition, many laboratories operate onsite
solvent recovery and reuse systems.
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Recycling and Waste Diversion
All EPA facilities have established comprehensive waste reduction programs and recycle
typical items: such as high-grade and mixed paper; corrugated cardboard; and glass,
plastic, and aluminum containers. Many facilities also recycle fluorescent bulbs, toner
and inkjet cartridges, "technotrash" (e.g., CDs, diskettes, DVDs, video/audio tapes),
scrap metal, wood, and batteries. Several facilities also compost food waste from
cafeterias and other food sources.
EPA's estimated waste diversion rate for non-hazardous solid waste (excluding
construction and demolition waste and electronics) for FY 2009 was 51 percent. By 2010,
the Agency had exceeded the 45 percent waste diversion goal that EPA set under E.O.
13423 and already exceeds the 50 percent requirement of E.O. 13514. The Agency's
waste diversion rate is based on available data; it does not include data from all of EPA's
major facilities. However, recent efforts have increased the number of EPA facilities that
are able to collect and report both trash and waste diversion data, from 10 facilities in FY
2007 to 18 facilities in FY 2009.
Over the past 5 years, EPA has conducted recycling and pollution prevention (P2)
assessments at all of its major office and laboratory facilities, documenting waste
reduction practices, recommending areas for improvement, and discussing barriers to data
collection. The Agency compiles best practices from each facility, shares them with
other facilities on a recycling intranet site, and posts them to the Internet
at www.epa.gov/greeningepa/.
Construction Waste Diversion and Recycled Content Building Materials
EPA real property policies and documents require use of the Comprehensive
Procurement Guidelines for recycled materials, biobased products, building products
from local areas, and consideration of the reuse of historic structures to capture their
"embodied energy." EPA's A/E Guidelines, BPLP, and GreenCheck process also require
construction projects that involve areas of more than 20,000 square feet to achieve 75
percent construction and demolition (C&D) waste diversion; projects that involve areas
of less than 20,000 square feet must achieve 50 percent C&D waste diversion.
Recently completed EPA green buildings, both FRPP inventory and outside the FRPP,
have achieved excellence in C&D diversion, as described below:
EPA's Region 1 Office in Boston, a GSA-owned historic renovation completed in
December 2009, diverted more than 75 percent of C&D waste for recycling,
reused 99 percent of the historic structure, and retained some historic fixtures,
including marble partitions from the restrooms;
The Agency's Computational and Geospatial Sciences Building in Gulf Breeze,
Florida, which earned LEED Silver 2.2 certification for New Construction,
diverted 702 cubic yards of material from landfills during construction, achieving
a 73 percent diversion rate; and
During construction of the Annex 2 building of EPA's AWBERC laboratory in
Cincinnati, Ohio, 924 cubic yards, or 96 percent, of C&D waste was diverted
from landfills.
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Other Pollution Prevention Achievements
EPA encourages its facilities to adopt green landscaping practices to reduce the amount
of chemicals used outdoors. For example, approximately 70 percent of EPA's
landscaped facilities have incorporated native plants, which are better able to withstand
local pests and conditions. EPA uses a variety of non-chemical approaches (e.g., geo-
textiles and mulch) to control weeds. Some EPA locations included clauses in their
leasing contracts to prohibit the use of toxic chemicals; others modified their landscaping
contracts to discourage over-application of pesticides and herbicides.
About 75 percent of the Agency's major facilities collect and recycle spent fluorescent
bulbs. In addition, EPA is moving toward using low-mercury bulb alternatives. In 2005,
58 percent of the Agency's reporting facilities were using conventional bulbs, but at the
end of FY 2009, only 37 percent were using them. All facilities donate or recycle
electronic equipment at the end of its useful life (refer to the Electronic Stewardship
section of this plan).
8. Sustainable Acquisition
Over the past year, EPA's Office of Acquisition Management (OAM) has established a
greening Federal procurement by establishing a Green Purchasing Plan (GPP) as part of
the Agency's Contracts Management Manual (CMM). The GPP promotes a preference
for using environmentally preferable products and services produced and performed in an
environmentally responsible manner, as well as the responsible distribution, maintenance,
reuse, and disposal of such products and services.
OAM held several training courses on green procurement for Agency personnel to
educate them about EPA's GPP. This training directly helped increase the percentage of
sustainable contracts.
OAM's mandated Quality Assessment Plan (QAP) for contracts requires regular
oversight of green procurement issues, including compliance with the GPP, collection of
vendor certifications, and data integrity. OAM managers ensure compliance with the
GPP by performing periodic, systematic audits consisting of file reviews.
9. Electronic Stewardship and Data Centers
Over the past several years, EPA has launched a series of initiatives to support energy
management, environmentally preferable purchasing, and sound recycling electronics
Agency wide.
In FY 2008, EPA instituted a centralized seat management program for approximately
12,000 users, which accounts for about 50 percent of its desktop computer assets (i.e.,
desktop and laptop computers, monitors, and imaging equipment). This program, known
as Customer Technology Solutions (CTS), ensures that all HQ locations and Field
Offices are using equipment that is:
Environmentally preferable (i.e., Electronic Products Environmental Assessment
Tool [EPEAT] registered and ENERGY STAR qualified), and
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Enabled with environmentally friendly settings (e.g., duplex printing, power
management), and is recycled in an environmentally safe manner.
In FY 2007, the Agency established a blanket purchase agreement (BPA) for information
technology (IT) acquisitions. The BPA ensures the delivery of EPEAT-registered
desktops, notebooks, and monitors. The BPA also ensures the delivery of ENERGY
STAR qualified desktops, notebooks, servers, and monitors. In addition to CTS and BPA,
EPA promotes green IT acquisition across the Agency through green purchasing training,
in which contracting officers take part annually.
As a direct result of the policy, training, and promotional initiatives that EPA has
undertaken, the Agency exceeded the 95 percent acquisition rate for EPEAT-registered
electronic products in FY 2008 and FY 2009. In addition, all computers and imaging
equipment deployed under CTS are set to duplex by default. The Agency also met the
100 percent environmentally sound disposition rate of electronic products in FY 2008 and
FY 2009. In addition, EPA achieved a 100 percent power management enabling rate on
all eligible Agency computers and monitors currently in its seat management program.
Working with OARM, the Office of Environmental Information (OEI), and Agency
facilities, EPA established a separate metering capability for its primary Tier III data
center. To better understand energy utilization in this facility, the Agency participated in
a pilot U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) study assessing energy in data center buildings
and implemented many of the findings to increase power efficiency across hot and cold
aisles and individual racks and servers. EPA also has identified opportunities for
consolidating computing services and already has begun consolidation across its
facilities. The Agency currently uses a multiprong approach to achieve efficiencies in
computing across the enterprise system: identify and negotiate software licensing,
increase virtualization, establish four primary data centers, and migrate primary EPA
applications to those locations.
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II. GOAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW
GOAL 1: SCOPE 1 & 2 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION
A. Goal Description
In FY 2008, EPA emitted 140,911 MTCO2e from its facilities and from its fleet.
Approximately 96 percent of these emissions (134,838 MTCC^e) were related to
building energy and operations; 4 percent (6,073 MTCC^e) were related to fleet
emissions, as shown in Table 2-3.
Table 2-3: EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG Emissions Inventory
EPA's Scope 1 Emissions
Estimated
FY 2008
Baseline
(MTC02e)
Stationary fuel (e.g., natural gas, fuel oil, propane, kerosene) combustion at reporting
facilities
Fugitive emissions in reporting facilities from refrigerant leakage in air-conditioning
equipment
Direct emissions from all Agencywide fuel consumption in EPA's fleet (e.g., passenger
cars, minivans, trucks) and tactical vehicles (e.g., trailers, generators, boats)
Fugitive emissions in reporting facilities from fire-suppression equipment
Fugitive emissions from EPA's fleet and tactical vehicles (e.g., refrigerant leakage from
air-conditioning equipment)
Process emissions from laboratory fume hood testing
Process emissions from National Vehicle Fuel Emissions Laboratory vehicle and
engine testing
Process emissions from furnace testing at the High Bay laboratory in RTP, North
Carolina
Process emissions from RTP incinerator/waste-handling facility's stack
Total Scope 1 Emissions
21,762
6,591
5,566
57
507
302
175
2,818
49
37,827
EPA's Scope 2 Emissions
Purchased electricity, steam, hot water, and chilled water in reporting facilities
Total Scope 2 Emissions
103,084
103,084
tal EPA Scope 1 and Scope 2 Emissi
Note: This table represents the Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions data that EPA reported to CEQ and OMB in January
2010 to meet E.O. 13514 requirements. CEQ's GHG accounting memorandum, issued March 30, 2010, instructs
agencies to include emissions associated with T&D losses from purchased heating and cooling as Scope 2 GHG
emissions. EPA will adjust previously reported emissions data to account for this change (approximately 7,317
MTCO2e) and any other changes contained in final E.O. 13514 Section 9 Guidance in the comprehensive FY 2008
and FY 2010 inventories that it reports to CEQ and OMB in January 2011.
EPA committed to reduce its GHG emissions from Scope 1 and 2 sources by 25 percent
by FY 2020 compared with a FY 2008 baseline. To reach this aggressive target, the
Agency will reduce its facility energy intensity by 3 percent annually. Mechanical
system upgrades, infrastructure replacement projects, energy assessments, and re-
commissioning will enable the Agency to achieve this goal. In addition, EPA will
continue to purchase green power and RECs equivalent to 100 percent of its conventional
electricity use for the foreseeable future.
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
The Agency will pursue onsite renewable energy where feasible and will reduce its fleet
fuel consumption by optimizing the fleet size, increasing the use of low-emission
vehicles, and reducing petroleum fuel use by 45 percent from FY 2005 levels by FY
2020.
B. Agency Lead for Goal
OARM has overall Agency responsibility for facilities, utilities, and GHG reductions.
The office within OARM with lead responsibility is OA, and under OA, the lead division
is FMSD.
C. Implementation Methods
1. Reduce Facility Energy Intensity
Because energy use in EPA facilities contributes, by far, the largest share of the Agency's
Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, energy conservation in facilities is the primary method to
meet FY 2020 Scope 1 and 2 GHG reduction goals. To reach the 25 percent GHG
reduction goal by FY 2020, EPA has committed to reducing its facility energy intensity
by 3 percent annually.
EPA will use the current Energy Conservation Plan to reach this goal, incorporating the
following strategies:
New Building Design: EPA will design and construct new facilities to be much
more energy efficient than the buildings they replace;
Mandatory Commissioning: Since FY 2003, EPA has required mandatory
commissioning on all projects that include laboratory mechanical systems;
Infrastructure Replacement Projects and Mechanical System Upgrades:
EPA is pursuing major mechanical system replacement projects as well as
operating efficiency projects at all of its facilities;
GSHP Systems: GSHP systems help the Agency meet EISA fossil fuel use
reduction strategies;
Energy Assessments and Re-Commissioning: EPA conducts energy
assessments, often at high-energy-intensity and large laboratories, and then
conducts re-commissioning at each EPA facility every 4 years as required under
EISA;
Improved O&M: EPA will focus on improving O&M to enhance energy
performance;
Energy Forecasting Process: EPA uses an energy forecasting process to track,
schedule, and prioritize energy conservation projects; maintain cost and energy
savings estimates; and predict its near- and long-term energy performance;
Advanced Metering Implementation Strategy: EPA is installing advanced
meters for utilities where they are cost effective, according to the Agency's
advanced metering implementation strategy; and
Training and Education: The Agency provides several venues for energy-
efficiency training and education.
