Speaker on Environmental Impact

Shyam Reddy, regional administrator, Southeast Sunbelt Region, General Services Administration (GSA), spoke at the chapter's luncheon in May. Reddy accepted a presidential appointment to this office, and he manages and oversees 43 million square feet of owned/leased federal real estate, operates a more than 40,000 vehicle fleet and is responsible for more than $90 billion in procurement purchasing annually. Reddy focused his comments on GSA sustainability for the future. The GSA has a goal for 2020 to have a zero percent environmental impact footprint. Its strategy to achieve this goal is to rely heavily on current and emerging technology and leverage their capabilities to reduce the physical holdings of the GSA and the subsequent energy costs associated with its building space.

Additionally, the GSA has adopted the federal mandate for government vehicle fleets to move to full electric vehicle formats. They have been identified as the most prominent adopters of electric vehicle technology and will have an immediate and profound impact considering the number of vehicles they are responsible for. The GSA also will reduce office spaces by “hoteling.” This concept reduces the number of desks and floor space for the GSA purposes and relies on technology to facilitate telecommuting/teleworking. Reddy stated, “It is not where or how long you work but what you do that defines work.” There may be a move in the future for the GSA to reduce the physical holdings and information technology jobs that go with them. Another concept that may impact the information technology community is the idea of centralizing all the GSA's information technology purchases through the IT Commodity Buying Group. This will provide for a more consistent interface with industry, a more efficient way of conducting business with the GSA and eventually improve the “E-ways” of doing business.

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