High-Performance Buildings at EPA

Photo looking up at EPA's Potomac Yard One and Two Headquarters Buildings — EPA's Potomac Yard Headquarters building in Arlington, Virginia, has earned LEED Platinum certification for existing buildings operations and maintenance.

EPA makes an effort to maintain all of its facilities in an efficient and environmentally responsible manner that ensures the health and safety of building occupants. Detailed information on EPA buildings and laboratories at 40 locations across the country can be found on EPA’s Sustainability Map.

Many Agency facilities are older buildings with less efficient infrastructure. EPA has implemented several strategies to enhance sustainability, including:

Conducting retro-commissioning and re-commissioning to improve energy performance
Using the most efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment and lighting
Assessing for compliance with ventilation and thermal comfort standards
Installing renewable energy systems
Replacing plumbing fixtures with higher efficiency models
Installing advanced energy and water meters
Reducing irrigated landscape areas
Retrofitting buildings and landscapes with low impact development features
Using integrated pest management techniques
Contracting green cleaning services
Purchasing environmentally preferable materials
Implementing materials reduction, reuse, recycling and composting programs

EPA has historically implemented many of these practices as a way to demonstrate its mission to protect the environment. EPA also uses the following to achieve results:

Read fact sheets about some of EPA’s sustainable construction and renovation projects.