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Executive Order 13514 (or EO 13514) was an Executive Order, entitled Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, which U.S. President Barack Obama issued on October 5, 2009. [1] [2] EO 13514 was replaced by Executive Order 13693, titled Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, [3] issued by Obama on March 19, 2015. [4] The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, [5] whose name was changed to the Office of Federal Sustainability by Executive Order 13693, is housed at the Council on Environmental Quality within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. Its role is to oversee policy, guidance, and implementation of the sustainability Executive Order.
Executive Order 13514 required the Federal agencies to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from Federal operations, improve energy efficiency, increase use of renewable energy, reduce water consumption, and purchase energy efficient and environmentally preferable goods and materials. The aggregate Federal government greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal resulting from EO 13514 totaled 28% by 2020, corresponding to a projected $8 - $11 billion reduction in the Federal government's energy bill. [6]
The Executive Order also required Federal agencies to publish an annual Strategic Sustainability Plan, and called on the Office of Management and Budget to measure and report on Federal agent progress against goals in annual sustainability scorecards. Sustainability scorecard results are published by the Office of Federal Sustainability. [7]
Executive Order 13514 further mandated that at least 15 percent of existing federal buildings and leases should meet the Guiding Principles for Federal Sustainable Buildings by 2015, [8] and that annual progress be made toward 100 percent conformance of all federal buildings, with a goal of 100% of all new federal buildings achieving zero-net-energy by 2030. The U.S. government is the largest consumer of energy in America. It has more than 350,000 buildings, and many of these buildings are energy-inefficient. Fifteen percent of 500,000 buildings is 75,000 buildings.
The Executive Order states that "the Federal Government must lead by example ... increase energy efficiency; measure, report, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions from direct and indirect activities ... design, construct, maintain, and operate high performance sustainable buildings in sustainable locations; strengthen the vitality and livability of the communities in which Federal facilities are located; and inform Federal employees about and involve them in the achievement of these goals."
"Zero-net-energy building" is defined in Executive Order 13514 as "a building that is designed, constructed, and operated to require a greatly reduced quantity of energy to operate, meet the balance of energy needs from sources of energy that do not produce greenhouse gases, and therefore result in no net emissions of greenhouse gases and be economically viable."
The implementation of Executive Order 13514 was overseen by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive. The name of the Office was subsequently changed to the Office of Federal Sustainability by Executive Order 13693.
Furthering the goals of Executive Order 13514, President Obama issued four additional Presidential Memoranda to increase building efficiency and create jobs by requiring agencies to complete $2 billion in Energy Savings Performance Contracts, to purchase biobased and renewable products, to purchase green fleet vehicles and to launch an EV pilot, and to purchase at least 20% renewable energy. Comprehensive Federal agency guidance and implementing instructions can be found on FedCenter.gov, [9] an interagency resource hosted by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
| Executive Order | Issued By | Date Issued |
|---|---|---|
| EO 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance | President Obama | October 5, 2009 |
| Presidential Memorandum on Implementation of Energy Savings Projects and Performance-Based Contracting for Energy Savings | President Obama | December 2, 2011 |
| Presidential Memorandum on Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs in Rural America through Biobased and Sustainable Product Procurement | President Obama | February 12, 2012 |
| Presidential Memorandum on Federal Fleet Performance | President Obama | May 24, 2011 |
| Presidential Memorandum on Federal Leadership on Energy Management | President Obama | December 4, 2013 |
These Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda build on more than 20 years of Presidential Executive Orders and Federal leadership in sustainability, beginning in 1993 when former President Bill Clinton established the Federal sustainability agenda and the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive with Executive Order 12873 [10] which focused on eliminating waste and expanding the use of recycled materials. Former President George W. Bush expanded the scope of the Federal sustainability agenda and the role of the Federal Environmental Executive through Executive Order 13423, [11] which added sustainable building, renewable energy, environmental management systems, and electronic waste recycling to the agenda. EO 13423 also created Presidential Awards for agency achievement in meeting the President's sustainability goals. Executive Order 13514, and subsequent Executive Orders including EO 13693, built on these foundations.
