White House wants to ‘aggressively’ get federal workers back to the office

The Biden administration wants to “aggressively” get federal workers back in the office by September or October.

“We are returning to in-person work because it is critical to the well-being of our teams and will enable us to deliver better results for the American people,” according to an email by White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients. The administration will not eliminate remote work entirely, though.

The directive follows a memo sent in April by the Office of Management and Budget urging departments to have employees return to the office. The attention to office usage comes as federal agencies are making plans to reduce the amount of space they lease.

Published reports earlier this summer said that most federal agencies have been using less than 25% of their office space since the start of the Covid pandemic. As of September 2022, a General Services Administration report said that most agencies were planning significant office space reductions. The GAO surveyed 24 federal agencies on plans to reduce leased space, and 19 of them planned to reduce square footage over the next three years.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced plans to use $975 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding for energy efficiency and clean energy upgrades to federal buildings across the country. The investment will impact about 40 million sf, or about 20% of GSA’s federal buildings portfolio.

Jonas Courthouse and new addition in Charlotte, N.C.

Government Buildings | Aug 2, 2023

A historic courthouse in Charlotte is updated and expanded by Robert A.M. Stern Architects

Robert A.M. Stern Architects’ design retains the original building’s look and presence.

people couple using electric scooter in city park - Millenial students riding new modern ecological mean of transport

Urban Planning | Jul 26, 2023

America’s first 100% electric city shows the potential of government-industry alignment

Ithaca has turned heads with the start of its latest venture: Fully decarbonize and electrify the city by 2030.

U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, designed by Ennead Architects Photo: Scott Frances

Government Buildings | Jul 13, 2023

The recently opened U.S. Embassy in Ankara reflects U.S. values while honoring Turkish architecture

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) has recently opened the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. The design by Ennead Architects aims to balance transparency and openness with security, according to a press statement. The design also seeks both to honor Turkey’s architectural traditions and to meet OBO’s goals of sustainability, resiliency, and stewardship.

The Green Proving Ground program will evaluate an energy storage technology from Yotta Energy that is the size of a large laptop and installed in place of ballast beneath a rooftop photovoltaic system.

Green | Jun 26, 2023

Federal government will spend $30 million on novel green building technologies

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest $30 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the sustainability of federal buildings by testing novel technologies. The vehicle for that effort, the Green Proving Ground (GPG) program, will invest in American-made technologies to help increase federal electric vehicle supply equipment, protect air quality, reduce climate pollution, and enhance building performance.