This tool is designed to help identify upgrades and energy conservation measures that can enhance your building's sustainability. Get started by selecting your building size and climate zone. The resulting information provides estimated payback time, capital cost, energy savings, and cost savings for a variety of potential upgrades and conservation measures.

The new EO, signed 28 March 2017, is titled "Promoting Energy Independence and Economic Growth." The EO details how the current administration plans to achieve the policy stated in Section 1 of the EO to "promote clean and safe development of our Nation's vast energy resources, while at the same time avoiding regulatory burdens that unnecessarily encumber energy production, constrain economic growth, and prevent job creation." This EO will not be numbered until it is officially published in the Federal Register.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions decreased by 146 million metric tons (MMmt), from 5,405 MMmt in 2014 to 5,259 MMmt in 2015. This decline occurred despite growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) of 2.6% as other factors more than offset the growth in GDP. Energy-related CO2 emissions in 2015 were about 12% below 2005 levels. Emissions have declined in 6 out of the past 10 years. For additional details see the report.

The FEMP webinar series provides comprehensive instruction on the most current interior and exterior lighting system applications, including lighting sources, technologies, controls, and emerging trends, as well as federal procurement guidance, requirements, and resources.

January 2017 version of the quarterly publication of "The Corps Environment" newsletter published by the USACE Environmental Community of Practice. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about USACE and Army environmental actions, issues, policies and technologies.

The Energy Department recognized 30 winners across the federal government with the 2016 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards. These annual awards highlight federal agencies' commitments and accomplishments in leading the nation toward more sustainable energy, water and vehicle fleet use and saving taxpayer money and reducing pollution.Through their innovative efforts, winners--including staff serving the U.S. Air Force, Army, Army Corps of Engineers, Defense Logistics Agency, Marine Corps, and Navy; the Departments of Commerce, Health and Human Services, Interior, and Veterans Affairs; the General Services and National Aeronautics and Space Administrations; and the Environmental Protection Agency--netted an energy savings equivalent to removing almost 48,000 cars from the road for one year or eliminating the average annual energy use from almost 24,000 households.

This FEMP training series covers best practices to achieve high-performance, energy-efficient data centers, including maximizing savings through software and information technology efficiency, optimizing environmental conditions, and more.

Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) 2017 will provide grants to federal agencies for projects in three topic areas: (1) Combined Heat and Power, (2) Renewable Energy and (3) Energy Efficiency Deep Retrofits. Applicants will be asked to show how the proposed project results are conducive to broader adoption at other Federal facilities, impacting the direction, strategy, and thinking of the agency to engage in similar efforts. The anticipated total funding level for AFFECT 2017 is $3.0 million, subject to appropriations, with anticipated funding per award to be between approximately $100,000 and $1.0 million. Letters of intent (LOI) are due by 22 December 2016, and full applications are due by 30 January 2017. Applicants must submit a LOI to be eligible to submit a full application. To apply to AFFECT 2017, applicants must register with and submit application materials through the EERE Exchange https://eere-exchange.energy.gov. Send direct questions regarding this FOA to FOA.AFFECT4@ee.doe.gov.

U.S. General Services Administration's Green Proving Ground (GPG) program and the U.S. Department of Energy's High Impact Technology (HIT) Catalyst program have issued a joint Request for Information (RFI) seeking information on next-generation sustainable building technologies to measure and validate in select federal and commercial buildings. There will be a webinar about the RFI on 3 November 2016. To attend, register at https://goo.gl/aU6Wi4. To submit your technology, please complete the RFI by Friday, 18 November 2016 at 11:59 PM ET.

The White House has announced the winners of the 2016 GreenGov Presidential Awards, honoring those who have gone above and beyond to implement innovative sustainability projects within the government. Senior Administration officials will recognize the 12 individuals and team winners September 8, 2016 in a ceremony at the White House. Winners include EPA, NASA, DHHS, VA, and USACE.

This new DOE report, "Hydropower Vision: A New Chapter for America's First Renewable Electricity Source," looks at the future of hydropower through 2050. According to the report, with continued technology advancements, innovative market mechanisms, and a focus on environmental sustainability, hydropower in the United States could grow from 101 gigawatts (GW) to nearly 150 GW of combined electricity generation and storage capacity by 2050. Achieving this growth would help advance America's low-carbon economy and leverage renewable energy sources.

