Air Emissions
The federal government has regulations and policies dedicated to improving air quality. For example, Executive Order 13123 requires that the government reduce emissions that contribute to air pollution. Federal government activities that can impact air quality include emissions from boilers and chillers, vehicle exhaust emissions, and fugitive dust from construction. In 2007, Executive Order 13123 was replaced with Executive Order 13423.
GSA is actively involved in meeting these standards by monitoring emissions and making changes or upgrading equipment to meet these standards. Additionally, GSA is replacing boilers within the Denver Federal Center to improve their efficiency to 85% and reduce air emissions.
Sustainability and Environmental Management Program
| Objectives | Reduce air emissions |
|---|---|
| Comply with boiler and chiller regulations | |
| Targets | Full and complete compliance by 2006 |
| Identify and repair freon leaks within 30 days | |
| For all new installations, install boilers with an efficiency rating of at least 85% |
Federal, State, and Local Policy and Regulations
- EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation – policy and guidance documents issued in the past two years.
- Executive Order 13150 – Federal Workforce Transportation
- Executive Order 13423 – Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Managment
- Executive Order 13514 - Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance
- Clean Air Act
Additional Resources
- How to buy an energy-efficient commercial boiler.
- Energy Star qualified boilers - learn more about the required annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 85% or greater for boilers.
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers(nongovernment website) - ASHRAE’s expertise includes: energy efficiency, indoor air quality, codes and standards, and guidance for a safe environment during extraordinary incidents.
- Operations & Maintenance Best Practices, A Guide to Achieving Operational Efficiency, Release 3.0, Federal Energy Management Program The purpose of this guide is to provide information about O&M management, technologies, energy and water efficiency, and cost-reduction approaches.
- Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Asbestos Home Page
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Home Page
| Name | Format | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Asbestos Management | PDF 313 KB | June 2012 |
| Boiler Emissions | PDF 203 KB | June 2012 |
| Chiller Emissions | PDF 215 KB | May 2012 |
| Indoor Air Quality Program | PDF 253 KB | July 2012 |
Confirm most recent version of Environmental Procedure with Robert Melvin.
