SAVE Award 2011 Ideas

Geothermal heating and air-conditioning systems cost more up front but, for long-term facilities, provide significant payback. Implementing geothermal HVAC for all government buildings expected to be in service for 20 or more years will decrease fuel demand, diminish global warming/heating, and increase the supply of contractors who can install such systems and do the necessary drilling, thereby lowering the cost for... more »

Maximum use of the DOE/FEMP ESPCs should be made mandatory (not just a recommendation) to conserve and produce as much energy as possible at all federal sites and buildings. The ESPCs provide “self-funding” and easily-authorized energy improvements but are grossly underutilized and largely unknown in the federal system. The ESPCs were established in the mid 1990s to help federal agencies, sites and buildings upgrade... more »

Let’s get right down to it. Employees that do not have a pressing need to work past core hours should not be enabled to do so. Here is why. Energy wasters: Computers remain on all night after normal work hours; office lights are kept on throughout the night; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning remain on after leaving the office.

All of these energy wasters (and money consumers) have solutions, and I’ll tackle... more »

The Federal Government is the Nation’s largest single energy consumer and occupies over 3 billion square feet of office space. Executive Order 13514 charges agencies with increasing energy efficiency and reducing operating expenses in Federal buildings by 3% per year. Many agencies already cut the HVAC power or office lights after regular working hours and on weekends. However, there are several periods throughout the... more »