United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Administration and Resources Management's Newsletter on Energy Conservation
and Sustainable Facilities
February 2008
Labsll Honored With
Presidential Award
Labsl 1 has won the
2007 Presidential
Award for Leadership
in Federal Energy
Management! The award
recognizes outstanding
achievement in energy
and water efficiency use
of new technologies and
renewable energy sources,
innovative strategies, and
alternative financing.
Since its inception in
1999, Labsll has made
significant contributions
to sustainable laboratory
development. The Labsl 1
Annual Conference is one
of the largest gatherings
of sustainable laboratory
experts in the nation.
Training workshops, best
practice guides, and case
studies educate engineers
and architects.
Labsl 1 representatives
were honored at a
ceremony in Washington,
B.C., on November 2,
1007.
Labs21 Conference in Charleston
Continues Sustainable Growth
n October 2007, 565 laboratory and facil-
ity professionals from the United States
and around the world gathered in North
Charleston, South Carolina, to discuss sustain-
able, high-performance laboratory efforts at
the Laboratories for the 21st Century (Labs21)
2007 Annual Conference.
Co-sponsored by EPA, the U.S. Department
of Energy (DOE), and the International Institute
for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), this year's
conference boasted nearly 70 technical ses-
sions addressing a variety of topics, from water
management to commissioning. In addition,
60 organizations exhibited at the technology
and services fair. The Labs21 program, which
began in 1999, continues to expand its reach
to new countries and organizations in the
laboratory community and include new ideas
for creating sustainable laboratories. As part
of the program's expansion, and through the
efforts of co-sponsor I2SL, the conference took
on an even stronger international focus this
year with workshops and symposia highlight-
ing the region-specific challenges facing
sustainable laboratories in Europe, the Middle
East, North Africa, and Australia.
At the close of the conference, attendees
had an opportunity to participate in a tour of
Noisette, a sustainable community being con-
structed on 3,000 acres of the former Charles-
ton Naval Base. The tour brought to life various
aspects of this year's keynote address on the
project and included viewing the Warren Lasch
Conservation Center's laboratory, home to the
H.L Hunley submarine—a Civil War-era Navy
fighter submarine raised from the ocean floor
in 2000. Attendees also had an opportunity to
tour the Medical University of South Carolina
(MUSC) campus, including the Ashley River
Tower hospital facility scheduled to open in
2008, and MUSC's existing energy plant.
The Labs21 Conference continues to be
one of the largest gatherings of sustainable
laboratory professionals in the country. The
Labs21 2008 Annual Conference is scheduled
for September 16-18 at the San Jose McEnery
Convention Center in San Jose, California. For
more information on Labs21 or the Labs21 Con-
ference, please visit .
Conference attendees learned about sustainability efforts in Charleston, South Carolina, at the opening plenary.
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ENERGIZING EPA February 2008 | page 2
EPA Helps Drive the Future of Hydrogen Vehicles
n May 2007, EPA received a sneak
preview of what's on the horizon
for alternative fuel vehicles. Rep-
resentatives from EPA participated in
a 15-month road-testing of General
Motor's (GM's) HydroGenS, a prototype
hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.
In addition to reviewing the road-
testing program's objectives and
accomplishments, the participants
discussed the possibility of continuing
the partnership next year when the
successor to the HydroGenS—GM's
next-generation Chevrolet Equinox Fuel
Cell vehicle—will be available to select
customers in California, New York, and
Washington, D.C.
Throughout the fuel cell vehicle
testing program, EPA was able to experi-
ence the HydroGenS's pollution-free
automotive technology. For GM, the
program provided valuable data on
how the vehicle operates under real-
world conditions, such as city traffic and
a wide range of temperatures. While
the HydroGenS is not a commercial
vehicle, GM is applying the information
gathered during this program to next-
generation fuel cell cars currently in
development. During the meeting, GM
representative Raj Choudhury pointed
out, "General Motors is proud to partner
with EPA as we work to develop excit-
ing advanced technology vehicles that
will offer a wide range of benefits to our
customers.This program has provided
valuable information about the perfor-
mance of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
and will directly benefit our research
and development activities."
The original lease on the car, estab-
lished in December 2005, was for six
months; the program's continuing suc-
cess, however, led to a nine-month ex-
tension, bringing it to an end in March
2007. As part of the project, five trained
EPA drivers, accompanied by a GM engi-
neer, drove the HydroGenS twice a week
for a total of 1,700 miles. Drivers aver-
aged approximately five hours in the car
and 15 miles traveled each day.