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2. Install and Use Renewable Electricity
In FY 2009, EPA purchased sufficient green power to offset 100 percent of Agency wide
electricity use with delivered green power and RECs, and has signed contracts to ensure
that the Agency purchases additional green power to offset 100 percent of its electricity
use through September 2010. EPA intends to continue purchasing green power to offset
100 percent of its energy use for the foreseeable future and has made substantial REC
purchases for FY 2011.
In September 2009, the Agency completed a nationwide survey of potential renewable
energy projects at each of its laboratories. The study evaluated solar, wind, and GSHP
projects and concluded that, at full-scale implementation, EPA potentially could generate
more than 79 BBtu of renewable energy, representing 5.5 percent of FY 2003
Agency wide energy consumption. These projects would enable EPA to reduce its FY
2008 Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 16,800 MTCC^e, which is approximately 12
percent of the Agency's FY 2008 total Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.
EPA's national onsite renewable energy feasibility study confirmed that GSHP systems
are the most economical renewable technology to reduce energy and fossil fuel use.
GSHP systems, when combined with other measures, such as VAV ventilation systems
for laboratories and low-velocity fume hoods, can reduce heating and cooling related
energy consumption by 40 to 50 percent. EPA currently is pursuing GSHP projects at
three facilities.
EPA also will pursue smaller scale onsite renewable generation projects. In April 2010,
the Agency completed installation of a 50 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic system on the roof
of its New Main facility in RTF, North Carolina, and a 100 kW system on the roof of the
RTF Child Care facility. EPA will undertake larger onsite renewable energy projects as
funding becomes available.
As required under EISA, EPA plans to implement solar hot water heating for major
renovations and new construction of laboratories, where feasible and cost- effective. The
Agency recently completed a solar hot water heating project at the ORD laboratory in
Athens, Georgia. In new facilities or major renovations, EPA will incorporate cost-
effective solar hot water heating to supply at least 30 percent of the buildings' hot water
demand. The Agency also will use the GreenCheck process to ensure that all new
buildings and major renovations meet the EISA Section 523 requirement to meet 30
percent of EPA's domestic (i.e., restrooms and kitchens) hot water demand with solar hot
water heaters. GreenCheck ensures that EPA's major projects comply with all energy and
environmental goals and regulations. More information about the GreenCheck process is
included in the discussion of Goal 4: High-Performance Sustainable Design/Green
Buildings.
3. Reduce Petroleum Use in Fleet Vehicles
E.O. 13514 requires agencies to reduce petroleum consumption by 30 percent by FY
2020, compared with a FY 2005 baseline. EPA has made significant progress toward
meeting this goal and already has exceeded the 20 percent reduction mandated by E.O.
13423. In FY 2009, EPA achieved a 23 percent reduction in petroleum consumption
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
from the baseline, one of the largest percentage reductions in the government. The
Agency fully expects to exceed the 30 percent petroleum reduction requirement several
years before FY 2020 through increased fleet efficiency.
EPA will increase fleet efficiency by properly using fleet resources. For example, the
Agency will continue to encourage consolidating multiple vehicle trips into one vehicle
trip, thereby reducing vehicle miles traveled and gasoline consumed. In addition, ride-
sharing, teleconferencing, and videoconferencing will be promoted as alternatives to in-
person meetings that require the use of fuel for personnel to travel between offices. This
will be accomplished by educating the fleet staff via site visits, policy memoranda,
newsletters, and other communications. EPA also will continue to "right-size" its vehicle
inventory to ensure lean and efficient use of resources.
Fleet efficiency also can be increased through proper maintenance and operation.
Ensuring that vehicles undergo regular, preventive maintenance programs can optimize
fuel efficiency. Attention to details such as maintaining proper tire pressure also can
increase miles per gallon (MPG). EPA will review maintenance procedures during site
visits to ensure an appropriate protocol is implemented. Smart operation of motor
vehicles also can reduce fuel consumption; EPA will encourage such driving practices as
accelerating slowly, avoiding engine idling for long periods, and carefully planning trips.
4. Increase Use of Alternative Fuels in Fleet AFVs
Alternative fuels provide an opportunity for EPA to significantly reduce petroleum
consumption while promoting America's energy security. Under E.O. 13423, the
Agency is required to increase alternative fuel use to 115,655 gasoline gallon equivalents
(GGE) by FY 2015. Despite the lack of infrastructure, EPA fully expects to meet this
goal through coordinated action with all Regions, Offices, and Programs within EPA, and
as a result, the Agency plans to continue to increase alternative fuel consumption by 10
percent each year even after the requirement's endpoint of FY 2015.
By continuing on this accelerated track, the Agency would total 186,263 GGEs of
alternative fuel consumption by FY 2020. Based on the reduction strategies detailed
above, EPA's total petroleum consumption in FY 2020 will be 247,861 GGEs.
Alternative fuel, therefore, would constitute approximately 43 percent of the Agency's
total fuel consumption or 33.5 percent more than FY 2008's 9.5 percent alternative fuel
use. This means that an additional 33.5 percent of petroleum consumption will be offset
by alternative fuel use by FY 2020.
EPA will implement the proposed AFCP. The AFCP will include site visits to Regional
fleets to review fleet operational procedures, identify best practices, and assist fleet
managers in meeting alternative fuel increase targets. Site visits will include formal and
informal discussions on how to best increase alternative fuel use while decreasing
petroleum and vehicle miles traveled. The AFCP will include an educational component
and a "Rules and Tools" library to ensure that all fleet managers are aware of the array of
Federal fleet requirements. EPA believes that this program will push the Agency onto a
compliant track and projects that E85 will displace an additional 33.5 percent of the
Agency's petroleum consumption by FY 2020.
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
EPA proposes an ambitious implementation plan to achieve GHG and petroleum
reductions. The framework for this plan will be incorporated into the proposed AFCP, in
which EPA HQ staff would conduct Regional fleet site visits. This high-level
implementation plan allows review and realignment every 2 years, based on changing
missions, circumstances, fleet advancements, obstacles, and other factors. EPA will
continue to promote responsible environmental stewardship through sustainable fleet
management.
5. Optimize Use of Vehicles and Right-Size Fleet
EPA continually right-sizes its fleet to ensure responsible use of acquisition funding and
to lower fuel consumption. Because the Agency's fleet is decentralizedeach Region or
Program Office operates its own independent budgetit is more difficult to govern and
standardize operations. However, the Agency has engaged fleet staff responsible for
vehicle management (Regional Fleet Managers) in various ways to make EPA's overall
fleet leaner. The Agency Fleet Manager has conducted several ad hoc site visits to fleet
locations to discuss fleet size and fuel consumption. The success of these visits led to
development of the AFCP, a comprehensive and coordinated fleet review.
The AFCP will focus on more than just alternative fuel consumption, as the name might
imply; it also will include site visits to Regional fleets to review fleet size and operational
procedures, identify best practices and deficiencies, and help fleet managers meet fuel
consumption targets. Site visits will include formal discussions on how to right-size the
fleet, increase alternative fuel usage, and decrease petroleum use and vehicle miles
traveled.
As part of the AFCP, EPA applies small-scale vehicle allocation methodologies to the
Regional fleets so that they can attain a maximum-efficiency fleet size. In addition, the
Agency reviews historical fleet data to determine utilization requirements, vehicle miles
traveled, user and vehicle ratios, trips per vehicle, and vehicle downtime.
The Agency expects that the AFCP will help to optimize its fleet size by issuing
recommendations for actions on underutilized and overutilized vehicles. The Program
also will assist the Agency in meeting the fuel consumption requirements of E.O. 13423
and E.G. 13514.
6. Increase Use of Low Emission and High Fuel Economy Vehicles
E.O. 13514 reiterates the goal of EISA Section 141, which requires Federal fleets to
acquire only "low GHG-emitting vehicles." Although OMB guidance has not been
finalized, preliminary drafts suggest that vehicles that a score of 7 or higher (6 or higher
for trucks) on EPA's Green Vehicle Guide (www.epa.gov/greenvehicles) are considered
"low GHG-emitting vehicles."
The Agency has complied with this requirement by informing Regional Fleet Managers
of the pending requirement and offering the tools and resources for use prior to making
motor vehicle acquisition decisions. EPA also tracks the GHG score of new acquisitions
in the Agency's fleet database, the AST. EPA will continue to educate and encourage
Regional Fleet Managers to acquire low GHG-emitting vehicles to meet both petroleum
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
and GHG reduction goals. Moving forward, the Agency intends to focus on continually
increasing the acquisition rates of three types of motor vehicles: fuel-efficient non-
hybrids, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and PHEVs.
Next-generation vehicle technology will play a critical role in reducing mobile emissions.
Although HEVs have been commercially available for several years, the additional
acquisition costs (compared with the cost of similar vehicles without hybrid battery
systems) have prevented EPA from acquiring large numbers of them. As battery
production becomes more efficient, the cost of HEVs will decrease, and the Agency will
continually increase its inventory through FY 2020.
D. Agency Status
By June 2010, EPA plans to complete energy assessments and to have re-commissioning
efforts well under way or complete at the following facilities:
New Main laboratory complex in RTF, North Carolina (portion of entire facility);
AWBERC in Cincinnati, Ohio (portion of entire facility);
Atlantic Ecology Division Laboratory, Narragansett, Rhode Island;
Kansas City Science and Technology Center, Kansas City, Kansas;
ORD Laboratory, Athens, Georgia;
Gulf Ecology Division Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, Florida;
National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and
National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory, Montgomery, Alabama.
During FY 2010, EPA also plans to further investigate the potential for installing onsite
renewable energy systems starting in FY 2011, based on cost effectiveness, to reduce its
demand for conventional electricity and fossil fuel combustion.
Finally, by June 2010, EPA will complete two AFCP site assessments.
GOAL 2: SCOPE3GREENHOUSEGAS REDUCTION
A. Goal Description
EPA has submitted an estimate of the Scope 3 GHG emissions as well as a percentage
target for reducing absolute emissions by FY 2020 compared with an FY 2008 baseline.
The Agency used the best data available, acknowledging that over time, the quality of the
Scope 3 inventory will improve. The required classes of Scope 3 GHG emissions and
associated reduction targets will cover the following emission sources:
Federal employee business travel-air transportation;
Federal employee business travel-ground transportation;
Federal employee travel-commuting;
Contracted solid waste disposal;
Contracted wastewater treatment; and
T&D losses from purchased electricity.
Based on the known Scope 3 emissions, the Agency plans to reduce the required sources
of Scope 3 GHG emissions by 8.0 percent by FY 2020 (see Table 2-4).
