Leading by Example? Federal Agencies and Energy Efficiency

1. Leading by Example? Federal Agencies and Energy Efficiency A Candid Survey of Federal Employees

2. About The Research Intelligence Division Of Government Executive Media Group Dedicated to Advancing the Business of Government Through analysis, insight and analytical independence Extension of GEMG’s 40 Years of Editorial Standards & Ethical Values GBC studies influential decision-makers to produce intelligence-based analysis www.govexec.com/gbc

3. Respondent Profile www.govexec.com/gbc

4. Department of the Air Force Department of the Army Department of Homeland Security Department of Defense Department of AgricultureDepartment of Energy Department of Health and Human Services Department of Treasury Department of the Navy General Services Administration Department of Veterans Affairs Department of Commerce Department of the Interior Department of Transportation Social Security Administration Department of State Department of Housing and Urban Development Environmental Protection Agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration Social Security Administration Department of Justice Department of Labor Office of Personnel Management United States Marine Corps Nuclear Regulatory Commission United States Postal Service Respondent Profile: Departments and Agencies Represented* *Agencies listed in order of frequency www.govexec.com/gbc

5. Oversees/Reports Respondent Profile The Government Business Council, the research division of Government Executive Media Group, surveyed 172 Government Executive readers from March 27 - April 9, 2012. Respondents include those holding GS11-15 grade levels and members of the Senior Executive Service in defense and civilian agencies. Over three-quarters of respondents are GS/GM-13 or above. A full sixty percent of respondents oversee at least one direct report. Job Grade / Rank Percentage of respondents, n=163, 172 respectively 76% of respondents are GS/GM-13 or above www.govexec.com/gbc

6. Job Function Respondent Profile Nearly half of all respondents work in operations. Other common occupations include agency leadership (14 percent), technical (13 percent), facilities and fleet management (12 percent), and other (11 percent). Percentage of respondents, n=268 44% of respondents work in operations www.govexec.com/gbc

7. Executive Summary

8. Federal Managers Strongly Favor Green Policies, Even More Than General Public The federal government is the largest consumer of energy in the American economy. In 2009, President Obama issued Executive Order 13514 calling on federal agencies to “lead by example” in improving energy efficiency and federal managers show strong support for such sustainability initiatives. Managers overwhelmingly favor green policies such as better fuel efficiency and increased spending on public transportation. They also favor alternative energy development, but not allowing for more oil and natural gas drilling and tax cuts to energy companies. In comparison to the general public, managers show greater support for green policies and less support for policies expanding oil and natural gas production. Despite Support for Sustainability, Progress within Agencies Is Mixed Despite support for green policies, managers report mixed progress in achieving greater energy efficiency within their agencies. Fossil fuels still dominate federal energy sources. Two-thirds of managers report they are informed of their agency’s sustainability plansand two-thirds feel current energy consumption levels are appropriate. To gauge success, Executive Order 13514 stipulated that the Office of Management and Budget must review each agency’s performance and publish scorecards. These scorecards report mixed success. Agencies are succeeding in implementing green technologies, but only six of twenty-four are scoring well in building green buildings. To that end, only forty-four percent of managers expect to work in a green building by 2022. Organization and Prioritization of Energy Efficiency Initiatives Needed Managers report low levels of organization in implementing plans. The most commonly cited interferences to implementation are lack of proper funding, competing priorities, and bureaucratic barriers. Managers See Benefits to Green Policies. but Unsure of Success Thus Far When asked whether they feel the federal government is leading by example in energy efficiency, managers show no clear consensus. More managers believe that energy efficiency initiatives will have positive effects on productivity and operations than negative effects. Forty-two percent report that green policies would not interfere with their operations at all and almost half of the managers note that their employees have become more conscious of energy consumption in both their personal and professional lives. • Executive Summary www.govexec.com/gbc

9. Survey Findings

10. Managers Support Green Policies Which of the following government policies do you favor or oppose? Percentage of respondents, n=171 Federal managers support green policies over policies expanding fossil fuel development. Though less popular, over half of all managers still supportallowing for more offshore oil and gas drilling in US waters. The only measure not receiving a majority of manager support is giving tax cuts to energy companies. www.govexec.com/gbc

