GBI Launches Guiding Principles Program

WASHINGTON, DC-Another day, another green building initiative launched from Washington. Following on the heels of President Obama’s Better Building Initiative last week, the Green Building Initiative has introduced a Guiding Principles Compliance certification program for existing buildings.

The nonprofit describes the program as a tool for federal agencies by which to assess and demonstrate compliance with the requirements of Executive Order 13514. The Guiding Principles Compliance program is being inaugurated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, headed by secretary Eric Shinseki, to measure compliance to the executive order for 180 of its buildings.

"Federal government agencies are now addressing requirements for building sustainability performance measurement and reporting on a broad scale," said Joe Pinelli, VP and general manager for the GBI, in a prepared statement. "Not only is GBI's Guiding Principles Compliance program the first of its kind in the industry but one that has been proven in real world practice on a broad scale.”

Executive Order 13514 states that by 2015, 15% of each agency's federally owned or leased buildings must incorporate the sustainable practices from the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Guidance Document.

Briefly, these five principles are:

1. Employ integrated design principles

2. Optimize energy performance

3. Protect and conserve water

4. Enhance quality of indoor air environment

5. Reduce environmental impact of building materials

The executive order also calls for accuracy and consistency in reporting across agencies and using as much as possible existing resources already dedicated to property management. Also, agencies must demonstrate annual progress toward compliance of the goals—say by using such tools as the Guiding Principles Compliance certification program—and that these goals should cause the least amount of disruption to agencies.