April 2016 version of the quarterly publication of "The Corps Environment" newsletter published by the USACE Environmental Community of Practice. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information about USACE and Army environmental actions, issues, policies and technologies.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced the winners of the 2016 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards. Each year since 1962, the Secretary of Defense has recognized individuals, teams, and installations for their outstanding achievements and innovative work protecting the environment while sustaining mission readiness. Military Services and Defense Agencies may submit one nomination for each of the nine award categories. A diverse panel of judges representing federal and state agencies, academia, and the private sector select the winners.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled "Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) 2016" in April or May 2016. No FOA Applications will be accepted through this Notice. The FOA will provide grants to federal agencies for establishing a program that provides an effective agency process to utilize the ENABLE Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) and subsequently applying the process to identified energy savings projects. The ENABLE contract is a streamlined ESPC for small sites that is limited to the following five types of energy conservation measures: lighting; water; controls for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); replacement of HVAC equipment and solar photovoltaics (PV). EERE will issue the FOA via the EERE Exchange website. If Applicants wish to receive official notifications and information from EERE regarding this FOA, they should register in EERE Exchange. When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through EERE Exchange. For more information, including Application submission steps, please see the attached Notice of Intent.

The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has issued a revised "Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings", per Executive Order 13693 "Planning for Federal Sustainability for the Next Decade." This guidance updates and replaces the "High Performance and Sustainable Buildings Guidance", issued by CEQ in December 2008 to:

• reflect the evolution of sustainable building design, construction, and operating practices since 2008,
• incorporate other building-related E.O. 13693 requirements,
• increase the economic and environmental benefits of Federal investments in facilities,
• enhance occupant health, wellness, and productivity,
• include climate resilience in building design, construction, and operations, and protect Federal facilities investments from the potential impacts of climate change, and
• provide information on tracking agency green building performance.

The revised guiding principles are located here and its companion guidance "Determining Compliance with the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings" is located here.

DOE has awarded $2.85 million in funding for four projects that will advance the development of renewable energy technologies at facilities across the federal government. FEMP Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) funding will support two main technology areas: photovoltaic and biomass generation. Cost shared with industry, the total investment is nearly $75 million. For details, see the website.

EPA and DOE have released the 2016 Fuel Economy Guide, which gives consumers important information about estimated fuel costs and mileage standards for model year 2016 vehicles.

(WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2015) – In support of the Obama Administration's Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) jointly released the Biogas Opportunities Roadmap Progress Report today, updating the federal government's progress to reduce methane emissions through biogas systems since the Biogas Opportunities Roadmap was completed by the three agencies in July 2014. Today's report highlights actions taken, outlines challenges and opportunities, and identifies next steps to the growth of a robust biogas industry.

This new analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicates U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from the consumption of fossil fuels were 5,406 million metric tons carbon dioxide in 2014, an increase of 1 percent from the 2013 level. U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions remain about 10% below the 2005 level.

The GreenGov Presidential Awards celebrate extraordinary achievement in the pursuit of President Obama's Federal Sustainability goals. They honor Federal civilian and military personnel, agency teams, agency projects, facilities, and programs that exemplify President Obama's charge to lead by example.

On November 23, the White House announced eight awards in seven different categories to individuals and teams. These honorees exemplify our Federal workforce's commitment to meeting the President's directive to create a clean energy economy that will increase our Nation's prosperity, promote energy security, protect the interests of taxpayers, combat climate change, and safeguard the health of our environment.

This version of the workbook must be used for comprehensive reporting of fiscal year (FY) 2015 energy, costs, square footage, and associated operational data. The data report is an Excel workbook that collects agency-aggregated data that are necessary for calculating scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions in the commonly used native units of energy consumption and fugitive emissions, as well as activity data for estimating scope 3 indirect emissions. It provides users with the summation of their calculated emissions, as well as the performance results for other energy and sustainability goals. The Annual Greenhouse Gas and Sustainability Data Report for FY 2015 is due on 29 January 2016.

President Obama has proclaimed October 2015 as Energy Action Month. This DOE website leads you to ideas and resources on how to celebrate Energy Action Month.

This publication states that a Zero Energy Building is "an energy-efficient building where, on a source energy basis, the actual annual delivered energy is less than or equal to the on-site renewable exported energy." This definition also applies to campuses, portfolios, and communities. In addition to providing clarity across the industry, this new DOE publication provides important guidelines for measurement and implementation, specifically explaining how to utilize this definition for building projects.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released QTR 2015 that describes the current energy landscape, the potential for improvement in systems and technologies, and a wide-ranging set of related research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) opportunities.

The new Submetering Wizard (https://sftool.gov/plan/submetering) enables the user to learn about submetering techniques and benefits as they relate to gas, water and electrical (circuit, system & end-use device) systems. The Agency Green Building Practices (https://sftool.gov/learn/10129/agency-practices) section is a detailed repository of education and information about policies, strategies, case studies and tools developed in the process of greening their buildings and shared with the Interagency Sustainability Working Group (ISWG).