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Table 2-4: EPA's FY 2008 Scope 3 GHG Emissions and Target Reductions by
FY 2020
Source of Emissions
FY 2008
Emissions
(MTC02e)
Target
Percentage
Reduction by FY
2020
FY 2020
Emission
Reductions
(MTC02e)
Sources of GHG Emissions Required for Scope 3 Target Development
T&D Losses from Purchased Electricity
Employee Business Travel-Air
Employee Business Travel-Ground
Employee Commuting
Contracted Waste Disposal
Wastewater Transport and Treatment
Total
5,390
16,377
3,101
38,173
1,242
154
64,437
20%
11%
10%
5%
5%
5%
8.0%
1,078
1,801
310
1,909
62
8
5,168
Notes: Emissions data presented in this table represent EPA's best estimates as of April 28, 2010, and are subject to
additional refinement. In accordance with CEQ's GHG accounting memorandum, issued March 30, 2010, the Agency
revised its existing Scope 3 GHG emissions estimate by removing emissions associated with T&D losses from
purchased heating and cooling. When EPA submits its comprehensive FY 2008 and FY 201 0 inventories to CEQ and
OMB in January 2011, they will include these emissions (which represent approximately 7,317 MTCO2e) as sources of
Scope 2 GHG emissions and will account for any other changes contained in final E.O. 13514 Section 9 Guidance.
"Other Miscellaneous Known Emissions" include fugitive emissions from refrigerant/air-conditioning equipment leakage
and from fire-suppression equipment in non-reporting, leased facilities, as well as mobile emissions from EPA-
chartered aircraft. FEMP and CEQ have not yet promulgated Federal guidance for quantifying Scope 3 GHG emissions
from supply-chain, contracted activities, and agencies' grants or programs; emissions associated with these categories
could represent a significant portion of EPA's Scope 3 GHG emissions inventory (5 to 1 0 times greater than currently
known Scope 3 emissions).
B.
Agency Lead for the Goal
Scope 3 GHG inventory and reduction work will be dispersed throughout EPA; will
require significant cross-Agency coordination, planning, and implementation; and will be
a multi-year effort.
OARM has overall Agency responsibility for facilities, utilities, and GHG emissions
reductions.
The office within OARM with lead responsibility is OA, and under OA, the lead
division is FMSD; and
EPA's OAM is responsible for acquisition and will lead efforts to develop supply-
chain Scope 3 GHG emissions inventory data and implement long-range supply-
chain emissions reduction strategies.
OCFO has overall Agency responsibility for employee travel.
Overall Agency responsibility for programmatic Scope 3 emissions is still to be
determined; this will be an Agencywide effort coordinated under the SSO within OARM.
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C. Implementation Methods
1. Federal Employee Travel
Reduce Federal Employee Business TravelAir and Ground
Emissions resulting from EPA employee airline travel are significant. To develop the
Scope 3 GHG baseline and set its FY 2020 reduction target for employee air travel, EPA
used GSA's Travel Management Tool.
EPA developed an order-of-magnitude estimate of the emissions associated with the
ground portion of employee business travel (e.g., rental cars, personally owned vehicles,
taxi, rail, bus). To develop this estimate, the Agency compiled a bottom-up inventory
using a small sample of individual travel vouchers (with personally identifiable
information [PII] redacted) and extrapolated these results to account for ground travel on
an Agencywide basis. EPA will use its own financial information system to develop
more accurate ground travel emissions data for FY 2011 reporting.
Since FY 2009, the EPA GTWG has been working to develop ways to reduce Agency
travel, minimize travel spending, and reduce GHG emissions. Currently, the GTWG is
developing a plan and investment options to make videoconferencing equipment
accessible to all appropriate EPA locations. The Agency envisions parallel efforts to
facilitate and educate employees on this mode of communication, reduce employees'
business travel needs, and reduce EPA travel expenditures in FY 2011.
To reduce its emissions from employee business travel, EPA will pursue the following
strategies:
Increase education on alternatives to business travel;
Expand information on existing videoconferencing facilities, install new
videoconferencing facilities, and educate EPA personnel about the Agency's
videoconferencing capabilities; and
Encourage webinars and conference calls as an alternative to traveling.
To "green" meetings and conferences, EPA will:
Work to create a dedicated and consolidated meetings/events/planning service
group within EPA that has green travel and meeting expertise;
Encourage the use of more efficient modes of transportation whenever possible
(e.g., trains, buses, or cars) for short distance travel (e.g., smarter travel);
Encourage selection of meeting and conference locations that allow for the
selection of direct airline flights, and with airports that are accessible by public
transit; and
Incorporate more green travel requirements into Agency contracting activities.
Employee Commuting
EPA has more than 17,000 employees and approximately 9,000 contractors working at
locations across the country, most of whom regularly commute to work. Whether
employees drive personally owned vehicles, carpool, or rely on public transportation, the
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Agency understands that the collective annual emissions associated with employee
commuting represent a significant component of the Scope 3 emissions.
EPA plans to take a phased approach to improve the precision of its Scope 3 emissions
employee commuting estimate over time. In FY 2010, EPA used the CEQ's Scope 3
Target Tool to estimate GHG emissions associated with employee commuting to set a
preliminary percentage reduction target to meet by FY 2020.
To supplement existing employee commuting data from the HQ Transit Subsidy
Program, EPA conducted an onsite employee commuting survey at seven locations
throughout HQ in April 2010 to solicit commuting information from employees as they
arrived at work. The Agency will combine the results of the onsite survey with existing
data from HQ's transit subsidy database to obtain a more complete estimate for GHG
emissions associated with HQ employees' commutes. Using this estimate and data from
other Programs and Regions, EPA can extrapolate an estimate for commuting-related
GHG emissions on an Agencywide basis.
EPA plans to establish a formal, systematic framework for annual collection of
Agencywide employee commuting data (while protecting PII). This new framework
would enable EPA to capture more comprehensive information about its employees'
commuting patterns so that year-to-year changes would be reflected in the aggregate
GHG emissions data. EPA plans to update the annual enrollment form for HQ's Transit
Subsidy Program to collect more targeted commuting information and to institute a
broader annual online survey to collect commuting data for employees who are not yet
enrolled in the program.
The Agency also will consider improving its existing programs for reducing emissions
associated with employee commuting, including providing education, training, and
incentives for biking, carpooling, and taking public transportation, and encouraging
compressed work-week/flexi-place scheduling. Finally, EPA will explore changing its
telecommuting policies as well as strongly promote leasing and building on sites that
have access to a variety of transportation options (e.g., active transportation, public
transportation, and carpooling).
2. Contracted Waste Disposal
EPA currently collects accurate waste diversion and disposal data from facilities that
represent 46 percent of the Agency's total square footage. The Agency will work with
GSA and its O&M contractors to expand the number of facilities reporting complete
waste metrics, with a goal of having complete, regular, and consistent data collection and
reporting for all major EPA facilities. To meet the January 2011 inventory reporting
requirement, EPA will estimate the total mass of waste produced Agencywide and use the
CEQ Reporting Portal Tool to quantify the resulting GHG emissions.
EPA estimates that a 51 percent waste diversion rate was achieved at its facilities in FY
2009. Moving forward, the Agency plans to reduce resource use and encourage waste
diversion at all facilities.
3. T&D Losses from Purchased Electricity
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
To reduce its Scope 3 GHG emissions associated with T&D losses from purchased
electricity, the Agency must focus on reducing its site consumption of purchased
electricity. Strategies that EPA will pursue include mechanical upgrades, re-
commissioning, infrastructure replacement, and increased O&M and preventive
maintenance, as described in the Goal 1 and Goal 4 sections of the SSPP.
D. Agency Status
In early FY 2010, EPA began to quantify several components of its Scope 3 GHG
emissions. Quantifying and addressing other components of Scope 3 GHG emissions
will require additional time and research. During the first half of Calendar Year (CY)
2010, EPA used the following processes to develop its initial estimates of several classes
of Scope 3 GHG emissions:
Employee Commuting: In April 2010, EPA conducted an onsite commuter
survey at its HQ Offices to better understand the commuting habits of its
employees. Along with existing commuting data from EPA's Regional and
Program Offices, the Agency will estimate the commuting footprint for the entire
Agency and determine ways to reduce it;
Employee Business Travel (Ground Portion): Data on the ground portion of
business travel is more difficult to collect. Between February and May 2010, EPA
reviewed a sample of individual employee travel vouchers to estimate the
Agency's GHG emissions associated with taxis, buses, rental cars, rail, and
personally owned vehicles during business trips; and
GSA-Owned and GSA-Leased Facilities: EPA began FY 2010 with a good
Scope 3 GHG emissions inventory in this area; Agency data covered 86 percent
of these facilities. EPA will continue to improve the energy, water, and waste
data it receives from GSA-provided facilities.
GOAL 3: DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN AGENCY COMPREHENSIVE GHG
INVENTORY
A. Goal Description
EPA will continue to evaluate the quality of its Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions.
Specifically, the Agency will improve the data quality in the fleet fuel consumption area
and evaluate the costs and benefits of using more precise methodologies for accounting
for fugitive emissions from facilities-related refrigerants. EPA also will confirm the
relative size and quality of data in some of the smaller emissions classes to ensure its
estimates are accurate.
B. Agency Lead for Goal
Refer to leads for Goal 1 and 2.
C. Implementation Methods
EPA will continue to develop and refine the Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions inventory by
using improved data collection methods and estimation methodologies and will complete
its initial Scope 3 GHG emissions inventory as Federal guidance evolves. In an effort to
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
further expand the Agency's overall GHG emissions inventory, in early FY 2010, EPA
developed estimates of the following Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions:
Fugitive emissions associated with facility fire-suppression equipment and mobile
air conditioning; and
Process emissions related to laboratory fume hood performance and safety testing,
mission support research on vehicle engines and furnaces, and onsite waste
incineration.
EPA plans to quantify as many additional Scope 3 GHG emissions categories as possible.
In addition, EPA plans to refine the precision of its inventory by improving data
collection methods and estimation methodologies. For example, the Agency currently is
estimating Scope 1 fugitive emissions associated with facility air-conditioning and
refrigeration equipment based on a default emissions factor provided by the Climate
Leaders Program. To further refine these estimates, EPA will investigate the feasibility
of collecting actual data related to the equipment type and the refrigerant charge
quantities.
As the Agency improves data collection methods and refines its calculation and
estimation methodologies, EPA will update its IMP accordingly to ensure that subsequent
inventories properly account for these improvements. In addition, the Agency will revise
previous inventories according to EPA's documented process for making revisions to
past years' inventories.
D. Agency Status
EPA has a solid understanding of its Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and has made a
strong start toward completing a comprehensive Scope 3 GHG emissions inventory.
However, significant work remains to refine some of the current Scope 3 GHG emissions
estimates and to develop initial estimates for other Scope 3 GHG emissions.
Early in FY 2010, EPA accounted for the sources of Scope 3 GHG emissions, along with
Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.
EPA will adjust its work on Scope 3 GHG emissions inventory reporting as additional
guidance and inventory development timetables become available.
GOAL 4: HIGH-PERFORMANCE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN/GREEN
BUILDINGS
A. Goal Description
EPA is committed to achieving the following high-performance sustainable design/green
building goals:
Beginning in FY 2020, all of the Agency's new Federal buildings will be
designed to achieve zero-net energy by FY 2030;
All new construction, major renovation, or repair and alteration of EPA buildings
will comply with the Guiding Principles;
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
At least 15 percent of the Agency's existing buildings and building leases will
meet the Guiding Principles by FY 2015 (with a 5,000 GSF threshold);
EPA will demonstrate annual progress toward 100 percent conformance with the
Guiding Principles for its entire building inventory;
EPA facilities will demonstrate the use of cost-effective, innovative building
strategies to minimize energy, water, and materials consumption;
EPA will manage existing building systems to reduce energy, water, and materials
consumption in a manner that achieves a net reduction in Agency-deferred
maintenance costs;
EPA will strive to optimize performance of the Agency's real property portfolio,
examining opportunities to decrease the Agency's environmental impact through
consolidation, reuse, and disposal of existing assets prior to adding new assets;
and
EPA will ensure use of best practices and technology in rehabilitating historic
Federal properties.
