The Department of Energy (DOE) has set aggressive but achievable goals for energy reduction at its headquarters facilities in the Forrestal Building in downtown Washington, DC, and Germantown, MD. The Office of Logistics and Facilities Operations has finalized an Energy Savings and Performance Contract (ESPC), which includes a combination of energy conservation measures (ECMs) in infrastructure and occupant comfort improvements. This ESPC project, when combined with initiatives already completed by DOE, will nearly meet the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007), and also Executive Order 13423 and 13514 energy reduction goals.
Project Highlights
- Reduce HQ carbon emissions over 3,500 metric tons per year.
- Annual cost savings of over $1.5 million.
- A nearly 22 percent reduction in energy consumption compared to the 2003 baseline.
- Showcase technologies to demonstrate DOE leadership.
- Places DOE-HQ in “High Performance” class of buildings.
- Solves operations problems and improves performance and reliability.
- A permanent solution to many longstanding comfort challenges at Forrestal due to obsolete systems.
- Energy use reduction nearly meeting the requirements of EISA 2007, EO 13423, and EO 13514.
DOE Headquarters Buildings are Energy Star Rated
- In 2007 Forrestal was Energy Star rated – 1 of only 2 federally operated buildings in DC to earn this distinction at the time.
- In 2002 the Germantown Building received the Energy Star rating.
Renewable Energy Purchasing
- DOE HQ purchased 96% of its electricity as renewable power.
- In FY 2007, HQ purchased 100% of Forrestal’s electricity as renewable.
- DOE HQ has far exceeded the Federal renewable energy goals of 3%.
Project Specifics
The ESPC provides a significant operations and maintenance (O&M) component, to ensure that ECMs are properly maintained, and to help ensure savings persist. This ESPC includes:
New Chiller Plant - Forrestal --> Reducing HQ energy consumption by 11%
Consolidates 25 existing inefficient and aging chillers into a single new central chilled water plant. It also includes adding controls to turn off eight domestic hot water circulating pumps during off hours.
- Utilizes latest high-efficiency variable speed centrifugal chiller technology.
- Recapitalizes and eliminates maintenance on 25 critical process chillers.
- Provides 100 percent redundant capacity for exceptional reliability.
- Minimizes required pumping energy.
- Reduces heat losses from domestic hot water piping system.
- Reduces chilled water costs during summer by using excess high-efficiency chiller capacity to reduce purchased chilled water.
New Air Handling System - Forrestal --> Reducing HQ energy consumption 9%
A major renovation to the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by upgrading to modern controls and variable frequency drives (VFDs) for 40 air handling units (AHUs) and installing over 250 new variable air volume (VAV) terminals to replace aging reheat coils.
- Major recapitalization of obsolete and dysfunctional mechanical infrastructure.
- Improves many longstanding comfort issues.
- Eliminates the need for personal electric heaters during summer and winter.
- Improves reliability and customer service.
- Uses the least amount of airflow, chilled water, and steam to get the job done.
- Reduces operations and maintenance costs associated with blocked reheat coils.
Lighting Upgrade -Forrestal Canopy Exterior Lighting System --> Reducing HQ energy consumption by 1%
- State-of-the-art LED technology increases bulb life in hard to access locations and saves energy while showcasing next generation hardware.
- Over 85 percent energy reduction for outdoor canopy lighting while improving light levels.
Water Conservation - Domestic Water Fixture Upgrades in Germantown --> Reduce HQ water consumption by 11%
The Germantown upgrades include replacing existing toilets with high efficiency piston valve toilets, existing urinals with high-efficiency urinals, and existing showerheads with pressure-compensating low-flow units, and retrofitting the existing faucets with low-flow aerators.
- Saves over 65 percent of sanitary water consumption at Germantown.
- Reduces natural gas usage associated with hot water by 20 percent at Germantown.
- New high-efficiency toilets provide 20 to 30 percent water savings over standard 1.6 gpf ultra low-flow toilet systems, as well as lower maintenance costs.
- Battery-powered flush sensors provide hands-free operation, resulting in improved hygiene.
- A survey at Forrestal showed that almost all of the plumbing fixtures are already efficient.