On October 5th, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13514: Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance. The purpose of the executive order is to make Federal Agencies set green house gas (ghg) emission goals  and to lower their overall environmental impact. Executive Order 13514 expands on Executive Order 13423 ’s energy and environment performance requirements.  Executive Order 13423 Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management was signed by President Bush in early 2007.

Executive Order 13514 outlines energy and sustainability goals and strategies for Federal Agencies. Some of the targets were defined, but the specific ghg emission reduction goals were left up to the individual agencies to set for themselves. Each agency is required to adhere to the following timeline:

• Each agency had to designate a Senior Sustainability  Officer (SSO) within 30 days of the order.
• Federal Agencies were required to develop their own 2020 green house gas emission goal within 90 days of the signing of the order. The scope of the emissions  was to be based off their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from 2008.
• On June 2nd, 2010, each agency had to submit an in-depth Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan, which would include their 2020 greenhouse gas emission reduction goals (for Scope 1,2, and 3 emissions).
• On January 5th, 2011, each agency must submit a comprehensive green house gas inventory report based on the 2008 fiscal year.

In addition to ghg reductions, each agency must also meet additional predefined sustainability goals, including:

• 30% reduction in vehicle fleet petroleum use by 2020
• 26% improvement in water efficiency by 2020
• Implementation of the stormwater provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, section 438
• 50%  waste diversion by 2015
• 95% of all applicable contracts will meet sustainability requirements
• Implementation of the 2030 net-zero-energy building requirement for new buildings
• Development of guidance for sustainable Federal building locations in alignment with the Livability Principles put forward by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

This executive order clearly has huge implications for the green building industry in America. Not only are Federal Agencies required by this bill to become more sustainable, but indirectly American Companies are required to as well. Suppliers on the General Services Administration (GSA) schedule will be challenged to become more sustainable in order to remain part of an agency’s supply chain. Companies who sell to the government will have to begin to inventory their own ghg emissions and work towards reducing their emissions. Companies may have to redesign not only their products and services, but how they produce and package their products as well. They will have to reduce their water and material use.

Executive Order 13514 will push the sustainability movement forward in America. I think we are one step closer to national sustainability regulations for companies and individuals being created. Depending on the success of how well agencies are able to meet the requirements of the order, companies may be next. Once the agencies go through the process of becoming more sustainable, there will be less confusion in what is involved with the endeavor. Many questions associated with sustainability will be answered (such as who is responsible for what ghg emissions). All Federal Agencies are required to be transparent with their sustainability efforts, so that everyone can benefit from learning about what works and what does not. Transparency also confirms emission and other environmental impact reductions have been achieved.

Companies must pay close attention to the progress of Executive Order 13514. They can benefit from learning about what sustainability measures will be most successful without having to attempt them first and they can better prepare for the possibility of having to meet national sustainability regulations in the future.

To learn follow how some Federal Agencies are working on meeting Executive Order 13514, visit these sites:

• Environmental Protection Agency
• Army
• Department of Justice