B. Agency Lead for Goal
OARM has overall Agency responsibility for facilities and utilities. The office within
OARM with lead responsibility is the OA; under OA, the lead division is FMSD.
C. Implementation Methods
Although the Agency occupies approximately 11 million square feet of space, it has a
small FRPP (i.e., EPA-owned or EPA direct leased facility inventory), which consists of
4 million square feet of laboratories. GSA provides the remaining 7 million square feet
of laboratory, office, and support space, either in GSA-owned facilities or in facilities
leased by GSA from private owners.
EPA has developed a variety of strategies and tools to ensure high-performance
sustainable buildings throughout its FRPP and GSA-provided inventory. The Agency
updates these items regularly to incorporate new requirements, best practices, and lessons
learned. EPA also incorporates the most recent Guiding Principles into all of its
sustainable building tools, as demonstrated below:
Sustainable Building Implementation Plan: Updated May 2010;
Strategy for Meeting the Guiding Principles in 15 Percent of Existing
Buildings by FY 2015: Updated December 2009;
A/E Guidelines: Updated in December 2009 and used for all new construction
and major renovation projects at EPA-owned facilities;
Mandatory Commissioning: Mandatory commissioning of the mechanical,
electrical, and plumbing systems components of construction projects that affect
energy efficiency and ventilation performance;
Green A/Es: EPA hires only A/E firms that have LEED-accredited professionals
and energy conservation, green building, and commissioning experience;
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
BPLP: The Agency maintains a compendium of proven environmental
performance-related lease provisions and new lease language covering lessons
learned to augment GSA's standard Solicitation for Offer (SFO);
BMPG: In January 2010, EPA developed building operating and management
plan guidelines to be implemented in both EPA-owned and EPA-leased facilities;
GreenCheck: Ensures that all EPA green building policies, the Guiding
Principles, as well as other legal and E.O. high-performance building
requirements are met in each construction project or new lease acquisition; and
Sustainable Building Assessments: In FY 2009, EPA began conducting a series
of sustainability assessments to evaluate each facility's progress toward meeting
the Guiding Principles.
The Agency uses these documents and strategies as a framework for ensuring
environmental compliance, meeting the Guiding Principles, incorporating green building
best practices, and meeting the other high-performance, sustainable building goals in a
comprehensive, cost-effective manner. EPA updates these documents regularly based on
lessons learned, refinements to EPA's Green Building Policy, and new E.O. and
legislative requirements. Employees are educated on how to use these documents
through the annual Agency Energy and Facilities Workshop, the Laboratories for the 21st
Century Conference, and other meetings. EPA also provides green building training and
education for HQ and field staff through electronic media and conference calls.
1. Beginning in FY 2020, Design All New Federal Buildings to Achieve Zero-
Net Energy by FY 2030
EPA interprets net-zero energy to encompass the following hierarchy: first, focus on
efficiency technologies that reduce energy use as much as possible; second, examine the
potential for and the cost-effectiveness of onsite energy generation to offset natural gas
(e.g., GSHP) or provide electricity; and third, offset remaining electricity use with
renewable energy purchases, if possible, through long-term green power or REC
purchases.
2. Ensure All New Construction, Major Renovation, or Repair and Alteration of
Federal Buildings Complies with the Guiding Principles for Federal
Leadership in High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings (Guiding
Principles)
The Agency will take a similar approach to all new construction or major renovation
projects involving FRPP buildings. As noted, EPA has updated the A/E Guidelines to
include all requirements under the new construction Guiding Principles. The A/E firms
involved with any EPA construction or major renovation projects receive and must
adhere to these guidelines. EPA's GreenCheck process is the oversight mechanism used
to ensure the Guiding Principle requirements are incorporated into all projects.
3. Ensure at Least 15 Percent of the Agency's Existing Buildings and Building
Leases Meet Guiding Principles by FY 2015 [5,000 GSF threshold for
existing buildings and building leases]
As of December 31, 2009, four of EPA's facilities, representing 8.2 percent of EPA's
projected FY 2015 FRPP building inventory (by number of buildings), meet the Guiding
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
Principles (see Table 2-5). These facilities met the December 1, 2008, version of the
Guiding Principles by registering with a multi-attribute green building standard prior to
October 1, 2008, and by achieving third-party certification to the standard.
Table 2-5: Existing EPA FRPP Facilities Meeting the Guiding Principles
Certification
Facility Region ^ Version Level Date
RTP, NC-National Computer Center
RTP, NC-Childcare
Cincinnati, OH-Annex 2
Gulf Breeze, FL-Building 67
4
4
5
4
Total
100,922
24,225
42,400
9,048
176,595
2.0
2.1
2.1/2.2
2.2
Silver
Silver
Gold
Silver
Jan 2005
Mar 2008
Dec 2008
Apr 2009
EPA expects the number of facilities meeting the Guiding Principles to remain steady in
FY 2010 and FY 2011 as sustainability assessments are completed and as Guiding
Principles implementation continues. The Agency developed a year-by-year
conformance schedule that was reported in the Agency's January 7, 2010, OMB
Environmental Stewardship Scorecard.
In January 2010, the Agency completed the first version of the BMPG, a tool to help
facility managers incorporate the Guiding Principles into their day-to-day operations.
EPA has targeted several facilities, based on their ability to meet the energy performance
and water conservation principles, to provide technical assistance to meet the remaining
principles. In 2010 and 2011, the Agency will focus on three FRPP facilities to begin
comprehensive implementation of sustainable O&M practices.
4. Demonstrate Annual Progress Toward 100-Percent Conformance with the
Guiding Principles for Entire Building Inventory
The goal of the BMPG is to improve and standardize green facility O&M practices at all
EPA-owned facilities. When existing facilities are able to meet both the energy and
water conservation Guiding Principles, as well as the remaining Guiding Principles, EPA
will quickly increase the share and number of facilities in compliance with all the
Guiding Principles.
5. Demonstrate Use of Cost-Effective, Innovative Building Strategies to
Minimize Energy, Water and Materials Consumption
EPA will use lifecycle cost analyses to determine the most cost-effective strategies for
ensuring that energy-efficient systems, water-saving technologies, and other resource-
conserving measures are incorporated in all of its new facilities. The Agency will review
all projects and suggested upgrades to determine initial capital cost, amortization, GHG
emissions impacts, and payback period/ROI. EPA also will work with GSA to use the
design competitions and best value-based lease award process to obtain the most
innovative high-performance buildings.
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6. Manage Existing Building Systems to reduce Energy, Water, and Materials
Consumption in a Manner That Achieves a Net Reduction in Agency
Deferred Maintenance Costs
The Agency has strategies in place to assess its facilities for energy conservation
measures, implementation of those measures to achieve cost-effective energy savings,
and provision of the O&M necessary to continue to realize solid energy performance.
EPA's water efficiency efforts are covered under a Water Conservation Strategy, EISA-
mandated water assessments, and facility-specific water reduction targets that are
described elsewhere in the SSPP. Similarly, the Agency's sustainable acquisition
policies for electronics, paper, and other items, as well as the recycling and P2
assessments discussed elsewhere in the SSPP, help to ensure purchasers are aware of the
need to reduce materials consumption across the Agency.
The Agency will continue to use the quadrennial energy and water assessments and re-
commissioning efforts required under EISA to identify projects that could improve
facility O&M practices and slow the increase in deferred maintenance costs.
7. Optimize Performance of the Agency's Real Property PortfolioExamine
Opportunities to Decrease Environmental Impact Through Consolidation,
Reuse and Disposal of Existing Assets Prior to Adding New Assets
EPA is working to maximize the performance of its real estate portfolio by scrutinizing
current buildings, mission-support needs, and funding availability, and consolidating
space wherever possible. Beginning in FY 2005, EPA conducted a comprehensive
national rent and space analysis to evaluate space allocations for potential savings.
8. Ensure Use of Best Practices and Technology in Rehabilitation of Historic
Federal Properties
Although EPA currently does not have any historic restoration projects planned for the
near term, the Agency worked closely with GSA on the following two GSA-owned
historic buildingsthe historic John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse in
Boston, Massachusetts, that now houses its Region 1 Office, and the Ariel Rios HQ
buildings in Washington, DCthat provided a variety of lessons learned and that ensure
future restoration projects will maintain historical integrity and optimum efficiency.
D. Agency Status
As of December 31, 2009, EPA was more than halfway to meeting its FY 2015 goal of
15 percent of existing buildings meeting the Guiding Principles. The Agency expects to
continue this trend by using the implementation methods described in this section.
In January 2010, EPA completed drafting its pilot BMPG as a tool for helping existing
facilities meet the Guiding Principles. By the end of FY 2010, the Agency will initiate
pilots at three locations.
In April 2010, EPA completed the move of its Region 1 Office into the historic John W.
McCormack Post Office and Courthouse in Boston. The Agency expects that this
renovated, historic building will serve as a model for future historic renovations and
garner at least LEED-NC Silver certification. On April 12, 2010, GSA awarded a lease
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STRATEGIC SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE PLAN
to house EPA's Region 10 Office in Seattle, Washington, which recently received a
LEED-EB Platinum certification.
By June 2, 2010, EPA will have completed the latest update to the Sustainable Building
Implementation Plan (SBIP) and the second round of sustainable building assessments,
synchronized with the mandatory EISA energy and water assessments and re-
commissioning, which will be completed by June 16, 2010.
GOAL 5: REGIONAL AND LOCAL PLANNING
A. Goal Description
In FY 2008 and again in FY 2010, EPA updated its A/E Guidelines to incorporate the
use of green design and planning principles such as transportation, local energy
planning, and NEPA for new construction and major renovation projects. The Agency
consults with state, local, and municipal officials early in the site selection process to
incorporate their recommendations and feedback in an effort to support local goals and
objectives. This approach also makes the site supportive of the workers it employs as
well as of the surrounding community.
The Agency will continue to advance regional and local planning efforts through the
following activities:
EPA has incorporated regional transportation planning into its existing A/E
Guidelines and will continue to advance these sustainable measures during the
site selection process;
EPA will align Agency policies to increase the effectiveness of local energy
planning by meeting with local energy planning officials and incorporating their
suggestions and feedback. The Agency will continue to coordinate with local
utility providers during the design process. In addition:
- EPA will continue to encourage municipalities to update zoning regulations
to allow for the installation of onsite renewable energy and will collaborate
with states and municipalities to persuade utility providers to offer a more
comprehensive suite of renewable options in their energy portfolios;
EPA has incorporated sustainable building location into its A/E Guidelines,
BPLP, and SBIP and will continue to promote this feature during the site selection
process;
EPA has incorporated NEPA into its existing A/E Guidelines and will continue to
incorporate this process into the review of proposed new and expanded facilities;
and
EPA will continue to promote its policy and guidance in A/E Guidelines to ensure
coordination with Federal, state, tribal, and local management authorities
regarding impacts on local ecosystems, watersheds, and environmental
management associated with proposed new or expanded Federal facilities.
