U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Energy Management and
Conservation Program
Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Energy Management and Conservation
Program
Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Annual Report
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report
January 23, 2014
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EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report January 23, 2014
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Highlights 5
Management and Administration Summary 9
GHG Emissions Inventory and Reduction Efforts 9
Reported Scope 1 and 2 GHG Emission Reductions 10
Reported Scope 3 GHG Emissions 11
Optional Sources of Scope 3 GHG Emissions 13
Energy Efficiency Performance 14
RTP Laboratory Consolidation Efforts 15
Reducing Laboratory Ventilation Rates 15
Energy Intensity Exclusions 16
Life Cycle Cost Analysis 16
EISA Section 432 Implementation— Energy Assessments 17
Current Energy Retrofits and Capital Improvement Projects 19
Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) 21
Green Power 22
Onsite Renewables and Distributed Generation 23
Advanced Metering 23
Water Conservation 24
EISA Section 423 Implementation— Water Assessments 25
Water Conservation Retrofits and Capital Improvements 25
Nonpotable ILA Water 26
Sustainable Building Design and High Performance Buildings 27
Upgrading Existing Agency-Owned Buildings to Meet the GuidingPrindples 27
Implementing the GuidingPrindples 28
GreenCheck 28
Green Building Certifications 29
ENERGY STAR Building Label 29
Use of ENERGY STAR and Other Energy-Efficient Products 30
Zero-Net-Energy Buildings 30
Recycling and Waste Diversion 31
Stormwater Management 32
On Track for the Future 32
List of Excluded Facilities Appendix A
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report
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EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report January 23, 2014
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Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Highlights
In FY 2013, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) once again demonstrated
leadership among federal agencies in the charge to reduce its carbon and environmental footprint
by continuing to meet or exceed the federal sustainability goals required under Executive Order
(EO) 13514 and the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) for greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions reductions, energy efficiency, water conservation, high performance sustainable
buildings, and solid waste diversion.
In FY 2013, EPA focused on: reducing its Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions; initiating or
completing major energy efficiency capital improvement projects; implementing water conservation
and stormwater management strategies; assessing and furthering its progress toward meeting the
Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings (Guiding Principles)',
and improving its non-hazardous solid waste diversion rate. EPA received a score of "green" in
nearly every category on its January 2013 and June 2013 U.S. Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Sustainability/Energy scorecards, demonstrating the ongoing success of the Agency's
comprehensive approach to sustainability.
In June 2013, in accordance with the requirements of EO 13514, EPA submitted a revised Strategic
Sustainability Performance Plan (SSPP) to OMB and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).
EPA's SSPP outlines the Agency's plans to reduce GHG emissions, energy intensity, water use, solid
waste, and other resource use, and to incorporate sustainable design and operations across its
facilities.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG Emissions Down From FY 2008 Baseline
In FY 2013, EPA reported Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions of 60,428 metric tons of carbon
dioxide equivalent (MTC02e). These emissions are 57.4 percent lower than the Agency's FY 2008
baseline, which surpasses EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction goal of 25 percent by
FY 2020 from the FY 2008 baseline. EPA achieved these reductions by implementing energy
efficiency projects at its facilities, improving fleet management practices, and continuing its green
power purchase program, which enabled EPA to reduce its reported Scope 2 GHG emissions
under current CE(^guidance. EPA anticipates further achievements in this area in FY 2014 as a
result of laboratory space consolidations and additional capital improvement projects.
The Agency's estimated Scope 3 GHG emissions were 42,440 MTC02e, which is a decrease of
40.4 percent compared to the FY 2008 baseline. A drop in Scope 3 GHG emissions associated
with reduced employee business travel accounted for a significant portion of this decrease.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 5
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Energy Intensity Decreases 25.6 Percent From FY 2003 Baseline
EPA's FY 2013 reported energy intensity was 292,308 British thermal units (Btu) per gross square
foot (GSF)1, a reduction in energy intensity of 25.6 percent compared to an FY 2003 baseline, which
exceeded the 24 percent energy intensity reduction required under EISA and EO 13423. EPA
initiated or completed work on several major energy efficiency projects in FY 2013, which are
outlined later in this report, and will continue to closely manage its energy use and make further
progress in reducing its energy intensity in FY 2014.
EPA continued to be a leader among federal agencies by offsetting 100 percent of its FY 2013
electricity use with purchased green power and renewable energy certificates (RECs). In
September 2013, EPA signed a blanket purchase agreement to secure more than 260 million
kilowatt hours (kWh) of RECs. In combination with several additional contracts for delivered
green power, this purchase will offset the Agency's estimated annual electricity use through the
end of FY 2014.
In FY 2013, EPA completed all EISA-required energy assessments at facilities including, but not
limited to: the Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center (AWBERC) in Cincinnati,
Ohio, and the Main Building and National Computer Center (NCC) at EPA's campus in Research
Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina. Collectively, the facilities for which EPA reported assessment
findings in June 2013 represent more than 31 percent of the total energy use of EPA's covered
facilities (based on FY 2008 data, per EISA Section 432 guidance). With the completion of these
assessments, EPA exceeded the requirement for June 2013, the first year of the second four-year
assessment and reporting cycle established by EISA Section 432.
In FY 2013, EPA installed advanced metering hardware and/or had advanced metering projects
under construction at three laboratory facilities. Advanced metering hardware is now installed or
under construction to capture approximately 72 percent of Agencywide reportable energy
consumption.
Water Intensity Drops 38.8 Percent From FY 2007 Baseline
In FY 2013, EPA exceeded the EO 13514 requirement to reduce its water intensity by 12 percent
compared to the FY 2007 baseline. EPA's water intensity in reporting laboratories was 21.8 gallons
per GSF in FY 2013 (84.4 million total gallons), which is 38.8 percent lower than its FY 2007 water
intensity baseline of 35.6 gallons per GSF (136.5 million total gallons).2
Several EPA facilities completed water conservation projects, including elimination of single-pass
cooling, construction of condensate recovery systems, and installation of new water-efficient
restroom fixtures. EPA also conducted water assessments for 10 EISA-covered facilities in FY 2013.
1 To encourage combined heat and power (CHP) energy projects that reduce source energy use but may increase site
energy use, DOE/FEMP allows agencies with operational CHP projects to apply a credit to their reportable annual
energy intensity. EPA's energy savings figures account for this credit. As a result, EPA's actual FY 2013 energy intensity
reduction is 0.82 percent lower than this figure.
2 The water savings that EPA achieved in FY 2013 were partly due to an unusually cool summer in many parts of the
country, which reduced the demand on cooling towers at EPA facilities.
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EPA also continued to exceed the requirements for reducing industrial, landscaping, and
agricultural (ILA) water use set forth in EO 13514. EPA estimates that it used 6.4 million gallons
of nonpotable water for ILA applications in FY 2013, which is 95.3 percent lower than its FY
2010 baseline of 135.2 million gallons.
11.5 Percent of Federal Real Property Profile (FRPP) Inventory Meets
Guiding Principles
Using EPA's FY 2013 FRPP inventory, six buildings— or 11.5 percent (by number of
buildings)— of EPA's FRPP buildings measuring greater than 5,000 square feet met the Guiding
Principles in FY 2013.3 This progress exceeds the January 2014 OMB goal of 11 percent and
demonstrates EPA's commitment to meet the FY 2015 requirement of 15 percent. In FY 2013,
EPA internally certified that one additional facility met the Guiding Principles: the Agency's
Environmental Science Center (ESC) in Fort Meade, Maryland.
Green Certifications Promote High Performance Sustainable Buildings
In addition to internally certifying buildings under the Agency's own set of sustainable building
management procedures and policies, EPA uses other systems to benchmark the environmental
performance of its real property portfolio. In FY 2013, EPA occupied 11 buildings certified Gold or
Silver under the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) LEED®for New Construction & Major
Renovations rating system, as well as nine buildings certified Platinum, Gold, or Silver under the
LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (O&M) rating system. One additional
facility received Gold certification under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system in FY
2013. Six Headquarters office buildings and all 10 EPA regional offices have earned the ENERGY
STAR® label, nine of which received it within the last three years. Three Headquarters buildings and
five regional offices renewed their labels in FY 2013.
Facility Projects Improve Stormwater Management
EPA's stormwater management efforts continued in FY 2013 in accordance with the requirements
set forth in EO 13514, EISA Section 438, and the Guiding Principles. In FY 2013, EPA worked on a
stormwater management documentation and infrastructure project at the RTP campus. EPA
carefully examines all new projects for stormwater opportunities and requirements.
Solid Waste Recycling Rate Reaches 64.7 Percent
EO 13514 requires federal agencies to meet a non-hazardous solid waste recycling rate of 50
percent by FY 2015. EPA exceeded this requirement in FY 2013 by achieving a recycling rate of
64.7 percent. Several EPA facilities significantly contributed to EPA's non-hazardous solid waste
recycling rate increase through their ongoing source reduction, recycling, reuse, donation,
composting, and other waste reduction efforts.
3 FRPP buildings are those that EPA owns.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Energy Management and Conservation Program
FY 2013 Annual Report
In June 2013, EPA submitted to OMB and CEQan update to its SSPP, a comprehensive, multiyear
planning document that identifies targets for reducing Agencywide GHG emissions by FY 2020 and
outlines the steps the Agency will take to achieve those reductions. Through this report, EPA
outlines its strategy for meeting the federal requirements of EO 13514 by reiterating its plans to
reduce energy, water, waste, and other resource use, and to incorporate sustainable design and
operations across its facilities. The report details key Agency priorities and strategies for achieving its
sustainability goals including: GHG emission reductions, energy efficiency, renewable energy, fleet
management, high performance sustainable buildings, regional and local planning, water
conservation, recycling and pollution prevention, stormwater management, and sustainable
acquisition. EPA's updated SSPP is available atwww.epa.gov/greeningepa.
Management and Administration Summary
The Agency's Senior Sustainability Officer (SSO) for the duties and responsibilities set forth by EO
13514 is the Assistant Administrator for the Office of Administration and Resources Management,
Craig E. Hooks, who reports directly to the Administrator. The SSO chairs an Executive Steering
Committee, composed of Assistant Administrators and senior regional management, which is
charged with overseeing the implementation of sustainability initiatives such as GHG emission
reductions and energy efficiency initiatives.
GHG Emissions Inventory and Reduction Efforts
EPA has maintained an Agencywide GHG emissions inventory since FY 2008. In addition to
quantifying direct and indirect emissions associated with energy consumption at the Agency's 35
reporting facilities, EPA's inventory accounts for: mobile emissions from fleet vehicles and
equipment; fugitive emissions associated with building fire suppression and mobile air conditioning
equipment; and process emissions from laboratory research and other activities. EPA's inventory
also accounts for the efforts that the Agency has made to adjust a portion of its GHG emissions
through green power and REC purchases.
In accordance with the requirements of EO 13514, EPA committed to reducing its combined
Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 25 percent by FY 2020 from its FY 2008 baseline of 142,009
MTC02e, as well as reducing the required categories of Scope 3 GHG emissions by 8 percent by
FY 2020 compared to its FY 2008 baseline of 71,071 MTC02e. More details on the Agency's
GHG emission reduction strategies are available in the Agency's SSPP.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 9
January 23, 2014
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Reported Scope 1 and 2 GHG Emission Reductions
EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG Emissions Have Decreased 57.4 Percent
From FY 2008 Baseline
EPA reported Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions of 60,428 MTC02e in FY 2013, which is 9.6 percent
lower than the Agency's FY 2012 emissions and 57.4 percent lower than the Agency's FY 2008
baseline of 142,009 MTC02e (see Figure 1 below). Even when the Agency does not account for
green power and REC purchases, EPA's FY 2013 combined Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions still
decreased by 18,907 MTC02e, or 13.3 percent, relative to the Agency's FY 2008 baseline. EPA
expects to continue to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions in FY 2014 based on future green
power and REC purchases and energy efficiency projects at its facilities.
Figure 1. EPA's Reported Scope 1 and 2 GHG Emissions, FY 2008 and FY 2013
160,000
140,000
120,000
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100,000
80,000
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FY 2008 Reported GHG Emissions FY 2013 Reported GHG Emissions
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report
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Figure 2. EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG Emission Reductions by Source, FY 2013 Compared to
FY 2008
Scope 2
adjustments
from green
power 76.1%
Emission Reductions by Source (MTC02e)
Buildings: Stationary fuel combustion:
Mobile fuel combustion:
Buildings: Purchased energy:
Buildings: Purchased electricity:
Scope 2 Adjustments from green power:
Total Reductions:
Buildings:
purchased
electricity 13.0° o
Buildings:
purchased
energy 4.9%
Mobile fuel
combustion 3.4%
Buildings:
stationary fuel
combustion 2.5%
Reported Scope 3 GHG Emissions
EPA's Scope 3 GHG Emissions Are 40.4 Percent Lower Than FY 2008
Baseline
Scope 3 GHG emissions include indirect emissions from sources that are not owned or directly
controlled by EPA but are related to the Agency's activities, such as employee business travel and
commuting, contracted solid waste disposal, and contracted wastewater treatment. EPA's goal is to
reduce the required subset of its Scope 3 GHG emissions by 8 percent by FY 2020 compared to its
FY 2008 baseline of 71,071 MTC02e. In FY 2013, EPA's estimated Scope 3 GHG emissions were
42,440 MTC02e, a decrease of 11.0 percent from FY 2012 and 40.4 percent from the FY 2008
baseline (see Figure 3 below).
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 11
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Figure 3. EPA's Reported Scope 3 GHG Emissions, FY 2008 and FY 2013
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
Q 40,000
pt] 30,000
0
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0 20,000
10,000
FY 2008 Reported GHG Emissions FY 2013 Reported GHG Emissions
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report
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Figure 4. EPA's Scope 3 GHG Emission Reductions by Source, FY 2013
2008
Employee
commuting
19.6%
Employee
business travel
59.6%
Emission Reductions by Source
Contracted wastewater treatment:
T&D losses associated with
purchased electricity:
Contracted municipal
solid waste disposal:
Scope 3 Adjustments from
T&D losses:
Employee commuting:
Employee business travel:
Total Reductions:
Compared to FY
(MTC02e)
6
707
1,099
4,128
5,625
17,066
28,631
Scope 3
Adjustments
from T&D
losses, resulting
from green
power and REC
purchases at
EPA's reporting
14.4%
Contracted
municipal solid
,aste disposal
3.8%
Contracted
wastewater
treatment 0.02%
& I) losses
associated with
purchased
electricity 2.5%
Due to a variety of constraints associated with the government shutdown, EPA did not conduct an
employee commuting survey for FY 2013. To report the required GHG emissions data for FY 2013,
EPA extrapolated results using data from the Agency's FY 2012 employee commuting survey and
actual FY 2013 personnel data.