As a final wrap-up to the meeting,
GM provided EPA with a glimpse into
the future of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
The company has just begun the launch
of more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox
Fuel Cell vehicles in a program dubbed
"Project Driveway," which represents the
largest market test of fuel cell vehicles
to date. Project Driveway will provide
comprehensive customer insight from
a diverse group of people who will be
able to test-drive and refuel the Equi-
nox, including government employees,
the military, politicians, businesses, me-
dia, celebrities, and the general public.
EPA Assistant Administrator Luis A. Luna and
GM representatives wrapped up a successful
road-testing program of the HydroGenS fuel
cell vehicle.
During the meeting at EPA Head-
quarters, both groups shared their
appreciation for the opportunity to
partner in the HydroGenS demonstra-
tion program, including EPA's Assistant
Administrator Luis A. Luna. "I want to
Why Hydrogen
and Fuel Cells?
Vehicles such as the Hydro-
GenS make use of a fuel cell,
which combines hydrogen from
an onboard storage tank with
oxygen from the air to pro-
duce electricity and water.The
electricity is used to power an
electric motor that drives the ve-
hicle. During this process, water
vapor—the car's only emission—
is released into the atmosphere.
This system replaces the tradi-
tional vehicle's internal combus-
tion engine, transmission, and
gasoline tank, which avoids
emissions of the greenhouse
gas carbon dioxide. In addition,
the hydrogen fuel supply can be
obtained from a wide range of
sources, including domestically
produced renewable sources.
thank GM for the work that it did with
our staff, helping the Agency test-drive
the HydroGenS, and allowing us the
opportunity to showcase this technol-
ogy," he said in his opening remarks. "By
forming this partnership, EPA was given
an opportunity to show that we can
'drive the talk'and that environmental
protection is something that can be
done in a creative and technologically
advanced way."
Contact Us
For more information about Energizing EPA or the activities of EPA's Sustainable Facilities
Practices Branch in the Facilities Management and Services Division, please contact:
Karen Murray • E-mail: murray.karen@epa.gov • Phone: (202) 564-2539
Web Site: www.epa.gov/greeningepa
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ENERGIZING EPA February 2008 | page 3
Regional Laboratories Create Less
Waste, More Innovative Solutions
Over the past several months,
EPA has been assessing Agency
laboratories across the country
for innovative recycling efforts and waste
prevention best practices. Three labo-
ratories in particular serve as models for
novel ways to reduce waste.
The Atlantic Ecology Division
(AED) laboratory in Narragansett,
Rhode Island, has garnered local media
attention for recycling a wide array
of materials. The laboratory recycles
packing and shipping materials, toner
cartridges, and electronic equipment,
among other items. Some of AED's other
waste prevention practices include im-
plementing sustainable landscaping to
conserve resources and using salvaged
boulders to create security barriers
instead of purchasing new materials.
Employees at the Environmental
Science Center (ESC) laboratory in
Fort Meade, Maryland, collect old shoes
at an annual recycling drive; the soles
are used to make playground equip-
ment. ESC also donates excess labora-
tory equipment and chemicals to local
universities for reuse. To streamline this
process, ESC provides universities with
access to a special database that lists
available materials.
The National Vehicle Fuel and
Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) in Ann
Arbor, Michigan, collects scrap metal
generated in engine and vehicle testing
and remodeling projects for recycling.
The results are impressive: in 2006,
NVFEL recycled more than 40 tons
of scrap metal. Employees also reuse
equipment and supplies as often as pos-
sible and recover old ductwork, furni-
ture, pallets, and wiring for a second life.
Meet EPA's New Recycling and
EMS Coordinator
Overseeing EPA's national recycling program and
EPA Headquarters'Environmental Management System
(EMS) is no small task, but Dexter Johnson is up to the
challenge. While he has worked at the Agency for less
than a year, already Dexter is using his background
in sales and management to invigorate recycling. For
example, he has been helping EPA meet its Agencywide waste diversion goal
of 45 percent by 2010, in part with his efforts on the recent battery recycling
initiative, which has collected more than 450 pounds of batteries since July. On
the EMS side, Dexter helped create a system that tracks participation in general
awareness training on the Headquarters'EMS Web site. This tracking system
will monitor the Agency's efforts to train employees on how to reduce their
environmental footprints.
Dexter also performs recycling and pollution prevention assessments at EPA
facilities, during which he meets with facility managers and EMS coordinators
across the country to serve as a resource and offer suggestions for improving
their recycling programs.
If you have questions or would like suggestions for your facility's
recycling program, please contact Dexter at (202) 564-0179 or
.
Catching Rain at
EPA Headquarters
Soon a new irrigation system
designed to capture rainwa-
ter will help EPA Headquarters
conserve water and better man-
age stormwater.The system will
consist of six 1,000-gallon cisterns
at the base of the West Building's
parking garage on Constitution
Avenue in Washington, D.C.The
cisterns will collect stormwater
falling from the rooftop, which can
later be used to irrigate nearby
landscaping. The project is sched-
uled to be complete by early 2008.
