An under-the-radar U.S. agency is pushing efforts to slash emissions from buildings, marshaling billions of dollars to test and deploy new carbon-cutting technologies and materials at properties owned by the federal government.
The U.S. General Services Administration, or GSA, was founded 75 years ago to help the national government save money by streamlining operations. It centralized common administrative responsibilities, including purchasing goods and services and overseeing many federal buildings.
Today, the GSA manages one of the largest commercial real estate portfolios in the country. It owns and leases nearly 8,800 buildings, covering 370 million square feet, including offices, laboratories, warehouses, and data centers. Now, the agency is racing to decarbonize both their construction and operations.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order in 2021 directing the federal government to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, with its edifices to hit that target by 2045. ... Read more