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B. Agency Lead for Goal
OARM has overall Agency responsibility for facilities and their integration into local and
regional planning; the office within OARM with lead responsibility is OA; and under
OA, the lead division is the FMSD.
C. Implementation Methods
1. Incorporate Participation in Regional Transportation Planning (Recognition
and Use of Existing Community Transportation Infrastructure) into Existing
Policy and Guidance
EPA considers the availability and accessibility of existing road systems, public
transportation, and other transportation networks during the planning and siting process,
as well as opportunities for transit-oriented development and community connectivity to
maximize access to public transportation.
The Agency takes into account Federal and local planning and economic development
goals during the acquisition of new leases and the building of new facilities. During the
site selection process, EPA engages local transportation planning authorities to ensure
access to a community transportation infrastructure.
The Agency's A/E Guidelines promote sustainable site selection and reduction of EPA's
energy footprint. During the acquisition of new leases and when siting new FRPP
facilities, EPA locates areas that provide safe and efficient multimodal travel options for
trips to and from employee homes and to other locations and services in an effort to
reduce or eliminate the need for employees to drive. When available, the Agency
mandates that a building be located within the immediate vicinity of a commuter rail,
light rail, or subway station, not to exceed the /^-mile walkable distance. Alternatively,
two or more public or campus bus lines usable by tenant occupants are required to be
located within the immediate vicinity of the building, generally not to exceed Vi-mile
walkable distance.
2. Align Agency Policies to Increase Effectiveness of Local Energy Planning
EPA coordinates with state, county, local, and municipal planning authorities to increase
the effective use of local energy planning resources and considers partnerships with local
utilities and energy-saving companies to assist in financing low-emissions, low-operating
cost mechanical systems. EPA strongly advocates siting facilities near existing
communities to reduce the natural and financial resources required for construction and
maintenance of utilities requirements.
3. Incorporate Sustainable Building Location into Policy and Planning for New
Federal Facilities and Leases
The Agency has made progress in ensuring that new construction and major renovation
projects are LEED certified for New Construction; specifically, EPA strives to achieve
LEED Gold for all major renovation and construction projects and requires at least LEED
Silver. One of the major essentials of LEED is a sustainable building location, and EPA
adheres to sustainable siting principles to attain such points.
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As noted, the Agency also has incorporated sustainable building location into its policy
by standardizing green site planning language in its A/E Guidelines.
The following additional issues are considered when determining whether the proposed
development site is appropriate and compatible with its natural environment and
surrounding community:
Preserving surrounding neighborhoods and communities;
Preserving the character of the site, to the maximum possible extent, by retaining
natural features, such as ground forms, trees, and other natural vegetation;
Using the existing site to the best advantage by locating and orienting buildings so
that they are compatible with natural site features;
Developing functional relationships between site access points, parking lots,
buildings, service areas, and all other project site elements;
Providing for orderly future expansion of facilities by considering logical
expansion of buildings, parking, and support services; and
Reviewing and assessing the impact of development with respect to any approved
campus master plan and site infrastructure master plan.
EPA also encourages Smart Growth principles during the facility siting process.
4. Update Agency Policy and Guidance to Ensure That All Environmental
Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments Required Under NEPA
for Proposed New or Expanded Federal Facilities Identify and Analyze
Impacts Associated with Energy Usage and Alternative Energy Sources
EPA amended its procedures for implementing the requirements of NEPA on September
19, 2007 (72 Federal Register [FR] 53652). In accordance with these procedures, actions
involving renovations or new construction of Agency facilities are types of actions that
normally require the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) (see 40 Code of
Federal Regulations [CFR] ง 6.205(b)(3)).
In May 1998, OARM published the guidance document entitled National Environmental
Policy Act Review Procedures for EPA Facilities and currently is revising the guidance in
accordance with the Agency's revised NEPA regulations. NEPA EAs will be required for
renovation and construction of facilities to identify and analyze impacts associated with
energy usage and alternative energy sources. OARM anticipates publication of the
revised NEPA guidance in FY 2011.
The Agency also applies NEPA regulations to all EPA facility construction projects,
regardless of size. The review process takes energy, air, water quality, aesthetic, cultural,
historic, health, and socioeconomic impacts into consideration through the following
activities:
Determination of the appropriate level of NEPA review for the proposed project;
Definition of significant issues requiring further analyses through information
gathering, scoping, public meetings, and public participation;
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Evaluation of project alternatives, including the proposed action and possible
mitigation measures, to determine whether there are environmental impacts and if
so, whether they are significant or not significant; and
Development of documentation to assist the public and decision-makers in
evaluating the proposed action and alternatives.
5. Update Agency Policy and Guidance to Ensure Coordination and (Where
Appropriate) Consultation with Federal, State, Tribal, and Local
Management Authorities Regarding Impacts on Local Ecosystems,
Watersheds, and Environmental Management Associated with Proposed
New or Expanded Federal Facilities
The Agency ensures that its facility siting process minimizes destruction, loss, and
degradation of wetlands. To the extent possible, EPA considers the requirements of E.O.
11988 and E.O. 11990, which govern Federal actions related to floodplains and wetlands,
respectively. When siting a facility, the Agency:
Locates the 100-year floodplains in the area. If floodplains are located near the
site, the boundaries are delineated on all surveys and site plans. New facilities are
not to be located within the 100-year floodplain. In addition, to the extent
possible, facilities are not sited in areas subject to flash floods;
Avoids the long-term and short-term adverse impacts associated with the
destruction of wetlands and the occupancy and modification of floodplains and
wetlands, and avoids direct and indirect support of floodplain and wetlands
development wherever there is a practicable alternative for new development;
Incorporates floodplain management goals and wetland protection considerations
into its planning, regulation, and decision-making;
Carefully considers the potential impacts of any EPA action in a floodplain and
the impacts of any new Agency construction on wetlands not located in a
floodplain;
Identifies, considers, and, as appropriate, implements alternative actions to avoid
or mitigate adverse impacts on floodplains and wetlands;
Provides opportunities for early public review of any plans or proposals for
actions in floodplains or new construction in wetlands; and
Ensures that construction within floodplains or wetlands complies with
environmental review requirements under 10 CFR 1022 and NEPA.
All EPA construction activities that have a potential for significant impact on wetlands
comply with the requirements in Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Only after
avoidance and minimization criteria are satisfied can wetlands mitigation be considered.
An EA or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under NEPA review requirements is
prepared for any wetlands construction permit application.
D. Agency Status
In FY 2009, EPA revised the GreenCheck form to include requirements of E.O. 13514;
specifically, the requirements for sustainable siting and regional transportation planning
for new construction and new lease facilities.
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In FY 2010, EPA revised the A/E Guidelines to include sustainable siting and regional
transportation planning. In addition, in FY 2009, the Agency revised its BPLP to include
standard lease language on sustainable siting and regional transportation planning.
EPA will continue to advance its Smart Growth program and work with states and local
communities to encourage development and use of regional and local planning principles.
GOAL 6: WATER USE E FFICIE NCY AND MANAGEMENT
A. Goal Description
EPA's water use efficiency and management goals are:
EPA will meet the E.O. 13514 goal of a 26-percent water use reduction by FY
2020, from a FY 2007 baseline;
EPA currently is examining non-potable water use to evaluate how this applies to
EPA (e.g., onsite well water used for research and irrigation, lake water used for
research and equipment cooling);
EPA will continue to install technologies to reuse water and is field testing new
strategies for water reuse; and
. EPA's FMSD has adopted the EISA Section 438 Guidance issued by EPA's
Office of Water (OW) on December 4, 2009, as a mandatory national standard for
new projects and retrofit opportunities as they present themselves (e.g., repaving
parking lots, replacing roofs).
B. Agency Lead for Goal
OARM has overall Agency responsibility for facilities and utilities; the office within
OARM with lead responsibility is OA; and under OA, the lead division is the FMSD.
C. Implementation Methods
1. Reduce Potable Water Use Intensity by at Least 26 Percent by FY 2020
EPA completed water management plans at all reporting laboratory facilities between FY
2002 and FY 2008 and implements those plans. Under EISA requirements, the Agency is
reassessing facilities every 4 years to revise existing water management plans to include
new water conservation opportunities and best practices.
EPA will update its Water Conservation Strategy annually to reflect new water
conservation opportunities, the status of water conservation projects underway, and new
Agencywide initiatives. EPA will select the most practical and cost-effective projects
each year for implementation.
2. Reduce Industrial, Landscaping, and Agricultural Water Use by at Least 20
Percent by FY 2020
EPA is evaluating its data for non-potable water use. To determine whether the Agency
needs to address the 2 percent annual reduction requirement, EPA is conducting a
facility-by-facility evaluation. This effort will determine whether any of the Agency's
current water uses should be classified as industrial, landscaping, or agricultural.
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EPA's initial assessment indicates that some facilities have non-potable uses that are
subject to this requirement. Therefore, the Agency will establish a metering or
measurement plan to calculate a FY 2010 baseline of the non-potable water uses to be
reported in FY 2011. The plan will rely on metered data where they are available and on
estimating methods where meters are not present. Over the longer term, EPA will install
meters where feasible to improve the accuracy of estimated data. EPA will use EISA
water assessments to identify project opportunities for reducing non-potable water use,
revise facility water management plans, set facility-specific non-potable water reduction
targets where applicable, and incorporate best management practices to reduce non-
potable water use.
3. Identify and Implement Water Reuse Strategies
Key methods EPA currently applies for reusing water at its facilities, and plans to
continue using in more instances, include:
Condensate Recovery: EPA recovers air-handler condensate and reuses it for
non-potable uses, typically for cooling tower makeup water, wherever practical.
Cooling towers account for 27 percent of EPA laboratory water use and, where
practical, recovered air-handler condensate can provide up to one-third of this
required amount, leading to significant water savings;
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Rejected Water Reuse: EPA uses RO to generate ultra-
pure water for research purposes. As part of this process, a portion of the water
containing dissolved minerals is discharged to the sewer. Although the discharged
water is not of sufficient quality for research purposes, it sometimes can be reused
in equipment such as cooling towers and for flushing lavatory fixtures;
RO to Improve Water Quality for Reuse: EPA currently is designing an RO
system with the National Institute of Environment Health Sciences at the RTF
campus to use RO on cooling tower blowdown to improve the quality of that
water and reuse it in the cooling tower. Savings are estimated at 8.7 million
gallons per year; and
Rainwater Harvesting: EPA is evaluating opportunities for harvesting rainwater
for low-quality water needs such as irrigation and toilet flushing. EPA already
does this at its Science and Technology Center in Kansas City, Kansas;
Computation Science Building in Gulf Breeze, Florida; and HQ Federal Triangle
complex in Washington, DC.
The Agency also tries to implement new opportunities for water reuse identified during
water assessments or developed by the EMS teams at each major facility, where feasible.
Lessons learned during reuse projects will be shared with facility staff using the training
methods described above.
