Tag: green construction

NSA’s New Mission-Critical Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification for Sustainability

The Morrison Center, constructed on the National Security Agency (NSA)/Central Security Service (CSS) Washington East Campus in Fort Mead, Md., has received the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification—the first project on the campus to earn the designation. The 843,000 square-foot, seven-story facility opened in November 2022. As the […]

Green Building Groups Unite Around Common Materials Framework

Leading organizations dedicated to sustainable building practices and impact reduction in the built environment have joined forces to align around the Common Materials Framework (CMF), which establishes a common language for holistic material sustainability in the building industry. The groups include the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), […]

GSA Announces $2 Billion for Low-Carbon Construction Projects at Federal Facilities

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced a $2 billion investment for more than 150 construction projects that use cleaner construction materials, known as “low-embodied carbon” (LEC) materials, as part of the Biden administration’s Investing in America agenda. The funding will support projects at federal facilities across 39 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of […]

Under Construction: Top Facility Projects of August 2023

Facilities Management Advisor’s “Under Construction” series highlights some of the latest, most interesting facility project announcements every month. LEED Platinum Warehouse Developers of the massive Bronx Logistics Center project in New York City have received a precertification letter from the U.S. Green Building Council designating the project with a LEED v4 Platinum rating, the highest […]

4 Values to Look for When Working with Green Construction Companies

Sustainable construction practices are becoming increasingly important as we work to combat climate change and build healthier spaces to live and work in. “Green construction” refers to the use of processes and materials that are environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout the life cycle of a building project. As green building continues to grow in […]

How to Evaluate the Upfront Costs of Green Buildings Against Long-Term Returns

When we think about green buildings, we imagine clean-cut modern designs, spacious aired lobbies, solar panels installed on rooftops, large windows, and vertical gardens. But the hard truth is that what makes a building green is not just its final look. The World Green Building Council explains that buildings account for 39% of global energy-related […]

Homeland Security Receives IRA Funding for Green Buildings on HQ Campus

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced $288 million in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding to construct sustainable buildings at the DHS St. Elizabeths headquarters campus in southeast Washington, D.C. The announcement came a day after the one-year anniversary of the IRA, the largest climate investment in U.S. history. The […]

New Streamlined Process for LEED and WELL Building Certifications

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), and the International WELL Building Institute pbc (IWBI) have released a streamlined process for projects pursuing certifications for the LEED green building rating system and the WELL Building Standard. The process streamlines documentation for projects that are pursuing both certifications at the same time […]