Sustainability in Action

Great Lakes Region GSA is proud of its efforts to reduce energy and water use, increase use of green processes and products, and increase recycling.  

Refer back to this page often for our latest stories and dashboard statistics tracking our efforts to reach a zero environmental footprint (ZEF).

TOP STORIES

Bean Federal Center's Solar Roof Producing Enough Energy to Power 200 Indy Homes

Energy produced by the Bean Federal Center's 6,000 solar panels is being sold to the local electric company and used to power the equivalent of 200 homes a year, already preventing 2,600 metric tons of CO2 emissions.

See the full story with pictures here.

Michigan Federal Buildings Add Water Bottle Refilling Stations

Two federal buildings in Michigan are reducing waste and encouraging tenants to participate in the "Use the Stairs" campaign by installing bottle refilling stations.

At the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building in Grand Rapids, the station is next to the basement stairwell in a high-traffic area for tenants entering and exiting the building, while at the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center in Battle Creek, the station is being tested on a trial basis in the basement mechanical shop. The filling stations contain an electronic sensor for touch-less operation, a filter for reducing particulates, and a counter to show the number of bottles saved from landfills.

See the full story with a picture here.