The concept of High Performance and Sustainable Buildings (HPSB) was formally introduced in 2006 through the Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which was signed by more than 20 federal agencies. The launch of this initiative was driven by the recognition that federal facilities, which account for significant energy, water and resource use, needed to serve as models for efficiency, resilience and environmental stewardship.
Anchored in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and reinforced by Executive Order 13423 in 2007, the HPSB framework set out to embed sustainability as a baseline requirement rather than an optional feature in federal building projects.
The HPSB Guiding Principles form the backbone of this approach and require that projects employ integrated design practices, optimise energy performance, protect and conserve water, enhance indoor environmental quality, reduce the environmental impact of materials and consider resilience to climate and operational risks. These principles were further codified through UFC 1-200-02, High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements, which applies across Department of Defense facilities and NAVFAC Division 01 specifications, which establish project level deliverables.
Compliance with HPSB is achieved through a structured documentation process. Project teams are required to prepare an HPSB Compliance Matrix, which aligns each guiding principle with specific design and construction strategies while referencing the technical proofs that demonstrate compliance. These proofs typically include energy modeling results, lighting power density calculations, HVAC system efficiencies, fixture flow rates, VOC certifications, construction waste diversion data and roofing reflectance documentation. To maintain traceability, an evidence logconsolidates all submittals and test reports.
At the prefinal and final design stages, a sustainability checklist is submitted to verify ongoing alignment with UFC and NAVFAC requirements. Finally, at closeout, a sustainability eNotebook is assembled as a comprehensive and audit ready record that operations and maintenance personnel can use for long term facility performance management.
Although HPSB is a federal requirement, it was designed to align with widely recognised third-party frameworks such as LEED v4.1, WELL v2 and ASHRAE standards, enabling federal projects to streamline compliance and maximise the value of technical documentation. This integration allows design teams to pursue both federal compliance and external certification simultaneously, minimizing duplication of effort and ensuring consistency across sustainability reporting.
The importance of HPSB lies not only in regulatory compliance but also in its contribution to operational resilience, lifecycle cost savings, and occupant well-being. By embedding technical rigor into the design, construction and documentation process, HPSBs ensure that federal facilities deliver measurable value while advancing national goals around net-zero carbon, water security and climate resilience.
At APA, we specialise in guiding project teams through this process by bridging technical requirements with streamlined delivery. Our role begins at the design stage, where we develop the HPSB Compliance Matrix and coordinate evidence gathering, from energy modeling and fixture data to IAQ certifications and waste diversion summaries.
We review and submit sustainability checklists at key design milestones and compile the sustainability eNotebook at closeout, ensuring all compliance proofs are audit-ready. Beyond documentation, we help align HPSB compliance with LEED, WELL and ESG reporting frameworks, enabling projects to achieve dual recognition without redundancy.
By combining deep expertise in green building certification with hands-on knowledge of UFC 1-200-02, NAVFAC Division 01 and federal sustainability policies, APA ensures that projects are delivered as fully compliant High Performance and Sustainable Buildings that are energy efficient, water conscious, resilient and beneficial for occupants across their lifecycle.
