Attachment D - SD-422 Sustainable Design of Smithsonian Facilities.pdf

SMITHSONIAN DIRECTIVE 422

November 13, 2006

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN OF SMITHSONIAN FACILITIES

Introduction 1 Background 1 Policy 2 Principles 2 Goal 3 Objectives 3 Responsibilities 4 Additional Information 5

Introduction

This directive affirms the Smithsonian Institution’s commitment to being a responsible environmental steward through the consideration of the environment in its facilities operations. This commitment is manifested by incorporating principles of sustainability and energy efficiency into all of its building projects through the practice of designing, constructing, procuring, operating, maintaining, and removing buildings in ways that conserve natural resources and reduce pollution.

Background

Sustainable design improves building performance and reduces negative impacts on the environment and on the health and comfort of building occupants. It is an integrated, synergistic approach, in which all phases of the facility’s life cycle are considered. The result is an optimal balance of cost, environmental, societal, and human benefits, which also meet the mission and function of the intended facility or infrastructure.

Sustainability is the concept of incorporating appropriate sustainable principles to improve a project’s contribution to natural, social, and economic prosperity throughout its life cycle. Key themes of

Smithsonian Directive 422, 11/13/06

Background (continued) sustainability are interdependence, a broad area of concern, prosperity, and a timeline that includes current as well as future results.

Policy

To the maximum extent practicable, the Smithsonian Institution is committed to constructing and managing its buildings and facilities operations consistent with related federal environmental and energy management policies and legislative mandates.

The Smithsonian Institution uses the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as its standard for energy efficient design. The standard is incorporated by reference in the International Building Code (IBC) and International Existing Building Code (IEBC) for all levels of alterations, excluding repairs as defined.

In addition, the Smithsonian refers to the guidelines in Executive Order 13123, Greening the Government through Efficient Energy Management, which cites sustainable building design for the site selection, design, construction, and deconstruction of facilities as an energy management strategy to help attain the Institution’s energy efficiency improvement and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.

Other Smithsonian Institution energy program guidance is referenced in the current Smithsonian Directive 414, SI Energy Management Program and Water Supply Emergency Plan, which is available on PRISM.

Principles

The essential principles of sustainable design and development for the Smithsonian Institution address the following factors:

• Site — Optimize site potential and minimize adverse environmental and transportation impacts.

• Energy — Minimize the Institution’s consumption of non-renewable sources of energy.

• Materials — Use environmentally preferable products, such as those that are reused, recycled, Principles (continued) recyclable, non-toxic, of low-embodied energy content, and/or renewable.

• Water — Protect and conserve water supplies.

• Indoor Environmental Quality — Enhance the indoor environmental quality of the Smithsonian’s buildings to promote the health of employees and increase worker productivity.

• Operations and Maintenance — Design facilities for operational and maintenance efficiency, using materials noted for their longevity, robustness, and low toxicity.

Goal

The Smithsonian’s goal is to design, build, and maintain facilities that are eligible for, and that obtain, certification under the nationally recognized criteria for sustainability established by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) initiative for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED). The intent of this goal is to ensure that sustainable design will be integrated as seamlessly as possible into the existing building and exhibit design, construction, and building operations and maintenance processes.

Objectives

Recognizing that this goal will take years to achieve, the Institution will begin this practice by:

• aiming at LEED certification for all new facilities and existing buildings undergoing renovation work

• incorporating the pre-requisites needed to obtain

LEED certification into the day-to-day planning, engineering, design, construction, deconstruction, maintenance, and operations of Smithsonian facilities. The list of pre-requisites is determined by USGBC depending on the type of project, and includes but is not limited to the following areas:

— Construction Pollution Prevention

— Building Systems Commissioning

— Energy Performance

— Refrigerant Management

— Storage and Collection of Recyclables

— Indoor Air Quality Performance

— Tobacco Smoke Control

Objectives

• eliminating the use of the following materials:

— Products containing asbestos, urea formaldehyde, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and/or chlorinated fluorocarbons

— Solder or flux containing more than 0.2 percent lead and domestic water pipe or pipe fittings containing more than 8 percent lead

— Paint containing more than 0.06 percent lead

• integrating life-cycle, cost-based analysis in investment decisions regarding products, services, design, and construction projects affecting building systems, long-term energy, water, and other utility operating costs, equipment, landscaping, operations, and maintenance.

The Smithsonian encourages:

• purchasing of recycled-content products as designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPG)

• maximizing the opportunity for contractors to bid recycled-content materials by including CPG items in the design specifications as long as they are available at a reasonable price

• eliminating products that emit off-gassing and noxious odors affecting indoor air quality

The Institution’s budget requests to the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) will include funding necessary to follow the guidelines set forth in Executive Order 13123, Greening the Government through Efficient Energy Management, to the maximum extent practicable, including guidance concerning the construction and design of sustainable buildings.

Responsibilities

The following categories follow those established by USGBC in evaluating sustainable buildings performance:

• Site — Office of Project Management: Planning and

Real Estate; Office of Facilities Engineering Operations: Office of Engineering, Design and

Responsibilities

Construction (OEDC) and Office of Safety, Health, and Environmental Management (OSHEM)

• Energy — Office of Facilities Engineering Operations: OEDC and Office of Facilities Management and Reliability (OFMR)

• Materials — Office of Facilities Engineering Operations: OEDC, OSHEM, and OFMR

• Indoor Environmental Quality — Office of Facilities Engineering Operations: OSHEM, OEDC, and

OFMR

Additional Information

Smithsonian employees seeking additional information about the Institution’s design sustainability policy may wish to refer to the following resources:

• LEED Green Building Reference Guide, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council

• Smithsonian Directive 414, SI Energy Management

Program and Water Supply Emergency Plan (available on PRISM)

• Smithsonian Directive 410, Facility Construction and Improvement Projects (available on PRISM)

• International Building Code and International Existing Building Code

• Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Executive Order 13123, Greening the Government through Efficient Energy Management

• HB-404, Smithsonian Operations and Maintenance Handbook

• Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40, Parts 1500– 1508: Regulations for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act

• EPA, 10 CFR 40, 1.23, 1–4, 1–16: Procedures for Implementing the Clean Air Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act

• EPA, 40 CFR 50: National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards

CANCELLATION: Not applicable INQUIRIES: Office of Facilities Engineering and Operations (OFEO) RETENTION: Indefinite. Subject to review for currency 24 months from date of issue.