by Shane Henson — February 10, 2012—The IFMA Foundation, an organization focused on providing resources and educational opportunities to facilities management professionals, has released U.S. Government Policy Impacts and Opportunities for Facility Management, a free publication in its “Sustainability ‘How-To’ Guide” Series offering a comprehensive, practical approach to making sustainability improvements to public- and private-sector properties based on federal government guidelines.
According to the guide’s authors, it is written for facilities professionals who want to stay ahead of the executive and legislative curve and implement strategic sustainability performance plans for their facilities that utilize the best-in-class resources and benchmarking information developed by the U.S. federal government and state governments.
The guide will enable public- and private-sector facilities professionals to:
- Understand how recent legislative and executive initiatives have focused on reducing costs and increasing the efficiency of energy and water use in federal buildings;
- Learn how to achieve greener buildings through site planning, building material selection, water efficiency, HVAC systems, and ongoing building operations;
- Improve energy management techniques through consideration of lighting, windows, energy demand, refrigeration systems, and efficient and ENERGY STAR appliances;
- Build a business case for sustainability initiatives and utilize effective measurement tools;
- Learn more about waste-stream management, including reusable dishes and flatware, composting and recycling;
- Procure sustainable foods through local purchasing and learn more about food safety and disposable products;
- Take advantage of available grants, rebates and incentives; encourage increased operational and capital investments; and identify resources supporting sustainability planning and execution;
- Understand the current reporting requirements affecting both federal agencies and commercial entities; and
- Learn from case studies offering real-world insight into effective sustainability approaches.
- Learn how to achieve greener buildings through site planning, building material selection, water efficiency, HVAC systems, and ongoing building operations;
The guide is primarily built around U.S. acts and executive orders pertaining to the built environment, including: the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969; the Energy Policy Act of 2005; the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007; Executive Order 13423; and Executive Order 13514.
