Development of a Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide

The Air Force has adopted the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System as the preferred self-assessment metric for sustainable development. LEED is designed for new construction and major renovations, and, within the Air Force, is most applicable for Military Construction (MILCON) projects. The Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence developed the Air Force Sustainable Facilities Guide to provide guidance and strategies to meet LEED requirements. The Air Force has not adopted a sustainable development guide or rating system that is most applicable for construction projects that are relatively low (compared to MILCON projects) in cost or complexity. This research developed a Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide that can identify and assess sustainable development opportunities in all facility and infrastructure projects. This guide, modeled after the Air Force Sustainable Facilities Guide, simplifies most LEED requirements to reduce the time, cost, and expertise level required to incorporate sustainable development concepts while preserving the intent of LEED. This guide is designed to quickly identify opportunities in projects that are relatively low in cost and complexity; where using the more robust LEED requirements may not be justified. The Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide, in conjunction with existing Air Force guidance, provides a means to address sustainable development issues in all facility and construction projects regardless of cost or complexity.