The Green Proving Ground program leverages GSA's real estate portfolio to evaluate innovative sustainable building technologies.

1. GSA’s Green Proving Ground Program
Putting Innovative Building Technologies to the Test

2. Overview
GPG leverages GSA’s real estate portfolio
to evaluate innovative technologies that
accelerate GSA’s sustainability goals,
reduce operational costs and lead market
transformation.
Established in 2010
Green Proving Ground

3. GSA
Targets
Executive Order 13514, 2009
Energy Independence and Security Act, 2007
MOU on High Performance and Sustainable Buildings, 200
Energy Policy Act, 2005
www.wbdg.org/references/federal_mandates.php
30%Reduction in Energy Use Intensity, by 2015
26%Reduction in Water Use Intensity, by 2020
28%Reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHGs, by 2020
Net ZeroAll capital project designs starting 2020
Achieve net zero by 2030

4. How Does it Work?
Innovative building technologies are
evaluated within the real world operating
environment of GSA’s real estate portfolio.
Successful technologies:
 Increase environmental performance
 Decrease operational costs
 Improve tenant satisfaction
 Have potential to transform markets
through limited or broad deployment
Green Proving Ground

5. What Are We Looking For?
Technology Types
Green Proving Ground
EFFICIENT
TECHNOLOGIES
• Lighting
• HVAC
• Building
Envelope
• Energy
Management
• Water
ASSESSMENT &
DESIGN TOOLS
• Auditing &
benchmarking
• Meters and
sensors
• Retrofit
design tools
OPTIMIZED
OPERATIONS
• Information &
management
systems
• Behavioral
interventions
SUPPLY &
DEMAND
INTEGRATION
• On-site
generation &
storage
• Demand
response &
ancillary
services
• Microgrid

6.  Translation:
 Product demonstration – pre & early commercial
 Adoption:
 Emerging market place as technology begins to be
adopted
 Diffusion:
 Well defined commercial product – sub-optimal
market penetration
What Are We Looking For?
Technology Maturity
Green Proving Ground

7. Deployment of ―Proven‖ Technologies
Green Proving Ground
Choose the best in
class performance
and payback, from
the beginning
Introduce
technologies that
immediately
improve
performance
Retrofit
Next time
you need to replace
this equipment,
invest in this
technology instead
Replace at End
of Life
New
Construction

8. BUILDING ENVELOPE
 Vacuum Insulated Panels, 03.14
 Chromogenic Windows, 03.14
 High R Value Windows, 12.13
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
 Wireless Sensor Networks, 03.12
 Plug Load Control, 09.12
LIGHTING
 Occupant Responsive Lighting, 09.12
GPG Technology Evaluations
Completed
HVAC
 Indirect Evaporative Cooler, 03.14
 Synchronous & Cogged Fan Belts, 03.14
 Variable Speed Mag-Lev Chiller, 12.13
 Variable Refrigerant Flow, 12.13
 Condensing Boilers, 12.12
ON-SITE ENERGY CONSUMPTION
 PV Guidance, 12.13
 Photovoltaics, 12.12

9. GPG Technology Evaluations
Ongoing
BUILDING ENVELOPE
 Glazing Retrofit Coating
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
 Central Plant Optimization Strategies
ON-SITE ENERGY GENERATION & STORAGE
 PV with Solar Water Heating
 Honeycomb Solar Thermal Collector
WATER
 Non-Chemical Water Treatment
 Wireless Moisture Sensing Irrigation
 BAS Integrated Weather Station Irrigation
HVAC
 High efficiency RTU
 Modular Absorption Chiller
 Occupant-responsive HVAC controls
 Wireless Pneumatic Thermostat
 Wood-Pellet Fired Biomass Boiler
LIGHTING
 Integrated Daylighting Systems
 LED Luminaire w/ integrated controls
 LED Retrofit Luminaire
 Wireless Lighting Control Systems

10. Back Up Slides
GPG Technology Evaluations
SAMPLE
PROJECT
FINDINGS

11.  Originally intended for refrigeration; thin profile, R-50 is 1‖,
Conventional R-50 is 15‖
 VIPS proved durable for roofing application
 R-50 offers favorable payback in one-story buildings in
regions with extreme climates and high utility costs
 Recommended if R-50 required and conventional insulation
necessitates costly alterations
Translation Phase : Building Envelope
VIPs for Roofing

12.  Tint automatically based on outside temperature and
brightness. Electrochromic (EC) use operable switches and
automation systems; Thermochromic (TC) use adhesive
coating
 EC window reduction in heat gain — 58%; TC — 46%
 TC windows were sensitive to surrounding surface geometry
and ambient conditions which created an uneven appearance
 GPG currently assessing next-generation EC technology,
results in 2015
Translation Phase : Building Envelope
Chromogenic Windows

13.  Eliminate heat, noise and vibration with magnetic levitation
and improve efficiency with variable speed drive
 Quiet performance allows chillers to be placed closer to
occupant spaces
 42% energy savings, < 5 year payback
 Deploy as end-of-life replacement for rotary screw chillers
Adoption Phase : HVAC
Maglev Chillers

14.  Energy savings over 7 locations between 27% - 63%
 Largest savings at a call center where payback was < 7
years
 Deploy at sites with operating days > 14 hours, utility costs
> $0.11/kWh and variable occupancy patterns
Adoption Phase : Lighting
Occupant Responsive Lighting

15.  Schedule-based control, where users determine the day
and time when a circuit is energized, found to be most
effective.
 26% energy reduction at workstations with advanced
computer management already in place, 50% energy
reduction in kitchens and printer rooms
 Deploying at 80 federal facilities across the county
 On GSA Schedule
Diffusion Phase : Energy Management
Advanced Power Strips

16.  Dense network of wireless sensors provides real-time
information enabling facility operator to better manage
HVAC.
 48% reduction in facility cooling load
 3.4 years simple payback
 Deploying at two GSA-operated data centers
 On GSA Schedule
Diffusion Phase : Energy Management
Wireless Network Sensors