GOAL 3: High-Performance Sustainable Design / Green Buildings and Local and Regional Planning
The largest environmental impacts from activities at NIH are associated with site selection, construction and operation of building assets. To learn about the specific steps NIH is taking to make its facilities more sustainable, please visit the NIH Sustainable Buildings Program page. Current NIH Sustainable Building Projects include:
The following sustainable design mandates will be implemented at NIH:
(a) Beginning in FY20, all new Federal buildings are designed to achieve zero‐net energy by FY30. The current SBIP requires compliance with EISA 2007 including Section 433 to reduce by 100% overall fossil fuel‐generated energy consumption in new buildings and major renovations by 2030.
(b) All new construction, major renovation or repair and alteration of federal buildings complies with, “Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings (Guiding Principles).
(c) At least 15% of agency’s existing buildings and building leases meet Guiding Principles by FY15 [5,000 GSF threshold for existing buildings and building leases]. The current HHS SBIP requires that by 2015, 15% of the HHS building inventory is in compliance with the Guiding Principles and 100% of all buildings will be assessed against the Guiding Principles.
(d) Demonstrate annual progress toward 100% conformance with Guiding Principles for entire building inventory.
(e) Demonstrate use of cost‐effective, innovative building strategies to minimize energy, water and materials consumption.
(f) Manage existing building systems to reduce energy, water and materials consumption in a manner that achieves a net reduction in agency deferred maintenance costs.
(g) Optimize performance of the agency’s real property portfolio – examine opportunities to decrease environmental impact through consolidation, reuse and disposal of existing assets prior to adding new assets
(h) Ensure use of best practices and technology in rehabilitation of historic Federal properties.
Fig. A8 – Conceptual Drawing of Green Building features (above)
Goal 4 Highlights:
Zero-net energy Buildings
Meet Guiding Principles: Owned Facilities
At least 15% of agency’s existing buildings and building leases meet Guiding Principles by FY15
Meet Guiding Principles: Existing Facilities
Meet Guiding Principles: Leased Facilities
Fig. A10 – NIH PNRC II concept drawing
Fig. A11 – Sustainable transportation options
NIH will advance regional and local integrated planning goals by:
- Participating in regional transportation planning and recognizing existing community transportation infrastructure when locating space for its operations;
- Working with GSA and EPA in aligning with HHS policies and outreach to increase the effectiveness of local planning for energy choices such as locally generated renewable energy;
- Working with GSA and EPA in ensuring that planning for new Federal facilities or new leases includes consideration of sites that are pedestrian friendly, near existing employment centers, and accessible to public transit, and emphasizes existing central cities and, in rural communities, existing or planned town centers, in accordance with all applicable statutes, regulations and policies.;
- Identifying and analyzing impacts from energy usage and alternative energy sources in all Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments for proposals for new or expanded Federal facilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.); and
- Coordinating with regional programs for Federal, State, tribal, and local ecosystem, watershed, and environmental management.
Fig. A12 – NIH 2006 Master Plan Campus Map