Various existing policies establish the practices and procedures that guide design, installation, and management of diplomatic landscapes. Knowing the policies is important for the Post FM and other personnel to maintain a sustainable landscape and understand why certain design approaches or features were selected. Benefits of this strategy include improved operational efficiency, compliance with regulatory standards, and access to industry best practices.

Existing policies, studies, and reports related to sustainable landscapes include:

• Facility Maintenance Guide: The guide contains operating procedures and other requirements for maintaining Department of State facilities abroad. The guide outlines procedures for a standard maintenance management system aimed at optimizing maintenance resources at Department of State post facilities.
• OBO Design Standards: The standards provide comprehensive direction to designers, engineers, and construction professionals; they enforce security and life safety requirements, yet allow for flexibility for mission function and climate. While heavily oriented towards architects and engineers, these standards list useful notes of information about clear zone and security sight lines to ensure that planting does not obstruct visibility.
• OBO Design Guide 2016 – Office Buildings: The guide provides non-contractual information for those involved in the planning and design of diplomatic facilities.
• OBO Building Codes: The OBO Building Codes adopt and supplement the International Code Council (ICC) family of International Building Codes with embassy- and consulate-specific code provisions.
• Integrated Pest Management Program: The policy explains requirements for implementing integrated pest management (IPM) programs in all Department of State properties. The program incorporates pest reduction measures, self-help measures, and selection and use of EPA-registered pesticides.
• Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Resource Guide (SHEM): The resource guide, which has been issued to posts abroad, contains safety and occupational health and environmental policies, directives, programs, standards, and other requirements issued by the Department of State that posts and organizations supporting posts must follow.
• Swimming Pool Safety Standard and Swimming Pool Guide: This guide explains appropriate design and operational requirements for posts with swimming pools, including safety and hazardous chemical controls.
• OBO Design Criteria for Site Lighting: This manual provides guidance for site lighting that meets OBO’s security, aesthetic, and energy efficiency requirements.
• OBO Signage and Wayfinding Design Guide: This publication provides guidelines for improved signage standards as well as user-friendly methods for delivering those standards.
• Model Contract for Gardening Services Uniform Contract Format: This form is a model solicitation that serves as a guide for contracts between garden contractors and posts. The document specifies standard services for landscape management, lawn care
• Greening U.S. Embassies, Facility Management: This book focuses on improving the Department’s environmental footprint by harnessing expertise in policy, management, and public diplomacy, from grassroots to senior management, in order to cultivate and institutionalize sustainability efforts, measure and report progress, and challenge others by fulfilling environmental commitments and highlighting our successes.
• Landscape Biodiversity Planning and Design System: This technical report provides an approach for planning, designing, and communicating biodiversity and habitat benefits of a project. The report provides metrics for overarching landscape ecology indicators, such as habitat area, variety, quality, and connectivity.
• Guiding Principles for Sustainable Water Use at OBO Facilities: The document summarizes the OBO requirements and practices related to potable water, fire protection water, irrigation, stormwater, and wastewater.