GSA Announcement to Electrify Federal Buildings with IRA Funding Benefits Consumers and Climate

Washington, D.C. - Yesterday, the General Services Administration (GSA) announced it will electrify the Ronald Reagan Building, the fourth-largest federal building in the country and the second-largest in the D.C. area after the Pentagon. In addition to updates to the Reagan Building, twenty-seven federal buildings across the country will achieve net-zero emissions and 100 buildings will become all-electric.

The announcement to transition the building away from fossil fuels is part of a broader effort by the Biden Administration to install heat pumps and other clean energy technologies in federal buildings across the country through funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  

The IRA allocated $975 million for GSA to invest in emerging and sustainable technologies, which will reduce emissions and save taxpayers money in the long run on utility bills. The move will also help to broaden and strengthen the market for energy efficient heat pumps and other American-made clean energy products, reduce costs for average consumers, and create jobs. 

In response, Sierra Club Building Electrification Campaign Deputy Director Amneh Minkara released the following statement:

“The GSA is one of the country’s largest landlords with influential purchasing power. It is encouraging to see the federal government move forward with concrete plans that help the country meet its climate goals, strengthen and deepen the domestic clean energy market, and save taxpayers money. This is the IRA in action. We look forward to seeing more leadership from agencies like the GSA to fully capitalize on this historic legislation for consumers and the environment.”