GSA awards $120 million contract for new energy conservation measures at five facilities in the National Capital Region as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

November 26, 2024

WASHINGTON - The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) awarded an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) to Constellation New Energy for energy savings and conservation measures at five GSA-owned facilities in the National Capital Region.

These projects, part of GSA’s overall plan to reduce about $450 million in energy costs across its real estate portfolio through the Inflation Reduction Act, will modernize building systems, improve energy efficiency, cut greenhouse gas emissions and convert four of the buildings to operate exclusively on electric power in Washington DC.

This award leverages $119,844,079 in Inflation Reduction Act funding to enable deep energy retrofits through energy conservation measures, building electrification and American-made low embodied carbon materials. The five buildings to be updated under this contract are the Elijah Barrett Prettyman U.S. Courthouse, the William B. Bryant Annex, the Orville Wright Federal Building and the Wilbur Wright Federal Building all located in Washington DC, and the Harvey W. Wiley Federal Building in College Park, MD.

“This project demonstrates how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is helping to achieve a ‘triple win’ of lower energy costs for taxpayers, more jobs in communities and a healthier future for all Americans,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan. “By implementing innovative efficiency measures, we’re harnessing the best of American ingenuity to make the federal footprint more efficient – while moving away from costly fossil fuels and reducing harmful emissions.” 

Several of these projects feature energy-saving window replacements that meet GSA’s most-aggressive “Top 20%” standards for embodied carbon. The windows and inserts are assembled in Colorado by Alpen High Performance Products using Cardinal flat glass made in North Carolina. The scope of the work will vary by building, and will include LED lighting retrofits, building envelope enhancements, utility distribution upgrades, water conservation measures, and heating and cooling plant electrification. GSA anticipates the measures will annually save $2.2 million in utility costs and reduce the buildings’ carbon emissions by 5,734 metric tons, equivalent to taking over 1,300 gas-powered cars off the road.

The most significant energy conservation measures are lighting, building controls and electrification (fuel switching from steam to electric heat) at the Wright buildings, Prettyman U.S. Courthouse, and William Bryant Annex. Upon completion of the electrification project, these buildings will be removed from GSA’s fossil fueled-powered steam distribution system and will operate on more efficient electric energy. 

An energy savings performance contract, or ESPC, is a partnership between a federal agency and a U.S. Department of Energy-qualified energy service company. The service company conducts a comprehensive energy audit of federal facilities and identifies improvements to save energy. In consultation with the federal agency, the service company designs and constructs a project that meets the agency’s needs and arranges the necessary funding. ESPCs partner with the private sector to help stretch appropriations further, and deliver more with the available resources.

The Biden-Harris Administration is leading by example to tackle the climate crisis through President Biden’s Federal Sustainability Plan, which directs federal agencies to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, including net-zero emissions from all federal buildings by 2045. The investments announced today are a part of the Administration’s Climate Smart Buildings Initiative and will help GSA on its ambitious plan to achieve net-zero emissions from federal buildings by 2045.

“This is another example of our collaborative work with our federal colleagues to provide them and the American taxpayer with modern buildings that ensure long-term efficiencies both operationally and sustainably,” said Elliot Doomes, Commissioner of GSA’s Public Buildings Service.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes $3.4 billion for GSA to build, modernize and maintain more sustainable and cost-efficient high-performance facilities that utilize low-embodied carbon materials. GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act projects will implement new technologies and accelerate GSA’s efforts to increase efficiency and reduce pollution. Through these investments, GSA estimates that it will reduce operational carbon emissions by 2.3 million metric tons, the same amount that 500,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles produce each year.

For more information about GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act projects, visit Inflation Reduction Act.

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing about $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.