Buildings
Architecture & Engineering Sustainable Design

Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, and the health and comfort of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments.

Sustainable design principles include the ability to:

  • optimize site potential;
  • minimize non-renewable energy consumption;
  • use environmentally preferable products;
  • protect and conserve water;
  • enhance indoor environmental quality; and
  • optimize operational and maintenance practices.

Utilizing a sustainable design philosophy encourages decisions at each phase of the design process that will reduce negative impacts on the environment and the health of the occupants, without compromising the bottom line. It is an integrated, holistic approach that encourages compromise and tradeoffs. Such an integrated approach positively impacts all phases of a building's life-cycle, including design, construction, operation and decommissioning.

GSA and Sustainable Design

GSA is committed to incorporating principles of sustainable design and energy efficiency into all of its building projects. The result is an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal and human benefits while meeting the mission and function of the intended facility. It is GSA's intent that sustainable design will be integrated as seamlessly as possible into the existing design and construction process.

GSA and LEED

GSA will be utilizing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Rating System as a goal in design criteria to help apply principles of sustainable design and development to our facilities projects. LEED™ is a consensus-based, market-driven rating system that can serve both as criteria and as measurement for GSA building projects. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2003 all new GSA building projects must meet criteria for basic LEED™ certification. LEED™ consists of a set of prerequisites and credits with specific requirements for obtaining points in order to become a LEED™ Green Building.

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Last Modified 8/3/2004