(August 11, 2015) - According to two reports released today by the Energy Department, the U.S. wind energy industry continued growing at an impressive rate in 2014, further solidifying America's position as a global leader in wind energy. Wind power is a key component of the President's all-of-the-above energy strategy and Clean Power Plan to reduce climate-changing carbon pollution, diversify our energy economy, and boost America's economic competitiveness by bringing innovative technologies online. With rapidly increasing wind energy generation, fast-growing demand, and steadily decreasing wind energy prices--the lowest ever seen in the United States-- the U.S. wind energy market remains strong.

Clean Cities Now is the official biannual newsletter of Clean Cities, an initiative designed to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector by advancing the use of alternative and renewable fuels, fuel economy improvements, idle-reduction measures, and new technologies, as they emerge.

The 2015 symposium was the platform for releasing the new implementing instructions for EO 13693 as well as providing updates on numerous other sustainability efforts by Federal Agencies. See the website for a full list of presentations and speakers. The symposium was held on 10 June 2015 and hosted by the White House Council on Environmental Quality and George Washington University.

This course will: describe the most common energy efficiency measures specific to data centers; explain where different data center energy efficiency measures apply and don't apply; discuss the pros and cons associated with data center energy efficiency measures; and how to estimate the expected savings associated with data center energy efficiency measures.

This webinar addresses the responsibilities of agency contracting and technical personnel for administering an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) task order during the post-acceptance performance period. It also discusses life-of-contract (LOC) services and training provided by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to agencies with ESPCs in the performance period. The purpose of LOC services is to help agencies maintain compliance and high value in their ESPC projects.

Public Works Digest is an unofficial publication of the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, under AR 360-1, The Army Public Affairs Program. The April/May/June edition covers various environment and sustainability news and activities throughout the Army. See attachment.

This is GSA's innovative green building learning simulation which is a part of GSA's SFTool. Green the Building places you in the role of a resource-constrained decision-maker, charged with greening buildings through strategic energy, waste, water and occupant satisfaction improvements. You must choose technologies, implement best-practices, support behavior changes and plan carefully to create buildings that conserve resources, reduce waste, save money and keep occupants happy and healthy. Need help? Don't worry! Embedded links connect you directly to the clear explanations you've come to expect from SFTool.

DOE has partnered with industry to develop a Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP) certificate training program to accelerate energy savings in the dynamic and energy-intensive marketplace of data centers.

The U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) presents an updated series of training courses focused on the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings.

Roundup of the Department of Energy Environmental Management Office's significant accomplishments for 2014. See attached.

Under the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was required to establish guidelines for agencies to meter their federal buildings for electricity. DOE issued the guidance in February 2006. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 subsequently established that each agency shall provide equivalent metering of natural gas and steam. See 42 U.S.C. § 8253(e). By the close of FY 2013, federal agencies collectively reported installing 96% of electricity, 96% of natural gas, and 69% of steam meters at buildings the agencies deemed appropriate.

The Presidential Memorandum, Federal Leadership on Energy Management (Dec. 5, 2013) reemphasized the requirements for installing electricity, natural gas, and steam meters, and provided an additional requirement for installing water meters. The memorandum directed the DOE Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to revise the metering guidance and include definitions for "cost effective" and "appropriate" (for determining where meters should be installed).

"Federal Building Metering Guidance (per 42 USC 8253(e) Metering of Energy Use) November 2014 Update" supersedes the February 2006 Guidance. The updated Guidance is now published on the FEMP website, with a direct link to the download page here.

FINAL REMINDER - ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT TO PARTICIPATE! The White House is launching the second GreenGov Challenge! If you're a federal employee, share your idea on how the federal government can lead by example in eight different categories -- from climate change mitigation and resilience, to water conservation, to waste reduction. Submissions are open until 5 December 2014. After the submission period closes, GreenGov will release the approved submissions and all federal employees will be able to vote for their favorite ideas.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has offered a right-of-way (ROW) grant to Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC (Deepwater Wind) for the Block Island Transmission System (BITS). The transmission system will serve two purposes: 1) connect Deepwater Wind's proposed 30 megawatt (MW) Block Island Wind Farm, located in Rhode Island state waters about 2.5 nautical miles southeast of Block Island, to the Rhode Island mainland; and 2) transmit power from the existing onshore transmission grid on the mainland to Block Island. The ROW corridor, which is about eight nautical miles long and 200 feet wide, comprises the portion of the transmission line that crosses federal waters.

