Countdown to America's 250th Anniversary:
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Three GSA high-performance buildings that have achieved remarkable results across all measures assessed in this study are highlighted below. These facilities demonstrate the impact of leveraging various funding sources—including performance contracts, appropriated funds, and grants—with integrated design and operational strategies to achieve measurable performance improvements. Through these strategies, GSA has achieved lower operating costs and consistent high performance on energy and water use, tenant satisfaction, and waste diversion — even at facilities with unique requirements like land ports of entry (LPOEs).
GSA completed a new construction and major modernization project at the Otay Mesa border crossing in California. Completed in October 2023, this project demonstrates how strategic funding and thoughtful planning can transform a government facility into a top performer, saving approximately $228,000 each year in energy costs.
The Otay Mesa project had two main parts:
GSA’s goal was simple: make the new building use 30% less energy than a typical baseline building (GSA’s standard requirement for new construction per federal law), and generate additional savings through renovations.
GSA didn’t just meet this goal—we exceeded it. The new Commercial Annex Building produces almost as much energy as it uses. This is a huge achievement for any building, especially one that operates 24/7. The team also prepared the facility for the future by installing the basic infrastructure needed to add more energy-saving or distributed energy generation technology later, when funding becomes available.
Using a UESC, GSA leveraged third-party financing to fund additional improvements:
This financing model allows GSA to make improvements now and pay for them over time out of the savings generated from reduced energy costs.
All these improvements add up to big savings:
The Otay Mesa project shows what’s possible when teams work together and think creatively about funding. Combining appropriated funds with alternative financing, GSA transformed one of America’s busiest border crossings into an energy-efficient facility — a modern border station that will serve both U.S. national security and international commerce for decades to come. This project proves that government buildings can be both highly functional and environmentally responsible—saving taxpayer money while reducing our environmental impact and meeting the mission-critical requirements of our tenant agencies.
The Oklahoma City Federal Building stands as a national symbol of strength and resilience. Built to replace the facility destroyed in the 1995 terrorist attack, the building prioritizes security while maintaining an open and accessible image consistent with our nation’s principles of constitutional representative self-governance. At 178,000 square feet, the building’s size is typical of the GSA inventory, and it houses multiple agencies including the Department of the Army, Housing and Urban Development, and the Social Security Administration. Like many federal buildings, after decades of operation, the Oklahoma City Federal Building needed upgrades to reduce energy costs and improve efficiency.
In 2024, GSA completed a major modernization through a performance contract with local energy service company Ameresco and local utility Oklahoma Gas to reduce energy and water consumption, produce on-site power, and improve grid stability with energy storage. GSA entered into a creative public-private partnership using an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) to transform the OKC building into a high performance, grid interactive building. This agreement enabled GSA to complete building improvements with minimal upfront taxpayer dollars. The majority of the project funding was privately financed, combined with an additional $3.5 million dollar grant from the Department of Energy.
Major improvements included:
The battery system is especially important. It can:
While this Oklahoma City Federal Building received the majority of the total $14.6 million invested through the UESC, four other GSA facilities were also upgraded. Over the life of the contract, upgrades at the five facilities will save taxpayers $13.5 million (with year 1 cost savings projected at $412,000) and reduce energy and water use by 41% and 13%, respectively.
The Department of Energy recognized this project’s excellence with a 2023 Federal Energy and Water Management Award. This project shows how federal buildings can lead the way in high performance while securely maintaining critical government services for the American people.
The Wayne Aspinall Federal Building in Colorado proves that historic buildings can be performance stars. Built in 1918, this beautiful three-story courthouse received a $15 million full modernization in 2013.
This renovation made history. The Wayne Aspinall Federal Building is:
The building’s biggest success comes from using daylight to reduce reliance on electric lights. The design team strategically capitalized on the historic building’s large preexisting windows. Here’s how it works:
The building’s performance keeps improving:
Additionally, workers in the building are happier than those in most federal buildings:
Thirteen years after its renovation, Wayne Aspinall continues to excel. This success comes from the thoughtful high-performance design choices made during renovation, as well as the dedicated GSA staff who continue to operate the building efficiently.
The Wayne Aspinall Federal Building is proof that historic preservation and high performance can go hand in hand. With diligent planning and ongoing care, improvements can honor America’s traditional and classical architectural heritage while building an efficient and effective future for Federal public buildings.
U.S. General Services Administration