To address the need for a comprehensive guide for procuring green building products and construction/renovation services within the Federal government, EPA has partnered with the Federal Environmental Executive and the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) to develop the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers. Under the direction of this partnership, the green specs were authored by Dru Meadows, AIA, CCS, FCSI of theGreenTeam, Inc., a national expert in specifying for green building.

NOTE: This resource has not been updated to reflect new guidance to federal agencies per EO 13693, such as EPA's Recommendations of Standards and Ecolabels. EPA anticipates updating the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers following its pilot assessment of standards and ecolabels for paints/coatings, furniture, and flooring and finalization of its Guidelines approach. To see the current sustainable acquisition requirements— searchable by purchase category—for federal agencies, please go to SF Tool Green Procurement Compilation section its website.

Organized according to CSI MasterFormat™, the 70+ sections provide users with multiple, performance-based options, allowing for flexibility in application.

Objectives: To help federal agencies meet their project-specific environmental goals and mandates including:

  • Executive Order 13423, 13514, and the revised Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings
  • EPA's Final Guidance on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
  • EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines for recovered content
  • USDA's BioPreferred Program
  • ENERGY STAR® & DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Product Efficiency Recommendations
  • Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
  • ASTM, LEED®, Green Globes, and other rating systems and standards
  • And other 'best practices' as determined via industry and public comment

To share comments & suggestions, please contact Alison Kinn Bennett at 202-564-8859 or kinn.alison@epa.gov. For more information about the scope, purpose, and use of the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers, please see the Frequently Asked Questions.

Click the 'Title' or 'Date' heading to sort by ascending or descending order.

These documents are available in the following format:   Adobe Acrobat (PDF)  |   Microsoft Word (DOC)

Click the 'Title' or 'Date' heading to sort by ascending or descending order. These documents are available in the following format: Adobe Acrobat (PDF)
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Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers - Complete Set
Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers - Disclaimer
Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers - Frequently Asked Questions
01 10 00 Summary
01 30 00 Administrative Requirements
01 40 00 Quality Requirements
01 41 00 Regulatory Requirements
01 42 00 References
01 43 50 Continual Improvement of Environmental Quality
01 50 00 Temporary Facilities and Controls
01 57 19.11 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management
01 57 19.12 Noise and Acoustic Management
01 57 19.13 Environmental Management
01 67 00 Environmental Product Requirements
01 74 13 Progress Cleaning
01 74 19 Construction Waste Management
01 78 23 Operation and Maintenance Data
01 78 53 Sustainable Design Close-Out Documentation
01 79 11 Environmental Demonstration and Training
01 81 10 Facility Service Life Requirements
01 81 13 Sustainable Design Requirements
01 81 30 Green Power Requirements
01 91 00 Commissioning
01 92 00 Facility Operation
02 41 13 Selective Site Demolition
03 30 00 Cast-In-Place Concrete
03 40 00 Precast Concrete
04 20 00 Unit Masonry
05 05 00 Common Work Results for Metals
05 10 00 Structural Steel
06 05 73 Wood Treatment
06 10 00 Rough Carpentry
06 16 00 Sheathing
06 20 00 Finish Carpentry
06 60 00 Plastic Fabrications
06 90 00 Alternative Agricultural Products
07 10 00 Dampproofing and Waterproofing
07 20 00 Thermal Protection
07 30 00 Steep Slope Roofing
07 33 63 Vegetated Roof Covering
07 50 00 Membrane Roofing
07 55 63 Vegetated Protected Membrane Roofing
07 92 00 Joint Sealants
08 14 00 Wood Doors
08 50 00 Windows
09 29 00 Gypsum Board
09 30 00 Tile
09 51 00 Acoustical Ceilings
09 65 00 Resilient Flooring
09 65 16.13 Linoleum
09 68 00 Carpeting
09 72 00 Wallcovering
09 90 00 Painting and Coating
10 14 00 Signage
10 21 13.19 Plastic Toilet Compartments
10 81 16.13 Bat House
10 81 50 Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
11 13 00 Loading Dock Equipment
11 28 00 Office Equipment
11 30 00 Residential Equipment
12 10 00 Artwork
12 48 13 Entrance Floor Mats and Frames
12 59 00 Systems Furniture
14 20 00 Elevators
22 40 00 Plumbing Fixtures
23 30 00 HVAC Air Distribution
23 70 00 Central HVAC Equipment
26 50 00 Lighting
31 10 00 Site Clearing
31 25 73 Stormwater Management by Compost
31 31 00 Soil Treatment
32 10 00 Bases, Ballasts, Paving
32 12 43 Porous Paving
32 71 00 Constructed Wetlands
32 84 00 Planting Irrigation
32 90 00 Planting
33 16 20 Rainwater Harvesting
44 40 10 Water Reuse Systems
48 14 00 Solar Energy Electrical Power Generation Equipment
48 15 00 Wind Energy Electrical Power Generation Equipment
48 30 00 Biomass Energy Electrical Power Generation Equipment