Download or read book Sustainable Federal Facilities written by Federal Facilities Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-04-30 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the late 1990s, several of the sponsor agencies of the Federal Facilities Council began developing and implementing initiatives and policies related to sustainable development. Guidance related to life-cycle costing and value engineering was recognized as being supportive of sustainable development, in particular when used in the conceptual planning and design phases of acquisition, where decisions are made that substantially effect the ultimate performance of a building over its life cycle. However, specific concerns were raised that when federal agencies apply value engineering in the final stages of design or during construction in response to cost overruns, design features that support sustainable development may be eliminated. The primary objective of this study, therefore, was to develop a framework to show how federal agencies can use value engineering and life-cycle costing to support sustainable development for federal facilities and meet the objectives of Executive Order 13123.
Download or read book Achieving High Performance Federal Facilities written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-12-07 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The design, construction, operation, and retrofit of buildings is evolving in response to ever-increasing knowledge about the impact of indoor environments on people and the impact of buildings on the environment. Research has shown that the quality of indoor environments can affect the health, safety, and productivity of the people who occupy them. Buildings are also resource intensive, accounting for 40 percent of primary energy use in the United States, 12 percent of water consumption, and 60 percent of all non-industrial waste. The processes for producing electricity at power plants and delivering it for use in buildings account for 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The U.S. federal government manages approximately 429,000 buildings of many types with a total square footage of 3.34 billion worldwide, of which about 80 percent is owned space. More than 30 individual departments and agencies are responsible for managing these buildings. The characteristics of each agency's portfolio of facilities are determined by its mission and its programs. In 2010, GSA's Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings asked the National Academies to appoint an ad hoc committee of experts to conduct a public workshop and prepare a report that identified strategies and approaches for achieving a range of objectives associated with high-performance green federal buildings. Achieving High-Performance Federal Facilities identifies examples of important initiatives taking place and available resources. The report explores how these examples could be used to help make sustainability the preferred choice at all levels of decision making. Achieving High-Performance Federal Facilities can serve as a valuable guide federal agencies with differing missions, types of facilities, and operating procedures.
Download or read book Designing Federalism written by Mikhail Filippov and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-02-09 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Table of contents
Download or read book Green Healthcare Institutions written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-06-14 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Green Healthcare Institutions : Health, Environment, and Economics, Workshop Summary is based on the ninth workshop in a series of workshops sponsored by the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine since the roundtable began meeting in 1998. When choosing workshops and activities, the roundtable looks for areas of mutual concern and also areas that need further research to develop a strong environmental science background. This workshop focused on the environmental and health impacts related to the design, construction, and operations of healthcare facilities, which are part of one of the largest service industries in the United States. Healthcare institutions are major employers with a considerable role in the community, and it is important to analyze this significant industry. The environment of healthcare facilities is unique; it has multiple stakeholders on both sides, as the givers and the receivers of care. In order to provide optimal care, more research is needed to determine the impacts of the built environment on human health. The scientific evidence for embarking on a green building agenda is not complete, and at present, scientists have limited information. Green Healthcare Institutions : Health, Environment, and Economics, Workshop Summary captures the discussions and presentations by the speakers and participants; they identified the areas in which additional research is needed, the processes by which change can occur, and the gaps in knowledge.
Download or read book Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings and Associated Instructions written by The Council The Council on Environmental Quality and published by . This book was released on 2017-02-04 with total page 26 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2006, Federal agencies owning and operating more than 90% of all Federal facilities signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings (2006 Guiding Principles). The Memorandum contained the first set of Guiding Principles - overarching environmental performance goals - for new Federal buildings. The 2006 Guiding Principles addressed reducing energy and water use, conserving resources, minimizing waste, protecting indoor air quality, and requiring the use of integrated teams during the design, construction, and operation of new Federal facilities. An updated set of Guiding Principles, called "High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Guidance," December 2008, contained "Guiding Principles for Sustainable New Construction and Major Renovation" and "Guiding Principles for Sustainable Existing Buildings." Previous Executive Orders (E.O.) 13423 (2006) and 13514 (2009) recognized green buildings as a key component in efforts to reduce environmental impacts, cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and lower the operating costs at Federal facilities. E.O. 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, March 19, 2015, reaffirmed Federal green building efforts and called for revised Guiding Principles to reflect progress in green building design, construction, and operation practices; broaden considerations around protecting occupant health, wellness, and productivity; and address climate change risks.
