The Federal Energy and Water Management Awards recognize individuals, groups, and agencies for their outstanding contributions in the areas of energy and water efficiency, resilience, and technology achievements; distributed energy; cyber security; and fleet management at federal facilities.

Brian Freeman

U.S. Army
Anniston Army Depot, Alabama

As the energy manager for Anniston Army Depot (ANAD), Brian Freeman has built a comprehensive energy program resulting in reductions in energy use intensity of more than 31% since 2003 and reductions in water consumption of more than 35% since 2007. Over 20 years he has worked to implement energy projects collectively valued at more than $110 million, including projects that successfully integrated renewable energy into ANAD’s portfolio.  He also developed a robust energy management and control system that provides critical monitoring and control of ANAD facilities and industrial processes. Turning his focus to improve energy and water resilience in accordance with new Army policy, Mr. Freeman has developed a long-range resilience plan that includes a 7.5 MW natural gas generator and microgrid. 

Tim Zimmerman

U.S Army
Directorate of Public Works
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Huachuca, Arizona

Tim Zimmerman’s 44 years of federal service have contributed significantly to the optimization of energy and water use and the successful integration of distributed energy solutions for building resilience at Fort Huachuca. In FY 2019, during construction of an energy savings performance contract (ESPC), he ensured optimal integration of complex energy conservation measures including a 4MW combined heat and power plant (CHP). The CHP features two 2MW natural gas generators paired with absorption chiller and heat exchanger systems, with future expansion available for another 2MW generator. He also led the testing of two Central Plants' water distribution systems, helping to correct long standing issues and improve water system resilience by allowing chilled and hot water services to continue for two distribution fields in the event of one Central Plant failure.

Razmik Hartounian

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration/Air Traffic Organization
Los Angeles, California

Over his 27 years of federal service, Razmik Hartounian designed and engineered many of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) largest and most significant energy and water reduction projects that modernized infrastructure and have saved at least $1.9 million, becoming the FAA standard for its facilities nationwide. He was the sole electrical engineer for 16 of the FAA’s newest air traffic control towers, replacing facilities up to 50 years old with innovative and more efficient buildings. He was also one of the FAA’s first photovoltaics (PV) subject matter experts, helping to advance numerous FAA facilities to net-zero and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status. His use of innovative technologies, such as a commercial-scale ice storage system, in combination with PV and other efficiency measures, save the FAA about $70,000 and 2.7 billion Btu annually.

Randy Monohan
Amanda Renjifo
Blake Wittmann
Craig Frank (Sain Engineering)
Joey Janning (Duke Energy)

U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

In FY 2019 the Marine Corps awarded a $151 million utility energy service contract (UESC) to Duke Energy to finance energy measures that support resilience using the savings achieved from implementing energy conservation measures that reduce energy, operations, and maintenance costs. The UESC focuses on modernizing and standardizing the water and wastewater and electrical distribution system infrastructure and integrating Supervisory Controls and Data Acquisition (SCADA) into both systems. The UESC also includes installing advanced metering, expanding and improving building and utility control systems, improving photovoltaic output, updating airfield lighting, and retrofitting lighting across the base to LED, all helping to reduce the installation’s energy demand while improving its ability to sustain critical operations during a power disruption.

Brian Church
Charles Howell
Douglas Macurda
LTJG Clayten White
Dean Lewis (San Diego Gas & Electric)

U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, California

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, in support of MCB Camp Pendleton, awarded a $12.8 million UESC to San Diego Gas and Electric to implement selected energy conservation measures (ECMs) and energy resilience measures. The UESC will upgrade facility-related control systems; replace inefficient and aging lighting fixtures with LED-equipped fixtures; install high efficiency boilers and efficient transformers; perform retro-commissioning and constant commissioning on more than 500 facilities; install a SCADA system at large substations and a water treatment facility; and upgrade and expand automated meter infrastructure and meter reading capabilities to allow for real time consumption data analysis of 3,000 electric, water and natural gas meters.

Gabriella Earhardt
CAPT John A. Fischer
RDML Gary L. Mayes
CAPT Michael Monreal
CAPT Michael R. Saum

Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Navy Region Southeast, NAVFAC Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, NAVFAC Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center and Defense Logistics Agency

In July 2019 the Navy awarded an ESPC to Siemens Government Technologies Inc. for a 25 year, $828.8 million project—the largest ESPC ever awarded in Department of Defense (DoD) and Navy history. The Naval Station’s remote location requires that it produce 100% of its own energy and water. The completed effort will utilize liquefied natural gas to power a new dual fuel combined cycle power plant that will serve the entire installation. The power plant and liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility, along with PV, energy storage, and efficient lighting, cooling, refrigeration, controls and water conservation measures, will result in greatly enhanced energy reliability, resiliency, and efficiency. The project will decrease annual installation energy by about 27.4%, which equates to a 0.87% decrease in facility energy consumption for the entire Navy.