Optional Sources of Scope 3 GHG Emissions
EPA also voluntarily reports several categories of Scope 3 GHG emissions not currently required by
EO 13514. In FY 2013, Scope 3 GHG emissions from energy use at EPA's non-reporting facilities
(i.e., regional offices, Headquarters facilities, warehouses) were 67,851 MTC02e, a decrease of 17.8
percent compared to the FY 2008 baseline of 82,539 MTC02e. The revised EO 13514 Section 9
GHG Accounting and Reporting Guidance (published June 4, 2012) suggests that this source of optional
Scope 3 GHG emissions may become mandatory in future years. Having calculated and voluntarily
reported these emissions since FY 2010, EPA is prepared to continue reporting these emissions
should they become required in the future.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 13
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Energy Efficiency Performance
EPA's FY 2013 Energy Intensity Has Decreased 25.6 Percent From FY 2003
Baseline
EISA and EO 13423 require federal agencies to reduce their energy intensity by 3 percent per year,
or 30 percent by FY 2015, compared to an FY 2003 baseline. In FY 2013, EPA exceeded the
required 24 percent cumulative energy intensity reduction. EPA's FY 2013 reported energy intensity
was 292,308 Btu per GSF, which is 3.9 percent below its FY 2012 energy intensity and 25.6 percent
below the FY 2003 baseline (see Figure 5 below). In absolute terms, EPA's FY 2013 energy
consumption was 1,143 billion Btu (BBtu) compared to its FY 2003 baseline of 1,462 BBtu.
The Agency's FY 2013 energy intensity includes a site/source energy intensity reduction credit
created by the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to
encourage energy-efficient co-generation projects.4 Without this credit, EPA's actual FY 2013 energy
intensity was 295,519 Btu per GSF, or 24.8 percent below the FY 2003 baseline. EPA will continue
to closely manage its energy use in FY 2014 and expects to meet or exceed the cumulative 30
percent energy intensity reduction requirement by FY 2015.
Figure 5. EPA Annual Energy Intensity Relative to EO 13423/EISA Target
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Fiscal Year
Historical Energy Intensity
EO 13423/EISA Taiget
(3 Percent Annual Reduction)
1 Co-generation projects increase reported site energy use but decrease source energy use.
EPA FY 2013 Atmital Energy and Water Report
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Agencywide Energy Intensity and Percent Change from FY 2003 Baseline
FY 2003 Baseline: 393,130
FY 2004: 398,373 Btu/GSF: 1.33%
FY 2009: 318,657 Btu/GSF
-18.940/0
FY 2005: 400,149 Btu/GSF: 1.79%
FY 2010: 317,209 Btu/GSF
-19.31%
FY 2006: 355,414 Btu/GSF: -9.59%
FY 2011: 321,507 Btu/GSF
-18.22%
FY 2007: 329,331 Btu/GSF: -16.23%
FY 2012: 304,236 Btu/GSF
-22.61%
FY 2008: 319,214 Btu/GSF: -18.80%
FY 2013: 292,308 Btu/GSF
-25.65%
RTP Laboratory Consolidation Efforts
In FY 2013, EPA began construction to relocate its National Health and Environmental Effects
Research Laboratory and Reproductive Toxicology Facility (NHEERL/RTF) in RTP, North
Carolina, from a leased building into the Agency's existing Main Building on the RTP campus. This
consolidation project will significantly cut EPA's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions and overall energy
consumption, improve space use efficiency in the Main Building, and reduce the Agency's rent and
utility costs. As of September 2013, construction was underway for the renovation of 116 existing
laboratory modules within the Main Building to accommodate incoming research staff. The
consolidation project is expected to be completed by November 2014.
Reducing Laboratory Ventilation Rates
In FY 2013, EPA continued to implement several new approaches to reducing its energy intensity
and meeting its aggressive Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions reduction targets. These strategies include,
but are not limited to:
• Use of hibernating fume hoods. These hoods allow laboratory personnel to safely reduce
airflows at times when research is not actively being conducted or when open chemicals are
not located in the fume hood. Laboratory personnel can quickly and easily return the hoods
to full operating mode as needed. At the AWBERC facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, EPA
upgraded all eligible variable air volume (VAV) fume hoods with hibernation capabilities in
November 2012.
• Use of occupancy sensors to set occupied/unoccupied air change per hour rates in
laboratory modules. At the AWBERC facility, EPA implemented occupancy sensors in
approximately 265 of 315 laboratory modules. The activation of sensors in all additional
eligible laboratories is planned for January 2014.
• Adoption of lower fume hood airflow rates while maintaining safe working environments
based on the new American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Industrial
Hygiene Association (AIHA)/ American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Z9.5 standards,
which adopt the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE) 110 performance test. EPA has implemented the new lower airflow
standards in 18 of 103 fume hoods at AWBERC and plans to implement the changes in all
of AWBERC's remaining fume hoods.
• Airflow reduction opportunities associated with biological safety cabinets (BSCs). RTP
conducted a BSC minimum flow proof-of-concept study to determine if the existing facility
BSCs could be modified to reduce airflow when the units are not in use. The project
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 15
January 23, 2014
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confirmed that EPA could modify these units to operate safely at lower airflows with minor
alterations and building automation software (BAS) adjustments.
• Safely implementing temporary (and non-automatic) hibernation of laboratory fume hoods,
which allows EPA to maintain research capacity while reducing energy use during off-peak
hours.
Energy Intensity Exclusions
In FY 2013, EPA excluded one source of energy consumption— its aquatic research vessel, Lake
Explorer II— from federal energy performance requirements, following the criteria included in
FEMP's Guidelines for Establishing Criteria for ExcludingBuildings. More information on this vessel is
included in Appendix A.
EPA also began to analyze laboratory-specific process energy loads at several facilities in FY 2013 to
better understand the energy demand of specialized research compared to base building operations.
EPA initiated energy modeling studies at:
• High Bay Laboratory in the Main Building in RTP, North Carolina
• National Vehicle Fuel and Emissions Laboratory (NVFEL) in Ann Arbor, Michigan
• New England Regional Laboratory (NERL) in Chelmsford, Massachusetts
• Region 6 Laboratory in Houston, Texas
• Region 9 Laboratory in Richmond, California
• Region 10 Laboratory in Manchester, Washington
At the RTP High Bay Laboratory and at NVFEL, process energy loads have always represented a
large share of energy use and have increased over time due to miss ion-critical activities, which may
obscure these facilities' operational energy performance. At the request of the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, EPA added high-intensity chemical warfare suites to the Chelmsford, Houston,
Richmond, and Manchester laboratories in recent years, adding significant process energy loads that
did not exist in FY 2003 and were not included in the FY 2003 energy intensity baseline for these
facilities. EPA's modeling investigations will determine the respective portions of these laboratories'
energy use that are attributable to process energy loads and may be eligible for exclusion from the
Agency's reportable energy intensity under FEMP's Guidelines for Establishing Criteria for Excluding
Buildings.
