Deep Energy Retrofits in GSA Buildings

The report details a collaborative effort to increase energy savings in GSA buildings, noting that the National Deep Energy Retrofit (NDER) program has already increased average project savings from 18% to 39%. It proposes several strategies to achieve deeper retrofits, including the use of integrative design charrettes, expanding revenue streams to include tenant and O&M savings, and adopting 'Option C' measurement and verification for whole-building solutions. The document also emphasizes the need to shorten the preliminary audit phase and improve communication between GSA and energy service companies (ESCOs) to reduce project timelines, which typically stretch 18–24 months.

• The National Deep Energy Retrofit (NDER) program has significantly increased energy savings compared to previous ESPC projects, with average savings rising from approximately 18% to 39%, and some individual projects exceeding 60%.
• GSA has rapidly scaled its use of ESPCs, increasing the number of executed contracts from an annual average of 3 to 30 in 2013, with projects now active across all 11 GSA Regions.
• To achieve deep retrofits, the report recommends shifting to 'Option C' (or Option D) measurement and verification (M&V), which focuses on whole-building solutions rather than the independent measurement of individual energy conservation measures (ECMs).
• The current project design and contracting cycle is identified as a major barrier, often lasting 18–24 months; participants suggested shortening the preliminary audit (PA) phase to 30 days and simplifying deliverables to a presentation and meeting.
• GSA is utilizing remote auditing tools, specifically FirstFuel, to identify high-energy-intensity buildings; by mid-2013, 100 buildings (half of all 'covered facilities') were included in the virtual assessment tool.
• The report argues that integrative design charrettes are essential for deep retrofits to identify synergistic, bundled ECMs and secure buy-in from stakeholders, including tenants, site staff, and GSA regional and national officials.
• Financing costs for ESPCs are driven by risk factors such as construction, government acceptance, payment timeliness, and M&V; financiers noted that a consistent pipeline of projects would allow for more aggressive pricing.

APA

RMI (2013). Deep Energy Retrofits in GSA Buildings. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-10_GSAReportCharette.pdf

Chicago

RMI. Deep Energy Retrofits in GSA Buildings. 2013. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-10_GSAReportCharette.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Deep Energy Retrofits in GSA Buildings |date=4 June 2013 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-10_GSAReportCharette.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2013deep, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Deep Energy Retrofits in GSA Buildings}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_2013-10_GSAReportCharette.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }