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Under Construction: A New Green Building Strategy for EPA

Release Date: 04/21/2008
Contact Information: Dave Ryan, (202) 564-4355 / ryan.dave@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. - April 21, 2008) EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson today announced a new agency approach to encourage the mainstream adoption of green building practices. This strategy offers a multi-faceted approach to reducing the environmental and public health impacts of buildings and building-related products through their complete life span.

“At EPA, we appreciate the fact that our built environment has a tremendous impact on our natural environment. And so I am pleased the agency is moving in a new strategic direction with for green building, with a goal of spreading the adoption of effective green building practices nationwide,” said Johnson.

EPA’s green building strategy builds upon and calls for better coordination among existing programs, such as Energy Star and WaterSense, which are designed to reduce the impacts of buildings and development. It involves working with the building industry to improve the quality and supply of green buildings and related products while also increasing demand through improved understanding of green building characteristics.

The strategy revolves around five objectives:

• to inform building decisions with better standards and metrics
• to advance knowledge and overcome barriers through research
• to lead by example with the agency's own facilities
• to expand understanding of green building
• to increase adoption of green building practices in areas where progress has been more limited, including homes and existing commercial and public buildings.