Government officials from the General Services Administration recently lent their environmental sustainability expertise at the GreenGov Symposium in Washington, D.C.
The three-day symposium focused on the performance goals set by a 2009 presidential executive order that charged the federal government to lead by example in reducing energy consumption and eliminating waste, while increasing the use of alternative forms of clean energy.
The GSA has been instrumental in the implementation of green practices by the government. According to the GSA, billions of dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have allowed the agency to create green jobs, remodel old federal offices into high-performance green buildings and add hybrid vehicles to the federal fleet.
Green initiatives implemented by government agencies and other organizations also include investing in new energy-efficient technologies, such as an energy-saving computer, green HVAC systems or a mercury-free HDMI projector, which allows them to reduce long-term costs and become more ecofriendly.
The GSA has already started working with federal contractors to measure and manage their carbon footprint. According to a recent Washington Business Journal report, the agency has announced that all future GSA projects will have to earn a gold certification level through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system.
