The award-winning Utilities Management Program oversees projects that cut costs and increase resource efficiency for BPA. This side-by-side features the Raver Substation’s basement transformed by an LED lighting retrofit completed by Billy Howard, electrician foreman III, and fellow Covington District Substation Maintenance team members.
It’s been another successful sustainability award season for Bonneville Power Administration with the agency earning yet another accolade owed to the Utilities Management Program’s significant achievements in resource efficiency. Resource efficiency is a term used to describe expending less of the Earth’s resources while minimizing environmental impacts.
The program recently received a 2020 U.S. Department of Energy Sustainability Award for Outstanding Sustainability Program/Projects. This national recognition closely follows behind BPA winning three regional 2020 Federal Green Challenge Awards, also largely earned by the Utilities Management Program for its innovative, sustainable and efficient operations.
The DOE’s Sustainability Performance Division grants the awards to teams and individuals whose contributions advance exceptional sustainability practices across the department’s footprint. Specifically recognizing cost-reducing and efficiency-increasing projects or programs, the Outstanding Sustainability Program/Projects Award highlights the Utilities Management Program’s success in initiatives that save energy and water while decreasing expenses across BPA facilities.
In fiscal year 2019, the program oversaw the agencywide completion of 30 energy and water efficiency projects, including LED lighting retrofits; heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades; building and system commissioning; and water leak and detection repair. Last year, water consumption fell by 13%, a decrease of 4 million gallons, and energy consumption fell by 2%, or by 1.5 million kilo-British thermal units. In addition, all utility incentive dollars earned from projects, amounting to $248,200 in FY 2019, return to a fund supporting future utility efficiency initiatives.
Utility Management Engineer Jennifer Hollenbeck from Workplace Services’ Business Operations and Services leads the program. Hollenbeck partners with staff from other organizations across the agency, including Facilities Operations and Maintenance; Facilities Planning and Projects; Energy Efficiency Programs and Engineering Services; the Sustainability Office; and Transmission Field Services maintenance teams.
“Reducing our energy and water use through smart technology upgrades is a durable way for BPA to implement cost savings measures to reduce our operating costs,” said Sarah F. Moore, Business Operations and Services supervisor. “It’s another way that we work together to contribute to strategic goal one: strengthen financial health. All of these projects require support from a diverse group of BPA contributors to be successful. Jen Hollenbeck and her team have done a great job of building strong partnerships across the agency.”