A snapshot of EM’s sustainability achieves in fiscal year 2015.

WASHINGTON, D.C.EM reduced its carbon footprint by 34 percent in fiscal year 2015, exceeding the Department’s target of 19 percent, and moved past other sustainability goals DOE set in its initiative to cut greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy use intensity.

   “EM’s sustainability efforts are a viable means to accomplish the mission in a sustainable and cost-effective manner, thereby driving EM to make optimum use of its limited resources, operate in a more highly efficient manner, and reduce its carbon footprint,” said Andrew Szilagyi, director for EM’s Office of Deactivation and Decommissioning/Facility Engineering.

   Szilagyi is responsible for promoting sustainability within EM and ensuring the goals are met. EM is aligned with a government wide-effort to ensure federal agencies are leading by example in fulfilling their missions sustainably.

   EM’s overall carbon footprint reductions were driven primarily by decreased emissions associated with purchased coal and electricity, due in large part to the Savannah River Site (SRS) biomass cogeneration plants, which replaced coal with biomass. EM’s reductions can be compared to the greenhouse gas emissions from 62,000 passenger vehicles driven for a year, or the carbon dioxide emissions from 33 million gallons of gasoline consumed.

   In fiscal year 2015, EM lowered its energy use intensity by 29 percent, water use intensity by 28 percent, increased its renewable energy use by 24 percent, and ensured that 100 percent of its computers, laptops and monitors have power management software enabled to minimize energy use.

   The Department’s Sustainability Performance Office develops the sustainability goals, which are laid out in the annual Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan as required by executive order. The plan focuses on 10 fiscal year 2015 goals, including greenhouse gas emissions and energy intensity reductions.