Inflation Reduction Act: Opportunities Exist to Help Ensure GSA Programs Achieve Intended Results

The GAO’s April 2025 report reviews how the General Services Administration (GSA) is using Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding to improve the sustainability of federal buildings through low-carbon materials, advanced technologies, and high-performance green designs. As of early 2025, GSA had selected 362 projects nationwide, obligated about half of the $3.375 billion available, but expended only 5%. The report finds that while GSA followed best practices for selecting projects under two of its three programs, it lacked a framework for the high-performance green building initiative and had not published clear interim performance targets. GAO recommends improved goal-setting, public transparency, and selection criteria to ensure long-term effectiveness of the IRA investments.