Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Dot gov

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

HTTPS

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (LockA locked padlock) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    • Environmental Topics
    • Air
    • Bed Bugs
    • Cancer
    • Chemicals, Toxics, and Pesticide
    • Emergency Response
    • Environmental Information by Location
    • Health
    • Land, Waste, and Cleanup
    • Lead
    • Mold
    • Radon
    • Research
    • Science Topics
    • Water Topics
    • A-Z Topic Index
    • Laws & Regulations
    • By Business Sector
    • By Topic
    • Compliance
    • Enforcement
    • Laws and Executive Orders
    • Regulations
    • Report a Violation
    • Environmental Violations
    • Fraud, Waste or Abuse
    • About EPA
    • Our Mission and What We Do
    • Headquarters Offices
    • Regional Offices
    • Labs and Research Centers
    • Planning, Budget, and Results
    • Organization Chart
    • EPA History

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Greening EPA

Environmentally Friendly Features of EPA's Campus in Research Triangle Park, NC

Planning for the RTP facility began in the 1990s. It wasn’t until 2001 that the "green" building was completed. The facility was built with the best laboratories and offices and supports the Agency’s mission. It was designed with several environmentally friendly features:

  • The main building uses 40% less energy compared to standard buildings of equal size
  • The surface area for roads, parking lots, and sidewalks was minimized to preserve green space, reduce stormwater runoff, and increase groundwater recharge
  • The buildings were placed along the natural contours of the land, reducing the need for grading and limiting disruption to existing woodlands and wetlands
  • Recycle bins and receptacles are placed in individual offices and in common areas to maximize employee recycling
  • While every effort was made to minimize land clearing, many plants would have been lost if not for the rescue effort; volunteers transplanted more than 3,500 native plants to nearby locations

Building "green" reduces adverse impacts on the environment and health throughout their entire life cycle from the acquisition of materials, transportation, construction, use and eventual disuse. "Green" buildings in RTP include:

  • US EPA (Main Campus)
  • National Computer Center
  • First Environment Early Learning Center (Child Care) 

Greening EPA

  • EPA Sustainability Plans
  • EPA Sustainability Progress
  • Federal Requirements
  • Energy and Emissions
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Greenhouse Gases
    • Renewable Energy
  • Green Buildings
    • Construction & Renovation
    • Existing Buildings
    • Facility Resiliency
  • Water Management
    • Stormwater Management
  • Green Practices
Contact Us About Greening EPA
Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.
Last updated on August 14, 2024
  • Assistance
  • Spanish
  • Arabic
  • Chinese (simplified)
  • Chinese (traditional)
  • French
  • Haitian Creole
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Tagalog
  • Vietnamese
United States Environmental Protection Agency

Discover.

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Budget & Performance
  • Contracting
  • EPA www Web Snapshot
  • Grants
  • No FEAR Act Data
  • Plain Writing
  • Privacy
  • Privacy and Security Notice

Connect.

  • Data
  • Inspector General
  • Jobs
  • Newsroom
  • Regulations.gov
  • Subscribe
  • USA.gov
  • White House

Ask.

  • Contact EPA
  • EPA Disclaimers
  • Hotlines
  • FOIA Requests
  • Frequent Questions
  • Site Feedback

Follow.