U.S. agencies honored for conservation

Five U.S. federal agencies that collectively prevented the emission of approximately 240,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide were honored with 2002 Presidential Awards for Leadership in Federal Energy Management on October 24. The awardees included three Department of Defense (DOD) divisions. The Pentagon Renovation team “set a high standard for energy efficiency with its use of environmentally-preferable building materials and products, and through recycling 70% of all construction debris,” according to the Department of Energy. The DOD’s Navy Shipboard Energy Conservation Team saved 1,012,000 barrels of fuel, in part by installing stern flaps on Navy ships. The DOD’s Fort Detrick invested $25 million to improve its facility to realize $60 million in energy savings through its Partnership for Energy Performance (PEP) program. The General Services Administration’s investment of almost $50 million in new equipment allowed the agency to save enough energy to provide for the annual consumption of approximately 10 million square feet of office space. And the Department of Commerce cut its annual energy use by 2%. For more information about the Presidential Awards for Leadership in Federal Energy Management, go to www.eren.doe.gov/femp/prodtech/awards/awardsprog.html.