Download or read book Investments in Federal Facilities written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2004-05-24 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Facilities now owned by the Federal Government are valued at over $300 billion. It also spends over $25 billion per year for acquisition, renovation, and upkeep. Despite the size of these sums, there is a growing litany of problems with federal facilities that continues to put a drain on the federal budget and compromise the effectiveness of federal services. To examine ways to address these problems, the sponsoring agencies of the Federal Facilities Council (FFC) asked the National Research Council (NRC) to develop guidelines for making improved decisions about investment in and renewal, maintenance, and replacement of federal facilities. This report provides the result of that assessment. It presents a review of both public and private practices used to support such decision making and identifies appropriate objectives, practices, and performance measures. The report presents a series of recommendations designed to assist federal agencies and departments improve management of and investment decision making for their facilities.
Download or read book Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government written by United States Government Accountability Office and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2019-03-24 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Policymakers and program managers are continually seeking ways to improve accountability in achieving an entity's mission. A key factor in improving accountability in achieving an entity's mission is to implement an effective internal control system. An effective internal control system helps an entity adapt to shifting environments, evolving demands, changing risks, and new priorities. As programs change and entities strive to improve operational processes and implement new technology, management continually evaluates its internal control system so that it is effective and updated when necessary. Section 3512 (c) and (d) of Title 31 of the United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA)) requires the Comptroller General to issue standards for internal control in the federal government.
Download or read book Deferred Maintenance Reporting for Federal Facilities written by Federal Facilities Council Standing Committee on Operations and Maintenance and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-04-19 with total page 53 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1996 the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board (FASAB) 1 enacted Standard Number 6, Accounting for Property, Plant, and Equipment (PP&E), the first government-wide initiative requiring federal agencies to report dollar amounts of deferred maintenance annually. The FASAB has identified four overall objectives in federal financial reporting: budgetary integrity, operating performance, stewardship, and systems and control. FASAB Standard Number 6, as amended, focuses on operating performance and stewardship. The FFC Standing Committee on Operations and Maintenance has prepared this report to identify potential issues that should be considered in any future amendments to the standard and to suggest approaches for resolving them. The committee's intent is to assist the CFO Council, federal agencies, the FASAB, and others as they consider how best to meet the objectives of federal financial reporting for facilities.
Download or read book Predicting Outcomes of Investments in Maintenance and Repair of Federal Facilities written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2012-03-01 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The deteriorating condition of federal facilities poses economic, safety, operational, and environmental risks to the federal government, to the achievement of the missions of federal agencies, and to the achievement of public policy goals. Primary factors underlying this deterioration are the age of federal facilities-about half are at least 50 years old-and decades of inadequate investment for their maintenance and repair. These issues are not new and there are no quick fixes. However, the current operating environment provides both the impetus and the opportunity to place investments in federal facilities' maintenance and repair on a new, more sustainable course for the 21st Century. Despite the magnitude of investments, funding for the maintenance and repair of federal facilities has been inadequate for many years, and myriad projects have been deferred. Predicting Outcomes of Investments in Maintenance and Repair of Federal Facilities identifies processes and practices for transforming the current portfolio of federal facilities into one that is more economically, physically, and environmentally sustainable. This report addresses ways to predict or quantify the outcomes that can be expected from a given level of maintenance and repair investments in federal facilities or facilities' systems, and what strategies, measures, and data should be in place to determine the actual outcomes of facilities maintenance and repair investments.
Download or read book ISC Security Design Criteria for New Federal Office Buildings and Major Modernization Projects written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2003-05-16 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In November 1999, GSA and the U.S. Department of State convened a symposium to discuss the apparently conflicting objectives of security from terrorist attack and the design of public buildings in an open society. The symposium sponsors rejected the notion of rigid, prescriptive design approaches. The symposium concluded with a challenge to the design and security professions to craft aesthetically appealing architectural solutions that achieve balanced, performance-based approaches to both openness and security. In response to a request from the Office of the Chief Architect of the Public Buildings Service, the National Research Council (NRC) assembled a panel of independent experts, the Committee to Review the Security Design Criteria of the Interagency Security Committee. This committee was tasked to evaluate the ISC Security Design Criteria to determine whether particular provisions might be too prescriptive to allow a design professional "reasonable flexibility" in achieving desired security and physical protection objectives.