This FEMP course will provide an overview of the current status of LED technology as it relates to maturing applications, cautions, control options, and tools and resources to federal facility managers who make informed decisions.

On 31 October 2014 Federal agencies released their plans for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change impacts such as flooding, sea level rise, severe weather and temperature extremes. The current agency Climate Change Adaptation Plans build on the first set of plans, which was released in February, 2013, and respond to a November 2013 Executive Order on Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate Change that established requirements for updating and reporting on progress on agency Adaptation plans.

On October 22, 2014, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced that it is on track to meet the Administration's 2020 renewable energy goal after awarding a competitive power supply contract to a commercial wind developer for the purchase of 140 megawatts (MW) of clean wind energy. The energy will come from the Walnut Ridge Wind Farm, which is currently in development in northwest Illinois, and will add more than 500,000 megawatt-hours (MWhs) of electricity to the power grid annually. The ten-year contract was awarded to MG2 Tribal Energy – a joint venture between the Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians, a federally-recognized Native American tribe, and Geronimo Energy, a commercial wind developer – and is the largest wind energy purchase from a single source in federal contracting history.

DOE is funding nine projects that will advance the development of combined heat and power (CHP) and renewable energy technologies at facilities across the federal government and help meet energy efficiency, renewable energy, and greenhouse gas reduction goals. As the nation's largest single user of energy, the federal government is leading by example. These projects will reduce carbon emissions, while strengthening America's economic, energy, and environmental security. Projects are being implemented at NASA, Army, National Science Foundation, Agriculture, Justice, Interior, Air National Guard, and Transportation facilities.

The site offers complete annual data sets of agency aggregated annual energy and water consumption and costs by end-use sector, efficiency investment information, and progress toward key goals outlined in the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, as amended; Energy Policy Act of 2005; and Executive Order 13514. Historical data tables of agency energy use and costs by facility and mobility sectors by energy type are also available for FY 1975 through FY 2013. Detailed annual comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories by federal agency are presented along with progress toward achieving scope 1 and 2 GHG and scope 3 GHG reduction targets. The data tables may also be filtered by numerous variables (agency, year, sector) and are exportable to Excel.

In this FEMP course, students are introduced to the fundamentals of energy saving performance contracts (ESPC), an alternative financing vehicle that allows Federal agencies to complete energy-savings projects without up-front capital costs and special Congressional appropriations by partnering with an energy service company (ESCO). Learners will be introduced to ESPC basics, including key concepts, timelines, authorizing legislation, and stakeholder roles and responsibilities, as well of the five phases of the ESPC development process.

This FEMP seminar will describe a step-by-step method to conduct an "energy efficiency expert evaluation"- a customized process to meet site-specific energy goals. This approach combines the most effective features of an energy audit and retro-commissioning, while avoiding the limitations of each.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a Green Infrastructure Collaborative with the support of six other government agencies at the President's State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience. EPA joined with the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Defense, and U.S. Department of Energy to release a Federal Letter of Support for green infrastructure and the Collaborative.

FedCenter is now on Facebook! Become a fan and follow us on Facebook, where you'll find valuable information that you need to help meet your environmental stewardship and compliance obligations. To follow us on Facebook, go to https://facebook.com/fedcenter.

GSA is planning on using Green Button technology to save energy and shrink costs across the federal government. The agency launched this initiative in partnership with industry leaders following a 2013 Presidential memorandum directing federal agencies to strengthen efforts to use renewable energy and manage energy usage more efficiently and effectively.

New water components have been added to the Federal Green Challenge. Now it includes the goal of decreasing stormwater runoff from existing sites by 5% or more annually and a section focusing on reducing the use of federal funds to purchase bottled water. Launched in October 2011, the Challenge is a national effort led by EPA's Sustainable Materials Management Program that challenges federal agencies to lead by example to reduce the federal government's environmental impact. Participating agencies will benefit from the new water components. Effective stormwater management through the use of green infrastructure practices may result in: improved energy, efficiency, and improved site aesthetics. Since green infrastructure techniques may be less expensive than conventional stormwater management approaches, there may also be cost savings.

EPA is recognizing federal facilities for their efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of facilities across the country. As part of the Federal Green Challenge (FGC), more than 400 federal facilities representing nearly 1.6 million federal employees are leading by example by taking steps to reduce the federal government's environmental impact in 2013, resulting in an estimated cost savings of more than $42 million to U.S. taxpayers. This year's Overall Achievement winner is The National Benefits Center, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Lee's Summit, Mo. Additional winners by target areas include DOE, DOD, and DOI facilities.