Joseph Domeier
David Eiler
Michael Ringenberg
Jacob Vigil
Mark Dent

U.S. Air Force
Misawa Air Base, Japan

The Air Force awarded a $206 million ESPC project at Misawa Air Base that will include energy conservation and measures that support resilience such as a smart grid, solar arrays, and a cogeneration power plant capable of generating 6.2 MW of power and 83,000 lbs/hour of steam. Recognizing the importance of redundant energy sources in an area prone to national disasters, the project includes construction of a new LNG facility capable of providing six days-worth of fuel in the event of a power disruption. The new generation plant is estimated to cut energy waste by 20% across 679 buildings, generate 70% of the peak electrical demand, and reduce 60% of the annual electrical load. The contract received support from local Japanese leaders for providing new construction jobs and long term positions to run the operations and maintenance program and new cogeneration plant.

U.S. Air Force
Offices of the Assistant Secretaries of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment, Financial Management and Comptroller, and General Counsel, and the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center

Washington, D.C.

In FY 2019, the Air Force became the first DoD service to retain energy cost savings in an extended availability account, leveraging authority granted in 10 U.S.C. § 2912 and the DoD Financial Management Regulation. The Air Force now leverages energy cost savings to fund energy resilience priorities through its “Resilient Energy Savings Resource Vault.” The team captured $15.1 million by the end of FY 2019 from savings calculated across 25 Air Force installations, laying the groundwork for other services to similarly retain funds for unfunded energy resilience projects. Per statutory authority, they will split these funds fifty-fifty between the installations where energy cost savings were realized and the Air Force enterprise, where the funds will be used to implement projects that address energy resilience, mission assurance, weather damage repair and prevention, energy conservation, and energy security measures.

Jacob Vigil

Defense Logistics Agency
DLA Energy, Installation Energy Division
Fort Belvoir, Virginia

During FY 2019, contracting officer Jacob Vigil executed 35% of the total ESPCs awarded under the Department of Energy’s Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract. The awarded projects, together valued at $616.8 million, will provide more than $272 million in third party investment for more than 49 energy conservation and resiliency measures for Air Force installations located in Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Japan. In total, the awarded projects will result in almost 519 billion Btu in annual energy savings, representing a 24% reduction in total energy savings. The project awards also include almost 22 million kWh in electricity savings per year from the implementation of new on-site renewable energy generation and will result in annual cost savings of more than $23 million.

Andrew Deenanauth
Jacob Bramley (ATS)
Sandra Valenti (Leidos)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Glenn Research Center
Cleveland, Ohio

NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC) Fleet Management Program implemented new policies, strategies, and projects to reduce vehicle emissions and fuel usage and meet agency goals in FY 2019. Its annual Vehicle Utilization Review process ensures optimal fleet size and makeup to execute GRC’s mission. Through the fleet program, GRC installed seven electric charging stations and invested in alternative methods of transportation on campus, including bicycle programs, buses with smart phone-accessible GPS locators, and airport shuttle services. Strong management oversight has allowed GRC to right-size its fleet, reduce petroleum-based fuel usage, and increase alternative fuel utilization. In FY 2019, the GRC fleet consisted of 82% alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), including nine battery electric vehicles. Alternative fuel made up 76% of all fuels used for GRC vehicles, compared to 63% in FY 2018.                          

Kevin Redman
Vivian Shirley
Henry Word   

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, Maryland

In FY 2019, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Fleet Management Program implemented improvements that together will save about $68,400 per year. Actions included downsizing the fleet from larger to smaller vehicles, using the carpool rental U-Drive It Program, and implementing NIST’s vehicle sharing program, ensuring compliance with federal regulations while efficiently meeting customer needs. The fleet downsizing alone saves an estimated 20% per year compared to previous combined lease and maintenance costs. Important best practices of the program included closely evaluating fleet data in order to best determine fleet management needs as well as engaging with NIST employees on the options available to them.

