The federal government, America’s largest energy consumer, has been allocated $20 billion by the Department of Energy (DOE) to make federal buildings more energy efficient.
The initiative supports the goal for the federal government to lead by example in undertaking green overhauls to ensure energy efficiency. The DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program will provide technical expertise for renewable energy, smart grids, green roofs and energy and water retrofits.
The funding is to be shared among 15 federal agencies to reach the goal of reducing energy consumption by 30 percent by 2015 from 2003 usage levels, reducing water use and purchasing renewable electric energy.
Most of the funds will be put toward the Program’s service to the agencies, while $3 million will go to developing a greenhouse gas management and abatement program and $2.5 million will be used to develop an energy, water and emissions reporting and tracking system for federal facilities.