Life Cycle Cost Analysis
EPA has well-established processes to evaluate the economic life cycle costs and return on
investment (ROI) for new facilities, major renovations, mechanical system upgrades and
replacements, and other facility projects. Through EPA's Five-Year Capital Investment Plan, Energy
Conservation Plan, Water Conservation Strategy, and Buildings and Facilities (B&F) Capital
Budgeting Process (also known as the B&F Project Ranking Process), the Agency ranks projects
based on financial criteria, including initial investment, energy and operational cost savings, Btu
and/or gallons saved per dollar, and potential for reducing facility maintenance.
For new major EPA facilities, GSA-owned buildings being renovated for EPA, or build-to-suit
buildings leased by GSA from private landlords for EPA, the Agency performs extensive energy
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 16
January 23, 2014
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modeling to ensure compliance with the requirement that new buildings and major renovations
perform 30 percent better than the ASHRAE 90.1 standard. During this process, EPA weighs the
cost of incremental mechanical system and building envelope investments against the energy cost
savings that will result from these investments. The Agency pursues energy efficiency performance
beyond the 30 percent better than ASHRAE standard when it can be achieved in a life cycle cost-
effective manner.
EISA Section 432 Implementation—Energy Assessments
EPA Completed Energy Assessments of 31 Percent of Covered Facilities as
Required by EISA, Ahead of Schedule
From June 2012 through June 2013, EPA conducted a variety of energy assessments and
recommissioning for facilities that represented more than 31 percent of the total energy use of
EPA's covered facilities (based on FY 2008 data, per EISA Section 432 guidance), surpassing the FY
2013 requirement of 25 percent. Recognizing that multiple projects from the first round of EISA
assessments are in the planning pipeline, and to reduce costs and avoid duplication, at some
locations EPA asked facility managers to update past assessments rather than coordinate new onsite
assessments via engineering firms. Facilities addressed under this approach in FY 2013 included the
Mid-Continent Ecology Division (MED) Laboratory in Duluth, Minnesota, and the Chapel Hill
Laboratory in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
The Agency collected information on potential energy conservation measures for all facilities
evaluated from June 2012 through June 2013 and compiled the associated implementation costs,
estimated annual energy savings, and estimated annual cost savings in a comprehensive report
submitted to FEMP in June 2013. See Table 1 below for a list of the reported measures.
Table 1. Potential Energy-Saving Projects From FY 2013 EISA Energy Assessments
Facility
Description of Potential Projects
Estimated
Annual Energy
Savings
Main Building in RTP,
North Carolina
Chilled water corrections at central utility plant (CUP),
including chiller control upgrades and automation;
replacement of chillers 1 and 2 with a variable chiller,
water balance system, and return-line repiping; and
setpoint adjustments
6.0 billion Btu
High Bay air and occupancy control
4.4 billion Btu
Optimization of air handling unit (AHU) system,
including airflow reduction and decreased hours of
3.1 billion Btu
operation
Exhaust energy recovery— glycol
1.3 billion Btu
Lighting reduction in office areas
0.2 billion Btu
Process water loop improvements
0.4 billion Btu
Fan shutoff during unoccupied hours
0.1 billion Btu
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AWBERC in Cincinnati,
Ohio
Dedicated heat recovery chiller
10.4 billion Btu
Air change rate reduction
4.5 billion Btu
Recommissioning of chiller plant, including:
implementation of process water system; automation of
chilled water plant operations; conversion from constant
volume chilled water pumping system to a
primary/secondary, variable flow pumping system; and
chilled water reset schedule
3.3 billion Btu
Installation of high performance, low velocity fume
hoods
3 billion Btu
Upgrade of exhaust fans to manifold, energy-efficient,
mixed-airflow fans with VAV terminals
Heat recovery system for exhaust and boiler room
combustion air
Nighttime setback programming
Variable speed drives
2.8 billion Btu
Boiler replacement
2.0 billion Btu
Controls optimization including fume hood airflow
reductions and calibrations; heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC) sequencing corrections; and
setpoints adjustments
1.1 billion Btu
Facility lighting upgrade, including interior lighting
replacement and office occupancy sensor installation
0.5 billion Btu
VAV retrofit
0.3 billion Btu
Information technology cooling retrofit
0.3 billion Btu
Window replacement
0.1 billion Btu
MED Laboratory in
Duluth, Minnesota
Air-to-air energy recovery
5.1 billion Btu
Building airflow balancing
3.0 billion Btu
Chilled water system adjustments, including: new pump
installation; opening of valve in the decouple pipe;
replacement of AHU 3-way valves with 2-way valves;
and system rebalancing
0.5 billion Btu
Differential pressure sensor monitoring
0.1 billion Btu
Operational adjustments for AHU terminal units
0.1 billion Btu
Chapel Hill Laboratory in
Chapel Hill, North
Carolina
HVAC upgrades, including: centralized high dilution
exhaust fans and variable volume AHUs; energy recovery
coils; premium efficient motors; variable volume low-
flow fume hoods; replacement of constant volume
system with VAV; removal of existing AHU-1A and IB;
and connection of offices supply to AHU-2
20 billion Btu
Programmable lighting controls for interior and exterior
lighting applications
9.6 billion Btu
Steam system upgrades, including: replacement of
existing electric condensate pumps with pressure power
pumps; recovery of flash steam where possible for use in
building reheat; adjustment of balancing valves on
condensate discharge piping; indirect waste receptor or
squelching system to lower temperatures of steam
condensate discharged into the sanitary sewer; and
possible capture and return of humidification steam
condensate
5.0 billion Btu
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 18
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Control upgrades
4.8 billion Btu
National Computer
Center in RTP, North
Carolina
Setpoint modification for computer room air
conditioning (CRAC) units
3.1 billion Btu
Optimization of AHU operations and outdoor air
reduction
0.7 billion Btu
Lighting reduction in offices and storage rooms
0.1 billion Btu
EPA is simultaneously focusing on implementing key projects identified during four previous years
of assessments and working with the facilities on measurement and verification efforts. EPA will
continue to re-evaluate its covered facilities per EISA requirements for further energy- and water-
saving opportunities, relying on the expertise of the federal energy managers at these facilities. EPA
also plans to conduct energy assessments at four non-covered facilities in FY 2014.
Current Energy Retrofits and Capital Improvement Projects
In FY 2013, several EPA facilities achieved significant energy intensity reductions compared to FY
2012 as a result of recently completed projects, which contributed to the Agency's overall progress.
These facilities include, in descending order of total annual energy consumption:
• AWBERC in Cincinnati, Ohio (16.1 percent reduction)
• Chapel Hill Laboratory in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (15.0 percent reduction)
• National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL) in Montgomery, Alabama
(12.6 percent reduction)
• National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) and Radiation and Indoor Environments
National Laboratory (R&IENL) in Las Vegas, Nevada (30.9 percent reduction)
In addition, EPA has several projects underway that will contribute to the Agency's future energy
savings. In FY 2013, EPA continued work on a multi-phase infrastructure replacement project (IRP)
at its AWBERC facility in Cincinnati, Ohio. Construction of Phase V, which includes upgrading to a
VAV HVAC system, replacing old fume hoods with energy-efficient fume hoods outfitted with
automatic sash closures, and upgrading building controls for better monitoring and controllability, is
expected to be completed by March 2014. EPA also continued significant energy-saving projects at
its Main Building in RTP, North Carolina, including a laboratory controls optimization project and
laboratory airflow reductions, which are expected to reduce the facility's energy use by 19 billion Btu
per year.
