GPC Criteria

Green Building Initiative’s (GBI) Department of Defense Guiding Principles Compliance for New Construction & Modernization (DOD GPC NC) is a program designed specifically for DOD construction and major modernization projects undergoing Third-Party Certification (TPC). Developed with and for the Department of Defense, the DOD GPC NC program validates compliance with Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 1-200-02 High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements. When a building meets the requirements of UFC 1-200-02 it is considered compliant with the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings (HPSB Guiding Principles), as described by Implementing Instructions for Executive Order 13834 Efficient Federal Operations. The DOD GPC NC verification program is intended for use by construction & modernization projects.

How does the GPC certification work?

The GBI provides a free scoping checklist, which should be used to determine applicable and non-applicable credits pre-certification. In general, all criteria must be met, except if they cannot be applied or implemented due to high life cycle costs. Such exceptions must be justified for the certification. A third-party assessment conducted by a GBI-trained assessor is required to validate compliance with the Guiding Principles as part of the GPC NC assessment program. The GPCP and Assessor work with a Survey chart to document the compliance.

Projects that have a delay – either planned or unintentional – of more than 18 months between design completion and the solicitation of offers for construction must be re-evaluated to determine if any design revision is necessary due to changes in criteria.

Which categories are evaluated during the GPC certification process?

There are a total of 32 credits in six environmental topic areas within the Guiding Principles:

1. Employ Integrated Design Principles
2. Optimize Energy Performance
3. Protect and Conserve Water
4. Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality
5. Reduce the Environmental Impact of Materials
6. Assess and Consider Climate Change Risks

GPC Categories & Criteria Overview

DOD GPC New Construction & Modernization
i. Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA)
i.a	LCCA Format
1. Employ Integrated Design Principles
1.a	Sustainable Locations
1.b	Integrated Design
1.c	Commissioning
2. Optimize Energy Performance
2.a	Energy Efficiency
2.b	Renewable and Clean Energy
2.c	Metering
3. Protect and Conserve Water
3.a	Indoor Water Use
3.b	Outdoor Water Use
3.c	Alternative Water
3.d	Stormwater Management
4. Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality
4.a	Ventilation and Thermal Comfort
4.b	Daylight and Lightning Controls
4.c	Indoor Air Quality
4.d	Occupant Health and Wellness
5. Reduce Environmental Impact of Materials
5.a	Material Content and Performance
5.b	Waste Diversion and Materials Management
6. Assess and Consider Climate Change Risks
6.a	Address Climate Change Risks