Ariel Castillo
Walter Ludwig
Benton Polzak
Danielle Russo

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy
Arlington, Virginia

In FY 2019, the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy Team spearheaded the development, implementation, and institutionalization of Installation Energy Plans at critical military installations and assisted the design and implementation of three black-start exercises, or Energy Resilience Readiness Exercises, to help installations test their energy resilience effectiveness.  These two complementary efforts have enabled the Military Services to strengthen their energy resilience posture in furtherance of the National Defense Strategy. The team’s efforts provided a sound planning and testing framework that continues to help installations optimize energy and water performance, leverage appropriated and third-party capital, reduce waste, cut costs, and strengthen overall energy and water resilience.

Aaron S. Brown
Audrey D. Oxendine
COL Phillip D. Sounia   
Monica A.  Stephenson
Tammy B. Temple

U.S. Army Garrison Fort Bragg, North Carolina 

In FY 2019, Fort Bragg—the Army’s largest installation in terms of facilities and military personnel—was the first within DoD and the Army to complete an unannounced energy resilience and readiness exercise carried out over a 24 hour period. This tremendous effort required months of coordination with stakeholders across the installation to ensure the exercise would be measurable, without causing mission failure. The result was proof of resilient equipment and invaluable data collected from every critical mission across the installation. Another first for the program was the development of its Installation Energy and Water Plan, a comprehensive document that provides a baseline for energy and water resources, identifies critical missions and utility needs, and provides a framework to reach Fort Bragg’s energy and water goals.

U.S. Army
Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico

From FY 2007 to FY 2019, Fort Buchanan reduced its water consumption by 42 percent through innovative water-saving initiatives including the installation of rainwater harvesting systems and exploration of a new lake as a possible new water source. These achievements were the direct result of a unique Integrated Strategic and Sustainability Planning process employed in FY 2018 to develop the Fort Buchanan Strategic Plan. The team also developed an Installation Energy and Water Plan that maps out energy and water efficiency and conservation measures with a microgrid, battery storage, and other integrated renewable plans to achieve at or near net zero energy and water status. Following damage from hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the plan includes recovery efforts to rebuild renewable energy capacity and improve resilience of PV systems.  

U.S. Air Force
441 Vehicle Support Chain Operations Squadron

Arlington, Virginia

In FY 2019 the U.S. Air Force 441 Vehicle Support Chain Operations Squadron saw a reduction in fleet operating costs of $10.3 million, representing a 22.3% cost savings within a single year even when driving more miles, when compared to FY 2018.  The program also saw a 42.7% increase in AFV inventory compared to FY 2018, with AFVs now representing more than 24% of the total Air Force fleet inventory. The program achieved these results through effective management of the fleet, including vehicle prioritization, right-sizing, and “U-Drive It” fleets, as well as professional development and training. The centralized program manages the second largest federal fleet—including operating and maintaining 81,000 Air Force-owned vehicles valued at $11 billion, managing 93,000 contract vehicles authorized for official use, and overseeing a $42 million vehicle lease program of more than 14,000 vehicles.

U.S. Air Force
Air Force Civil Engineering Center
Energy Directorate for Program Development

Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida

From FY 2016 to FY 2019, the Air Force Civil Engineering Center Energy Directorate for Program Development program team worked to develop and award 25 complex ESPCs and UESCs with an implementation value of nearly $1 billion that together will generate a guaranteed annual savings of $1.7 billion over the next 22 years. The centralized program office was created to support all third-party financed contract development at installations worldwide. The recent reinvigoration of the program also resulted in energy service companies adjusting projects to include resilience conservation measures, metered baselines, a robust measurement and verification plan, and operation and maintenance on ECMs. In FY 2019 the resilience focus is clear, with $337 million in awarded projects included a notable $83 million for generation assets, $39 million in renewable energy, and $71 million in distributed generation and microgrids.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Marshall Space Flight Center

Huntsville, Alabama

In FY 2019 Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) developed and implemented a plan to utilize the first Friday of the pay period as a Flex Work Day (FWD) across MSFC, saving more than $460,000 in energy expenditures. The FWD plan was conceived by the Flexible Workplace Team, made up of Center Management from across multiple organizations, which was assembled by MSFC to investigate effective methods and processes to reduce energy consumption. MSFC was able to reinvest the funds saved by the FWD initiative into energy conservation projects, such as upgrading to more efficient LED lighting. Additional benefits resulting from the FWD included the unification of thousands of schedules around the center, which led to increased productivity among the workforce, as well as minimizing costly overtime rates often associated with facility maintenance to support utility outages.