In FY 2013, EPA made progress on the energy efficiency efforts listed in Table 2 below, which
represent more than 58 billion Btu of total annual energy savings.
'1'ablc 2. Fnerjjy Conservation Projects I nderway or Completed in FY 2013
Facility
Description of Improvements
Estimated Annual
E nergy Sa vings
AWBERC in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Completed the IRP Phase IV construction in December
2012; continued to make progress on Phase V, the last
major phase of the IRP, with construction completion
expected by March 2014. Phase V involves the
13 billion Btu
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 19
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renovation of animal rooms and associated offices,
including modifications to exhaust distribution systems.
Completed the retrofit of VAV fume hoods to provide
hibernation/decommissioning capabilities in November
2012 (this allows fume hoods to operate at dramatically
reduced minimum airflows, thus saving energy when the
hoods are not in use).
6 billion Btu
Contracted to commission all five phases of the IRP in
FY 2013.
2.6 billion Btu
Main Building in
RTP, North Carolina
Completed airflow reductions in Building A Laboratory
corridor, animal suite, and cage wash areas.
9 billion Btu
Completed low-cost measures in Building C, including
re-sequencing kitchen fans and providing demand-
controlled ventilation for conference rooms.
3.4 billion Btu
Completed a comprehensive laboratory controls
optimization Phase 2 (LCOP-2) at High Bay Laboratory
and Building A that included: fume hood control
upgrades; decoupling of lights and fume hoods to safely
reduce unnecessarily high ventilation rates; and fume
hood retrofits to allow containment at lower airflow
rates.
1.5 billion Btu
Completed proof of concept study to safely reduce
exhaust airflow for biological safety cabinets during
unoccupied hours.
0.8 billion Btu
NCC in RTP, North
Carolina
Raised setpoints for CRAC units to 76 ° Fahrenheit and
turned off five of the 12 CRAC units located on the data
center floor.
2.8 billion Btu
NHEERL/RTF
Consolidation in
RTP, North Carolina
Awarded design/build contracts in August 2012 to
accommodate the consolidation of laboratory staff and
equipment from the NHEERL/RTF facility into the
Main Building. Construction is underway and expected
to be completed by early summer 2014. Approximately
116 laboratory modules will be remodeled at the Main
Building as part of the consolidation. There will be a net
increase of 25 new fume hoods and four new biosafety
cabinets in the Main Building associated with the
consolidation.
EPA anticipates a
reduction in laboratory
space of approximately
32,200 GSF, as well as
rent and utility cost
savings. Agency energy
intensity should drop
slightly (as this metric is
normalized by GSF), and
Scope 1 and 2 GHG
emissions should drop
significantly (as this is an
absolute metric).
Chapel Hill
Laboratory in Chapel
Hill, North Carolina
Made progress toward hiring a resource efficiency
manager who would be dedicated exclusively to
managing energy use at the facility. EPA expects contract
execution in May 2014.
4.8 billion Btu
Hibernated an additional six fume hoods in FY 2013,
bringing the total to 14 hibernated fume hoods.
Because this is a constant
volume laboratory, EPA
only anticipates small
energy savings from this
effort.
ESC in Fort Meade,
Maryland
Completed a burner replacement project in January 2013
after completing final boiler and control tests under full
4.5 billion Btu
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 20
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load.
Implemented a lighting controls upgrade pilot in select
areas of the facility.
0.9 billion Btu
NAREL in
Montgomery,
Alabama
Completed Phase la of an IRP and initiated Phase lb.
The renovation project includes new laboratory and
office areas as well as two new AHUs capable of
providing HVAC for the entire main laboratory facility.
It also includes a new exhaust fan sized to serve the main
laboratory fume hoods. The IRP will ultimately reduce
fume hood capacity by 25 percent.
3.5 billion Btu
Completed a boiler replacement in FY 2013.
0.8 billion Btu
Completed lighting upgrades.
Energy savings data for
this project are not
available.
NVFEL in Ann
Arbor, Michigan
Added additional mission-critical space in FY 2013,
including the expansion of a heavy duty vehicle test cell
and an addition to vehicle compliance/portable
emissions measurement system building.
EPA does not anticipate
energy savings from this
additional space.
Atlantic Ecology
Division (AED)
Laboratory in
Narragansett, Rhode
Island
Continued to make progress on Phase 1 and 2 of the
facility's multi-year mechanical system IRP. Completed
upgrade of mechanical systems, including replacing
boiler and AHUs, and renovated section of chemistry
building.
4.5 billion Btu (once
Phases 1 and 2 are
completed)
NERL in
Chelmsford,
Massachusetts
Completed the installation of a dry cooler to supplement
the process chiller in May 2013.
0.1 billion Btu
Office of Research
and Development
(ORD) Laboratory in
Athens, Georgia
Completed chiller optimization and controls upgrade in
March 2013.
0.5 billion Btu
Completed window replacement in March 2013 to make
the building envelop more energy efficient.
Energy savings data for
this project are not
available.
Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs)
As with many federal agencies, EPA has limited capital funds to maintain existing laboratory
infrastructure, replace aging infrastructure, and reconfigure existing research laboratory space to
meet mission-critical needs. When appropriate, EPA considers ESPCs as a potential funding source
for energy-saving projects, if they enable the Agency to reduce the burden of up-front capital costs.
Although many of the Agency's energy-saving or renewable energy projects are often not viable
candidates for ESPCs (due to the advanced age and complexity of mechanical systems, the
laboratories' remote locations, and the smaller project sizes), EPA continues to evaluate its pipeline
of future energy projects for performance contracting opportunities.
In FY 2013, EPA evaluated a potential ESPC project at its Cincinnati, Ohio, AWBERC Laboratory,
involving the replacement of two aging steam boilers with a new heating system proposed by the
ESPCs energy service company (ESCO). Upon completing the preliminary assessment phase of the
ESPC process, EPA determined that the technical and financial specifications of the ESCO's
proposal were not in the Agency's best interest. The significant decrease in the price of natural gas
since 2011 made the project less cost-effective. As a result, EPA did not further pursue the
opportunity.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 21
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EPA is in the process of awarding a 20- to 25-year ESPC at the Region 2 Laboratory in Edison,
New Jersey, involving a photovoltaic (PV) installation. With a capacity of up to 2 megawatts (MW),
the proposed system would provide the Edison laboratory with more than 40 percent of its
electricity through renewable sources. In FY 2013, EPA completed a procurement package with the
Defense Logistics Agency, which included pricing and technical proposal requirements, and received
proposals from multiple ESCOs. EPA expects to award the ESPC in FY 2014, once detailed
negotiations with the preferred vendor are complete.
Green Power
EPA Continues to Offset 100 Percent of Electricity Use With Green Power
In FY 2006, EPA became the first federal agency to offset 100 percent of its electricity use with
green power. In FY 2013, EPA continued to be a leader among federal agencies by offsetting 100
percent of its estimated FY 2013 electricity use with purchased green power and RECs for the
eighth consecutive year.
