Energy, GSA, OMB and the EPA are implementing and helping other agencies to implement requirements under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, including reducing energy use and managing storm water runoff, but continuing to do so presents a number of challenges, GAO has said.
It said agencies would likely face challenges meeting EISA requirements for increasing energy efficiency and conservation, decreasing and eventually eliminating the use of energy generated from fossil fuels, conducting federal energy and water management activities, and leasing ENERGY STAR rated space.
It also said long-term funding and capital budgeting issues present overarching challenges for agencies in meeting all EISA high-performance federal building requirements.
Nonetheless, agencies are pressing forward. GAO said that Energy has issued guidance for agencies to carry out EISA energy and water management activities and is developing regulations for agencies to reduce the use of energy generated from fossil fuels and to identify a green building certification system for federal buildings, all of which are EISA requirements.
However, as Energy officials noted, EISA does not require a certification system to ensure that agencies meet all EISA high-performance federal building requirements, and these systems are not designed to do so, according to GAO-10-22.
It said GSA is incorporating into its federal leases EISA requirements for leasing space with ENERGY STAR ratings and has established an Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings.
Also, OMB is incorporating information on agencies’ progress in implementing EISA requirements into scorecards it uses to rate agencies’ energy and water management, while the EPA is developing guidance to assist agencies in meeting EISA requirements for managing storm water runoff.
According to the report, GSA and DoE are planning to use Recovery Act funds to meet key EISA high-performance federal building requirements.
For example, GSA received a $4 million to fund and staff its green buildings office, and DOE plans to use about $73 million in Recovery Act funding to collect and manage energy usage data, provide technical assistance, and fund building energy efficiency research, GAO said.