11. Public Sector Managers More Supportive of Policies than General Public Which of the following government policies do you favor? Percentage of respondents, n=171, “Public” data based on The Pew Research Center’s report, “As Gas Prices Pinch, Support for Oil and Gas Production Grows,” March 19, 2012 • The general public is less supportive overall of green policies than federal managers. • In particular, the genera public is less supportive of increasing spending on wind, solar, and hydrogen technology and public transportation. • The American public is more supportive than federal managers of measures giving concessions to energy companies to explore for oil and gas. www.govexec.com/gbc

12. Energy Priority by Rank Percentage of respondents, n=164 Production More Important than Development of Alternative Sources Federal managers are most concerned with energy security, ranking energy security measures the highest priorities. The development of alternative energy is a priority for federal managers, ranking it much higher than measures to expand the development of fossil fuels. www.govexec.com/gbc

13. Energy Consumption Levels Considered Appropriate in Federal Agencies Description of Federal Energy Use Percentage of respondents, n=171 Two-thirds of managers consider current federal energy use efficient or appropriate. Just over a quarter of federal managers, however, find current usage to be excessive or wasteful. Some managers explain that no efforts to save energy are in place in their organizations. “There’s no push to even have people turn off lights in the evening or on the weekend.” www.govexec.com/gbc

14. Fossil Fuels Dominate Current Energy Consumption Energy Sources Used by Federal Agencies Percentage of respondents, n=169 • Managers believe agencies most commonly use oil and natural gas. • More federal managers believe their agency uses solar and wind power for energy than coal. • Almost half (42 percent) of all managers do not know from which energy source their agency obtains its energy needs. www.govexec.com/gbc

15. Most Managers Informed of Sustainability Plans Understanding of Sustainability Plans Percentage of respondents, n=170 • Over half (58percent) of managers report they are aware or well-informed of their agency’s sustainability plans, but forty-two percent of managers are not familiar with their agency’s plans. • Some managers state they are unaware of what the sustainability plans entail, while some state they are unsure if there even are plans for their agency. www.govexec.com/gbc

16. Federal Managers Split Over Plan Difficulty Do you believe your agency met/will meet its sustainability goals? Percentage of respondents, n=161, n=161, n=162, respectively Sustainability Plan Difficulty • Managers are split over the difficulty of sustainability plans with 39 percent claiming plans are manageable and 39 percent stating plans are challenging. They are pessimistic that their agency met its 2011 goals, and are split over whether their agency will meet its goals by 2020. “All we need is funding and priority of available resources.” www.govexec.com/gbc

17. Topline OMB Scorecards Show Success and Failure Aggregate Agency OMB Scores *Scorecards reflect 2010 federal agency data, released April 19, 2011 Reduction in Energy Intensity Use of Renewable Energy Reduction in Potable Water Intensity • Based on reports issued by the Office of Management and Budget, agencies perform bestin using more renewable energy. • Thirteen agencies failed in achieving their goals for building new green buildings and refurbishing old buildings. • The relative success with renewable energy and mild success with other goals suggests that agencies have made progress in policies, but have difficulty changing cultural habits. • 13 scored Green • 2 scored Yellow • 6 scored Red • 3 scored N/A or TBD • 17 scored Green • 2 scored Yellow • 4 scored Red • 1 scored N/A or TBD • 13 scored Green • 2 scored Yellow • 6 scored Red • 3 scored N/A or TBD Reduction in Fleet Petroleum Use Green Buildings 13 agencies scored red on green building initiatives • 13 scored Green • 0 scored Yellow • 7 scored Red • 4 scored N/A or TBD • 6 scored Green • 2 scored Yellow • 13 scored Red • 3 scored N/A or TBD www.govexec.com/gbc

18. Actual Success with Sustainability Goals Perceived Difficulty of Sustainability Goals Percentage of respondents, n=159, scorecards reflect 2010 federal agency data, released April 19, 2011 Success with Renewables Despite Perceived Difficulty • Even though managers rank using renewable energy as quite difficult, agencies are finding the most success of energy efficiency goals in using renewable energy. • Agencies are struggling to achieve reduced potable water intensity, despite managers listing it as the easiest goal to achieve. www.govexec.com/gbc

