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comment Yes, We Can (Green the White House)
While former presidents have played a role in the greening of the White House with energy efficient lighting and heating, the Obama administration intends to go even further. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has recently revealed possible plans to pursue LEED certification.
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CEQ spokesperson, Christine Glunz, says options include upgrading energy, water, and waste systems to reduce the building’s carbon footprint. Computerized energy management systems, light sensors, and low-flow plumbing are all possibilities that are currently being explored.
Though this retrofit could obviously be one of the most symbolic in the nation, nothing is set in stone yet. Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO, and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council, says in a statement, "While I have participated in conversations about the feasibility of using LEED to green the White House, there has been no decision made to seek LEED certification.”
Continuing with this “lead by example” mantra, President Obama has recently signed an Executive Order on Federal Sustainability that challenges federal agencies to define improvements in environmental, energy, and economic performance. The order gives agencies a 90-day limit to set a 2020 greenhouse reduction goal; other targets for building, water, and waste efficiency must be incorprated into a strategy-specific plan for each individual agency.
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