Sustainability on Performance.gov: the Criteria Revealed

President Obama followed up with specific GHG reduction goals in 2010. These include reducing direct GHG by 28% by 2020 (Scope 1) and reducing indirect GHG by 13% by 2020 (Scope 2)—which is estimated to yield up to $11 billion in energy cost savings.Performance.gov aims to support these goals by displaying the status of 24 government agencies according to 7 specific criteria which include:

1. Inventory for Scope 1 & 2, greenhouse gas (GHG) Reductions. Scope 1 refers to direct GHG emissions from sources owned/controlled by the Federal agency. Scope 2 refers to direct GHG emissions resulting from generation of electricity, heat, or steam purchased by the Federal agency.

2. Inventory for Scope 3, GHG Reductions. Scope 3 refers to  greenhouse gas emissions from sources not owned or directly controlled by a Federal agency, but that are related to agency activities (i.e. vendor supply chains, delivery services, and employee travel and commuting)

3. Reduction in Energy Intensity. Energy intensity refers to energy consumption per square foot of building space, including industrial or laboratory facilities.

4. Renewable Energy Use. This refers to energy produced by solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, ocean (including tidal, wave, current, and thermal), geothermal, municipal solid waste, or new hydroelectric generation.

5. Reduction in Potable Water Intensity. This refers to potable  water consumption per square foot of building space.

6. Reduction in Fleet Petroleum. This refers to goals outlined to use low greenhouse gas emitting vehicles (including alternative fuel vehicles) and reduce/optimize the number of vehicles in an agency fleet.

7. Use Sustainable Green Buildings. This refers to goals outlined ensuing that all new construction and major renovation/repair/alteration of Federal buildings complies with published guidelines regarding sustainability.