Commercial, Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions  -  March 18, 2024

Salt Lake City Courthouse to Receive Energy Upgrades

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced nearly $50 million in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funds for improvements to the historic Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse in Salt Lake City.

Nearly half of the funds from the IRA will be used for low-embodied carbon (LEC) materials including concrete, glass and steel that have fewer GHG emissions associated with their production. The remainder of the IRA funds will be used for emerging and sustainable technologies that will lower operational emissions and enable the courthouse to run on 100% electric power. 

The  energy retrofit will reduce annual energy use by 52% and also meet the Administration’s Federal Building Performance Standard by eliminating fossil fuel use onsite. Through building reuse and the selection of low embodied carbon materials, the Moss Courthouse will lower whole-building material-related GHG emissions by 57% compared to the construction of a new building. Following the renovation, the building will use chilled beam technology and high efficiency air handling units, plus electric boilers and water heaters to condition its spaces. These improvements will reduce energy consumption while increasing occupant comfort.

The Moss Courthouse  $100 million renovation project started in 2022 and is one of more than 150 LEC projects that GSA announced last November as part of the Federal Buy Clean Initiative.

The courthouse is also one of the 100 buildings that GSA announced for conversion to all-electric HVAC and water heating systems last June. The project will replace aging infrastructure with modern and efficient mechanical equipment, preserve historic spaces and materials, and use Buy Clean construction materials while addressing seismic and structural deficiencies. 

“This project is a prime example of how President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is catalyzing innovation, driving sustainability, and creating good-paying manufacturing jobs here at home,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan in a statement. “Through the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re transforming federal facilities like the Moss Courthouse into models of clean energy innovation and catalysts for the domestic manufacturing industries of the future, all while reducing harmful pollution and saving taxpayer money.” 

The Moss Courthouse will house 10 federal agencies including the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative is prioritizing the purchase of LEC asphalt, concrete, glass and steel that have lower levels of GHG emissions associated with their production, use and disposal.

This project also supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Sustainability Plan and Executive Order 14057 by advancing toward a net-zero emissions federal building portfolio by 2045.