In September 2012, EPA procured a blanket purchase agreement for a total of more than 246
million kWh of RECs that supported renewable energy generation from wind, landfill gas, and
biomass resources in twelve states, including Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Combined with three
additional contracts for delivered green power and RECs, EPA purchased more than 247 million
kWh of renewable energy in FY 2013, enough to offset 100 percent of the Agency's estimated
annual electricity at its 175 laboratories and offices across the country.
In an effort to maximize the positive impacts of its green power purchases, EPA began using a
solicitation strategy in FY 2013 to procure a portion of its total RECs from regions of the United
States where renewable energy generation would displace electricity generated from the highest
GHG-emitting conventional power plants, thus enabling EPA to have a greater impact on GHG
emission reductions. EPA used the Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database
(eGRID), its comprehensive source of data on the environmental characteristics of nearly all electric
power generated in the United States, to quantify the impact of green power purchases from
different regions on the Agency's Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions. EPA anticipates this
targeted REC purchasing strategy will enable the Agency to continue reducing Scope 2 GHG
emissions from purchased electricity in the future.
EPA signed a blanket purchase agreement for more than 260 million kWh of RECs in September
2013, which represents 100 percent of EPA's estimated FY 2014 conventional electricity
consumption in its offices, laboratories, and support buildings. In the event the Agency purchases
more than enough RECs to offset 100 percent of estimated Agencywide electricity use in a given
year, EPA is exploring the ability to utilize "spillover" RECs in future years. This accounting
refinement would increase the efficiency of EPA's green power purchasing strategy while cutting
costs.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 22
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Onsite Renewables and Distributed Generation
EPA installs onsite renewable energy systems at its facilities where practical and cost-effective. These
systems help the Agency diversify its energy supply and reduce energy losses from transmission and
distribution. In FY 2013, onsite renewable resources such as wind, solar, and geothermal power
supplied EPA with 5.8 billion Btu, equivalent to 0.46 percent of the Agency's energy use. Among
the Agency's numerous onsite renewable energy installations are:
• A ground source heat pump (GSHP) at the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center
in Ada, Oklahoma.
• A 100-kilowatt (kW) solar roof at the NCC in RTP, North Carolina.
• A 55-kW, thin-film solar PV system on the roof of the Main Building E, and a 52.5-kW solar
PV system on the roof of the Main Building B in RTP, North Carolina.
• A 5-kW solar PV array and four 1-kW wind turbines on the roof of the AED Laboratory in
Narragansett, Rhode Island.
• Eight 4.5-kW PV parking lot lighting fixtures at NAREL in Montgomery, Alabama.
• Solar hot water heating systems at the Region 2 Laboratory in Edison, New Jersey, and the
ORD Laboratory in Athens, Georgia.
Planned onsite renewable projects include a 2-MW solar PV installation for the Region 2 Laboratory
in Edison, New Jersey, as part of an ESPC.
Advanced Metering
Advanced Metering Hardware Installed or Under Construction to Capture
72 Percent of Agencywide Reportable Energy Consumption
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005) and EISA require federal agencies to install advanced
metering equipment for electricity (by FY 2012), and steam and natural gas (by FY 2016) to the
maximum extent practicable, considering return on investment and other criteria. Approximately 72
percent of EPA laboratories' energy use was measured by advanced metering hardware by the end of
FY 2013.
EPA is currently designing or constructing advanced metering projects in association with major
infrastructure replacements at three laboratories:
• NAREL in Montgomery, Alabama
• AED Laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island
• Western Ecology Division (WED) Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon
As a stand-alone project, the installation of advanced metering at these locations was not cost-
effective. Advanced metering became economically feasible, however, when combined with major
IRPs.
In FY 2014, EPA will continue to work toward capturing electricity consumption with advanced
metering at all facilities where it is cost-effective to do so.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 23
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Water Conservation
EPA's FY 2013 Water Intensity Is 38.8 Percent Lower Than FY 2007
Baseline
EO 13514 requires federal agencies to reduce their potable water intensity by 2 percent per year
through FY 2020, based on an FY 2007 baseline. Despite starting with a low 35.6 gallons per GSF
baseline in FY 2007, EPA continued to exceed the annual EO 13514 requirement for FY 2013 and
is on track to meet the FY 2020 federal requirement.
Through water-saving measures and capital improvement projects, EPA achieved a water intensity
of 21.8 gallons per GSF in FY 2013, which is a decrease of 38.8 percent compared with the FY 2007
baseline (see Figure 6 below). This reduction is 26.8 percent greater than the cumulative reduction
required by FY 2013. In absolute terms, EPA used 84.4 million gallons in FY 2013 compared to
136.5 million gallons in FY 2007. EPA's water use also fell 5.8 gallons per GSF in FY 2013, or 21.0
percent, compared to FY 2012.
Figure 6. EPA Water Intensity Relative to EO 13514 Target
-e 40
FY 2007 Baseline: 35.6 Gallons per GSF
Gallons per GSF
FY2013: 21.8 Gallons pet GSF
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EPA FY 2013 Atmital Energy and Water Report
24
23, 2014
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Agencywide Water Intensity and Percent Change from FY 2007 Baseline
FY 2007 Baseline: 35.6 gal/GSF
FY 2008: 33.7 gal/GSF: -5.52
-------
Golden,
Colorado
Robert S. Kerr
Environmental
Research
Center in Ada,
Oklahoma
Completed the installation of dual-flush toilets to replace 3.5-
gallon-per-flush (gpf) toilets, dual-flush handle retrofit kits on
1.6 gpf toilets, 0.5-gallon-per-minute (gpm) faucet aerators,
WaterSense® labeled showerheads and urinals, an air handler
condensate recovery system, and reverse osmosis system
meters. In FY 2014, EPA plans to replace the reverse osmosis
system with a more efficient system.
690,000 gallons
AWBERC in
Cincinnati,
Ohio
Eliminated single-pass cooling water on a cold water booster
pump.
300,000 gallons
NERL in
Chelmsford,
Massachusetts
Installed 0.5 gpm faucet aerators and completed a condensate
recovery system.
219,000 gallons
Science and
T echnology
Center (STC)
Laboratory in
Kansas City,
Kansas
Rerouted air handler condensate directly to the cooling tower.
137,000 gallons
Nonpotable ILA Water
EO 13514 set requirements for reducing ILA water use by 2 percent per year through FY 2020,
compared with an FY 2010 baseline, even if the water used for these purposes is nonpotable, fresh
water. In accordance with the Federal Agency Implementation of Water Efficiency and Management Provisions
o/EO 13514, EPA calculated its FY 2010 baseline for Agency nonpotable water use to be
135,191,600 gallons.
As of FY 2013, five EPA facilities use nonpotable ILA water from sources such as lakes, creeks, and
wells for purposes such as irrigation, agricultural research, and process cooling. These facilities
include:
• MED Laboratory in Duluth, Minnesota
• NERL in Chelmsford, Massachusetts
• ORD Laboratory in Athens, Georgia
• Science and Ecosystem Support Division Laboratory in Athens, Georgia
• Willamette Research Station in Corvallis, Oregon
EPA estimates that these facilities used a combined 6.4 million gallons of nonpotable water for ILA
use in FY 2013. This amount is 95.3 percent lower than the FY 2010 baseline of 135.2 million
gallons, and it exceeds the reduction requirements set forth in EO 13514. EPA will continue
assessing each facility's nonpotable water use through its EISA water assessments and will continue
reducing the Agency's nonpotable water use where possible.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 26
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Sustainable Building Design and High Performance
Buildings
EPA occupies more than 11 million square feet of space in more than 300 individual buildings
nationwide. EPA promotes energy and resource efficiency, waste reduction, pollution prevention,
indoor air quality, and other environmental factors both during new construction and in existing
buildings owned by the Agency or leased by GSA.