EPA has recognized six federal agency offices in California with its prestigious Federal Green Challenge (FGC) program award for reducing their operations' environmental impacts. Honored entities are: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Pacific Southwest Lab, Naval Base Coronado, U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) Pacific Rim Region, U.S. Forest Service Region 5, and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

This 2019 Energy Exchange recorded session explores heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technologies, which are commercially available and have demonstrated performance significantly better than their peers but have not achieved significant visibility or market penetration. At the end of this session, attendees will have a suite of ideas to take back to their facilities.

These awards will recognize the energy and water conservation achievements and programs of individuals, small groups, and garrisons and will provide an added incentive to further reduce energy and water consumption. Current award categories are: Energy efficiency and energy management; Innovation and new technology; Renewable energy; Alternative financing; Water conservation; and Energy program effectiveness.

FEMP's annual Better Buildings Federal Award challenges agencies to achieve the greatest reduction in annual energy intensity, or energy consumed per gross square foot. This year, FEMP will recognize the highest-performing federal government building that participates in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2014 Battle of the Buildings national competition. FEMP strongly encourages agencies to participate in this exciting annual EPA competition, which uses Portfolio Manager to measure, track, and report buildings' monthly energy consumption. If you have any questions, please contact the Energy Star HelpDesk.

January edition of the Defense Operational Energy Highlights newsletter, published by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs. This month's newsletter includes:

• ASD Burke Talks Arctic, Climate and Energy on Fed News Radio
• Marine Corps Releases Tactical Energy Harvesting, Waste Heat RFI
• OEPP Partners with Georgia Tech, National Labs to support FOB's
• The Quadrennial Energy Review is Under Way!
• 2013 revision to Joint Publication 4-0 Codifies "Operational Energy"
• Tri-Agency Letter Advocates for Competitive Biofuels Industry
• Travels with ASD Burke: Port Harcourt and Abuja, Nigeria
• Tweet of the Month

Read more.

The Apps for Energy II contest, which is the second contest in the year-long American Energy Data Challenge, will encourage contestants to leverage ideas developed during the American Energy Data Challenge's first contest, and to use open data sources. As part of the contest, the Energy Department will host a series of "hackathons" in four cities to create venues where people can brainstorm, collaborate, and begin creating apps that use publicly-available data to solve problems. The hackathons will be in Washington, D.C., January 24-25; San Diego, California, January 31-February 1; Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, February 7-8; and Boston, Massachusetts, Feb. 15-16. Contestants will be eligible to win prizes at the events and by submitting their apps for judging as part of the nationwide contest.

Each year, the U.S. EPA Region 2 honors individuals, businesses and organizations that have contributed significantly to improving the environment and protecting public health in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight federally recognized Indian Nations. The period for the awards is 2013 and nominations are due no later than 18 Feb 2014.

More than 3,200 facilities, including federal facilities, are competing to win the EPA's 2013 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition. Check out who is competing and who is winning at this time.

The Energy Department has announced that the General Services Administration's (GSA) United States Court House in Wichita, Kansas is the winner of the 2013 Better Buildings Federal Award. The Better Buildings Federal Award challenges agencies to achieve the greatest reduction in annual energy intensity, or energy consumed per gross square foot. This year's winner cut its energy intensity by 20% and saved over $40,000 in utility costs in the 12 month competition period.

On 5 December 2013 President Obama issued a new renewable energy goal of 20 percent by 2020. The memorandum further details priority actions, directions on accounting for renewable energy, and building performance and energy management.

Finalized in November 2013, this slide deck from EPA provides training for Federal procurement of computer desktops, notebooks, integrated systems, thin clients, workstations, displays, televisions, printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines, multifunction devices, digital duplicators and mailing machines that meet the requirements of the IEEE standards.

Offered by FEMP, the 3-h course provides Federal Facility and Energy Managers with the knowledge and competencies to contract for the design and installation a Building Automation System (BAS) in an existing Federal facility, including the ability to apply General Services Administration (GSA) Smart Building Standards into the goal setting process and design objectives. Learners will explore how to use Building Automation Systems to integrate existing HVAC, lighting, and other systems using normalized data and open communications protocols. The course details a process to set specific performance goals for the BAS, design the BAS to meet the established performance goals, and develop Requests for Proposals for both BAS design and installation. The course also discusses how to maximize the effectiveness of installed BAS to improve building energy efficiency, operations and maintenance, indoor environmental quality, and safety and security.