Lara Buluc
Christopher Corpus
Renee Jewell
John McLaughlin
Cree Prevost

U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Forest Service Region 5, California 

In FY 2019, U.S. Forest Service Region 5 completed projects at five remote mission-critical fire sites in California National Forests that will reduce energy costs by an estimated 69%,  increase operational resiliency, and increase renewable energy use to 82% of facility energy use. These projects, awarded as part of the Region’s second ESPC ENABLE contract, will save an estimated 3 billion Btu annually. Partially funded through a DOE Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies grant awarded in 2014, the project includes lighting upgrades and mobile, small-scale solar PV systems paired with battery back-up technology. Prior to project implementation, these sites used propane or diesel fuel exclusively to generate electricity and directly power equipment.

Sean Bogren
Scott Clark
Susan Galentine
Vince Guthrie

U.S. Army
Fort Carson, Colorado 

Fort Carson achieved more than $950,000 in cost savings in one year after completing three energy conservation measures through its current ESPC in early FY 2019. Peak demand charges account for about 60% of Fort Carson’s total electrical bill. An 8 MWh battery energy storage system, the largest in the DoD, supplies power to the post during peak hours, thereby lowering demand changes from the utility. Installation of new controls allow Fort Carson to manage its facilities’ heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) through its energy management control system, allowing for set-backs during times of vacancy, and allow operations and maintenance staff to address mechanical system issues as they occur. An LED project replaced poor performing luminaires with high efficiency lights that also improve lighting quality.

Traci A. Davis
Robert D. Dyrdek
Rachael M. Hoeffner
Charles Beach (Sain Engineering Associates)
Nicole Ramsey (Clark Energy Solutions)

U.S. Army
Fort Knox, Kentucky 

Fort Knox partnered with CEG Solutions LLC to complete a $26.4 million ESPC during FY 2019 that will achieve annual savings of 118 billion Btu and 50 million gallons of water. The project is particularly notable for piloting a data-driven analytical approach to cost-effectively identify and perpetuate controls savings; improving the post's resilience by reducing base operating loads and supporting Fort Knox’s ability to operate off-grid; and deploying innovative energy upgrades such as data center improvements and advanced lighting controls. In the last half of FY 2019, the project saved more than $2.3 million in operational savings despite Fort Knox’s low-cost electricity, free water, and $270 million in previous energy projects. The scope spanned 452 buildings and included upgrades to building automation system controls, ground-source heat pump controls, data center HVAC, lighting systems, and domestic water fixtures.

LCDR Peter Cali
CDR Andy Litteral
Randy Monohan
Rick Pierce
Jim Bishop (Ameresco)

U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina 

The Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island energy team partnered with Ameresco to develop and install 10 MW of on-site distributed energy generation coupled with battery storage and secure microgrid controls that reduce or eliminate utility outages and give the installation the capacity to sustain its critical training operations when the commercial grid goes down.  This $91 million comprehensive energy resilience and energy infrastructure project has reduced the installation’s energy consumption by 15% and water consumption by 25% in FY 2019 from the prior year, resulting in savings of about $2 million. Other ECMs included upgrades to the energy monitoring and control system, chiller equipment, and water system.

Abdul Bhuiyan
Andres Vergara
Nathan Cesarz (AEI Affiliated Engineers, Inc.)
Krishnan Ramesh (AEI Affiliated Engineers, Inc.)
Jerry Schuett (AEI Affiliated Engineers, Inc.)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, Maryland 

The National Institute of Health (NIH) completed construction on an 8 million-gallon thermal energy storage system (TESS) that increases chilled water capacity, energy efficiency, and reliability, saving about $1.3 million in electricity costs during peak hours in one year. The TESS stores chilled water produced by the chillers in the central utility plant during off-peak hours. During peak hours, when chilled water demand is high, the storage tank supplements the existing chillers’ capacity, helping to reduce the load and cost to run them. In addition to preserving energy through differential water temperatures, TESS makes the plant’s operation more flexible, providing emergency chilled water due to power loss, chiller plant failure, or pipe leaks.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Coast Guard Academy

New London, Connecticut 

In FY 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy completed an infrastructure project funded through energy cost savings and a $72.6 million UESC—the largest ever awarded by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security. The project increases resilience and efficiency across its 87-year-old campus, saving the Academy more than $2 million in annual energy costs, an 80 percent reduction. The two-year holistic energy management project brought $39 million in capital improvements—more than a dozen upgrades in 30 campus buildings—including a CHP system, chiller plant expansion and optimization, HVAC improvements, controls, water system upgrades, lighting improvements, solar PV installation, and retro-commissioning. The projects reduce overall energy consumption by 43%, utility-supplied electricity by 82%, and water consumption by 15%.