19. Agencies Fail to Meet Green Building Initiatives Progress on OMB Scorecards *Scorecards reflect 2010 federal agency data, released April 19, 2011 • Over half of all agencies are failing to meet their green building goals. Of the twenty-one agencies evaluated, twelve agencies are failing. • Fewer agencies are failing to meet goals in reducing energy intensity, potable water intensity, and fleet petroleum use. www.govexec.com/gbc

20. Less than Half of Managers Expect to Work in a Green Building in Next Decade Managers Who Expect to Work in a Green Building in the Next Ten Years* Percentage of respondents, n=160 49% of managers do NOT expect to work in a green building in the next decade. • Nearly half of managers do not expect to work in a green building by 2020, two years past the OMB sustainability goals deadline of 2020. • Some managers note that they will retire in the next few years and do not expect to work in a green building before retirement. • Some managers feel their agency will turn to alternatives such as forced telework to lower energy usage figures in offices. *7% specified “Other” www.govexec.com/gbc

21. “We’re currently under renovation, but many of the green design elements have been stripped due to budget cuts from Congress.” www.govexec.com/gbc

22. Funding Greatest Challenge for Green Initiatives Interferences with Implementation Percentage of respondents, n=162 • Half of all managers feel that sustainability initiatives are underfunded in their agency. • Managers also rank competing priorities and bureaucratic barriers as impediments to implementation of energy efficiency initiatives. • Just three percent of managers believe there to be no factors interfering with implementation of initiatives. www.govexec.com/gbc

23. We have initiated reasonable policies to limit our energy use, but don’t have the technology to have affordable alternate sources. • We rent buildings…it makes it almost impossible for us to realize savings from reducing our environmental footprint. “ Culture and Red Tape Limit Energy Efficiency Open-ended comments • It's a matter of will and getting through the red tape. No one likes change until it is forced on them. • The culture in this agency largely lives with 1950s ideologies and motivations. • Managers note that many of the limitations to executing energy efficiency initiatives are due to bureaucratic barriers and culture. • Some managers feel that such changes must begin at the top, with leadership, or sustainability initiatives will fail. • Other managers describe complications with current building occupancy agreements, such as buildings rented to agencies by the General Services Administration. • As long as we hit target, they see no need to use some of their own center funding for sustainable initiatives. • If you can't get your director to stop over air-conditioning his office, how will anyone else to follow the rules? • We commit to sustainability. Employees bicycle to work and seek ways to reduce their carbon footprint. ” Mission-ready or less expensive? Tough choice. www.govexec.com/gbc

24. Sustainability Initiatives Poorly Organized in Both Civilian and Defense Agencies Organization of Sustainability Initiatives Percentage of respondents, n=148 Civilian and defense agencies reportsimilar perceived levels of organization in the implementation of sustainability initiatives. The most organized agencies are the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Defense (each with mean scores, 3.4, 3.1, 2.9, respectively). www.govexec.com/gbc

25. Government Not Clearly Leading by Example Is the Federal Government Leading by Example in Energy Efficiency? Percentage of respondents, n=162 Despite President Obama’s order to ‘lead by example,’ federal managers are uncertain if agencies are in fact offering a compelling example for American citizens when it comes to energy efficiency. Sixty percent of federal managers are unsure or unconvinced that the federal government is leading by example. Yes Unsure No 40% 35% 25% www.govexec.com/gbc

26. Impact on Operations Likely to Be Negligible Likely Energy Efficiency Initiative Outcomes Percentage of respondents, n=158 Forty-two percent of managers believe that energy efficiency initiatives will not interfere with operations, productivity, or completion of their agency’s mission. More managers feel that energy efficiency initiatives will have a positive effect on operations and productivity than those that predict negative effects. Some managers note that while such initiatives may initially hamper operations, energy efficiency initiatives will help agencies in the long run. www.govexec.com/gbc

27. Managers See Improved Employee Energy Consumption Habits Employee Energy Habit Changes Percentage of respondents, n=161 Nearly half of all managers believe their employees are more conscious of energy consumption in their personal life (47percent), and nearly as many in their professional life (42 percent) over the past two years. Just over one-third (35 percent) of federal managers have not observed any noticeable change. www.govexec.com/gbc

28. Erin Dumbacher Director of Research Government Business Council Tel 202.266.7619 edumbacher@govexec.com Twitter: @GovBizCouncil @erin_dian www.govexec.com/GBC Contact www.govexec.com/gbc