President Obama has signed Executive Order 13514 that sets sustainability goals for federal agencies and focuses on making improvements in their environmental, energy, and economic performance. The order requires federal agencies to set a 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction target within 90 days; increase energy efficiency; reduce fleet petroleum consumption; conserve water; reduce waste; support sustainable communities; and leverage federal purchasing power to promote environmentally responsible products and technologies.

"As the largest consumer of energy in the U.S. economy, the federal government can and should lead by example when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, reduce waste, and use environmentally responsible products and technologies," says President Obama. "This executive order builds on the momentum of the Recovery Act to help create a clean-energy economy and demonstrates the federal government’s commitment, over and above what is already being done, to reducing emissions and saving money."

The federal government occupies nearly 500,000 buildings, operates more than 600,000 vehicles, employs more than 1.8 million civilians, and purchases more than $500 billion per year in goods and services. The executive order builds on and expands the energy reduction and environmental requirements of Executive Order 13423 by making reductions of greenhouse gas emissions a priority of the federal government, and by requiring agencies to develop sustainability plans focused on cost-effective projects and programs.

Projected benefits to the taxpayer include substantial energy savings and avoided costs from improved efficiency. The order was developed by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, with input from the federal agencies that are represented on the steering committee established by Executive Order 13423.

Reduction targets
The new Executive Order requires agencies to measure, manage, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions toward agency-defined targets. It describes a process by which agency goals will be set and reported to the President by the Chair of CEQ. The Executive Order also requires agencies to meet a number of energy, water, and waste reduction targets, including:

• 30% reduction in vehicle fleet petroleum use by 2020
• 26% improvement in water efficiency by 2020
• 50% recycling and waste diversion by 2015
• 95% of all applicable contracts will meet sustainability requirements
• Implementation of the 2030 net-zero-energy building requirement
• Implementation of the stormwater provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, section 438
• Development of guidance for sustainable federal building locations in alignment with the Livability Principles put forward by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Implementation of the Executive Order will focus on integrating achievement of sustainability goals with agency mission and strategic planning to optimize performance and minimize implementation costs. Each agency will develop and carry out an integrated Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan that prioritizes the agency’s actions toward the goals of the Executive Order based on life cycle return on investments. Implementation will be managed through the previously established Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, working in close partnership with OMB, CEQ, and the agencies.