Transforming EPA's existing buildings to facilities that meet federal high performance sustainable
building standards is complex work. EPA uses a multi-pronged approach that includes energy and
water conservation projects, lighting system controls upgrades, scheduled recommissioning,
ventilation and thermal comfort testing and improvements, and stormwater management system
upgrades. The Agency has also developed Building Management Plan Templates— a comprehensive
set of sustainable building management procedures and policies that represent best practices,
minimum requirements, conformance assurance processes, and performance standards that help
ensure high performance sustainable building operations.
For new major lease acquisitions, EPA works with GSA to acquire high performance sustainable
buildings that exceed the environmental performance of the facilities being replaced. EPA has
developed a variety of strategies to help GSA meet these objectives. More details on these strategies
are available below and in the Agency's SSPP.
Upgrading Existing Agency-Owned Buildings to Meet the Guiding Principles
11.5 Percent of EPA's FY 2013 FRPP Inventory Meets the Guiding Principles,
Exceeding EO 13514 Requirements
EPA's laboratory and office spaces are divided among FRPP and non-FRPP buildings. An agency's
FRPP inventory consists of agency-owned or directly leased buildings; EPA's FRPP inventory
consists of about 4.3 million square feet in approximately 170 buildings. GSA provides EPA with
the remaining 6.9 million square feet of laboratory, office, and support space, either in GSA-owned
facilities or in facilities leased by GSA from private owners. EO 13514 requires that 15 percent of an
agency's FRPP inventory (by number of buildings) meet the Guiding Principles by FY 2015.5
At of the end of FY 2013, six buildings— or 11.5 percent— in EPA's FY 2013 FRPP inventory met
the Guiding Principles. This progress exceeds the January 2014 OMB goal of 11 percent and is three-
quarters of the way to meeting the FY 2015 requirement. The six buildings are:
• ESC in Fort Meade, Maryland
• NCC in RTP, North Carolina
• Child Care facility in RTP, North Carolina
• Gulf Ecology Division (GED) Laboratory Building 67 in Gulf Breeze, Florida
5 This requirement only applies to buildings that are 5,000 square feet or larger. EPA has 52 buildings at 18 locations in
its projected FY 2015 FRPP inventory that are subject to this requirement.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 27
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• AWBERC Annex II in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Large Lakes Research Station (LLRS) in Grosse lie, Michigan
Implementing the Guiding Principles
To improve the environmental performance of EPA facilities so that they meet the Guiding
Principles, EPA must coordinate numerous facility upgrades, including:
• Energy and water conservation projects
• Lighting controls upgrades
• Irrigation system curtailments or removals
• Stormwater management improvements
• Commissioning
• Verification that appropriate ventilation and thermal comfort standards are met
• Development of Building Management Plans
In September 2013, the ESC in Fort Meade, Maryland, became EPA's second facility to meet the
Guiding Principles under EPA's internal certification system. This followed EPA's 2012 certification of
the LLRS in Grosse lie, Michigan, which was EPA's first existing building to meet the Guiding
Principles for Sustainable Existing Buildings requirements (December 2008 version). In FY 2014,
EPA will continue to work closely with facility staff at two other facilities— the Agency's AED
Laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island; and the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center
in Ada, Oklahoma— where Guiding Principles implementation efforts are underway.
With multiple facilities now having used and customized the Building Management Plan
Guidelines (BMPGs), EPA believes the BMPGs are an understandable, educational, and value-
added tool that will improve the environmental operating performance of the Agency's facilities.
The BMPGs represent an appropriate and efficient path toward helping EPA's existing buildings
meet the Guiding Principles.
GreenCheck
GreenCheck is a process EPA uses to formally identify environmental performance goals for each
new EPA facility, significant renovation/construction project, and lease of EPA-occupied space.
These goals include meeting the requirements of EPAct 2005, EO 13423, EISA, the Guiding
Principles, and EO 13514, as well as the Agency's own policies as reflected in its Best Practice
(Environmental) Lease Provisions and updated Architecture and Engineering Guidelines. EPA updates the
GreenCheck checklist periodically to incorporate new requirements and address lessons learned
from reviews.
All projects requiring funding in excess of $85,000 and affecting at least 5,000 GSF (or increasing
impervious area by more than 5,000 GSF) qualify for a full GreenCheck review. In FY 2013, EPA
staff screened 10 major construction projects and lease actions through the GreenCheck process. To
fulfill its commitment to auditing five percent of GreenCheck forms annually, EPA reviewed the
Region 9 Office renovation in 2013 to ensure that all applicable sustainable acquisition requirements
were included in the design documents.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 28
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Green Building Certifications
EPA often utilizes USGBC's LEED green building certification program as one of many tools for
acquiring high performance green buildings and ensuring their continued performance. EPA has
extensive experience with the LEED for New Construction and LEED for Commercial Interiors
rating systems. Periodic re certification under the LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating system
is also required throughout the term of the building's rental when leasing from GSA.
Major new building construction projects initiated by EPA since 1997, whether EPA-owned, GSA-
owned, or GSA-leased, that have been certified under the LEED for New Construction rating
system include:
• AWBERC Annex II in Cincinnati, Ohio
• Child Care facility in RTP, North Carolina
• GED Laboratory Building 67 in Gulf Breeze, Florida
• NCC in RTP, North Carolina
• NERL in Chelmsford, Massachusetts
• Potomac Yard One in Arlington, Virginia
• Potomac Yard Two in Arlington, Virginia
• Region 1 Office in Boston, Massachusetts
• Region 7 Office in Lenexa, Kansas
• Region 8 Office in Denver, Colorado
• STC in Kansas City, Kansas
In FY 2013, the Caribbean Environmental Protection Division (CEPD) in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico,
received Gold certification under the LEED for Commercial Interiors rating system, and both the
William J. Clinton Building North and South in Washington, D.C., and the La Plaza Building C in
Las Vegas, Nevada, were certified Silver under the LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating
system. EPA moved into its new Region 7 Office building in Lenexa, Kansas, in FY 2013; this
facility has already begun its performance period for the LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating
system.
As of FY 2013, approximately 28 percent (by GSF) of EPA's owned or leased buildings are certified
either under EPA's own internal certification system for existing buildings that meet the Guiding
Principles, the LEED for New Construction rating system, LEED for Commercial Interiors rating
system, or the LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating system.
Looking ahead to FY 2014, EPA's Region 7 Office in Lenexa, Kansas, is also targeting Gold
certification under the LEED for New Construction rating system (having already received the
Silver certification) and Platinum under the LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M rating system.
ENERGY STAR Building Label
Since 2003, EPA has required all large, newly leased buildings to have earned the ENERGY STAR
building label prior to lease award or within 18 months of the completion date for new construction.
EPA now also requires all new leases for major office buildings to qualify for the ENERGY STAR
label every three years, where market conditions make it feasible. EPA's goal, on an ongoing basis, is
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report 29
January 23, 2014
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for all its large offices, including regional offices and Headquarters buildings, to have earned the
ENERGY STAR building label within the last three years.
