When designing or remodeling a building, consider the following energy conservation concepts:

• Install energy efficient windows to take advantage of both light and heat, including low-e coatings and films, double-pane insulated glass, gas-filled windows, insulated frames, and retractable window treatments to maximize sunlight benefits.
• Consider insulation when building so that heating and cooling needs are minimized, while not adversely affecting indoor air quality.
• Consider certain building materials, such as roofing, and their affect on heat transference and reflecting.
• Using premium efficiency motors will prolong the life of the motor, use less energy, and reduce pollution.
• Incorporate energy efficient lighting.
• Purchase high efficiency office equipment, such as Energy Star-rated equipment.
• Design the building with proper zone control for optimal thermal comfort and efficiency.
• Perform commissioning activities to ensure proper equipment performance and compatibility.
• Install an Energy Management and Control System, with energy sensors and monitoring equipment, to increase efficiency.
• Make water heating methods more efficient by insulating water heaters, reducing water temperatures, and/or installing solar hot water heating systems.
• Consider new or innovative energy efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment that might be appropriate for the building type, use, and climate.

Implementing sustainable development strategies will help facilites meet requirements under Executive Order 13123, which is the clearest directive on the use of sustainable building design.  "DoD and GSA, in conjunction with DOE and EPA, shall develop sustainable design principles.  Agencies shall apply such principles to the siting, design, and construction of new facilities.  Agencies shall optimize life-cycle costs, pollution, and other environmental and energy costs associated with the construction, life-cycle operation, and decommissioning of the facility.  Agencies shall consider suing Energy Savings Performance Contracts or utility energy -efficiency service contracts to aid them in constructing sustainably designed buildings."  -- Sec. 403 (d)

Using systems and products that conserve energy helps facilities comply with Title 10 CFR Part 435, "Energy Conservation Voluntary Performance Standards For New Buildings; Mandatory For Federal Buildings." This Department of Energy regulation applies to all new buildings and multi-family, high-rise buildings. These performance standards are designed to achieve the maximum practicable improvements in energy efficiency and increases in the use of renewable sources of energy.

Using systems and products that conserve energy helps facilities comply with U. S. Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT). This legislation was signed into law on Oct. 24, 1992, and is a comprehensive energy bill covering many areas, including energy efficiency, fossil fuels, alternative fuels, and federal agency energy management.

Finally, using systems and products that conserve energy helps facilities to comply with the Department of Navy’s Naval Facilities Engineering Command Planning And Design Policy Statement - 98-01: Design of Sustainable Facilities and Infrastructure, June 18, 1998, which requires all facilities and infrastructure-related design and construction to incorporate sustainable design principles. This includes domestic construction for the Navy, Air Force (when Navy is the design agent on the project), and Marines, along with about half of domestic Army construction and about half of all offshore military construction.

The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as a general guideline and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g. the amount of workload involved.

• Reduces energy use.
• Reduces pollution generated through traditional forms of energy production.
• Reduces energy costs.
• Increases occupant comfort.

• Equipment and products may be more expensive.
• Involves planning during design and construction stages of project.

For the renovation of NAVFAC's headquarters at the Washington Navy Yard, sustainable design measures increased first cost by $95,000 (out of a $19.9 million budget), but have resulted in annual energy savings of $130,000.

For a Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ) complex in Illinois, a $600,000 reduction in first cost was achieved in the $60.1 million project and an annual energy savings of $110,000 is projected.

Randolph AFB near San Antonio, Texas, conducted a three-stage lighting retrofit in 1996. The real cost of the project, in which 57,100 32W T-8 lamps and 24,000 ballasts were installed, was $1.8 million. The estimated annual energy savings associated with the retrofit were $500,000, resulting in a project payback period of less than four years.

*There are multiple MSDSs for most NSNs.
The MSDS (if shown above) is only meant to serve as an example.

GSA Environmental Products Guides
URL: http://pub.fss.gsa.gov/environ