Green the Capitol

Green the Capitol was an environmental sustainability initiative introduced in March 2007 by Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than operating as a commercial product brand, it functioned as a public-sector program intended to make the House of Representatives and the wider Capitol complex a visible example of energy efficiency, waste reduction, sustainable procurement, and environmentally responsible workplace management. The initiative placed the House's Chief Administrative Officer at the center of implementation. Speaker Pelosi charged Chief Administrative Officer Daniel P. Beard with developing the House as a model of sustainability for the country. The program addressed the daily operations of congressional offices, legislative agencies, cafeterias, restaurants, and building infrastructure. Its priorities included reducing energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions, increasing recycling and reuse, diverting waste from landfills, encouraging sustainable business practices, and promoting alternative transportation for employees and commuters. A major infrastructure component was the effort to change the fuel mix at the Capitol Power Plant. In coordination with the Architect of the Capitol, the program supported conversion of the plant away from predominant coal use toward cleaner natural gas. This change reduced carbon emissions associated with the Capitol campus and improved local air quality. The initiative also supported practical building upgrades. In 2010, the Architect of the Capitol installed approximately 30,000 energy-efficient light fixtures and converted about 2,700 bathroom fixtures to automatic, low-flow equipment. These measures were associated with a 23.3 percent reduction in water consumption in House office buildings between fiscal years 2009 and 2010. Around 1,250 replaced bathroom fixtures were diverted from landfill disposal and sent to a local asphalt plant for recycling. A dimmable LED lighting system installed in the Rayburn Cafeteria reduced lighting energy use by more than 70 percent within months. The program also reported progress against federal energy-reduction requirements. In fiscal year 2010, energy consumption reductions attributed to congressional sustainability efforts reached 17 percent, exceeding the 15 percent reduction target applicable under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 for that period. Leadership and administrative responsibility changed over time. Robert K. Lane served as the initiative's executive director beginning in 2008 and remained in that role until July 2010, when Allison Rogers became director. In August 2011, after Daniel J. Strodel succeeded Beard as Chief Administrative Officer, the Architect of the Capitol announced that it would assume and expand sustainability activities previously managed through the CAO's organization. This transfer reflected the Architect's institutional responsibility for preserving and improving the Capitol complex. The available reference material does not establish whether the Green the Capitol name continued as a formally separate program after that administrative transition.

Green the Capitol emerged in March 2007 as a sustainability initiative of the United States House of Representatives. It was introduced by Speaker Nancy Pelosi with the objective of making the Capitol complex a practical and symbolic example of environmentally responsible public administration. The initiative focused on the House's buildings and everyday operations rather than on a commercial offering. Implementation was assigned principally to the House Chief Administrative Officer, Daniel P. Beard. The program's scope included energy management, greenhouse-gas reduction, recycling and waste diversion, sustainable purchasing and operating practices, food-service facilities, and transportation choices available to congressional employees. Its stated ambition was broader than reducing utility bills: the House was to demonstrate methods that could be adopted by other public institutions and workplaces. The program's most consequential infrastructure effort involved the Capitol Power Plant. Working with the Architect of the Capitol, the initiative helped support a transition from predominant coal use to cleaner natural gas. The change reduced emissions associated with the Capitol campus and was also presented as beneficial to air quality in the Capitol Hill area. Operational projects produced measurable results. During 2010, the Architect of the Capitol installed about 30,000 energy-efficient light fixtures and changed approximately 2,700 bathroom fixtures to automatic, low-flow units. House office-building water use fell by 23.3 percent from fiscal year 2009 to fiscal year 2010. Approximately 1,250 removed fixtures were diverted from landfill disposal for recycling at a local asphalt plant. In the Rayburn Cafeteria, dimmable LED lighting reduced lighting energy consumption by more than 70 percent within a few months. The initiative also reported that congressional energy reductions reached 17 percent in fiscal year 2010, exceeding the 15 percent reduction goal associated with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 for that year. These figures placed the program among the House's more visible administrative efforts to translate federal sustainability policy into building-level action. Green the Capitol's management changed during its first several years. Robert K. Lane served as executive director from 2008 until July 2010, when Allison Rogers became director. In August 2011, Daniel J. Strodel succeeded Beard as Chief Administrative Officer. At that time, Strodel and Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers announced that the Architect's office would assume and expand sustainability activities formerly conducted through the CAO's organization. The transfer aligned the work more closely with the office responsible for maintaining and improving the Capitol complex. The available source does not clarify whether the initiative remained a separately branded program after this transition, so its later status is recorded as unknown.

• 2011

  Sustainability responsibilities move to the Architect of the Capitol

  [1]Green the Capitolen.wikipedia.org

  The Architect of the Capitol announced that it would assume and expand activities previously managed through the House Chief Administrative Officer.

• 2010

  Building-efficiency projects deliver reported reductions

  [1]Green the Capitolen.wikipedia.org

  Lighting and plumbing upgrades, recycling, and cafeteria LED technology supported reported reductions in water and lighting consumption.

• 2010

  House energy-reduction target is exceeded

  [1]Green the Capitolen.wikipedia.org

  Reported fiscal-year energy consumption reductions reached 17 percent, above the 15 percent target associated with federal requirements.

• 2008

  Executive management begins

  [1]Green the Capitolen.wikipedia.org

  Robert K. Lane was appointed executive director to help manage implementation of the program.

• 2007

  Green the Capitol is introduced

  [1]Green the Capitolen.wikipedia.org

  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced the initiative to make House operations and Capitol infrastructure more environmentally sustainable.

A public-sector demonstration program intended to make the United States Capitol and House of Representatives a national model for environmentally sustainable operations.

• 2007Green the Capitol sustainability program

  United States Capitol complex

  A House of Representatives program covering energy conservation, waste reduction, sustainable food-service operations, environmentally responsible business practices, and alternative transportation.

  Outcome. The program supported infrastructure and operational changes, including power-plant fuel conversion, efficient lighting and plumbing, recycling, and reported energy and water reductions.

  Source

• 2011

  Transfer sustainability work to the Architect of the CapitolStrategy

  Background

  The Architect of the Capitol has institutional responsibility for preserving and improving the Capitol complex.

  Action taken

  The Architect of the Capitol assumed and expanded sustainability initiatives formerly carried out through the Chief Administrative Officer's organization.

  Aftermath

  The initiative's work became more closely integrated with the agency responsible for Capitol facilities, although the later status of the Green the Capitol name is not established in the available source.

  Source

• 2007

  Make the Capitol a sustainability modelStrategy

  Background

  The House sought to reduce the environmental impact of its own operations while demonstrating sustainable practices for other public institutions.

  Action taken

  The Speaker created Green the Capitol and assigned implementation to the House Chief Administrative Officer.

  Aftermath

  The initiative developed programs covering energy, waste, food service, transportation, and sustainable administrative practices.

  Source

1. 1Green the Capitolen.wikipedia.org