To address the need for a comprehensive guide for procuring green building products and construction/renovation services within the Federal government, EPA has partnered with the Federal Environmental Executive and the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) to develop the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers. Under the direction of this partnership, the green specs were authored by Dru Meadows, AIA, CCS, FCSI of theGreenTeam, Inc., a national expert in specifying for green building.

NOTE: This resource has not been updated to reflect new guidance to federal agencies per EO 13693, such as EPA's Recommendations of Standards and Ecolabels. EPA anticipates updating the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers following its pilot assessment of standards and ecolabels for paints/coatings, furniture, and flooring and finalization of its Guidelines approach. To see the current sustainable acquisition requirements— searchable by purchase category—for federal agencies, please go to SF Tool Green Procurement Compilation section its website.

Organized according to CSI MasterFormat™, the 70+ sections provide users with multiple, performance-based options, allowing for flexibility in application.

Objectives: To help federal agencies meet their project-specific environmental goals and mandates including:

  • Executive Order 13423, 13514, and the revised Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings
  • EPA's Final Guidance on Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
  • EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines for recovered content
  • USDA's BioPreferred Program
  • ENERGY STAR® & DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Product Efficiency Recommendations
  • Energy Policy Act of 2005 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
  • ASTM, LEED®, Green Globes, and other rating systems and standards
  • And other 'best practices' as determined via industry and public comment

To share comments & suggestions, please contact Alison Kinn Bennett at 202-564-8859 or kinn.alison@epa.gov. For more information about the scope, purpose, and use of the Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers, please see the Frequently Asked Questions.

Click the 'Title' or 'Date' heading to sort by ascending or descending order.

These documents are available in the following format:  Adobe Acrobat (PDF)  |  Microsoft Word (DOC)

Fed Green Library

Title Date View
04 20 00 Unit Masonry  
07 50 00 Membrane Roofing  
01 78 53 Sustainable Design Close-Out Documentation  
01 91 00 Commissioning  
01 50 00 Temporary Facilities and Controls  
01 42 00 References  
01 81 13 Sustainable Design Requirements  
01 67 00 Environmental Product Requirements  
06 90 00 Alternative Agricultural Products  
01 41 00 Regulatory Requirements  
06 60 00 Plastic Fabrications  
07 33 63 Vegetated Roof Covering  
01 40 00 Quality Requirements  
09 30 00 Tile  
09 51 00 Acoustical Ceilings  
09 65 16.13 Linoleum  
01 10 00 Summary  
01 43 50 Continual Improvement of Environmental Quality  
07 10 00 Dampproofing and Waterproofing  
05 10 00 Structural Steel  
01 81 30 Green Power Requirements  
06 20 00 Finish Carpentry  
09 65 00 Resilient Flooring  
01 57 19.12 Noise and Acoustic Management  
01 74 13 Progress Cleaning  
01 57 19.11 Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Management  
07 92 00 Joint Sealants  
05 05 00 Common Work Results for Metals  
09 29 00 Gypsum Board  
01 81 10 Facility Service Life Requirements  
01 79 11 Environmental Demonstration and Training  
07 30 00 Steep Slope Roofing  
01 92 00 Facility Operation  
03 30 00 Cast-In-Place Concrete  
01 78 23 Operation and Maintenance Data  
03 40 00 Precast Concrete  
06 05 73 Wood Treatment  
07 55 63 Vegetated Protected Membrane Roofing  
08 14 00 Wood Doors  
02 41 13 Selective Site Demolition  
01 57 19.13 Environmental Management  
06 10 00 Rough Carpentry  
07 20 00 Thermal Protection  
01 74 19 Construction Waste Management  
01 30 00 Administrative Requirements  
08 50 00 Windows  
06 16 00 Sheathing  
Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers - Complete Set  
11 28 00 Office Equipment  
10 81 50 Integrated Pest Management (IPM)  
12 48 13 Entrance Floor Mats and Frames  
32 84 00 Planting Irrigation  
12 10 00 Artwork  
11 30 00 Residential Equipment  
22 40 00 Plumbing Fixtures  
48 30 00 Biomass Energy Electrical Power Generation Equipment  
32 90 00 Planting  
48 14 00 Solar Energy Electrical Power Generation Equipment  
32 71 00 Constructed Wetlands  
10 21 13.19 Plastic Toilet Compartments  
10 14 00 Signage  
23 70 00 Central HVAC Equipment  
12 59 00 Systems Furniture  
48 15 00 Wind Energy Electrical Power Generation Equipment  
14 20 00 Elevators  
44 40 10 Water Reuse Systems  
09 72 00 Wallcovering  
31 10 00 Site Clearing  
23 30 00 HVAC Air Distribution  
26 50 00 Lighting  
32 12 43 Porous Paving  
31 25 73 Stormwater Management by Compost  
09 90 00 Painting and Coating  
32 10 00 Bases, Ballasts, Paving  
09 68 00 Carpeting  
11 13 00 Loading Dock Equipment  
10 81 16.13 Bat House  
33 16 20 Rainwater Harvesting  
31 31 00 Soil Treatment  
Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers - Frequently Asked Questions  
Federal Green Construction Guide for Specifiers - Disclaimer