In an effort to help building managers identify and prioritize cost-effective strategies to make office buildings more sustainable, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has released the Sustainable Facilities Tool. It is a 3-D interactive program available online at sftool.org. The tool offers interior walk-throughs and material comparisons, and prompts users to consider multiple aspects of office performance. It is designed to suggestion detailed material and system choices to green a workspace and also features sustainable metrics, links to regulations and guidelines, and case studies.

“Users can make informed decisions based on the best practices GSA has learned over many years of experience with sustainable building,” says Stephen Leeds, GSA’s senior sustainability office. “With this tool we are sharing GSA’s experiences using innovative tools and strategies to reduce the environmental footprint of our buildings with the rest of the government and the general public.