4. Achieve Objectives Established by EPA in Stormwater Guidance for
Federal Facilities
EPA has incorporated the Technical Guidance on Implementing the Stormwater Runoff
Requirements for Federal Projects under Section 438 of EISA, issued December 4, 2009,
into its A/E Guidelines, BPLP, and GreenCheck process and will update those documents
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and processes to reflect lessons learned from new stormwater management projects. The
Agency will apply the EISA Section 438 Guidance at all new facility projects and will
include pervious parking lots, green roofs, rain gardens, and other site enhancements
whenever these approaches can be used as retrofits on site or building renovation
projects.
EPA gathers new stormwater management opportunities during sustainability
assessments, including ideas developed by the EMS teams at each major facility. These
ideas are shared as part of the Agency's ongoing education and training program.
D. Agency Status
In FY 2009, EPA completed water-efficiency projects that will save approximately 3.6
million gallons of water per year. The Agency also began irrigation system replacement
or retrofit projects at three facilities and began studying a large-scale air-handler
condensate recovery project at the RTF New Main facility.
FY 2010 priority projects in various EPA laboratories include condensate recovery, RO,
high-efficiency plumbing fixture replacements, irrigation system replacements/retrofits,
control of tempering water flow in boiler blowdown drains, and reduction of single-pass
cooling. By September 30, 2010, EPA should complete projects that will save an
estimated 5.8 million gallons of water per year.
In FY 2010, EPA will conduct a facility-by-facility evaluation to determine which of the
Agency's current non-potable water uses should be classified as industrial, landscaping,
or agricultural, and evaluate whether cost-effective measures are available to reduce these
uses. By September 30, 2010, for non-potable water use subject to E.O. 13514
requirements, the Agency will establish a metering or measurement plan to calculate a
FY 2010 baseline of non-potable water uses to be reported in FY 2011. EPA will begin
implementing required projects in FY 2011.
In FY 2011, EPA will continue to focus on condensate recovery, controlling tempering
water flow to boiler and steam sterilizer blowdown drains, and eliminating single-pass
cooling. By September 30, 2011, the Agency expects to complete projects that will save
an estimated 2.8 million gallons of water per year.
To achieve the objectives established by EPA's stormwater guidance for Federal
facilities, in FY 2010, the Agency will actively seek opportunities for retrofits of existing
sites.
GOAL 7: POLLUTION PR EVE NTION AND WASTE ELIMINATION
A. Goal Description
EPA's P2 and waste elimination goals are:
EPA will continue to prioritize source reduction of pollutants and waste;
The Agency plans to exceed the E.O. 13514 goal of diverting 50 percent of non-
hazardous solid waste by FY 2015; its goal is to divert 55 percent by FY 2015;
EPA plans to exceed the E.O. 13514 goal of diverting at least 50 percent of C&D
materials and debris by FY 2015;
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The Agency will continue to reduce printing paper use through duplex printing
requirements;
EPA will continue to exceed the requirement to purchase printing and writing
paper with 30 percent postconsumer content;
The Agency will continue to reduce the acquisition, use, and disposal of
hazardous chemicals and materials;
EPA will divert an increasing percentage of the compostable and organic
materials;
The Agency' s facilities will continue to expand their use of integrated pest
management and landscape management practices that reduce and/or eliminate
the use of toxic and hazardous chemicals and materials;
EPA will continue to expand implementation of acceptable alternative chemicals
and processes;
The Agency will reduce the use of chemicals with high global warming potential
to assist in achieving its FY 2020 GHG emissions reduction targets; and
EPA facilities will continue to report in accordance with sections 301-313 of the
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) of 1986.
B. Agency Lead for Goal
OARM has overall Agency responsibility for facilities, waste diversion, P2, and chemical
management; the office within OARM with lead responsibility is OA, and under OA, the
lead division for waste and pollution issue is FMSD. Also under OA, the lead division
for chemical management and safety issues is SFIEMD.
EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is the Agency's policy
group for resource conservation and sustainability.
C. Implementation Methods
1. Increase Source Reduction of Pollutants and Waste
EPA makes source reduction of pollutants and waste a priority through appropriate
purchasing and property management policies. The Sustainable Acquisition and the
Electronic Stewardship and Data Centers sections of the SSPP provide additional
information in this area. In addition, EPA encourages its facilities to consider waste
prevention opportunities before recycling in its waste management hierarchy. The
Agency emphasizes source reduction in technical assistance to its facilities and
encourages facilities to include waste prevention activities in their waste diversion data.
EPA has been working to phase out equipment containing toxic materials, such as
mercury-containing thermometers, standard fluorescent bulbs, and equipment containing
ODSs, which are part of the Agency's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction target.
EPA actively encourages its laboratories to regularly review their analytical methods to
determine whether more environmentally preferable options to toxic materials are
available. The Agency provides assistance to its laboratories on proper disposal of toxic
materials through a newsletter and guidelines distributed to Safety, Health, and
Environmental Management Program (SHEMP) managers.
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The Federal green purchasing program requires agencies to minimize procurement of
ODSs. EPA requires procurement officials to give preference to alternative chemicals,
products, and manufacturing processes that reduce risks to human health and the
environment. A comprehensive list and alternatives to ODSs can be found in the
Agency's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program.
2. Divert at Least 50 Percent of Non-Hazardous Solid Waste by FY 2015,
Excluding C&D Debris
EPA's largest non-hazardous solid waste streams within its office and laboratory
facilities include scrap metal, paper, organics, corrugated cardboard, and other packaging
materials (including food packaging). To reduce the GHG emissions associated with
disposing of those and other waste materials, the Agency emphasizes source reduction as
a priority and continually explores opportunities to recycle additional materialsat HQ,
its Regional Offices, and Laboratoriesthrough its waste reduction program and through
individual facility "green teams" and EMSs.
Because the Agency already has met the 50 percent waste diversion goal, EPA's
strategies to exceed E.O. 13514 requirements include:
Conducting waste reduction and sustainability assessments;
Providing technical assistance to facility recycling and EMS coordinators;
Conducting education and training;
Highlighting best practices and model programs that can be replicated;
Targeting larger facilities with the lowest waste diversion rates;
Incorporating recycling into new lease provisions and renovations;
Expanding metrics capability to collect solid waste and recycling data; and
Conducting ongoing challenge programs to provide incentives for facilities.
3. Divert at Least 50 Percent of C&D Materials and Debris by FY 2015
EPA's real property policies, program, and processes currently require 75 percent
diversion for projects 20,000 square feet or larger and require facilities to submit a plan
on how C&D wastes will be separated and managed. In addition, the GreenCheck
checklist for projects and BPLP address C&D waste diversion. The Agency will continue
to work with facilities to ensure that C&D waste diversion is addressed in all renovation
projects and will expand its data collection and tracking in this area.
4. Reduce Printing Paper Use
Under EPA's new contract for computers and IT support services at HQ and at laboratory
facilities, all eligible computers and printers are required to be set to duplex by default.
The Agency is working to ensure that the duplex printing feature is set as the default for
all eligible computers and imaging products. EPA's PC (personal computer)
Configuration and Management Standard requires setting all networked and shared
printers to duplex printing as the default.
EPA will continue education and outreach related to reducing paper use, including adding
technical assistance resources to the intranet site, hosting a webinar, and working through
the emerging HQ green teams to develop initiatives related to reducing paper use.
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5. Increase Use of Uncoated Printing and Writing Paper Containing at Least
30-Percent Postconsumer Fiber
EPA's policy is to purchase 100-percent recovered paper with 50-percent postconsumer
content for its HQ facilities. The Agency will continue to seek options for increasing the
environmentally preferable attributes of paper (e.g., purchasing paper from mills that use
wind as the primary power source and evaluating the use of recyclable coated stock) and
purchasing paper with higher postconsumer content (e.g., file folders). Under a previous
BPA, EPA required vendors to provide paper with 50-percent postconsumer fiber. While
EPA is transitioning to a new BPA, the Agency will encourage programs and purchase
card users to continue to adhere to the 50-percent postconsumer standard.
6. Reduce the Acquisition, Use, and Disposal of Hazardous Chemicals and
Materials
EPA laboratories use and dispose of toxic chemicals in analyzing environmental samples,
performing toxicology studies, and conducting ecological studies. To reduce the amount
of toxic and hazardous chemicals and materials acquired, used, and disposed, the Agency
will:
Support chemical management work groups and committees;
Strengthen chemical management systems;
Adopt alternative analytical methods;
Replace toxic analytical reagents with benign substitutes; and
Reduce the amount of sample that enters the laboratory.
EPA has an Agency Toxic and Hazardous Chemical Management Plan and associated
programs, along with a chemical management tracking database. EPA will update this
plan based on the requirements of E.O. 13514 to reduce Scope 1, 2, and, ultimately Scope
3 (Agency chemical supply contractors) GHG emissions. EPA will offer environmental
regulatory compliance training webinars in 2010 to laboratory facilities on EPCRA
regulations, the importance of accurate chemical inventories, and offsite reporting. The
Agency also uses its Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (SHEM) Audit and
Evaluation Program to inquire about employees' familiarity with these regulations and
inventories and to address any deficiencies in these areas.
Nearly 70 percent of EPA's laboratories have established internal chemical management
committees that meet periodically to identify ways to enhance their chemical
management system and to further reduce the environmental impacts associated with
analytical procedures. The Agency will encourage all of its laboratories to implement
such committees by the end of 2011. In addition, EPA will promote best practices for
chemical management systems, communicating with individual laboratories that lack
specific best practices to encourage them to adopt best practices and alternative analytical
methods.
EPA will work to phase out equipment that contains toxic and hazardous chemicals. For
example, the Agency will continue an ongoing effort to communicate to EPA laboratories
the importance of replacing mercury-containing thermometers with non-mercury
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alternatives. Since 2005, the Agency has phased out more than 1,500 mercury-containing
thermometers.
7. Increase Diversion of Compostable and Organic Materials from the Waste
Stream
Six EPA facilities currently have composting programs; the Agency will continue to
share these model programs with other facilities, using the technical assistance avenues
described under the non-hazardous solid waste diversion goal above. EPA's Potomac
Yard facility in Arlington, Virginia, a high-profile HQ facility, is piloting composting
food scraps in 2010. If successful, this program can be piloted in other EPA HQ facilities.
8. Implement Integrated Pest Management and Landscape Management
Practices to Reduce and Eliminate the Use of Toxic and Hazardous
Chemicals and Materials
EPA is committed to reducing the amount of toxic materials used to control pests and
maintain facility grounds. To that end, the Agency has instructed EPA facilities to
implement integrated pest management (IPM). In addition, the Agency encourages
facilities to adopt green landscaping practices to reduce the amount of chemicals required
to support landscaped areas. EPA's BMPG provides guidelines for implementing IPM
and green landscaping practices at existing EPA facilities. EPA also works with GSA to
implement IPM in leased buildings, as stated in EPA's BPLP.
9. Increase Agency Use of Acceptable Alternative Chemicals and Processes
EPA encourages its laboratories to regularly review their existing processes to determine
whether there are more environmentally preferable options available. To date, Agency
laboratories have implemented a variety of practices that enable them to analyze
environmental samples using less solvent, acid, and other reagents. For example, many
of them use microscale chemistry techniques and/or have implemented efficient
extraction and digestion technologies.
