Awards and Recognitions
Over the past several years, a concerted effort has been made to make energy efficiency and water conservation a driving force in facilities management at PNNL. The success of these efforts is demonstrated by the recognition the laboratory has received from those agencies in the forefront of energy and water conservational issues.
PNNL is always willing to share this information and help others in the public or private sector apply these strategies. For additional information on any of the programs noted in these awards, contact Marv Olson.
Federal Awards and Recognition | DOE Awards and Recognitions | DOE Laboratory Performance Awards | Other External Awards | International Awards | Golden Circles Award | Internal Awards
Federal Awards and Recognition
Federal Facility Showcase. In 1996, DOE's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) designated PNNL's Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory a Federal Showcase Facility. The showcase program implements an Executive Order 13123 requirement that agencies designate exemplary new and existing facilities with significant public access and exposure as showcase facilities to highlight energy or water efficiency and renewable energy improvements. For this facility, PNNL obtained innovative alternative financing to include commercial state-of-the-art energy efficiency improvements during the design and construction. The energy features reduced this building's expected annual energy costs by $237,000. The first-its-kind financing was a $1M utility incentive that worked like a loan to be paid back out of savings achieved by the energy features over 10 years.
Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. The Federal Interagency Energy Policy Committee (the "656" Committee) sponsors the Federal Energy and Water Management Award program to honor individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the efficient use of energy and water resources in the Federal Government.
- In 1999, the committee presented a Water Management Award to Small Groups to PNNL for using new technologies to improve cooling for several electron microscopes. The effort saved 3 million gallons annually and $36,000. The small group members were Barry Brazzell, Raul Carreno, and Ray Gerk.
- In 2000, the committee presented an Energy Efficiency/Energy Management Award to Small Groups award to PNNL for saving $96,000 annually by retuning two large PNNL leased office buildings (the ETB and the NSB Buildings, 200,000 total square feet). Most of the savings were achieved through low-cost recommissioning activities such as resetting heating/cooling equipment schedules and temperatures, and repairing carbon dioxide sensors. The group members were Todd Garlick, Don Hadley, Darrell Hatley, Jeff Lettau, and Ron Underhill.
- Also in 2000, the committee presented an Energy Efficiency/Energy Management Award to Small Groups award to a Fort Lewis team that included several PNNL staff for an innovative user awareness campaign that saved 3% of the site's gas and electricity. The PNNL team members were Don Hadley, Regina Lundgren, Elizabeth Malone, and Andrea McMakin.
- In 2001, the committee presented an Energy Efficiency and Energy Management Award for Organizations to PNNL for recommissioning initiative that had saved $180,000 in expected energy costs. A major portion of the savings was from implementing low-cost actions such as adjusting temperatures and implementing night setbacks on temperatures and ventilation. The recommissioning initiative has continued, and the annual savings is $440,000 (see Recommissioning Program). Additional information is at 2001 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards.
- In 2002, the committee presented a Water Management Awards to Small Groups to PNNL for implementing state-of-the-commercial-art technologies and methods to maintain the landscaping surrounding the PNNL campus and save 114 million gallons of water. The technology/methods included data collection on watering, predictive water flow models, best-practice landscape methods, monitoring soil moisture, soil analysis, and fertilizing only with chemicals required. In addition, PNNL saved approximately 1.5 million gallons of water and avoided almost $3,000 in waste water fees from the city. The facility also avoided sending water into the sewer system, which avoided sewer costs of $33,000. The small group members were Jeffrey Lettau, Mike Moran, Jr., Jim Roberts, and Keith Shields. Additional information is at 2002 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards.
- Also in 2002, the committee presented an Energy Efficiency/Energy Management Awards to Small Groups to PNNL for its very successful energy reduction contest that is discussed in Energy Conservation Contest. The contest achieved a 38% savings in one building, 21% savings in a second building, and 17% in a third. The small group members were Marc Berman, Lori Freeland, Mike J Moran Jr., Jeff McCullough, and Curt Nichols. Additional award information is at F&O Awards and Honors.
- Also in 2002, the committee presented an Innovative/New Technology Awards to Small Groups to a U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) team that included PNNL lighting expert Carol Jones. The team developed a relighting project for the GSA Peachtree Summit Building atrium using an electrode-less lamp that has a 100,000-hour lamp and uses 42% less energy. Additional information is at 2002 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards.
- In 2003, FEMP designated PNNL's Mike Moran as a federal Energy Champion for implementing innovative activities that encourage individuals to conserve energy around the office; acquiring 8.8 million kWh of wind power; and using over $3 million in alternative funding to implement conservation measures-is helping the U.S. Department of Energy save over $500,000 annually. The prestigious award is part of DOE's "You Have the Power" program which recognizes individual leaders within the DOE complex. FEMP listed Mike as an ESPC/Finance Energy Champion, an Education & Awareness Energy Champion, and a Procurement Energy Champion. Additional information is at FEMP - You Have the Power.
