GSA announces $24 million for sustainable improvements to the Mansfield Courthouse in Butte, Montana, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda

June 04, 2024

Funding through the Inflation Reduction Act aims to full electrify historic courthouse, eliminating on-site fossil fuel use

BUTTE, Mont. – Today, the Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), Robin Carnahan, visited Butte to announce more than $24 million in funding for improvements to the historic Mike Mansfield Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the largest climate investment in U.S. history. 

GSA will use roughly $8 million in IRA funds for low embodied carbon (LEC) materials including concrete, glass, and steel that have fewer greenhouse gas emissions associated with their production. This furthers the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative which aims to leverage federal procurement to catalyze markets for these materials. 

The remainder of the IRA funds, roughly $16 million, will be used for emerging and sustainable technologies, which could include highly-efficient mechanical systems like geothermal or air-source heat pumps, that aim to reduce energy consumption by 40%, achieve a deep energy retrofit, eliminate operational greenhouse gas emissions and enable the facility to run on 100% electric power. The current solicitation for the project appears on Sam.gov. 

Administrator Carnahan was joined by J.P. Gallagher, Chief Executive of the City and County of Butte-Silver Bow, and Brian Morris, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, to make the announcement and tour the project.

“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. “Through the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re transforming federal facilities like the Mansfield 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.” 

Today’s announcement is part of a larger modernization project, which will provide a long-lasting and durable facility that meets sustainability and resiliency goals. The project will bring the building in line with the current Standards of Seismic Safety for Existing Federally Owned Buildings by using low embodied carbon concrete, glass, and steel. GSA seeks to enhance the resilience of federal buildings and mitigate risks from events such as storms, wildfires, and even earthquakes. Sustainability performance improvements at Mansfield include the installation of a modern high-efficiency all-electric heating system, electrical and lighting upgrades, window replacements, and facade improvements. 

Other repairs will address accessibility and air circulation, remedy code deficiencies, replace the building’s roof, and make upgrades to other building systems. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2025, with substantial completion by the summer of 2027. 

“This investment in the Mike Mansfield Federal Building is a testament to what can happen when rural America has a seat at the table,” said Montana Senator Jon Tester. “I was proud to secure this funding that will help create jobs for folks to replace aging infrastructure and bring the Mike Mansfield Federal Building into the 21st century. I’m excited to see this project take shape and proud to see this funding go to good use in the Treasure State.”

“As the Chief Executive of Butte-Silver Bow, I am thrilled to see the announcement of the Mike Mansfield Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse project and its alignment with President Biden’s Investing in America agenda,” said J.P. Gallagher, Chief Executive, City-County of Butte-Silver Bow. “GSA’s commitment to using building materials that address climate change and are made in America is commendable. Upgrading the Mike Mansfield Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse not only aligns with our sustainability and climate-resiliency goals but also helps reduce energy costs and save taxpayer dollars. As a local government we are very interested in the newest technologies that are being used in the Mansfield Building project. I am proud to be a part of this initiative and look forward to seeing the Mansfield project take shape. It is an investment that will provide a long-lasting and durable facility, benefitting both our community and the environment.”

“GSA is committed to supporting the use of building materials that help address climate change with products made right here in America,” said Denise Maes, Regional Administrator for GSA’s Rocky Mountain Region. “Upgrading this facility is also prudent to help reduce our energy costs and save taxpayer dollars.” 

This project is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to grow the American economy from the bottom up and the middle-out – by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, creating a manufacturing and innovation boom powered by good-paying jobs, and building a clean-energy economy that will combat climate change and make our communities more resilient.

The Inflation Reduction Act includes $3.4 billion for GSA to build, modernize, and maintain more sustainable and cost-efficient high-performance facilities across America. GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act projects will implement new technologies and accelerate the administration’s efforts in achieving a net-zero emissions federal building portfolio by 2045. Through these investments, GSA anticipates reducing operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2.3 million metric tons–the same amount that 500,000 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles produce each year.

To learn more about GSA’s Inflation Reduction Act projects, visit GSA’s IRA web page. 

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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing about $100 billion in products and services via federal contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.