U.S. General Services Administration
Sustainability Policies
We incorporate sustainability provisions in the following guidelines for leased buildings as new federal laws, policies, and Executive Orders are issued.
The mandatory provisions below address sustainable products and practices within leased space. Leased buildings are required to earn an ENERGY STAR® label, unless specific exceptions apply. For some lease types, a third-party green building rating certification is required—either Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)® or Green Globes®.
Sustainability requirements: Request for Lease Proposals (RLP) and leases
- FY2022 Highlighted Global RLP [DOCM - 679 KB]—Highlights sustainability requirements in the GSA RLP template.
- FY2022 Highlighted Global Lease [DOCM - 365 KB]—Highlights sustainability requirements in the standard GSA lease template.
- FY2022 Matrix Highlighted Green Leasing Requirements Summary [XLSX - 77 KB]—Summarizes sustainability requirements for each Lease/RLP template.
- FY2021 Highlighted Global RLP [DOCM - 662 KB]—Highlights sustainability requirements in the GSA RLP template.
- FY2021 Highlighted Global Lease [DOCM - 345 KB]—Highlights sustainability requirements in the standard GSA lease template.
- FY2021 Matrix Highlighted Green Leasing Requirements Summary [XLSX - 56 KB]—Summarizes sustainability requirements for each Lease/RLP template.
- FY2022 Warehouse RLP Template R101WH [DOCX - 628 KB]
- FY2022 Warehouse Lease Template L201WH [DOCX - 418 KB]
- FY2022 AAAP Lease Template [DOCX - 282 KB] (All regions except R9)
- FY2022 AAAP RLP Template [DOCX - 116 KB]
- FY2022 SLAT Lease Template [DOCM - 248 KB]
- FY2022 SLAT RLP Template [DOCM - 608 KB]
- FY2022 Small Lease Requirements Template [DOCX - 140 KB]
- FY2022 Small RLP Template R103 [DOCX - 539 KB]
- FY2022 FEMA Supplemental Land Lease Requirements Template [DOCX - 69 KB]
- FY2022 FEMA Oral RLP Template [DOCX - 62 KB]
- FY2022 FEMA Supplemental Office Lease Requirements Template [DOCX - 100 KB]
- FY2022 On-Airport Lease Template L201D [DOCX - 112 KB]
ENERGY STAR®
- ENERGY STAR® Requirement for Lease Acquisition Table [Energy Independence and Security Act [EISA] Section 435] [PDF - 63 KB]—Outlines minimum requirements and exceptions for various project and space types.
- ENERGY STAR® Training
- Introduction to ENERGY STAR® (revised 2020) [PDF - 2 MB]—Provides an introduction to ENERGY STAR® in federal real estate lease procurement.
- Advanced ENERGY STAR® (revised 2020) [PDF - 2 MB]—Outlines the ENERGY STAR® federal leasing requirements, challenges, leasing scenarios, and tools and resources.
GSA-issued leasing policies
- LA-21-14 Revisions to Leasing Forms and Templates [ZIP - 4 MB]—Issues revisions to various RLP and leasing templates including Global, On-Airport, Warehouse, Simplified Lease Acquisition Threshold (SLAT), Small, FEMA, and GSA Form 3626.
- LA-20-12 Revisions to Leasing Forms and Templates [ZIP - 6 MB]—Issues revisions to various RLP and leasing templates including Global, On-Airport, Warehouse, Small, FEMA, and RLP templates.
- LA-19-09 Revisions to Leasing Forms and Templates [ZIP - 2 MB]—Contains 2019 updates to lease and RLP language.
- LA-19-06 Cancelation of Leasing Alert LA-18-10 [PDF - 147 KB]—Cancels the LA-18-10 Leasing Alert and Attachments [ZIP - 309 KB], Modification to ENERGY STAR® Requirement [PDF - 2 MB] concerning EPA certification suspension, due to EPA reinstating certifications as of July 31, 2019.
- LA-FY17-07 Net of Utilities Lease Structure [PDF - 75 KB]—Identifies the selective use of net of utilities leases versus fully serviced leases.
- LA-FY17-03 Green Building Rating Certification for New Construction and Tenant Interiors: LEED® and Green Globes® [PDF - 148 KB]—Adds the option for Green Globes® as an acceptable building rating certification system for new lease construction and tenant interiors, and includes the Green Building Certification Letter [PDF - 116 KB].
- LAC-2015-02 PBS Key Sustainable Products [PDF - 4 MB]—Issues lease policy to identify PBS-wide environmental requirements for products that PBS, its lessors, and its contractors purchase most frequently.
- LAC-2011-13 Sustainability Update [PDF - 674 KB]—Modifies green lease language and ENERGY STAR® requirements.
- RSL-2010-2 ENERGY STAR® Requirement for Lease Acquisition [PDF - 3 MB]—Implements the ENERGY STAR® requirement of the EISA of 2007 for Lease Acquisition (Section 435), includes solicitation for offers language for the ENERGY STAR® requirement and SLAT leases, and explains the Potential Cost Effective Energy Efficiency and Conservation Improvements for Leased Buildings [DOCX - 34 KB].
- RSL-2007-12 Green Lease Policies and Procedures for Lease Acquisition [PDF - 1 MB]—Outlines policy to implement Executive Order 13423 (Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and Transportation Management) and the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This includes new and revised green lease text and associated instructions and summary reference charts.
Resources
- Office of Leasing Sustainability Requirements [PDF - 3 MB]—Provides sustainability requirements.
- Leasing Sustainability Counts [XLSX - 988 KB]—Lists Guiding Principal compliant, LEED®/Green Globes® rated, and ENERGY STAR® labeled leases.
- Sustainable Facilities Tool—Provides broad information on mandatory and recommended sustainable products and practices, including associated laws, policies, and Executive Orders for all federal agencies. For GSA-specific leasing guidance, refer to our leasing policies and procedures.
- Office of Federal High Performance Buildings—Serves as a resource and coordination point for all federal sustainability initiatives.
- White House Council on Environmental Quality—Coordinates the federal government’s efforts to improve, preserve, and protect America’s public health and environment.
Last Reviewed: 2023-07-13
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