Under EO 13514, each Federal department and agency was required to submit and publish an annual Sustainability Plan. Agencies were also subsequently required to include Adaptation plans that outlined how each department and agency would respond to the challenges of climate change to secure their missions. [12]
In 2011, the Obama Administration established an annual symposium in partnership with George Washington University. The purpose of the GreenGov Symposium was to share successes and lessons learned across the Federal community and to foster publish-private partnerships to learn from leading corporate sustainability practices. [13]
During the George W. Bush Administration, the White House Office of Management and Budget was tasked with responsibility for measuring the performance of the Federal departments and agencies towards achieving Federal sustainability goals. These performance scorecards were advanced by the Obama Administration and continue under the Trump Administration. Assisted by the United States Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program, the Office of Management and Budget conducts an extensive data call each year to collect information about Federal department and agency energy use, water use, and other metrics. The results of these scorecards are published by the Office of Federal Sustainability (formerly called the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive). [14]
Originally established by Executive Order 13423 under President George W. Bush, the GreenGov Presidential Leadership Awards recognized exceptional agency and team achievements towards realizing Federal sustainability goals. Federal sustainability achievements recognized through these awards included net zero building, EV fleets, and species conservation. A historical list of GreenGov Presidential Award recipients can be found at FedCenter.gov. [15]
Specifically as related to Federal sustainable buildings and achieving net-zero-energy, goals can be summarized as follows:
According to a White House report of March 30, 2011: [17]
Executive Order 13514 was replaced by Executive Order 13693, titled Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade, [3] issued by Obama on March 19, 2015. On May 17, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order repealing Executive Order 13693, including all requirements to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. The Trump Executive Order maintains the Federal government's commitment to energy efficiency and to meeting all statutory requirements to reduce energy use, to conserve water, and to increase the use of renewable energy. [24] All previous Federal Environmental Executives and Federal Chief Sustainability officers including those serving under former Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama joined to call on the Trump Administration to maintain the Federal government's commitment to sustainability. [25]
The Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970 is a United States environmental law which was passed to work in conjunction with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). One of the two major purposes of the Act was to authorize the creation of an Office of Environmental Quality to provide the professional and administrative staff needed for the Council on Environmental Quality. The second major purpose was to "assure that each Federal department and agency conducting or supporting public works activities which affect the environment shall implement the policies under existing law". To accomplish these purposes, the act gave more responsibilities to the chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality in his new role as director of the Office of Environmental Quality.
Energy policy is the manner in which a given entity has decided to address issues of energy development including energy conversion, distribution and use as well as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in order to contribute to climate change mitigation. The attributes of energy policy may include legislation, international treaties, incentives to investment, guidelines for energy conservation, taxation and other public policy techniques. Energy is a core component of modern economies. A functioning economy requires not only labor and capital but also energy, for manufacturing processes, transportation, communication, agriculture, and more. Energy planning is more detailed than energy policy.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the US specializes in the research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy systems integration, and sustainable transportation. NREL is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Department of Energy and operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, a joint venture between MRIGlobal and Battelle. Located in Golden, Colorado, NREL is home to the National Center for Photovoltaics, the National Bioenergy Center, and the National Wind Technology Center.
A low-energy house is characterized by an energy-efficient design and technical features which enable it to provide high living standards and comfort with low energy consumption and carbon emissions. Traditional heating and active cooling systems are absent, or their use is secondary. Low-energy buildings may be viewed as examples of sustainable architecture. Low-energy houses often have active and passive solar building design and components, which reduce the house's energy consumption and minimally impact the resident's lifestyle. Throughout the world, companies and non-profit organizations provide guidelines and issue certifications to guarantee the energy performance of buildings and their processes and materials. Certifications include passive house, BBC - Bâtiment Basse Consommation - Effinergie (France), zero-carbon house (UK), and Minergie (Switzerland).
The energy policy of the United States is determined by federal, state, and local entities. It addresses issues of energy production, distribution, consumption, and modes of use, such as building codes, mileage standards, and commuting policies. Energy policy may be addressed via include legislation, regulation, court decisions, public participation, and other techniques.
A Zero-Energy Building (ZEB), also known as a Net Zero-Energy (NZE) building, is a building with net zero energy consumption, meaning the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site or in other definitions by renewable energy sources offsite, using technology such as heat pumps, high efficiency windows and insulation, and solar panels.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), established in 1975, is a New York State public-benefit corporation, located in Albany, New York, with regional offices in New York City, Buffalo, and West Valley.
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is an office within the United States Department of Energy. Formed from other energy agencies after the 1973 energy crisis, EERE is led by the Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, who is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Alejandro Moreno currently leads the office as the Acting Assistant Secretary.
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According to data from the US Energy Information Administration, renewable energy accounted for about 13.1% of total primary energy consumption and about 21.5% of total utility-scale electricity generation in the United States in 2022.
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New Energy for America was a plan led by Barack Obama and Joe Biden beginning in 2008 to invest in renewable energy sources, reduce reliance on foreign oil, address global warming issues, and create jobs for Americans. The main objective for the New Energy for America plan was to implement clean energy sources in the United States in order to switch from nonrenewable resources to renewable resources. The plan led by the Obama Administration aimed to implement short-term solutions to provide immediate relief from pain at the pump, and mid- to- long-term solutions to provide a New Energy for America plan. The goals of the clean energy plan hoped to: invest in renewable technologies that will boost domestic manufacturing and increase homegrown energy, invest in training for workers of clean technologies, strengthen the middle class, and help the economy.
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Green Building Initiative (GBI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that owns and administers the Green Globes green building assessment and certification in the United States and Canada. It was established in 2004 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
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The environmental policy of the Joe Biden administration includes a series of laws, regulations, and programs introduced by United States President Joe Biden since he took office in January 2021. Many of the actions taken by the Biden administration reversed the policies of his predecessor, Donald Trump.
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