Page 125 - Inflation-Reduction-Act-Guidebook

Investing in a Sustainable, Lower-Carbon

Federal Government

As the largest direct purchaser of goods and services in the world, the U.S. government has the
power to catalyze private sector investment in cleaner materials, products, and services by
changing how it builds, buys, and manages electricity, vehicles, buildings, and other
procurements. By executive order, President Biden committed the federal government to
transform its procurement and operations and transition to clean, zero-emission technologies.

The Federal Sustainability Plan outlines how the federal government can achieve net-zero
emissions from overall federal operations by 2050, including achieving a net-zero greenhouse
gas emissions building portfolio by 2045 and a 50 percent reduction in emissions by 2032. On
December 7, 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a Federal Building Performance
Standard that directs federal agencies to cut energy use and electrify equipment and appliances to
achieve zero direct greenhouse gas emissions in 30 percent of the building space owned by the
federal government by square footage by 2030.

The President also has committed to achieving net-zero emissions from federal procurement by
2050 while increasing the sustainability of federal supply chains. The Biden-Harris
Administration launched a Federal Buy Clean Initiative to promote the purchase of American-
made, lower-carbon construction materials, such as steel, concrete, asphalt, and flat glass
products, in federal procurement and federally-funded projects. By leveraging the U.S.
government’s purchasing power, President Biden is ensuring that American manufacturing is
positioned to compete and lead while catalyzing markets and accelerating innovation across the
country. The Inflation Reduction Act includes several investments to make progress toward these
ambitious goals.

Funding Overview

The Inflation Reduction Act creates and funds several programs that will help us meet the
ambitious goal of net-zero federal procurement while building the market for low-carbon
construction materials and other advanced technologies. Highlights include:

• Clean Postal Service Vehicles. The Inflation Reduction Act includes $3 billion for the
U.S. Postal Service to purchase zero-emission delivery vehicles and associated
infrastructure.

• Environmental Product Declaration (EPDs). The Inflation Reduction Act provides
$250 million to support the development and standardization of Environmental Product
Declaration (EPDs)—a document that presents environmental information on the
lifecycle of a product—including measurements of the embodied greenhouse gas
emissions of construction materials and products.

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