The Government Greens Its Real Estate

The Public Buildings Service, which is responsible for charging and collecting rent on 9,600 public buildings across the 50 states, has been asked to go green by retrofitting and smartening its aging buildings.

1 minute read

July 29, 2010, 10:00 AM PDT

By George Haugh


"This isn't just the flavor of the month; this isn't just a pilot," General Services Administration assistant commissioner Larry Melton explained. "This is the future of facilities, really. We have the ability to change the platform."

"The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, coupled with Executive Orders issued by President Obama, dictate the GSA cut its energy use by 30% (compared to 2003 levels) by 2015."

"The long-term vision is to link all 9,600 buildings on a single network, with regional command centers controlling energy output and a national one spotting trends and opportunities and writing policies around them."

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