Last month, the US General Services Administration (GSA) published its updated P-100: Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service. The 2014 PBS-P100 establishes design standards for new buildings, major and minor alterations, and work in historic structures for the GSA Public Buildings Service (PBS). This document contains both performance based standards and prescriptive requirements to be used in the programming, design, and documentation of GSA buildings. It is a mandatory standard for GSA facilities.
Sustainability addressed in the P100:
- New construction and major renovations of GSA buildings, as well as applicable work in existing GSA buildings, must comply with the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings. Strategies to meet the Guiding Principles are included in each appropriate chapter of the P100. For the latest guidance on implementing the Guiding Principles see www.wbdg.org/sustainableEO.
- Through integrative design and application of sustainable design principles, all new construction projects and substantial renovations must achieve, at a minimum, a LEED Gold rating through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System of the U.S. Green Building Council. GSA’s use of LEED is to measure and quantify building performance achievements in relation to our mandates and goals. Pursue LEED credits appropriate to the goals of GSA and to the type of project being designed.