Sustainable Green Buildings
NREL's goal is that all new construction results in sustainable green buildings meeting or exceeding the Gold Level of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards (TEAM Initiative goal).
Guiding the sustainability building designs are:
NREL's long-term General Development Vision
The Laboratories for the 21st Century design principles
Compliance with Executive Order 13423 and TEAM Initiative
The federal government's Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings calling for sustainable practices in 15% of existing building inventory by FY 2015.
The TEAM goal is to achieve, at a minimum, Gold ratings for new buildings from the U.S. Green Buildings Council under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Program
Compliance with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) (section 433).
NREL's Campus of the Future
As NREL's living campus grows, NREL strives for:
- Safety, security, and sustainability
- Carbon neutrality
- Near zero energy usage
- LEED platinum and gold certification
Science and Technology Facility
NREL's 71,000 sq. ft. Science and Technology Facility, achieved a Platinum LEED® certification — the highest in the LEED® Green Building rating system.
Research Support Facility
NREL's newest building, the Research Support Facility, was completed in June 2010. It is a highly energy-efficient 222,000 sq. ft. office building designed to acheive the LEED® Platinum level rating.