Download or read book Key Performance Indicators for Federal Facilities Portfolios written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-02-03 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than 30 federal departments and agencies with a wide range of missions and programs manage large inventories of facilities, also called portfolios. These portfolios range in size from a few hundred to more than a hundred thousand individual structures, buildings, and their supporting infrastructure. They are diverse in terms of facility types, mix of types, and geographic dispersal. For federal senior executives, facilities portfolio-related decisions revolve around the allocation of resources (staff, funding, time) for acquisition, renovation, operation, repair, and disposition of facilities. To make informed decisions, senior executives require information that will allow them to answer such questions as: What facilities do we have? What condition are they in? What facilities are needed to support the organization's missions? This study lays out a framework for developing and evaluating trends in facilities portfolio conditions, investments, and costs and identifies a set of key indicators that can be used to track performance over time. Some of the indicators are currently in use in some federal agencies; others will need to be developed.
Download or read book Handbook of Green Building Design and Construction written by Sam Kubba and published by Butterworth-Heinemann. This book was released on 2016-10-15 with total page 1066 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Handbook of Green Building Design and Construction: LEED, BREEAM, and Green Globes, Second Edition directly addresses the needs of building professionals interested in the evolving principles, strategies, and concepts of green/sustainable design. Written in an easy to understand style, the book is updated to reflect new standards to LEED. In addition, readers will find sections that cover the new standards to BREEAM that involve new construction Infrastructure, data centers, warehouses, and existing buildings. - Provides vital information and penetrating insights into three of the top Green Building Codes and Standards applied Internationally - Includes the latest updates for complying with LEED v4 Practices and BREEAM - Presents case studies that draws on over 35 years of personal experience from across the world
Download or read book Engineering for Sustainable Communities written by William Edward Kelly and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Engineering for Sustainable Communities: Principles and Practices defines and outlines sustainable engineering methods for real-world engineering projects.
Download or read book Building Integrated Photovoltaic Designs for Commercial and Institutional Structures A Sourcebook for Architects written by and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Sustainability and the U S EPA written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-09-08 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sustainability is based on a simple and long-recognized factual premise: Everything that humans require for their survival and well-being depends, directly or indirectly, on the natural environment. The environment provides the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Recognizing the importance of sustainability to its work, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working to create programs and applications in a variety of areas to better incorporate sustainability into decision-making at the agency. To further strengthen the scientific basis for sustainability as it applies to human health and environmental protection, the EPA asked the National Research Council (NRC) to provide a framework for incorporating sustainability into the EPA's principles and decision-making. This framework, Sustainability and the U.S. EPA, provides recommendations for a sustainability approach that both incorporates and goes beyond an approach based on assessing and managing the risks posed by pollutants that has largely shaped environmental policy since the 1980s. Although risk-based methods have led to many successes and remain important tools, the report concludes that they are not adequate to address many of the complex problems that put current and future generations at risk, such as depletion of natural resources, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. Moreover, sophisticated tools are increasingly available to address cross-cutting, complex, and challenging issues that go beyond risk management. The report recommends that EPA formally adopt as its sustainability paradigm the widely used "three pillars" approach, which means considering the environmental, social, and economic impacts of an action or decision. Health should be expressly included in the "social" pillar. EPA should also articulate its vision for sustainability and develop a set of sustainability principles that would underlie all agency policies and programs.
Download or read book Achieving Great Federal Public Spaces written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Cutler Anderson Architects written by Cutler Anderson Architects (Firm) and published by . This book was released on 2019-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since its founding in 1977, Cutler Anderson Architects has evolved to understand that the ultimate objective of any architectural design is to reveal what is true about all of the circumstances of a project. From place to program, from materials to shape, all components need to be understood and designed into a harmonious whole that reveals each component's nature. This genuinely rigorous task has been both the focus and the intellectual stimulant of our practice and, it is hoped, will continue to be our passion in the future. This single-minded attitude has led to successful and award winning projects on three continents. The firm's staff of fourteen is currently engaged in both residential and commercial projects throughout ten states, plus Poland and the Czech Republic. Our ultimate goal on every project is to produce projects that are not only beautiful but also emotionally enlightening.
