No. EHS/11/09
Policy Adopted: May 29, 2009
IMF Environmentally Sustainable Policies and Plans
Title: Overall Sustainable Purchasing Policy
Scope
The scope of each component of this purchasing policy for the IMF HQ1 and HQ2 buildings are as
follows:
 Ongoing consumables:
 Durable goods:
o Electric-powered equipment:
o Furniture:
 Facility alterations and additions:
 Mercury-containing lamps:
Goals
The goal of this purchasing policy is to minimize the environmental impacts of purchases and to provide a
standard for the purchase of materials for use in the operations, maintenance, and upgrades of buildings.
Additionally, the policy is intended to reduce the risk of both occupants and the company to injury and/or
health problems. The promotion of sustainable purchasing practices can have beneficial effects on
employee health and productivity, life-cycle building maintenance costs, and overall environment. A wide
variety of environmentally preferable materials are available, and this policy applies standards to the
purchase of materials for use in the IMF’s facilities.
Performance Metrics
Performance for this policy will be measured by tracking the percentage by cost of each category of
purchases that meet the applicable sustainability criteria.
Procedures and Strategies
The IMF will meet the requirements for Ongoing Consumables and will address the goal, scope, and
performance of the following specific policies as listed below. These policies include benchmarks for
sustainable purchasing in:
 Durable goods
o Electric-powered equipment
o Furniture
 Facility alterations and additions
 Mercury-containing lamps
Responsible Party
The Procurement Division Chief has primary responsibility for the sustainable purchasing policy.
Tracking is by the Environmental Sustainability Team, Facilities Management Division.
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Time period
This policy will be put in place for the life of the building, receiving updates yearly to maintain a high
standard in environmental policy. This policy will be revised as necessary to continue to meet or exceed
the LEED-EB requirements.
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Subtitle: Sustainable Purchasing: Ongoing Consumables
Scope
The scope of this purchasing policy for ongoing consumables is the HQ1 and HQ2 building.
Goals
The goal of this purchasing policy is to minimize the environmental impacts of ongoing consumables
purchases.
Performance Metrics
Performance for this policy will be measured by tracking the percentage by cost of purchases that meet
the applicable sustainability criteria. It is the IMF’s policy that at least 40 percent by cost of materials
purchased for use in the building by the organization or one of its contractors must meet one or more
criteria in the Procedures and Strategies section below.
Procedures and Strategies
Every attempt will be made to select materials with recycled content, salvaged material, or rapidly
renewable materials that reduce environmental impacts associated with extracting, harvesting, and
manufacturing virgin materials. The Fund is committed to purchasing ongoing consumables such as
paper, toner cartridges, binders, batteries and desk accessories that minimize the impact on the
environment.
Criteria
Whenever possible, materials purchased for use in the building by the organization or one of its
contractors will meet at least one of the following criteria:
 Contains at least 10 percent post-consumer or 20 percent post-industrial material.
 Contains at least 50 percent rapidly renewable materials.
 Contains at least 50 percent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood.
 Contains at least 50 percent materials harvested and processed or extracted and processed within
500 miles of the project.
 Are rechargeable batteries.
Responsible Party
The responsible party is the Procurement Division and any other vendor company purchasing ongoing
consumables on the Fund’s behalf and supplying that information to the Environmental Sustainability
Team. The IMF organizational unit requesting the item being procured is also responsible for specifying
items that meet this policy. The Environmental Sustainability Team is responsible for compiling the
metrics.
Tracking
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The dollar amount of all ongoing consumables purchases will be tracked, as well as the dollar
amount of ongoing consumables purchases that are compliant with the environmental criteria.
The criterion or criteria met by each purchase will be tracked.
Each purchase can be counted for each sustainability criterion that it meets.
The percent of ongoing consumables purchases that are compliant with one or more of the
specified environmental criteria will be calculated.
The compliant percentage will be used to measure performance, as stated above.
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Tracking sheets will be reviewed quarterly and program adjustments will be made as necessary to
achieve targets.
Time Period
Same as overall policy.
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Subtitle: Sustainable Purchasing: Electric-Powered Equipment
Scope
The scope of this purchasing policy for electric-powered equipment for the HQ1 and HQ2 buildings.
Goals
The goal of this purchasing policy is to minimize the environmental impacts of purchases.
Performance Metrics
Performance for this policy will be measured by tracking the percentage by cost of purchases that meet
the applicable sustainability criteria. It is the building policy that at least 40% by cost of materials
purchased for use in the building by the organization or one of its contractors must meet one or more
criteria in the Procedures and Strategies section below.