The U.S. EPA recognized two federal facilities with the ENERGY STAR Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Award for their highly-efficient CHP systems, which increase the reliability of their electricity supply while reducing carbon pollution that causes climate change. The awards, which demonstrate how federal agencies are reducing carbon pollution in support of the President's Climate Action Plan. The winners were the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany, Albany, Ga and the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., November 5, 2013) The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) today announced the fourth annual winners of the GreenGov Presidential Awards, which honor Federal civilian and military personnel as well as agency teams, facilities, and programs that have taken innovative steps to reduce energy use and carbon pollution, curb waste, and save taxpayer money in Federal agency operations. At a White House ceremony, senior Administration officials recognized the eight award winners for exemplifying President Obama's charge to lead by example and demonstrating extraordinary achievement in the pursuit of the President's 2009 Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance (Executive Order 13514). Click here for the full announcement.
UPDATE Nov. 18: 2013 winner announcement with photo gallery is now available here.

This training focuses on the long-term management of agency measurement and verification (M&V) during the performance period of an energy savings performance contract (ESPC). Annual verification of savings is a legal and contractual requirement in ESPC. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) ESPC's indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract identifies required ESPC project activities during the performance period. FEMP provides guidance on how to actively participate in energy service company (ESCO) M&V activities, how to review annual M&V reports, and offers services for quality assurance during the life of the contract. The training covers holding up the government's end of the ESPC deal and successfully organizing files to ensure all necessary documentation is available in the event of an audit.

This 5-part webinar series takes you through the ESPC Toolkit section by section, examining each resource and answering questions submitted by participants. For each episode we provide a video recording, a slide deck, and a transcript.

(WASHINGTON, September 24, 2013) - The Energy Department announced today that it has received a 2013 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual awards recognize the country's leading green power consumers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance the development of the nation's voluntary green power market. EPA presented the Energy Department with the award at an event held in conjunction with the 2013 Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Austin, Texas, on September 23, 2013.

Federal facility energy, environmental, and sustainability managers and others can take advantage of this opportunity to ask questions and learn how FEMP can help your agency meet their energy efficiency goals. In addition to learning more about the different financing options, your FFS can share information on other FEMP resources including training, direct project technical support and guidance documents that simplify and streamline the project process. Those of you who have already started or completed a project can begin discussing project goals for the future.

FEMP is providing templates and suggestions on how to promote energy- and water-saving practices in Federal facilities. This year's outreach materials call on Federal employees to take action and empower leadership, innovation, and excellence to realize a secure energy future.

The Data Center Profiler (DCPro) Tool Training free webinar provides information on how to use the DC Pro tool suite to profile data center energy use and identify energy efficiency actions. The webinar includes: A demonstration of the newest version of the profiling tool;An overview of the system assessment tools for air management and electrical systems; A recommended process and related resources to implement data center efficiency. This course is offered by FEMP.

EPA has launched the 2013 Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from more than 3,000 buildings (include Federal facilities) across the country are competing to see who can most reduce their buildings' energy use. Check out the website for a list of competitors and their progress.

This new site intends to help agencies close gaps between potential energy savings and actual performance. Specifically, it shows agencies how to use institutional change to meet their energy- and water-reduction goals. Institutional change integrates technology, policy, and behavior to make new sustainability practices and perspectives become "business as usual" at an agency.

Effective August 31, 2013 the FEC has ended. EPA will continue to provide technical assistance on federal electronics stewardship through a modified website, the listserv, and continued educational webinars. The FEC is still completing the review of the 2013 Award Applications, and we plan on making announcements on these applications in the next few weeks. FEC will not have reporting or awards for FY2013. The FEC reporting site at FedCenter.gov will be available until 31 December 2013. For copies of any of your forms or award applications from 2010, 2011 or 2012, logon to the system and download or print copies. For copies of older forms or applications, contact Tina Guthrie (202-564-8846, guthrie.christina@epa.gov). To continue participating in a partnership program, and receive recognition for your electronics stewardship efforts, consider joining the Federal Green Challenge (http://www.epa.gov/fgc/).

The Energy Department will present a live webcast titled "Establishing Regional Resource Centers for Wind Power" on Thursday, July 25, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. During the webinar, specialists will discuss DOE's plans to develop Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) that will become the backbone of wind power activities focused on education and outreach. Click to join the webinar on July 25 [https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW6024677&p=5692734&t=c]. The Energy Department and the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) will also present a live webinar titled "Conducting Transmission Feasibility and System Impact Studies" on Wednesday, July 31, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. This webinar will examine the process of assessing and analyzing the impacts, costs, and benefits of transmission line upgrades and additions. Register to attend the webinar [https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/386113993].

