Gulf Breeze, Florida

This facility features the following green attributes:
Green Power

Water Management Plan

Native Landscaping

Gulf Ecology Division Laboratory

Total Facility Area: 79,450 gross square feet (GSF)
Estimated Personnel: 123 persons
Energy Consumption: 17,227,699,800 Btu per year
Btu per GSF per Year: 216,837
Total Water Consumption: 6,822,061 gallons per year
Gallons per GSF per Year: 86

All energy and water data are reported as of FY 2007.

Description

The Gulf Breeze laboratory is a primary research facility of the EPA National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory under the Office of Research and Development (ORD). The Gulf Ecology Division on Sabine Island conducts research on the impact of toxic chemicals and pesticides on marine, estuarine, and wetland organisms and communities; monitors and assesses the chemical and biological status of marine and estuarine systems; predicts the ecological effects of the release of genetically altered organisms; and develops microbial strategies to degrade toxic chemicals in the environment.

2007 H2Overachiever and Leading Edge Award Winner

Unique Environmental Features

Energy Conservation

The new Computational and Geospacial Sciences Building employs a variety of energy-efficient measures, such as occupancy sensors, many skylights and windows to increase daylighting, and a porch with a reflective roof to provide shading.
In FY 2003, EPA completed an HVAC upgrade in the main laboratory, adding an air-to-air heat exchanger and direct digital controls.
EPA utilizes timers on approximately 20 electric water heaters to save energy during off-peak hours.
In 1996, a Dinh-style heat pipe dehumidification system was installed in the air handling system at the Gulf Breeze laboratory. A 1998 EPA study showed that the heat pipe saved 153,775 kilowatt hours (kWh) in annual energy consumption (about 10 percent of the facility's total) and $7,700 in annual energy costs. See the full report: Heat Pipe Effectiveness Study for more information.

Green Power

In FY 2008, EPA continued to support the renewable energy market by purchasing green power through two separate Agencywide blanket contracts for a combined total of 380 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of renewable energy certificates (RECs), or “green tags,” from Sterling Planet , Luminant Energy Company , and FPL Energy . These purchases will allow EPA to offset 100 percent of electricity consumption for FY 2008 and the first half of FY 2009 at the Gulf Breeze laboratory, as well as many other EPA facilities across the Agency. Procured through the Defense Energy Support Center, these contracts support renewable energy generation from wind and biomass resources in nine states.
In June 2006, EPA signed a contract to acquire 110 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in renewable energy certificates (RECs), or "green tags," from 3 Phases Energy Services over the period September 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007. This blanket purchase supplied EPA with enough RECs through FY 2007 to offset 100 percent of annual electricity consumption at the Gulf Breeze laboratory and other EPA facilities not covered by separate green power contracts. Procured through the Defense Energy Support Center , this contract supported wind power generation in California, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
In FY 1998, EPA installed a PV system to generate onsite electricity to light the facility's piers. On September 16, 2004, EPA's Gulf Ecology Division Laboratory was hit by intense wind, rain, and a storm surge caused by Hurricane Ivan. Many of the laboratory facilities suffered roofing damage and the strong storm surge resulted in flooding of up to 10 inches in certain buildings. The laboratory's location on the north side of Sabine Island protected it from the brunt of the Gulf of Mexico's wave action, but parts of the facility's piers were washed away by the storm. As a result, the laboratory's photovoltaic (PV) pier lighting system is no longer operational. After extended clean-up efforts, power and water were restored to the facility in mid-October 2004.

Green Building

The Computational and Geospacial Sciences Building is expected to receive LEED-NC Silver certification.

Water Conservation

The Computational and Geospacial Sciences Building includes an extensive rainwater capture and reuse system, which provides 100 percent of the water for the urinals and dual-flush toilets in the building and greatly lowers its potable water needs and consumption. To lower water consumption even further, high-efficiency, high-performance plumbing fixtures were installed throughout the building.
In September 2007, EPA completed a water management plan for the Gulf Ecology Division Laboratory (PDF) (19 pp, 547K, About PDF).
Combined with an initiative to eliminate the use of single-pass cooling water, an adjustment to the cooling tower set points made in May 2007 has helped the facility reduce water use.
Landscaping around the facility is composed of native, self-sustaining vegetation that does not require landscape irrigation.

Stormwater Management

The facility has a grassed swale, which helps convey stormwater from impervious surfaces to those that can detain or absorb runoff. For more information, see Stormwater Management at EPA Facilities.

Additional Features

All of the facility's chlorofluorocarbons were replaced by 1998.

For More Information

Clay Peacher (peacher.clay@epa.gov)
One Sabine Island Drive
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
Phone: (850) 934-9239; (850) 934-9200 (general)
Fax: (850) 934-9201

Web site: www.epa.gov/ged/welcome.htm