Guiding Principles Compliance (GPC)

The United States Air Force is moving away from LEED certification and is moving to Guiding Principles certification.

Since 2001, new federal facilities have been required to comply with federal sustainable building requirements called the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings (also known simply as Guiding Principles). Up until recently, projects for the United States Air Force were required to not only comply with Guiding Principles requirements, but also achieve LEED Silver certification. However, as of November 2016, the Air Force is now requiring that projects achieve Guiding Principles certification in lieu of LEED certification. Soon, other agencies may follow suit, including the United States Navy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Navigating GPC

Guiding Principles certification serves as a method by which federal agencies can evaluate project compliance with federal Guiding Principles requirements. The certification systems—Guiding Principles Compliance (GPC) and Guiding Principles Assessment (GPA)—were developed by the Green Building Initiative (GBI) and the Green Business Certification Institute (GBCI). Guiding Principles and LEED have several overlapping requirements; however, not all federal requirements are reflected in LEED credits. As such, the U.S. Airforce believes it makes sense to pursue the certification that aligns with federal requirements.

Navigating through the Guiding Principles Compliance requirements and documentation is new to most project teams, and having a Guiding Principles Compliance Professional (GPCP) on board can help the process flow smoothly. Newcomb & Boyd’s Danna Richey is one of only nine GPCPs in the State of Georgia, and she is currently working with the U.S. Navy on a project at Naval Station Mayport that is pursuing Guiding Principles Compliance.

Newcomb & Boyd has extensive experience with the United States Department of Defense and can help facilitate the Guiding Principles Compliance process while collaborating with the project team to meet GPC requirements. We also work closely with the Green Building Initiative (GBI) to refine the Guiding Principles Compliance technical guidance and documentation process, and clarify requirements for project team members.

Naval Station Norfolk Willis Manor

Willis Manor at Naval Station Norfolk

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