FedCenter has compiled a topical index of Federally-sponsored and non-profit mobile applications that may be of interest to the Federal environmental community. Mobile applications are those tools and information resources that have been specifically developed for your mobile devices, such as smartphone, tablet, or other Internet-connected hand-held device. The directory will be maintained daily to keep you abreast of any new and useful mobile applications the federal community releases.

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), on behalf of the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) initially titled "Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT)." The AFFECT FOA will provide direct funding to U.S. Federal agencies for the development of capital projects and other initiatives to increase the energy efficiency and renewable energy investments at agency facilities. It is anticipated that the FOA will include the following two topic areas: 1. Combined Heat and Power (CHP); and 2. Renewable Energy, including solar, wind, biomass, landfill gas, ocean, geothermal, waste to energy, and new hydroelectric energy technologies.

Used to simplify the green procurement process, SFTool has been further enhanced with the following changes: addition of a cafeteria space on how to not only design a more sustainable cafeteria, but also how to operate and stock it with green products; launch of a services module that provides you with information on how to include green purchasing requirements in a variety of service contracts; and a capability to create customized product lists.

The 2013 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Sustainability Awards strive to continuously recognize teams and individuals for their outstanding sustainability contributions, including accomplishments in managing pollution, waste, energy, water, and vehicle fleets. Winners will be recognized in fall 2013 for their outstanding contributions. Nominations will be accepted through the new DOE Sustainability Awards Database. The deadline for submitting nominations is June 28, 2013. ***Only DOE personnel are eligible to nominate and qualify for this award.

DOE has published a new series of protocols for determining savings from energy efficiency upgrades in homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities. Developed in close collaboration with the nation's leading technical experts under the Uniform Methods Project, these protocols offer a straightforward approach for calculating energy savings made possible from common residential and commercial efficiency measures in utility-based energy efficiency programs.

FEMP has released reports and data illustrating progress made by federal agencies in meeting the requirements of Section 432 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). This publically-available data set is now available from FEMP's EISA 432 Compliance Tracking System (CTS). EISA requires federal agencies to identify "covered facilities" that constitute at least 75% of their total facility energy use and designate an energy manager responsible for implementing the requirements at each covered facility.

AFMSA is winning the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year recognition for successfully using ENERGY STRA resources as the foundation to meet its target of reducing energy intensity by 30 percent by 2015. AFMSA of the Air Force Medical Service provides facility management services to 17 million square ft of healthcare facilities worldwide.

EPA's Green Power Partnership works with a wide variety of leading organizations -- from Fortune 500® companies to local, state and federal governments, and a growing number of colleges and universities. Usage figures are based on annualized Partner contract amounts (kilowatt-hours), not calendar year totals. These rankings are updated on a quarterly schedule.

(WASHINGTON, D.C., February 7, 2013) – Continuing the Obama Administration's commitment to lead by example and cut waste, pollution, and costs in Federal operations, Federal agencies today released their 2012 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans. President Obama signed Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance in October 2009, setting aggressive targets for reducing waste and pollution in Federal operations by 2020. The Sustainability Plans build on three years of progress under the Executive Order and provide an overview of how agencies are saving taxpayer dollars, reducing carbon emissions, cutting waste, and saving energy.

"Calculator inputs are organized by project type, performance factors, and cost factors, and calculator results compare your choice of boiler with the lifetime energy cost savings of a boiler that meets FEMP minimum efficiency requirements."

The Annual Energy Outlook 2013 (AEO2013) Reference case has been released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The report presents updated projections for U.S. energy markets through 2040. These projections include only the effects of policies that have been implemented in law or final regulations.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) recently released its "Annual Energy Management Report" for Fiscal Year 2011. The 441-page document details DOD activities to promote energy security and leverage new energy technologies, focusing on energy at its fixed installations. This annual report discusses a variety of energy issues, including DOD efforts to manage its facility energy program and reduce energy consumption in part by increasing the supply of renewable energy.

This report is the most recent in a series of GAO reports examining the nexus between energy and water. The report looks at the vast amounts of water used by the U.S. in energy production, from cooling thermoelectric power plants to the growth of feedstocks for biofuel production to oil and gas extraction. It also examines how water and energy are inextricably linked in the treatment of drinking water and wastewater. The GAO report noted several factors likely to affect future supply and demand for both energy and water, including climate change, population growth, and demographic shifts.