Six EPA Headquarters facilities have earned the ENERGY STAR label in the last three years:
• William J. Clinton North and South Headquarters Building in Washington, D.C. (2011)
• William J. Clinton East, West, and Connecting Wing in Washington, D.C. (2012)
• Potomac Yard One EPA Headquarters Building in Arlington, Virginia (2013)
• Potomac Yard Two EPA Headquarters Building in Arlington, Virginia (2013)
• Franklin Court Building in Washington, D.C. (2013)
• 1310 L Street Headquarters Building (2012)
In addition, as of FY 2013 all EPA regional offices have earned the ENERGY STAR label:
Region 1 Office in Boston, Massachusetts (2012)
Region 2 Office in New York, New York (2012)
Region 3 Office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (2013)
Region 4 Office in Atlanta, Georgia (2013)
Region 5 Office in Chicago, Illinois (2012)
Region 6 Office in Dallas, Texas (2013)
Region 7 Office in Lenexa, Kansas (2011)
Region 8 Office in Denver, Colorado (2008)
Region 9 Office in San Francisco, California (2013)
Region 10 Office in Seattle, Washington (2013)
Of these facilities, all but one earned the ENERGY STAR label within the last three years.
Use of ENERGY STAR and Other Energy-Efficient Products
EPA currently tracks and reports the purchase of ENERGY STAR qualified, FEMP-designated, and
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered personal computers,
notebook computers, and monitors. As a result of the recent expansion of the EPEAT Program to
include imaging equipment and televisions, EPA is broadening its tracking and reporting system to
account for the Agency's progress toward the 95 percent EPEAT acquisition goal inclusive of
imaging equipment and televisions.
Zero-Net-Energy Buildings
EO 13514 requires that, beginning in 2020, all new federal buildings entering the planning process
be designed to achieve zero-net-energy status by 2030. Zero-net-energy means the building
produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year and produces no net GHG emissions.
Ideally, to achieve zero-net-energy status, a building must first greatly reduce its energy use through
attentive design and construction (for new buildings) and deep retrofits (for existing buildings).
EPA prefers to meet remaining energy needs through onsite renewable energy sources or, if that
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January 23, 2014
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approach is impractical, by acquiring renewable energy from offsite sources. EPA plans to follow
this approach for all new building designs starting in 2020.
EPA has achieved zero-net-energy status for one facility through this approach. The Robert S. Kerr
Environmental Research Center in Ada, Oklahoma, essentially eliminated onsite fossil fuel
combustion for heating and cooling by installing a GSHP system via an ESPC in 2004 and by using
VAV laboratory ventilation. The facility offsets its conventional electricity use with purchased RECs
Two other EPA facilities also meet criteria for zero-net-energy buildings: the Region 7 Office in
Lenexa, Kansas, and the GED Laboratory in Gulf Breeze, Florida. These facilities operate
using electricity only. In other words, with the exception of emergency generator fuel use, no fossil
fuels are combusted onsite for facility heating and cooling. In FY 2013, EPA purchased enough
RECs to offset the facilities' estimated annual electricity consumption.
Recycling and Waste Diversion
EPA's Recycling Rate Reaches 64.7 Percent in FY 2013
Based on data submitted by EPA facilities, including Headquarters, regional offices, and regional
laboratories, the Agency achieved a 64.7 percent solid waste recycling rate in FY 2013, recycling
1,819 tons of materials and diverting 362 tons of organic waste from landfills. EO 13514 requires
federal agencies to meet a non-hazardous solid waste recycling rate of 50 percent by FY 2015.
Through its recycling, reuse, donation, composting, and other waste reduction efforts, EPA has
already exceeded this goal. As a result, the Agency set a more aggressive, internal recycling goal of 55
percent. EPA surpassed this goal in FY 2013 and is on track to continue to exceed it again in the
coming years.
In FY 2013, EPA refined its recycling rate calculation methodology to align with current best
practices. This minor modification did not have a material impact on the Agency's historical
recycling performance.
Several EPA facilities significantly contributed to EPA's increased non-hazardous solid waste
recycling rate, including:
• AED Laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island: 91.6 percent
• Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center in Ada, Oklahoma: 88.5 percent
• EPA's campus in Cincinnati, Ohio: 83.5 percent
• NVFEL in Ann Arbor, Michigan: 80.1 percent
EPA anticipates it will continue to increase its Agencywide recycling rate in FY 2014.
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Stormwater Management
Stormwater runoff in urban areas is one of the leading sources of water pollution in the United
States. EPA has worked closely with other federal agencies to develop technical guidance on
stormwater management, and the Agency is committed to implementing designs at its facilities that
satisfy EISA requirements through green infrastructure/low impact development (LID) projects.
EPA has adopted its Office of Water Technical Guidance on Implementing the Stormwater Runoff
Requirements for Federal Projects for all new construction and major renovation projects greater than
5,000 square feet to ensure EISA Section 438 compliance.
The A Wing addition at EPA's Main Building in RTP, North Carolina, associated with the RTF
consolidation into the Main Building, will include a 1,500-square foot bio-retention area to treat
stormwater runoff and meet EISA Section 438 requirements.
EPA's stormwater management efforts will continue in FY 2014 in accordance with the
requirements set forth in EO 13514, EISA Section438, and the GuidingPrinciples, which require
EISA compliance and implementation of outdoor potable water use reduction strategies for
landscape irrigation.
On Track for the Future
EPA is continually working to reduce its GHG emissions, energy intensity, water conservation, solid
waste, and other resource use; to incorporate sustainable design and operations across its facilities;
and to be a model of sustainability for other federal agencies. In FY 2014, the Agency will continue
to build on these efforts by focusing on GHG emissions reduction efforts; pursuing new energy
efficiency projects and completing ongoing ones; and focusing on projects in areas such as green
power, green buildings, advanced metering, water conservation, and waste diversion. EPA will
continue to be a leader among federal agencies in the challenge to promote sustainability and reduce
the environmental impact of its facilities and operations. For additional data on the Agency's FY
2013 environmental performance, see EPA's Annual GHG and Sustainability Data Report.
EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report
32
January 23, 2014
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Appendix A:
List of Excluded Facilities
For Submittal With EPA's
Energy Management and Conservation Program
FY 2013 Annual Report
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EPA FY 2013 Annual Energy and Water Report January 23, 2014
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Appendix A - List of Excluded Facilities
Tabic A-l. Ijsi of lixcluded I'aciliiics
Facility
Explanation
FY 2013 Energy
Consumption
Research
Vessel, Mid-
Continent
Ecology
Division
(MED)
Laboratory,
Duluth,
Minnesota
A research vessel based out of the MED Laboratory in Duluth,
Minnesota, consumes energy when it is docked; this is known as "cold
iron energy." FEMP's Guidelines for Establishing Criteria for Excluding
Buildings, dated January 27, 2006, states that "Federal ships that consume
'Cold Iron Energy' (energy used to supply power and heat to ships
docked in port)," are "assumed to already be excluded from the energy
performance requirements of Section 543" of EPAct 2005. Therefore,
EPA is reporting the energy consumed by this vessel in FY 2013 in the
Energy Goal Excluded category of the GHG and Sustainability Data
Report accompanying this narrative. The energy consumed by this vessel
was, however, included in the Agency's Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions
calculations per the EO 13514 Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and
Reporting Guidance.
39,263 kWh
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