What to know
Sustainability supports CDC's public health mission, promotes positive environmental impact, and is woven into the fabric of facilities management and operations. CDC continues work to increase the sustainability and resiliency of our campuses and facilities nationwide, while educating staff on sustainable practices and meeting CDC's critical public health mission.
Our mission
CDC promotes efficiency and operational improvements for increased quality, accountability, and stewardship of CDC assets. As part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), sustainable workplaces are a requirement for human health. CDC's sustainability mission is to:
- Improve internal efficiency and customer service.
- Promote health and healthy workplace environments.
- Translate environmental science into action.
- Enact responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds.
CDC achieves federally mandated sustainability requirements detailed in Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and Executive Order 14057 Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability. HHS determines CDC's performance goals, outlined in the HHS Sustainability Report and Implementation Plan. Learn more about CDC's strategic sustainability goals on the Goals and Reporting page.
Values
CDC builds and maintains facilities that minimize environmental impact and optimize inhabitant wellness. CDC updates existing buildings with features that conserve resources and promote occupant health and productivity. Several CDC buildings have received both LEED and Fitwel certifications.
Federal facilities also adhere to the following six guiding principles when building sustainable, people-oriented facilities:
- Employ integrated design
- Optimize energy performance
- Protect and conserve water
- Enhance indoor environmental quality
- Reduce the environmental impact of materials
- Assess and consider environmental risks
Goals
Executive Order Goals
- January 27, 2021: President Biden signed Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
- December 8, 2021: President Biden signed Executive Order 14057, Catalyzing America's Clean Energy Economy Through Federal Sustainability
- Staff interested in learning more about Federal sustainability efforts are encouraged to visit the Federal Sustainability Plan webpage
Sustainability Scorecard
Each year, HHS outlines recent achievements and planned initiatives among Executive Order goal areas in its Annual Sustainability Plan and Climate Action Plans and Reports, including :
- Sustainable buildings
- Clean and renewable energy
- Water use efficiency and management
- Fleet management
- Sustainable acquisitions
- Pollution prevention and waste reduction
- Electronic stewardship and data centers
The Office of Management and Budget creates a sustainability scorecard at the end of each fiscal year for each federal agency to measure goal attainment in comparison to other agencies. Agencies receive a green, yellow, or red score, corresponding to their success in meeting each goal during the year.