10. Decrease Agency Use of Chemicals to Assist in Achieving FY 2020 GHG
Reduction Targets
EPA will promote the phase-out of existing equipment using ODSs that can negatively
affect the stratospheric ozone layer if released and also exhibit a high global warming
potential. This equipment may include freezers, refrigerators, fire-extinguishing systems,
chillers, and other components of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC)
systems. The Agency has instructed all of its facilities to establish baselines for their
Class I and Class II ODS use and to establish a written ODS Management Plan. EPA
will communicate with facilities that have not yet completed these activities and instruct
them to do so. Next, the Agency will review the plans and determine whether additional
technical assistance is needed to assist EPA locations with phase-out efforts. The Agency
also will consider adding new language within its EMS targets and metrics to effect the
phase-out of ODS equipment across all laboratory facilities and recognize any impact of
other ozone-depleting laboratory chemicals.
11. Report in Accordance with Sections 301-313 of the EPCRA of 1986
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EPA uses its SHEM Audit and Evaluation Program to ensure that Agency facilities are
complying with EPCRA sections 301-313. Under this program, EPA audits its offices
and laboratories on a 3- to 5-year cycle. As part of the process, auditors examine
facilities to determine whether they are meeting all of the emergency planning,
emergency release notification, hazardous chemical storage reporting, and Toxic Release
Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements listed under EPCRA Sections 301-313.
D. Agency Status
Because the Agency already has met the 50 percent waste diversion goal ahead of
schedule, EPA's strategies to exceed E.O. 13514 requirements in FY 2010 and FY 2011
include:
Providing technical assistance to facility recycling and EMS coordinators;
Highlighting best practices and model programs that can be replicated;
Targeting larger facilities that have the lowest current waste diversion rates;
Conducting waste reduction and sustainability assessments;
Incorporating recycling into lease provisions;
Expanding metrics collection capabilities; and
Conducting ongoing challenge programs to provide incentives to facilities.
The Agency will evaluate results from a HQ composting pilot in FY 2010 to determine
whether it could be applicable to other facilities in FY 2011. EPA also will continue to
ensure that C&D waste diversion is addressed in all renovation projects and to expand its
data collection and tracking in this area by FY 2011.
To reduce the amount of toxic and hazardous chemicals and materials acquired, used, and
disposed, EPA will encourage all of its laboratories to solicit comments from its
employees on internal chemical management to identify ways to enhance their chemical
management systems and share best practices by FY 2011. Over the next 2 years, the
Agency also will work to phase out equipment that contains toxic and hazardous
chemicals, encourage IPM, reduce the amount of chemicals used for landscaping
maintenance, and work with facilities on ODS management plans.
GOAL 8: SUSTAINABLE ACQUISITION
A. Goal Description
In FY 2009, EPA established the GPP as part of its Contracts Management Manual to
establish, encourage, and promote a preference for products and services that are
produced and performed in an environmentally responsible manner, as well as to address
the distribution, maintenance, reuse, and disposal of such products and services. The
Agency will continue to advance sustainable acquisition through the following goals:
EPA will ensure 95 percent of new contract actions, including task and delivery
options for products and services, are energy-efficient, water-efficient, bio-based,
environmentally preferable non-ozone depleting, contain recycled content, or are
non-toxic or less toxic alternatives, by incorporating these features as mandatory
guidelines into the GPP. To aid this effort:
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- EPA will use its new acquisition system, which will roll out during FY 2010,
allowing purchasers (Contracting Officers and Contract Specialists) to check
a box if the purchase is a "green" product or service. The Agency will use
this new system periodically to accurately track contracts; and
EPA will continue to update its affirmative procurement plans, policies, and
programs to ensure that all Federally mandated designed products and services are
included in all relevant acquisitions and will continue to update the GPP as new
products and services emerge. In addition:
- EPA will continue to promote and focus on green procurement training for
Agency personnel to educate suppliers, contractors, and the general public
about EPA's preference for green products and services.
B. Agency Lead for Goal
OARM has overall Agency responsibility for acquisitions and acquisition management;
the office within OARM with lead responsibility is the OAM.
C. Implementation Methods
1. Ensure 95 Percent of New Contract Actions, Including Task and Delivery
Orders for Products and Services Are Energy-Efficient (ENERGY STAR
Qualified or FEMP Designated), Water-Efficient, Bio-Based,
Environmentally Preferable Non-Ozone Depleting, Contain Recycled
Content, or Are Non-Toxic or Less Toxic Alternatives
Over the past year, EPA has advanced sustainable acquisition through guidance
documented in the GPP, which contains specific clauses about the Agency's preference
for environmentally friendly products and services. The GPP provides Agencywide
guidance for implementing a green procurement program for acquisition of the following
items:
EPA's designated recovered-content products;
U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USD A) designated bio-based content items;
Energy- and water-efficient products;
Environmentally preferable products;
Products using renewable and innovative energy technologies;
AFV/alternative fuel;
Non-ozone depleting substances; and
Priority chemicals.
The Agency will ensure that products and services are energy-efficient, water-efficient,
bio-based, environmentally preferable, non-ozone depleting; that they contain recycled
content; and that they are non-toxic or less toxic alternatives when such products and
services meet EPA's performance requirements.
Furthermore, the Agency's SB IP requires that whenever feasible, ENERGY STAR
qualified/FEMP-designated products are specified, and that offices use USDA's
designated products and products that meet or exceed USDA's bio-based content
recommendations. EPA also continues to promote the WaterSense Program as a national
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brand for water efficiency through GPP guidance and training. EPA's GreenCheck
process also includes a products and materials "green checklist" to ensure products within
EPA's facility projects are energy efficient and sustainable.
2. Update Agency Affirmative Procurement Plans, Policies, and Programs to
Ensure That All Federally Mandated Designated Products and Services Are
Included in All Relevant Acquisitions
The Agency's procurement plans incorporate a number of Federal Programs:
Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG) for recycled content products;
BioPreferred Program;
ENERGY STAR and FEMP;
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program (EPP);
Alternative Fuel Vehicles/Alternative Fuels Program;
WaterSense Program;
Significant New Alternatives Program; and
Priority Chemicals Program.
The CPG implemented by EPA's OSWER, promotes the purchase of products containing
materials recovered from solid waste. By purchasing recycled-content products, EPA is
ensuring that the materials collected in recycling programs are reused in the manufacture
of new products.
The Agency also promotes the purchase of items composed, in whole or in significant
part, of bio-based products, forestry materials, or renewable domestic agricultural
materials. EPA follows USDA's BioPreferred Program and procures products with the
highest bio-based content practicable. The Agency also purchases ENERGY STAR
qualified products, including appliances, light bulbs, lighting fixtures, office equipment,
electronics, and heating and cooling devices. EPA follows FEMP guidelines for
purchasing the most energy-efficient products. The GPP includes guidance on
incorporating ENERGY STAR qualified and FEMP-designated products into Agency
procurements. EPA also incorporated the EPP Program into its GPP.
In addition, EPA looks for the WaterSense label to purchase water-efficient, high-
performance products and services and will continue to do so in accordance with the
GPP.
The Agency also is committed to minimizing procurement of ODSs by making sure that
procurement officials give preference to alternative chemicals, products, and
manufacturing processes that reduce risk to human health and the environment. EPA has
put together a comprehensive list of alternatives to ODSs with the SNAP. The Agency
also promotes the use of the Priority Chemicals Program by providing guidance and
instructions in its GPP.
D. Agency Status
In FY 2009, EPA confirmed that 70 percent of its total contract actions were green
procurements. OAM's contract tracking system (to be rolled out in third quarter FY
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2010) will be used to track and ensure green procurement for 95 percent of contract
actions.
The Agency's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Standard Report for
FY 2009 clearly indicated that the Agency is making great strides in conforming with
Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and E.O. 13423 for green procurement.
During FY 2010, the Agency will provide additional training on green procurement via
videoconferencing for EPA contracting officers and contract specialists in the Regional
Offices. In addition, the Agency recently updated the GPP to include mandates from
E.O. 13514. EPA's procurement operating divisions and Regional Contracting Offices
will continue to include an element in their QAPs that requires regular oversight of green
procurement issues, including compliance with the GPP, collection of vendor
certifications, and data integrity. In FY 2011, OAM will increase the total contract
actions to be green procurements by 15 percent, thereby achieving the 95 percent green
acquisition goal.
GOAL 9: ELECTRONIC STEWARDSHIP AND DATA CENTERS
A. Goal Description
In FY 2009, EPA launched a series of initiatives designed to create a foundation of
policies to support electronics energy management, environmentally preferable
purchasing, and sound recycling activities. The Agency will continue to advance
electronic stewardship and efficient data centers through the following goals:
EPA will use the Agency's existing PC Configuration and Management Standard
to ensure use of power management and duplex printing;
The Agency will revise EPA's PC Configuration and Management Standard to
address the emergence of other relevant energy-efficient or environmentally
preferred options and features on all eligible Agency electronic products;
EPA will maintain the 100 percent power management enabling rate on all
eligible computers and monitors;
The Agency will maintain the 100 percent rate of environmentally sound
disposition of Agency excess and surplus electronics;
EPA will publish best management practices guidelines for the management of
servers and data centers under its authority;
The Agency will identify covered and non-covered facilities;
EPA will investigate installing monitoring devices at any primary data center not
already metered to develop an energy consumption baseline; and
The Agency will create a plan to meet the energy reduction goals for its data
centers that will include implementing virtualization technologies, cloud
computing opportunities, and other such activities.
B. Agency Lead for Goal
Electronic stewardship is implemented by two organizations within EPA: OARM and
OEI. The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) provides
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guidance on best practices in electronic stewardship to OARM and OEI. OEI is
responsible for managing the Agency's computer and network infrastructure, including
data centers.
C. Implementation Methods
1. Establish and Implement Policy and Guidance to Ensure Use of Power
Management, Duplex Printing, and Other Energy Efficient or
Environmentally Preferred Options and Features on All Eligible Agency
Electronic Products
The Agency has made great strides in establishing and promoting the use of key
environmental features and practices on eligible electronic products. EPA's Electronic
Stewardship Implementation Plan outlines how the Agency is meeting the electronic
stewardship goals of E.G. 13514 and E.G. 13423.
To ensure proper use of power management, EPA has established the PC Configuration
and Management Standard, which requires the enabling of ENERGY STAR power
management features on all eligible computers and monitors. EPA has achieved a 100
percent power management enabling rate on all eligible Agency computers and monitors
currently in its seat management program.
Moving forward, EPA will use enterprise-wide management software to ensure continued
adherence to power-management requirements. The software is capable of establishing
power-management settings for computers and monitors over the network; auditing
computers and monitors on the network for compliance; and providing a compliance
report for follow-up on computers and monitors that are not maintaining the power-
management settings pushed by the software. The software module for power
management has been successfully deployed to all eligible equipment in the seat
management program, or about 50 percent of the Agency. EPA is preparing to extend
deployment to all remaining eligible equipment before the end of 2010.
In addition, EPA is working to ensure that duplex printing is set as the default for all
eligible computers and imaging products with duplexing capability. The Agency's PC
Configuration and Management Standard requires all work group (i.e., networked,
shared) printers to be set to duplex as the default. EPA also relies on its seat management
program to ensure that all participating Program Offices have duplexing set on eligible
computers and imaging equipment as default and that the duplex printing features are
enabled. Currently, all computers and imaging equipment deployed under this program
are set to duplex by default, which accounts for about 50 percent of eligible desktop
equipment. The status of default duplexing at Agency facilities not serviced by the seat
management program has yet to be determined. EPA will initiate a baselining activity in
2010 to determine the extent to which eligible Agency computers and imaging products
are meeting the default duplexing requirements. EPA will evaluate options for auditing
and reporting regarding setting of duplex features as default.
