In the context of facilities and the built environ-
ment, sustainability includes the following goals:
- Minimize the impact of facilities on the lands
and ecosystems on which they are built, con-
sidering both site and region - Conserve water and return water to natural
systems in an uncontaminated condition - Conserve energy and minimize the negative
impacts to the atmosphere associated with en-
ergy production and consumption - Conserve natural resources and reduce waste
- Eliminate occupants’ exposure to pollutants
and health hazards within facilities
Early Army Sustainable Design and Development
Efforts
A Context: Motivated by Executive Orders
The primary drivers for the Army initiating sus-
tainability activities were a series of Executive Orders
(EO) issued in the 1990s which directed waste reduc-
tion, recycling and energy and water use reduction.
EO 12873, Federal Acquisition, Recycling, and Waste
Prevention, October 1993, set the stage by requiring
that federal agencies incorporate waste prevention
and recycling in their daily operations and preference
be given to products and materials with a recycled
content to increase demand and support market ex-
pansion in recyclables. EO 12902, Energy Efficiency
and Water Conservation at Federal Facilities, March
1994, mandated the improvement of energy efficiency
and water conservation, and an increase in the invest-
ment in solar and other renewable energy for all types
of federal buildings, whether owned or leased.