WASHINGTON, DC – The White House today honored five energy management teams from the Departments of Defense, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Postal Service for their dedication and leadership in the conservation and prudent management of energy use in their facilities and operations.  These teams, including 49 federal employees and contractors, are responsible for efforts that have resulted in estimated annual savings of more than $12 million and 417 billion Btu, equivalent to the energy used in approximately 6,000 typical homes.

“These leaders deserve recognition for their innovative work in energy efficiency and management across the government,” OMB Deputy Director for Management Clay Johnson said.  “Finding alternative and renewable sources of energy is a priority for this Administration.  These cutting-edge projects have produced results that have saved taxpayers millions of dollars, and are great examples of what the rest of the Federal government and the entire country need to do to help increase economic and energy security.”

The Presidential Awards for Leadership in Federal Energy Management, established by Executive Order 13123, support President Bush’s National Energy Policy, which calls for America to modernize conservation efforts, increase energy supplies, accelerate the protection and improvement of the environment, and increase our nation’s energy security.  The Policy specifically directs Executive Branch departments and agencies to conserve energy use in their facilities.  The Energy Policy Act of 2005 also calls on the federal government to reduce its energy intensity by 2 percent each year, and requires that the Federal government purchase at least 7.5 percent of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2013.

The Awards were selected from nominations submitted by the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program to the Office of Management and Budget’s Deputy Director for Management Clay Johnson, who reviewed the nominations and recommended the award recipients to the President.  Recognized at the seventh annual ceremony were energy teams from the Navy, Marine Corps, Social Security Administration, and U.S. Postal Service.

“Through the President’s Advanced Energy Initiative as well as with help from the Energy Policy Act of 2005, we are working to lead energy efficiency efforts across the nation,” U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Alexander Karsner said.

The five winning teams of the 2006 Presidential Awards for Leadership in Federal Energy Management received awards for the following achievements:

U.S. Department of Defense
Naval Base Coronado
San Diego, California
Naval Base Coronado’s (NBC) comprehensive program includes implementing a variety of energy and water-saving projects; using Resource Efficiency Managers; providing employee incentive programs; and incorporating energy management practices into its mission. 2005 projects include decentralized steam plants, high efficiency boilers, high-efficiency washers, solar power and lighting, and water conservation retrofits.  Since 1985, NBC lowered its energy intensity by 45 percent to a remarkable 48,350 Btu per square foot in FY 2005.  Since the previous year, NBC used 13.2 billion Btu less energy, savings equivalent to the energy use of 189 typical California households.

Social Security Administration (SSA)
Energy Initiatives Team
Agency-Wide Implementation
SSA completed several solar projects, the most recent being the largest federal solar array in Chicago, which generates enough electricity daily to power 100 homes and over its lifetime will save the equivalent of 1,400 tons of coal. SSA used utility energy services contracts and energy savings performance contracts to install energy efficiency and water-conserving improvements, and to purchase Energy Star® products and green power. SSA policies incorporate and require life-cycle cost analyses for major retrofits, application of sustainable design principles for new buildings, Energy Star® equipment, and consideration of renewable energy technologies.

U.S. Department of Defense
Naval Undersea Warfare Center
Division Keyport, Washington
The Keyport Naval Undersea Warfare Center has built energy efficiency and water conservation principles into its standard practices and procedures. Due to these practices, overall energy intensity dropped 7.4 percent from the previous year—nearly 18.4 billion Btu, enough for 263 area households—and almost 33 percent from the 1985 baseline. Keyport also incorporates LEED criteria into new building construction, awarded a utility energy service contract to construct a sub-metering network to better track energy consumption, and reduced its petroleum consumption by transitioning to more fuel-efficient vehicle models.

U.S. Department of Defense
Continuous Energy Efficiency and Management Program
Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Arizona
MCAS Yuma worked with its local utility to implement projects through a utility energy services contract, which will produce energy savings at no net cost to taxpayers. Projects included use of highly efficient LED technologies in airfield aviation and safety applications, retrofitting low pressure sodium lighting with T-5 high output fluorescent fixtures, and water conservation projects such as desert landscaping. In 2005, Yuma reduced its energy use per square foot by 3.5 percent compared to 2004 and 40 percent compared to a 1985 baseline. This savings of 8.1 billion Btu from the previous year is enough energy for 116 typical area homes.

United States Postal Service (USPS)
Pacific Area Energy Program Committee
California, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada
The USPS Pacific Area Energy Program has become a model program for other USPS Areas and federal energy management programs to emulate. In 2004 and 2005, energy audits were conducted at 322 postal sites, and 276 facilities initiated on-site generation projects to achieve greater energy efficiency.  The actions of the Pacific Area Energy Team resulted in investment of $108 million and annual savings of approximately $9.4 million and nearly 340 billion Btu—enough for more than 4,800 typical households in the region. Included in these efforts was the development of the largest civilian agency stock of solar photovoltaic systems.

Media contact(s):
DOE: Chris Kielich, (202) 586-5806
OMB: Andrea Wuebker (202) 395-7254