Private Sector and Government Working Together to Promote Sustainable Building Practices
Team Noblis –Noblis, the U.S. Green Building Council, and CTG Energetics–Collaborates with GSA to Deliver Sustainable Facilities Tool
FALLS CHURCH, VA. – February 8, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — Noblis, in collaboration with CTG Energetics and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is pleased to announce the release of the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) Sustainable Facilities Tool.
GSA has been at the forefront of sustainability initiatives within the government, including providing the GSA Carbon Footprint Tool, and has set ambitious goals to embrace a zero environmental footprint.
GSA is rolling out their latest sustainability initiative, a web-based tool–the Sustainable Facilities Tool–to help government and industry personnel identify and prioritize cost-effective, sustainable strategies for small projects that do not normally engage workplace consultants or designers. The Sustainable Facilities Tool’s initial focus is on workplace projects under 10,000 sq. ft.
“Understanding the whole lifecycle of a building enables us to most effectively incorporate sustainable features at every opportunity,” said Don Horn, Deputy Director of GSA’s Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings. “A 3-D interactive walkthrough of office interiors and built-in material comparisons are wonderful features. Sustainability planning, case studies, design guidance, and links to relevant regulations, make the Sustainable Facilities Tool invaluable to a project manager.”
Noblis, in conjunction with USGBC and CTG Energetics, developed the Sustainable Facilities Tool for GSA. The team offered an integrated sustainability-focused approach with extensive sustainable building and online systems development expertise. Noblis, with its proven track record of providing excellent project management, system architecture, and web-based application development, was responsible for overall project management and technical implementation of the online environment. Noblis designed a technical platform that is a custom content management system tailored to assist in building sustainable communities. USGBC’s Education and Research department participated in project team workshops and provided expert peer review. CTG Energetics, a green building specialist with practical expertise in sustainable site planning, sustainable design, construction, and facilities management was responsible for the sustainability content and developing the computer-aided design models.
“We are delighted and proud of the continuing opportunity to work with GSA in their efforts and exciting new initiatives for promoting sustainability throughout their organization and the federal government,” said David Evans, Director, Center for Sustainability, Noblis. “This latest initiative, the new Sustainable Facilities Tool, is a testament to the efficiency and effectiveness which can be produced with close cooperation between the public and private sectors.”
The Sustainable Facilities Tool is intended for facility managers, realty specialists, project managers from governmental agencies and private sector developers, as well as, building occupants and owners who require more guidance about sustainability, why it matters, and how to implement sustainable solutions. The tool is free to use and can be found at: http://www.sftool.org/.
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About Noblis, Inc.
Noblis is a nonprofit science, technology and strategy organization that helps clients solve complex scientific, systems, process, and infrastructure problems in ways that benefit the public. Noblis brings the best of scientific thought, management, and engineering know-how in an environment of independence and objectivity to find solutions that are practical, forward thinking, and sustainable. Noblis works in essential areas, including national security, transportation, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and enterprise transformation. Further information is available at noblis.org.
About Noblis’ Center for Sustainability
The singular mission of Noblis’ Center for Sustainability is to promote resilient and sustainable operations for our customers. Noblis accomplishes this by helping business and government prepare for and mitigate the impact of climate change, improve resource efficiency, and develop solutions to reduce environmental impacts. Noblis brings an interdisciplinary systems approach to address a range of sustainability topics, including modeling for future climate change, planning needed to improve resiliency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, calculate emissions inventories, and energy management. To learn more about Noblis, visit www.noblis.org. To learn more about Noblis’ sustainability efforts, visit www.green.noblis.org.
About CTG Energetics, Inc.
CTG Energetics, Inc. (CTG) is a mission-driven sustainability consulting firm with an integrated approach to engineering, design, planning, and building operations. Our people and practice are dedicated to improving the built environment through the practical application of innovative technologies, information and management to real-world projects. Building on 14 years’ experience, CTG is a market leader in providing sustainable facilities management tools & training, energy efficiency solutions, sustainable design assistance, as well as carbon analysis and management. For details see www.ctgEnergetics.com.
About U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.
Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
Contact:
Laury Sendek
Corporate Communications, Noblis
703-610-2002