This course is offered by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The purpose of this course is to enable you to reduce operating cost and provide energy savings to the building a student is responsible for. Students will learn the initial steps involved in re-tuning a building controlled via a building automation system (BAS). Interactive exercises are included to provide students "hands-on" practice of the re-tuning process within a virtual building. Students will practice identifying opportunities for energy improvement and then deciding how to re-tune for more efficiency. The intended audience for this course is onsite employees responsible for day-to-day building operations; offsite contractors (retro-commissioning agents or control vendors) hired to improve a building's energy efficiency; and college students interested in entering this field. The focus is on large (100,000 sq. ft.) commercial buildings (office buildings, malls, and schools), but the concepts and techniques presented can be applied to any type and size of facility that has a BAS.

Originally presented 3 May 2012, this presentation was a part of the FEMP First Thursday series. Achieving Energy Security in Federal Facilities builds competency in protecting critical missions by integrating energy security measures into all aspects of operations. Employ critical principles, such as diversity, redundancy, reducing demand, planning, and emergency management as you consider energy security. Consider technologies that support energy security and develop an understanding of key issues related to short- and long-term energy disruptions, including storage and maintenance issues.

DOE has released the latest version of its building energy modeling software EnergyPlus, which calculates the energy required to heat, cool, ventilate, and light a building. EnergyPlus is used by architects and engineers to design more efficient buildings, by researchers to investigate new building and system designs, and by policymakers to develop energy codes and standards. The advanced physics calculations within EnergyPlus allows it to model a wide range of residential and commercial buildings and HVAC system types, including passive building designs and low-energy systems.

(WASHINGTON, November 16, 2011) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) are releasing the 2012 Fuel Economy Guide, providing consumers with information that can help them choose a more efficient new vehicle that saves them money and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. While fuel efficient vehicles come in a variety of fuel types, classes, and sizes, many new advanced technology vehicles debut on this year's annual list of top fuel economy performers. Fuel economy leaders within each vehicle category – from two-seaters to large SUVs – include widely available products such as conventional gasoline models and clean diesels.

Energy Star's Portfolio Manager, an online energy measurement and tracking tool, will now include the updated hospital methodology. The updated Energy Star national energy performance scale methodology for hospitals now includes data inputs for the number of MRI machines and personnel and adjustments to weather normalization to reflect the amount of energy used to cool the building. Additionally, the methodology's 5 million square foot size cap was removed, allowing larger hospitals to take advantage of the online tool.

Obama Administration Officials and Industry Leaders Unveil Federal Strategy to Promote U.S.-Based Electronics Recycling Market and Jobs / Dell Inc., Sprint and Sony Electronics sign agreement with EPA to encourage certified recycling, protect public health, and support best practices in electronics stewardship.

On May 24, 2011, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, General Services Administrator Martha Johnson, and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley announced a major step in moving the Federal fleet further towards advanced vehicles and decreased petroleum consumption, while also cutting costs associated with fuel consumption. Furthering the Administration's goals to cut oil imports by one-third by 2025 and to put one million advanced vehicles on the road by 2015, President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum today directing agencies to implement governmentwide fleet management practices that will ensure the Federal Government is leading by example in fuel efficiency and innovative technology. Implementation of these new requirements will move the government to purchasing 100 percent alternative fuel vehicles by 2015 and drive agencies to meet the required 30 percent decrease in petroleum consumption by 2020 under Executive Order 13514 on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance signed by President Obama in October 2009.

The Army has released a list of installations that are participating in an energy-conserving pilot program to only use as much energy as they create by 2020. The initiative, called Net Zero, will focus on energy as well as water and waste usage procedures, explained Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the launch of a new online collaboration tool and data resource focused on bioenergy. The "Bioenergy Knowledge Discovery Framework" allows researchers, policymakers, and investors to share large data sets, as well as the latest bioenergy research. The Framework also facilitates collaborative production, integration, and analysis of information. Registered users will be able to contribute additional data sets that can then be shared, growing the body of knowledge, better informing this growing industry, and eliminating "information silos." The Framework allows simultaneous geographic mapping of complex data sets such as biomass feedstock production, fueling stations, and biorefineries on a national, state, and even county-level basis – providing the bioenergy industry an analytical tool for identifying new opportunities for research, supportive policies, and project investment. The Framework is part of the Obama Administration's commitment to developing homegrown, sustainable, and plentiful sources of clean energy, like biofuels.

A custom-designed training video explaining use of the FEMP Reporting Portal v.1.6 is now available. The Greenhouse Gas and Sustainability Data Report Demonstration provides a step-by-step guide on completing each tab of the Greenhouse Gas and Sustainability Data Report (Excel 2007 spreadsheet) for inventory and reporting Federal agency greenhouse gas emissions across scopes 1, 2, and 3. This video was recorded on November 15, 2010 and is presented by John Nangle of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Individual modules cover each element of the report spreadsheet and each can be accessed separately once the player is opened.