In January 2006, EPA signed the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) along with 21 other agencies. This MOU voluntarily committed the Agency to follow the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings (Guiding Principles).

The Guiding Principles focus on the following five areas for both new construction and major renovations:

• Employ integrated design, assessment, operation and management principles in new or existing buildings
• Optimize energy performance
• Protect and conserve water
• Enhance indoor environmental quality
• Reduce environmental impact of materials

The Guiding Principles have been refined over the years to encompass existing buildings as well as new construction and major renovations. Under Executive Order 13693, federal agencies are required to meet the Guiding Principles in certain percentages of new and existing buildings, and EPA continues to exceed those requirements.

Learn more about how EPA is incorporating the Guiding Principles into its new and existing buildings, or download the Guiding Principles from the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (PDF). (14 pp, 193 K, About PDF)