The 2004 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards were awarded to employees of the United States Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy; the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, and Interior; the Environmental Protection Agency; General Services Administration; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and the Social Security Administration. Some federal facilities also received ENERGY STAR and Energy Saver Showcase Awards for superior building performance and sustainable construction.
All of the award winners' efforts support President Bush's National Energy Policy (NEP), which calls on federal agencies to use energy efficiently at government facilities. The NEP also charges the government to enhance conservation efforts, increase energy supplies, accelerate the protection and improvement of the environment, and increase the nation's energy security.
Presented each year since 1981, the awards recognize efforts that have paid off in real progress toward energy-efficiency goals set for the government by the President and Congress. Preliminary FY 2003 data indicates that the federal government has reduced its energy use in buildings by almost 25 percent as compared to 1985. The Department of Energy is working closely with other federal agencies and private industry to meet the energy goals established by the administration and Congress.
The 2004 winners were selected from 100 nominations submitted by 17 federal agencies. Accomplishments of the winners include:
• Installing distributed generation technologies, such as fuel cells and combined heat and power plants, to increase energy reliability, improve national energy security and reduce environmental impacts;
• Implementing energy savings performance contracts and utility financed contracts to obtain private sector funds to cut federal energy costs; and
• Exceeding federal sustainability mandates by purchasing green power, installing renewable energy systems, using salvaged and recycled building and construction materials; buying environmentally-preferable office products, and using energy efficient technologies and strategies such as daylighting, reflective roofing, high-performance windows, high-efficiency lighting, motion detectors and efficient HVAC equipment.
Sponsored by the Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), these awards demonstrate a commitment to sound government stewardship by acknowledging efforts to save energy, reduce federal energy costs, promote a cleaner environment, accelerate technology transfer, strengthen our national security and create a stronger economy. The complete list of the 2004 winners can be viewed on the FEMP Web site — http://www.eere.energy.gov/femp/services/awards_fewm2004.cfm