DOE Awards and Recognitions
- In 1999, DOE presented a Department of Energy Management Small Group Award to PNNL for saving $96,000 annually by retuning two large PNNL leased office buildings (the ETB and the NSB buildings, 200,000 total square feet). This DOE award is in addition to the federal award noted above.
- In 2001, DOE presented a Department of Energy Management Organizational Award to PNNL for recommissioning initiative that had saved $180,000 in expected energy costs. This DOE award is in addition to the federal award noted above. Additional DOE award information is at 2001 Award Winners.
- In 2002, DOE presented a Department of Energy Management Small Groups Award to PNNL for implementing state-of-the-commercial-art technologies and methods to maintain the landscaping surrounding the PNNL campus and save 114 million gallons of water This DOE award is in addition to the federal award noted above. Additional DOE award information is at 2002 Award Winners.
- Also in 2002, DOE presented a Department of Energy Management Award to PNNL for its successful energy reduction contest that reduced building energy use by up to 38%. This DOE award is in addition to the federal award noted above [Debbie link here]. Additional DOE award information is at 2002 Award Winners.
DOE Laboratory Performance Awards
- In 2002, DOE awarded PNNL's operating contractor, Battelle, an Outstanding Performance rating for energy management. The Outstanding rating earned Battelle the maximum available performance fee of $130,000 and the rating helped Battelle earn the overall Outstanding rating in all aspects of operating PNNL. Information on the FY 2003 performance goals is at Performance Goals.
Other External Awards
- In 2003, the Association of Washington Business presented an Environmental Excellence Award to PNNL for conserving water and using renewable energy. The award noted PNNL's accomplishments, including buying 14% of its energy from renewable sources, conserving 114 million gallons of water, and work with the Bonneville Power Administration to reduce electricity use. Additional information is at Association of Washington Business Awards Program
- Award for Publication Excellence (APEX). Facility Infrastructure Services "Conserving Energy and Water" web site won an Award for Publication Excellence (APEX), from Communication Concepts. APEX awards are based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content and the ability to achieve overall communications excellence. With close to 6,900 entries, competition was exceptionally intense. 98 Grand Awards were presented to honor outstanding work in 11 major categories, with 1,527 Awards of Excellence recognizing exceptional entries in most of 100 subcategories. Contributors to the web site project were Mike Moran, Jeff Lettau, Marc Berman, Curt Nichols, and Juan Alvarez of the Facility Operations Department, and Sandra Cannon, Debbie Schulz and Donna Austin-Workman of the Scientific and Technical Information Department.
Also, the article "Building Energy Performance" by Jeff Lettau and Launa Morasch, which appeared in the Facility Management Journal, won an Apex Award of Excellence for feature writing.
International Communicator Awards
- Facility Infrastructure Services "Greening our Grounds" and "Conserving Energy and Water" web sites won International Communicator Awards for Honorable Mention. The communicator award is an international awards competition that recognizes outstanding work in the communications field. Entries are judged by industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry. There were 3,660 entries from throughout the US and several foreign countries in the Communicator Awards 2002 print media Competition. PNNL received notice of the award in June. Contributors to the project were Mike Moran, Jeff Lettau, Marc Berman, Curt Nichols, and Juan Alvarez of the Facility Operations Department, and Sandra Cannon, Debbie Schulz and Donna Austin-Workman of the Scientific and Technical Information Department.
- Jeff Lettau and Launa Morasch published an article, "Greening our Grounds," in the Grounds Maintenance Journal. The article won a Communicator Award of Honorable Mention.
Golden Circles Award
- The Facilities and Operations Directorate won the Golden Circles Award, the highest honor bestowed by the International Facilities Management Association. The Golden Circles Award is given to an organization whose facility management practices contribute to creating and managing productive work environments and support the objectives of the company business plan. In the judges' view, PNNL demonstrates consistent and outstanding facility management strategies resulting in improved quality of services and facility effectiveness. The laboratory demonstrates how quality facility management has contributed to the overall profitability of the company and how the facility organization has communicated successfully with and gained recognition from senior management of the organization. Past winners include: Northern Virginia Facilities Group; the Estates Management Office, the Hong Kong University of Science and technology; the Washington State Department of Transportation and Allstate Insurance. The award was presented in October 2002 at IFMA's World Conference in Toronto, Canada.
Internal Awards
- In 1999, the DOE Richland Operations Office issued a formal commendation of PNNL for identifying and implementing $60,000 of energy improvements in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory.
- In 1999, PNNL's facilities department presented several staff with Certificates of Recognition for saving $96,000 annually by refurbishing two large PNNL leased office buildings (the ETB and the NSB buildings, 200,000 total square feet). Additional information is in the federal award noted above.
- In 2001, PNNL's Director presented several staff with Outstanding Team Performance Awards for their special efforts in conducting retuning audits for several other federal sites. The retuning audits were under the FEMP Assessment of Load and Energy Reduction Techniques (ALERT) program specially commissioned to address the western electricity crises of 2001. The recipients were Dave Brown, John Hail, Darrel Hatley, and Michael Kintner-Meyer.