Procedures and Strategies
The organization is committed to purchasing electric-powered equipment that minimizes the impact on
the environment through these methods. Whenever possible, electric-powered equipment purchased for
use in the building by the organization or one of its contractors will meet at least one of the following
criteria:
 The equipment is ENERGY STAR labeled
 The equipment replaces conventional gas-powered equipment
Responsible Party
Parties responsible are the Procurement Division and the Fund’s Property Manager, reporting to the
Operations and Maintenance Section, who is responsible for purchasing electric durable goods. The IMF
organizational unit requesting the item being procured is also responsible for specifying items that meet
this policy. Consolidation of the metrics, provided by Procurement and the Fund’s Property Manager is
the responsibility of the Environmental Sustainability Team.
Tracking
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The dollar amount of all electric goods purchases will be tracked, as well as the dollar amount of
electric goods purchases that are compliant with the environmental criteria.
The percent of electric goods purchases that are compliant with one or more of the specified
environmental criteria will be calculated.
The compliant percentage will be used to measure performance, as stated above.
Tracking sheets will be reviewed quarterly and program adjustments will be made as necessary to
achieve targets.
Time Period
Same as overall policy.
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Subtitle: Sustainable Purchasing: Furniture
Scope
The scope of this purchasing policy for furniture is the IMF buildings HQ1 and HQ2.
Goals
The goal of this purchasing policy is to minimize the environmental impacts of purchases.
Performance Metrics
Performance for this policy will be measured by tracking the percentage by cost of purchases that meet
the applicable sustainability criteria. It is IMF policy that at least 40 percent by cost of materials
purchased for use in the buildings by the IMF or one of its contractors must meet one or more criteria in
the Criteria section below.
Procedures and Strategies
The IMF will make every effort to select furniture products with recycled content, salvaged material, or
rapidly renewable materials that reduce environmental impacts associated with extracting, harvesting, and
manufacturing virgin materials. The IMF is committed to purchasing furnishings that minimize the
impact on the environment by adhering to the criteria below.
Criteria
At least 40 percent of the furniture purchased for use in the buildings (based on cost), by the IMF, must
meet using at least one of the following criteria:
 Contains at least 70 percent salvaged material from off site or outside the organization.
 Contains at least 70 percent salvaged from on site through an internal organization materials &
equipment reuse program.
 Contains at least 10 percent post-consumer or 20% post-industrial material.
 Contains at least 50 percent rapidly renewable materials.
 Contains at least 50 percent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood.
 Contains at least 50 percent materials harvested and processed or extracted and processed within
500 miles of the project.
Responsible Party
Parties responsible are the Procurement Division. The IMF organizational unit (primarily the Facilities
Design and Construction Section) requesting the item be procured is also responsible for specifying items
that meet this policy. Consolidation of the metrics, provided by Procurement and the Fund’s Property
Manager is the responsibility of the Environmental Sustainability Team.
Tracking
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The dollar amount of all furniture purchases will be tracked, as well as the dollar amount of
furniture purchases that are compliant with the environmental criteria.
The criterion or criteria met by each purchase will be tracked.
Each purchase can be counted for each sustainability criterion that it meets.
The percent of furniture purchases that are compliant with one or more of the specified
environmental criteria will be calculated.
The compliant percentage will be used to measure performance, as stated above.
Tracking sheets will be reviewed quarterly and program adjustments will be made as necessary to
achieve targets.
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Time Period
Same as overall policy.
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Subtitle: Sustainable Purchasing: Facility Alteration And Additions
Scope
The scope of this purchasing policy for facility alterations and additions is the HQ1 and HQ2 buildings.
Goals
The goal of this purchasing policy is to minimize the environmental impacts of purchases.
Performance Metrics
Performance for this policy will be measured by tracking the percentage by cost of purchases that meet
the applicable sustainability criteria. It is the IMF’s policy that at least 50 percent by cost of materials
purchased for use in the building by the organization or one of its contractors must meet one or more
criteria in the section below.
Procedures and Strategies
The IMF will make every attempt to select materials with recycled content, salvaged materials or rapidly
renewable material that reduces the environmental impacts associated with extracting, harvesting and
manufacturing virgin materials. In addition, indoor environmental quality will be protected by the
purchase of low VOC materials and products.
Responsible Party
Parties responsible are the Procurement Division. The IMF organizational unit (primarily the Facilities
Design and Construction Section) requesting the item be procured is also responsible for specifying items
that meet this policy. Consolidation of the metrics, provided by Procurement and the Fund’s Property
Manager is the responsibility of the Environmental Sustainability Team.
