The focus of the Energy program area is energy conservation, alternative sources of energy, and energy management programs.

Both Executive Order (EO) 13423, Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management, dated 24 January 2007 and EO 13514, Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, dated 5 October 2009 include goals and objectives applicable to the transportation sector. Note that EO 13514 builds upon and, in some cases, adds or amends to EO 13423. The goals, objectives, and sustainable practices outlined in both EOs must be met.

In EO 13423, Section 2, Federal agencies are required to:

• improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the agency, through reduction of energy intensity by:
  • 3 percent annually through the end of fiscal year 2015 relative to the baseline of the agency's energy use in fiscal year 2003, or
  • 30 percent by the end of fiscal year 2015 relative to the baseline of the agency's energy use in fiscal year 2003

• ensure that:
• at least half of the statutorily required renewable energy consumed by the agency in a fiscal year comes from new renewable sources, and
• to the extent feasible, the agency implements renewable energy generation projects on agency property for agency use.

EO 13423, Section 3(a) mandates that the heads of each agency implement within the agency sustainable practices for:

• energy efficiency
• greenhouse gas emissions avoidance or reduction, and
• renewable energy, including bioenergy.

EO 13514 further establishes reduction goals by requiring that, beginning in 2020 and thereafter, all new Federal buildings that enter the planning process will be designed to achieve zero-net-energy by 2030. As part of the planning process agencies should also identify and analyze impacts from energy usage and alternative energy sources in all Environmental Impact Statements and Environmental Assessments for proposals for new or expanded Federal facilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.).

Lastly, EO 13514 urges agencies to manage existing building systems to reduce the consumption of energy, water, and materials, and identify alternatives to renovation that reduce existing assets' deferred maintenance costs.

EO 13423 Section 9 and EO 13514, Section 19 provide the following definitions applicable to this Program Area:

• Agency - an executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5, United States Code, excluding the Government Accountability Office. (EO 13514, Section 19(b)).



• Energy Intensity - energy consumption per square foot of building space, including industrial or laboratory facilities (EO 13423, Definitions and EO 13514, Section 19).



• Greenhouse Gases - carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride (EO 13423, Definitions and EO 13514, Section 19).



• New Renewable Sources - sources of renewable energy placed into service after January 1, 1999 (EO 13423, Definitions).



• Renewable Energy - energy produced by solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, ocean (including tidal, wave, current and thermal), geothermal, municipal solid waste, or new hydroelectric generation capacity achieved from increased efficiency or additions of new capacity at an existing hydroelectric project (EO 13423, Definitions and EO 13514, Section 19).



• Sustainability and Sustainable - to create and maintain conditions, under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic, and other requirement of present and future generations of Americans (EO 13423, Section 9 and EO 13514, Section 19(l)).