The Agency's purchasing policies require the purchase of energy-efficient and
environmentally preferred options and features on electronic products. For example,
EPA's GPP requires procurement preference for EPE AT-registered electronic products.
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During annual green purchasing training, purchase of EPE AT-registered equipment is
reinforced. In addition, EPA's seat management program requires EPEAT-registered
desktops, notebooks, and monitors with a Silver or higher rating, as well as delivery of
ENERGY STAR qualified desktops, notebooks, monitors, and imaging equipment to
internal customers.
2. Update Agency Policy to Reflect Environmentally Sound Practices for
Disposition of All Agency Excess or Surplus Electronic Products.
EPA ensures environmentally sound disposition of electronic products in several ways.
The Agency follows the GSA personal property disposition procedures of transfer,
donation, sale, and recycling of electronic equipment and will continue to do so. EPA
uses GSA's Computers for Learning (CFL) Program to donate electronics to eligible
schools and non-profit organizations as mandated by E.O. 12999, Educational
Technology: Ensuring for all Children in the Next Century.
The Agency uses electronics recyclers that are certified in the practices identified in the
most current version of the "Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices for Use in Accredited
Certification Programs for Electronics Recyclers," or an equivalent certification. EPA's
CTS Program also mandates environmentally sound disposition of equipment removed
from service under its associated contract.
EPA Personal Property Policy requires internal reuse of electronic equipment to the
maximum extent possible. EPA's Personal Property Policy and Procedures Manual
provides guidance and direction to the Agency's personal property staff to ensure that
electronic equipment is reused prior to disposal. When electronic equipment is deemed
"excess," it is recorded in the property database, making it available to other Offices and
Regions for reuse.
EPA has met the 100-percent environmentally sound disposition rate requirement for
electronic products in FY 2008 and FY 2009, and expects to continue to meet the 100-
percent goal in future years. The Agency's Electronic Stewardship Implementation Plan
outlines how the Agency is meeting the electronic stewardship goals of E.O. 13514 and
E.O. 13423.
3. Update Agency Policy to Ensure Implementation of Best Management
Practices for Energy Efficient Management of Servers and Federal Data
Centers
Data centers and servers are playing an increasing role in improving energy efficiency
across Federal IT operations. EPA has a strong foundation of Agency policies, standards,
and guidance on its electronic stewardship practices, including energy management of
servers and desktops.
EPA has assessed industry best management practices for data centers and has initiated
several assessments performed by third-party organizations of EPA computing space.
These detailed assessments from DOE's Save Energy Now Program and the Green Grid
Association have assisted EPA in identifying opportunities for energy-efficient
management of its servers and enterprise-class data center.
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The Agency will provide examples of its best management practices for data centers in
EPA's Data Center Consolidation Plan and in future submissions of the SSPP. Once
formalized, best management practices will be included in Agency policy.
4. Ensure Goals Identify How the Agency Intends to Meet Technology Energy
Consumption Reduction Goals in Its Data Centers
Through the Data Center Consolidation Initiative, EPA currently is identifying covered
and non-covered facilities and striving to meet the following goals:
Consolidate data centers across the Federal Government to achieve cost savings,
energy consumption reductions, optimal space utilization, and improvements in
IT asset utilization;
Use automation, standardization, and security "hardening" of hardware and
software platforms, including virtual hosts and virtual machines, to improve upon
the implementation and monitoring of National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) 800-53 controls and Federal Information Security
Management Act (FISMA) compliance; and
Define and monitor standard operational metrics across agencies, achieve
efficiency gains, and realize operational cost savings by improving the following
statistics:
- Server (CPU) Utilization (percentage),
- Rack Space Utilization (percentage),
- Rack Floor Utilization (percentage),
- Power Usage/Square Foot, and
- Power Usage Effi ci ency.
EPA currently is following the recommended OMB approach to develop its consolidation
plan.
Covered data centers are those that are qualified on a set of core criteria, including floor
capacity, power backup, location, power capacity, cooling capacity, and other factors.
Over the past 3 years, the Agency has performed a thorough analysis of computer room,
server, and storage management activities. A thorough analysis of data center
consolidation was conducted in FY 2009, and the resulting recommendation was
approved by EPA management.
Each of the covered data centers will be independently metered and monitored. For those
covered data centers without meters, EPA will invest in appropriate energy-metering
devices for installation at each primary data center location. EPA will baseline and
measure at regular intervals: power usage efficiency (PUE), bandwidth utilization, and
other appropriate industry and energy-usage metrics. In FY 2010, the Agency is working
to determine performance measurements and a process for reporting.
EPA's plan to meet the energy reduction goals for its data centers will include increasing
virtualization of data center activity, increasing activity hosted in a cloud computing
environment, consolidation, and embracing efficient technologies through the following
activities:
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Virtualization is already extensively used to support database hosting, and EPA
currently is expanding virtualization to support the Web and application server
tiers;
The Agency will continue to expand its cloud computing environment and offer
centralized acquisition of cloud computing services to ensure efficient Agency use
of services in a secure manner; and
EPA is planning to use the latest server technology, with high-efficiency power
supplies, storage virtualization, and customized computer center floor space
utilization.
D. Agency Status
EPA exceeded the 95 percent acquisition rate for EPEAT-registered electronic products
in FY 2008 and FY 2009 and will continue to exceed the 95 percent goal in future fiscal
years.
The Agency met 100 percent power management goals for applicable computer
equipment in its seat management program. In FY 2010, EPA is implementing an
enterprise-wide power management solution for all Agency computers. In FY 2011, the
Agency expects to run audit reports to ensure that EPA remains at 100-percent
implementation.
All computers and imaging equipment deployed under EPA's seat management program
are set to duplex by default and the Agency will continue to deploy all new equipment at
this same setting. In FY 2011, EPA will determine how it can ensure that all applicable
equipment is using the duplex settings.
EPA met the 100 percent environmentally sound disposition rate of electronic products in
FY 2008 and FY 2009, and will continue to meet that goal in future fiscal years through
its many programs and initiatives.
The Agency has completed a phased virtualization program across its primary Tier III
data center, including optimizing the efficient use of floor space and turning off air
handlers, which will contribute to the efficiency of its data center. EPA has identified
opportunities for consolidating computing services and has consolidated three smaller
data centers/computer rooms into one at its HQ location.
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SECTION 3: AGENCY SELF-EVALUATION
I. SELF-EVALUATION TABLE
Does your plan provide/consider overarching strategies and approaches for achieving long-term Y
sustainability goals?
Does your plan identify milestones and resources needed for implementation? Yes
Does your plan align with your agency's FY 2011 budget submission? Yes
Is your plan consistent with your agency's FY 2011 budget and appropriately aligned to reflect y
your agency's planned FY 2012 budget submission?
Does your plan integrate existing E.G. and statutory requirements into a single framework and
align with other existing mission- and management-related goals to make the best use of Yes
available resources?
Does your plan provide methods for obtaining the data needed to measure progress, evaluate Y
results, and improve performance?
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APPENDIX A:
LIST OF ACRONYMS
Definition
E3
AA Assistant Administrator
A/E Architecture and Engineering
AEAMB Architecture, Engineering, and Asset Management Branch
AFCP Alternative Fuel Compliance Program
AFV Alternative Fuel Vehicle
ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
Air-Conditioning Engineers
AST Automotive Statistical Tool
AWBERC Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center
B&F Buildings and Facilities
BAS Building Automation System
BBtu Billion British thermal units
BMPG Building Management Plan Guidelines
BPA Blanket Purchase Agreement
BPLP Best Practices (Environmental) Leasing Provisions
Btu British thermal unit
C&D Construction and Demolition
CEQ Council on Environmental Quality
CFL Computers for Learning
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CH4 Methane
Cl Condition Index
CMM Contracts Management Manual
CO2 Carbon Dioxide
COOP Continuity Of Operations
CPG Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
CPU Central Processing Unit
CTS Customer Technology Solutions
CWA Clean Water Act
CY Calendar Year
DHS Department of Homeland Security
DoD Department of Defense
DOE Department of Energy
DOT Department of Transportation
E.O. Executive Order
E2PLAN Energy and Environmental Performance, Leadership,
Accountability, and (Carbon) Neutrality
EA Environmental Assessment
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
EISA Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
EMS Environmental Management System
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPAct 1992 Energy Policy Act of 1992
EPAct Energy Policy Act of 2005
EPCRA Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
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Acronym Definition
EPEAT Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool
EPP Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program
ESPC Energy Savings Performance Contract
EUL Enhanced Use Leases
FAR Federal Acquisition Regulations
FEMP Federal Energy Management Program
FISMA Federal Information Security Management Act
FMSD Facilities Management and Services Division
FOB Facilities Operations Branch
FR Federal Register
FRPP Federal Real Property Profile
FTE Full-Time Equivalent
FY Fiscal Year
GGE Gasoline Gallon Equivalent
GHG Greenhouse Gas
GPP Green Purchasing Plan
GSA General Services Administration
GSF Gross Square Foot
GSHP Ground Source Heat Pump
GTWG Green Travel Working Group
HEV Hybrid Electric Vehicle
HFC Hydrofluorocarbon
HQ Headquarters
HUD Housing and Urban Development
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
IMP Inventory Management Plan
IPM Integrated Pest Management
IT Information Technology
kW Kilowatt
LEEDฎ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LEED-EB LEED for Existing Buildings
LEED-NC LEED for New Construction
MMBtu Million Btu
MPG Miles Per Gallon
MTCO2e Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent
N2O Nitrous Oxide
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
O&M Operations and Maintenance
OA Off i ce of Ad m i n i strati o n
OAM Office of Acquisition Management
OARM Office of Administration and Resources Management
OCFO Office of the Chief Financial Officer
OCSPP Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
ODS Ozone-Depleting Substance
OEI Office of Environmental Information
OMB Office of Management and Budget
ORD Office of Research and Development
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OSWER Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
OW Office of Water
P2 Pollution Prevention
PC Personal Computer
PFC Perfluorocarbon
PHEV Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Pll Personally Identifiable Information
PPA Power Purchase Agreements
PUE Power Usage Efficiency
QAP Quality Assessment Plan
R2 Responsible Recycling
RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
REC Renewable Energy Credit
RO Reverse Osmosis
ROI Return On Investment
RTP Research Triangle Park
SACO Simplified Acquisition Contracting Officer
SBIP Sustainable Building Implementation Plan
SFO Solicitation for Offer
SFPB Sustainable Facilities Practices Branch
SHEM Safety, Health, and Environmental Management
SHEMD Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Division
SHEMP Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Program
SMD Security Management Division
SNAP Significant New Alternatives Policy Program
SSO Senior Sustainability Officer
SSPP Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan
STC Science and Technology Center
T&D Transmission and Distribution
TAG Technical Advisory Group
TRI Toxic Release Inventory
UESC Utility Energy Services Contract
USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture
USGBC U.S. Green Building Council
VAV Variable Air Volume
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