Criteria
At least 50 percent of the materials purchased for renovations undertaken (based on cost), by the IMF,
must meet using at least one of the following criteria:
 Contains at least 10 percent post-consumer and/or 20 percent postindustrial material.
 Contains at least 70 percent material salvaged from off-site or outside the organization.
 Contains at least 70 percent material salvaged from on-site through an internal organization
materials and equipment reuse program.
 Contains at least 50 percent rapidly renewable materials.
 Contains at least 50 percent Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood.
 Contains at least 50 percent materials harvested and processed or extracted and processed within
500 miles of the project.
 Adhesives and sealants have VOC content less than the current VOC content limits of South
Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule #1168, or sealants used as fillers that
meet or exceed the requirements of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Regulation 8,
Rule 51.
 Paints and coatings have VOC emissions that do not exceed the VOC and chemical component
limits of Green Seal’s Standard GS-11 requirements.
 Non-carpet finished flooring is FloorScore-certified and constitutes a minimum of 25 percent of
the finished floor area.
 Carpet meets the requirements of the CRI Green Label Plus Carpet Testing Program.
 Carpet cushion meets the requirements of the CRI Green Label Testing Program.
 Composite panels and agrifiber products contain no added urea-formaldehyde resins.
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Tracking
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The purchasing team is responsible for purchasing tracking.
The dollar amount of all applicable purchases will be tracked, as well as the dollar amount of
applicable purchases that are compliant with the environmental criteria.
The criterion or criteria met by each purchase will be tracked.
Each purchase can be counted for each sustainability criterion that it meets.
The percent of applicable purchases that are compliant with one or more of the specified
environmental criteria will be calculated.
The compliant percentage will be used to measure performance, as stated above.
Tracking sheets will be reviewed quarterly and program adjustments will be made as necessary to
achieve targets.
Time Period
Same as overall policy.
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Subtitle: Sustainable Purchasing: Reduced Mercury in Lamps
Scope
The scope of this purchasing policy for mercury-containing light bulbs is the HQ1 and HQ2 building and
site.
Goals
The goal of this purchasing policy is to minimize the environmental impacts of purchases.
Performance Metrics
Performance for this policy will be measured by using the picogram per lumen hour of the lamp
purchasing plan for the building. Of all light bulbs purchased, 90 percent (by number of bulbs) will
comply with the purchasing plan and meet the targets for mercury content.
Procedures and Strategies
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Wherever practical, high efficiency light bulbs will be used in the building and on site rather than
incandescent light bulbs.
A Light Bulb Purchasing Plan will be prepared that minimizes the weighted average mercury
content (in picograms per lumen-hour) of all light bulbs in the building and on site. The weighted
average mercury content (in picograms per lumen-hour) of all light bulbs included in the plan will
be 90 picograms per lumen-hour or less. (Note: 1 point is earned for 90 pcg/lu-hr or less, 2 points
are earned for 70 pcg/lu-hr or less).
Screw-based, integral compact fluorescent lamps (CFL’s) will be excluded from the plan and
performance calculation if they comply with voluntary industry guidelines for maximum mercury
content published by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).
Criteria:
Only the specific mercury containing light bulbs (manufacturer and product number) listed in the Light
Bulb Purchase Plan (maintained by the Facilities Operation and Maintenance Section) may be purchased
by the IMF or one of its contractors.
Responsible Party
Party responsible is the Property Manager, reporting to the Chief, Operations and Maintenance Section,
Facilities Management Division.
Tracking
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To document that the Light Bulb Purchasing Plan is being followed, records will be kept of all
acquisitions of light bulbs for use in the building and grounds. Calculations demonstrating that
each type of light bulb purchased has a picogram per lumen-hour mercury content that is less than
or equal to the mercury content specified in the Light Bulb Purchasing Plan will be documented.
Calculations - The annual weighted average mercury content of these light bulbs will be
calculated by: a) adding up the total weight of mercury in all the light bulbs acquired during the
performance period (picograms of Hg); and then b) adding up the lifetime light output of all the
mercury containing light bulbs in lumen-hours (lumen-hours are calculated by multiplying the
rated hours (life)** of each light bulb by the mean light output in lumens); and finally, c) dividing
the total mercury content of all mercury containing light bulbs calculated in a) above by the total
lifetime light output of all the mercury content light bulbs calculated in b) above.
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** Rated hours of life are defined as stated by the manufacturer: three hours on and 20 minutes off for linear
fluorescents and compact fluorescents; 11 hours on for HID lamps. Rated hours of life given for instant-start ballast
should be used instead of program-start.
Time Period
Same as overall policy.