The Value of Sustainability Standards: How They Are Used to Meet EPA Objectives

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1 The Value of Sustainability Standards: How They Are Used to Meet EPA Objectives Holly Elwood EPA s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program NSF/NIST Sustainability Standards in Higher Education Conference May 17, 2017 Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 1

2 Agenda EPA s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program EPA engagement in the standards world EPA recommendations of standards/ecolabels for use in federal procurement Measures of success The key role of academia in this space Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 2

3 Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program GOAL: Harness federal purchasing power to create market opportunities for industry innovators and green markets Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 3

4 The Federal Footprint The federal government: Spent $476 billion on goods and services in FY16 Spends $80 billion annually on IT equipment and services Spends $3.5 billion annually to provide energy to its facilities Owns/leases 630,000 vehicles worldwide Manages or owns nearly 1 of every 5 acres in the U.S. Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 4

5 Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program Coordinate and provide EPA technical input for key product sustainability standard development efforts. Assess and recommend standards & ecolabels Help federal agencies procure products and services conformant with our recommended standards and ecolabels Measure the economic and environmental benefits of this work. Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 5

6 EPP Program Authorities National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) & OMB Circular A-119 The Pollution Prevention Act [42 U.S.C.A (b)(11)] Various clauses and subparts of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (7, 11, 12, 13, and 23) Executive Orders for environmental leadership in the Federal government since 1993 Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 6

7 Federal Green Purchasing Requirements To the extent practicable & applicable, products/services purchased by feds must meet the following: Mandated by name in statutes (Farm Security & Rural Investment Act) (RCRA) (Energy Policy Act 2005) (Energy Policy Act 2005 & EISA) AND Other EPA programs to help meet fed purchasing reqs OR EPA recommended private sector standards/labels (NTTAA and OMB A-119) (48 CFR ) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 7

8 EPA Involvement in Standards ~84 Individuals involved in 100+ standards 9 Program Offices, 6 EPA Regions Wide Range of Topics including: Electronic Product Sustainability Irrigation Nanotechnology Whole Building Design Water efficiency Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 8

9 EPP Program Participation in Sustainability Standards (examples) Spend category Focus Standards Organization Electronics personal computers IEEE Buildings, building materials & furnishings Meetings /Hospitality imaging equipment TVs mobile phones servers furniture homes, office buildings, schools, sites thermal insulation, doors, appliances carpet, commercial furnishings fabric, resilient flooring, wall coverings, roofing membranes destinations, exhibits, venues, a/v, communications, accommodations, food, & transport IEEE IEEE UL-E NSF, IEEE BIFMA USGBC, ICC, CHPS, SITES UL-E, AHAM NSF ASTM Services Professional Services, Building Maintenance Services NSF, GreenSeal Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 9

10 Ecolabels found in the US Marketplace in 1995 (13) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 10

11 Ecolabels found in the US Marketplace in 2011 (70+) (SC Johnson) (CBS) (Patagonia) (Canon) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 11

12 Ecolabels found in the Global Marketplace today (400+) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 12

13 EPA Recommendations of Standards & Ecolabels: Bringing Clarity to the Market Global Marketplace 400+ Independent Assessment Based on multi-stakeholder developed EPA Guidelines OR Review and use by another federal agency (currently DOE or GSA PBS) EPA Recommended Standards & Ecolabels Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 13

14 EPA Guidelines for Assessing Standards and Ecolabels Section I - Standard Development Process Section II - Environmental Effectiveness of the Standard Section III - Conformity Assessment Procedures Section IV - Ecolabel Program Management Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence Assessment Criteria & Example Sources of Evidence Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 14

15 EPA Recommendations of Standards & Ecolabels (April 2017) Walk through of supporting resources on the website. Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 15

16 EPA Recommendations for IT hardware Computers Named in statutes: Copiers & other imaging equipment Named in statutes: Televisions Named in statutes: Plus the following: Plus the following: Plus the following: Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 16

17 EPA Recommendations for Custodial Product Categories Cleaners: Carpet, Glass, Multipurpose Floor Care Statutory Statutory Statutory Hand Soap EPA Ecolabel Program EPA Ecolabel Program EPA Ecolabel Program Non-Federal Standards & Ecolabels Non-Federal Standards & Ecolabels Non-Federal Standards & Ecolabels Wastebasket Liners (24 x 33 or Towels-Paper smaller) Statutory Statutory Statutory Toilet Tissue EPA Ecolabel Program EPA Ecolabel Program EPA Ecolabel Program Non-Federal Standards & Ecolabels Non-Federal Standards & Ecolabels Non-Federal Standards & Ecolabels Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 17

18 EPA Recommendations for Construction Product Categories Adhesives Insulation Ceiling Tiles- Acoustical Named in statutes: Fiberboard, Gypsum Panels, and Wallboard Named in statutes: Named in statutes: Named in statutes: Plus at least 1 of following: Plus at least 1 of following: Plus at least 1 of following: Plus at least 1 of following: Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 18

19 Sustainability Standards: What is Academia s Role? Provide Critical Data Conduct research on current industry average performance, environmentally preferable practices Provide product primers to help identify key hotspots Engage in standard development efforts directly Train Future Standards Geeks! Train students on how to build the best standards, ways to use them to meet policy objectives, etc. Revise NIST Boot Camp for students? Have students join standard development efforts to get real exposure Put Standards into Action Use sustainability standards in procurement (AASHE) Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 19

20 For More Information. EPA s Sustainable Marketplace: Greener Products & Services : GSA s Green Procurement Compilation: U.S. policy and information resources on standards: Holly Elwood Elwood.Holly@epa.gov Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics 20