For more information, please visit
.
Awards for
Greening EPA
• n 2007, the Agency has been recog-
nized with a number of sustainability
awards.
Denver Region 8 Office
• U.S. Green Building Council's LEED®
Gold Certification
• DOE Federal Energy Saver Showcase
Award
Potomac Yard Facility
• White House Closing the Circle Award
• DOE Federal Energy Saver Showcase
Award
• ENERGY STAR8 Building Label (Poto-
mac Yard One)
Ariel Rios South Courtyard
• General Services Administration's
Achievement Award for Real Property
Innovation
Steve Dorer, National Vehicle and
Fuel Emissions Laboratory
• DOE Federal Energy and Water Man-
agement Exceptional Service Award
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ENERGIZING EPA February 2008 | page 4
New Law Energizes Efficiency in the Government
When President Bush signed
the Energy Independence
and Security Act into law
on December 19,2007, he didn't just
set a mandate to increase vehicle fuel
efficiency—he challenged federal agen-
cies to increase their facilities' efficiency
as well. Building on the Energy Policy
Act of 2005 (EPAct) and Executive Order
(E.G.) 13423, the act seeks to further
improve energy efficiency in the federal
government, help enhance the market
for alternative fuels, and, ultimately,
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Making Efficiency a Fixture
The new law reinforces the exist-
ing, aggressive requirement in E.G.
13423 that federal agencies reduce
energy intensity 30 percent by FY 2015,
compared to an FY 2003 baseline. To
help agencies reach this goal, the law
requires that, by FY 2013, federal build-
ings overseen by the U.S. General Ser-
vices Administration (GSA) be equipped
with ENERGY STAR®-qualified lighting
fixtures and bulbs or those designated
by DOE's Federal Energy Management
Program. Starting in 2010, federal agen-
cies will be required to lease space that
has earned the ENERGY STAR label in
the most recent year. Each agency must
designate an energy manager responsi-
ble for implementing energy reduction
measures at each facility. To help better
monitor energy consumption, the law
extends the existing requirements for
the advanced metering of electricity to
natural gas and steam.
The act also aims to reduce the
climate change impacts of increased
energy demand from new building con-
struction. Federal buildings undergoing
major renovations or new construction
must be designed to reduce their fossil
fuel-generated energy consumption
(compared to a 2003 baseline) by 55
percent by FY 2010 and 100 percent by
FY 2030. To meet these aggressive goals,
federal agencies are being encouraged
to continue using energy savings per-
formance contracts (ESPCs).
Similarly, the law calls for GSA to
establish green building standards for
new federal buildings and to coordinate
federal green building activities. It sets
in place a zero net energy initiative, with
the goal of having commercial build-
ings use no net energy by 2050. The law
promotes federal government pur-
chase of energy-efficient products and
procurement of fuels with lower carbon
emissions—and requires reports on
the success of these efforts, along with
taxpayer savings.
In addition to raising the national
fuel economy standards, the law in-
cludes several provisions aimed at curb-
ing petroleum use by federal vehicle
fleets. For example, it requires agencies
to procure low greenhouse gas-emitting
passenger cars. Beginning in FY2010,
federal agencies must reduce annual
petroleum consumption and be on
pace to achieve at least a 20 percent
reduction in petroleum use by FY2015,
relative to a FY 2005 baseline. Further-
more, federal agencies are required to
increase the use of alternative fuels by
10 percent by FY 2015, compared to the
same 2005 baseline.
Agencies can meet these goals by
using alternative fuels; acquiring more
fuel-efficient vehicles, such as hybrids;
substituting cars for light trucks; increas-
ing vehicle load factors; decreasing
vehicle miles traveled; or decreasing
fleet size.
"EPA is prepared to respond to this
legislation through a combination of
our sustainability efforts to date and
forward-thinking planning to improve
the operation and performance of our
buildings and vehicle fleets across the
country,"said Luis Luna, Assistant Ad-
ministrator for the Office of Administra-
tion and Resources Management.
Reducing More of Our Footprint
While the law primarily focuses on
energy efficiency, it includes several
other sustainability requirements. For
example, in an effort to minimize pollu-
tion from stormwater runoff on govern-
ment landscapes, if a federal facility is
developing or redeveloping a project
affecting more than 5,000 square feet of
outdoor space, the natural water cycle
on the project site must replicate that
which existed before the project began.
This will encourage more low impact
development projects such as the one
currently being demonstrated at EPA's
Federal Triangle Headquarters in Wash-
ington, D.C.
For more information about the
Energy Independence and Security Act
of 2007, please visit
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