A new presidential executive order that calls for major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from federal buildings and facilities could have sweeping impacts for construction and design firms that do business for the federal government.

总统乔·拜登（Joe Biden）的12月8日指令呼吁联邦机构到2032年将设施的集体减少50％以下50％以下，并在2045年之前拥有净零净操作碳排放建筑物组合。政府拥有的车辆，并在2050年不迟于联邦采购工作中实现了零净排放。

The order instructs federal agencies and newly created task forces to develop plans and policies to reach the target reductions and goals. One will focus on developing a “Buy Clean” plan to promote using construction materials that have less embodied carbon.

Nick Goldstein, vice president of legal and regulatory affairs at the American and Road Transportation Builders Association, says it is “too early to tell” the specifics of how Buy Clean policies will be enacted, but “it’s something we’ll be taking a look at” to gauge potential impact on ARTBA members.

As the federal government’s prime real estate agent, the US General Services Administration will play a key role in helping agencies achieve the goals outlined in Biden’s order. GSA is responsible for a real estate portfolio of more than 370 million sq ft and oversees more than $75 billion in annual contracts and is the primary agency that procures government-wide electricity. “From day one, GSA has been excited about revitalizing government-wide sustainability, and we are now positioned to help,” GSA Deputy Administrator Katy Kale said in a statement.

The Goals are Ambitious

A long-term approach spanning several administrations will be needed to achieve the goals, which are ambitious, says Cliff Majersik, senior advisor for the Institute for Market Transformation. The target reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are “stretch” goals that will require “big changes in how the government operates, designs and constructs its buildings, and also [how it] makes decisions about where to build buildings, and which buildings to build,” he says.

Majersik adds the administration is planning to roll out a proposal for a new building performance standard early next year as part of its efforts to reduce emissions. “Performance standards are the most powerful policies that are driving improvement in the building sector,” he says, and having one in place would send a strong signal to the private sector.

建筑能源绩效标准已在少数州和县采用，但是1980年代为全国范围内采用一项联邦建筑的努力最终失败了。

在可再生能源和环境拥护者中，对拜登的命令的反应是积极的。美国可再生能源委员会主席兼首席执行官格雷戈里·韦特斯通（Gregory Wetstone）在一份声明中说，该指令将帮助“催化成千上万兆瓦的新型无污染权力的开发，从而导致更清洁的网格和更多的良好付费工作美国工人。”他补充说，通过“ Back Back Better Better Act”将加强努力，其中包括可再生能源项目的长期税收优惠。18luck官网

But some GOP lawmakers chafed at Biden’s directive. “With this action, he’s telling millions of Americans who provide most of the energy we use every day that he thinks they should be thrown out of work," John Barrasso, (R-Wyo.), ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement. "What’s worse, he wants to use the power of the federal government to do it.”