Jennifer Davis
David Hamma
Bobby Millhouse       
Mitchell Otey
Danny Pham

U.S. Department of Transportation  
Federal Aviation Administration
Corpus Christi, Texas 

The Department of Transportation’s first ESPC ENABLE project at the Corpus Christi Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) paves the way for replication at dozens of ATAC facilities with a nearly identical design. The Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Organization (ATO) completed the project, estimated to reduce energy use by approximately 17% and water use by about 78% over the first year, with a total guaranteed savings of $1.7 million over the 21-year life of the contract. Energy and water measures consisted of lighting replacements, HVAC controls and equipment replacement, a ground-mounted and carport-mounted solar PV system, xeriscaping, and interior plumbing upgrades. The ATO is now working to incorporate performance contracting as a mechanism for financing the backlog of sustainment projects nationwide.

Kevin Coker
Russ Goering 
Vicki Ray        
Amulya Reddy
JD King

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

In FY 2019, FAA’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC) used an innovative application of an existing technology to achieve savings of 1,500,000 kWh of electric energy and more than $82,500 in electric utility costs. The team completed a project to install 105 harmonic filters on variable frequency drives (VFDs) serving heating and cooling equipment for energy conservation. The harmonic filters were installed on all VFDs located at the MMAC that were 20 horsepower or larger. In addition to the utility cost savings, the project was also the major contributor to the MMAC earning a $61,528 rebate from the electric utility company that was converted to renewable energy certificates that helped the MMAC to exceed its 15% renewable energy goal. Further, the project reduced system harmonics that can potentially damage sensitive electronic equipment.

Dale DeKrey
Cray Eppler    
Crystal Nemer
Randy Peterson         
Jamie Zettel

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Fargo VA Health Care System
Fargo, North Dakota 

This team worked together to identify an innovative opportunity to conserve water that now saves the Fargo VA more than 274,000 gallons of water and about $1,200 a year without compromising the performance of the water system or the quality of Veteran care in the Dialysis Unit. The savings resulted from adjusting the amount of time a new central dialysis reverse osmosis water treatment system was programmed to be in operational mode, while still meeting the needs of the Dialysis Department and patients. The “standard operations” set by the equipment supplier included 18 hours daily, but the department only requires the water system to be in operational mode for 10 hours, three days a week. The company’s technician and the hospital’s Biomed Supervisor confirmed that changing the operational settings would not negatively affect the performance or system.

Mario Aquino
Timothy Allman
Michael Ashworth
Michael Kinney
Morris Thompson

U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Washington, D.C. 

Over the past decade, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and General Services Administration (GSA) have worked together on a deep energy retrofit strategy for the Theodore Roosevelt Building that will save in excess of 44% of total building energy and 52% of electricity, for cost savings of more than $1.6 million per year. The building modernization effort improves both energy efficiency and resilience using a unique combination of appropriations-funded, GSA-managed capital improvement projects and two privately funded, OPM-managed energy savings performance contract phases. The project overhauled the heating, cooling, air distribution, building envelope, lighting, and lighting controls systems. The project also improved resilience by reducing the load on emergency power systems and installing redundant heating equipment and an emergency power system for the boiler plant.

U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Building Technologies Office and Advanced Manufacturing Office, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Washington, D.C. and Oak Ridge, Tennessee

The EMPOWER Wall demonstrates a first-of-its-kind smart wall that combines advanced manufacturing, building innovations, and power electronics. The team, including the Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office, Advanced Manufacturing Office, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, collaborated to develop the wall system that functions as a cooling system for a room that helps to reduce energy use, decrease peak time energy demand, lower energy bills, utilize renewable energy, and maintain occupant comfort. The wall’s functionality and design may be customized and adapted for installation in any building. The team's efforts resulted in a showcase as part of the Technology Pavilion at the 2020 Energy Exchange that featured a demonstration of a 3D printed EMPOWER Wall system and showcased the power of possibilities and collaboration to deliver tangible energy efficient solutions.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Nationwide

NASA represents the first federal agency that has made a headquarters-driven, agency-wide commitment to the Department of Energy’s 50001 Ready program. The program is a self-paced, no-cost way federal agencies can build a culture of structured energy improvement that leads to sustained, verified energy performance improvements that do not require any external audits or certifications. During the past year, NASA completed FEMP’s 50001 Ready training curriculum for all 15 of its sites and aligned NASA’s agency-wide energy policy with ISO 50001 requirements, leveraging its self-conformance environmental management experience to promote agency-wide energy management and setting plans that prioritize energy savings projects and improvements. Moving forward, NASA intends to implement 50001 Ready across the agency, tracking its progress using DOE’s 50001 Ready Navigator tool, which provides step-by-step guidance to help organizations implement their energy management systems.