Athens, Georgia - ORD

This facility features the following green attributes:
Green Power
Water Management Plan

National Exposure Research Laboratory

Total Facility Area: 78,146 gross square feet (GSF)
Estimated Personnel: 153 persons
Energy Consumption: 23,755,380,332 Btu per year
Btu per GSF per Year: 303,987
Total Water Consumption: 1,351,281 gallons per year
Gallons per GSF per Year: 17.3

All energy and water data are reported as of FY 2010.

Description

The Ecosystems Research Division of EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia, conducts research on organic and inorganic chemicals, greenhouse gas biogeochemical cycles, and land use perturbations that create stressor exposures and potential risks to humans and ecosystems. EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) maintains the following three facilities.

The Environmental Research Laboratory contains the Center for Exposure Assessment Modeling Annex, which is used as office space by ORD, and an Environmental Information Annex, which is used as a library and conference area.
The Lifespan Center serves as a childcare center for EPA and other nearby federal agencies.
The Bailey Road Annex serves as laboratory and office space for an analytical support facility for the Ecosystems Research Division of the National Exposure Research Laboratory.

Awards

Rick Pittman received a fiscal year (FY) 2010 Carbon Cutter Honorable Mention for his work on a photovoltaic array and solar hot water heater at the National Exposure Research Laboratory, which helped reduce the laboratory’s carbon footprint by offsetting energy demand with onsite renewable energy.
Art Zimmerman received an FY 2010 Reporter of the Year Award for consistently submitting timely, accurate invoice packages and reporting forms and being attentive to any necessary follow-up items.

Unique Environmental Features

Energy Conservation

In FY 2009, Athens replaced two electric boilers that were providing hot water for domestic use in the laboratory with an electric hot water heater that uses less energy. In addition, the laboratory retrofitted all of its fluorescent lighting with T‑8 bulbs and electronic ballasts and replaced all incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. These efforts contributed to a 10.1 percent energy use reduction in FY 2009 compared to FY 2008.

Green Power

The laboratory installed two solar hot water systems to preheat water before it reaches the water heaters, one for the office annex building in April 2009, and another for the main building in September 2009.
The laboratory completed a new entryway for the facility in March 2009, which includes a photovoltaic (PV) system. In FY 2011, the system generated 12,954 kilowatt hours of electricity to power the guard shack.
EPA offsets 100 percent of the electricity consumption at Athens ORD with renewable energy certificates (RECs) purchased through the Agency's current blanket green power contract. Learn more about EPA's current and past blanket green power contracts.

Water Conservation

EPA completed a revision of its water management plan for the National Exposure Research Laboratory (PDF) (26 pp, 195K, About PDF) in June 2010. The previous plan (PDF) (26 pp, 195K, About PDF), which is superseded by the June 2010 revision, was developed in FY 2006.
In FY 2009, the laboratory saw a 41.3 percent reduction in water use compared to FY 2008 due to an air handler condensate recovery effort and the installation of high-efficiency toilets and urinals.

Stormwater Management

The Athens laboratory has improved onsite stormwater management by retrofitting the site with a bioretention pond in FY 2008. The pond is designed to reduce the amount of sediment and pollution flowing into local tributaries and to facilitate better aquifer recharge. Retaining the runoff of the site, the release of stormwater is also returned to near predevelopment conditions. Retaining this water in the pond saturates the soil and enables an abundance of plant growth. In addition, the use of flower gardens and a variety of vegetation has helped to improve the aesthetics of the facility.
The Athens laboratory paved a row of 16 new parking spaces with pervious pavers as part of a security gate improvement project. The gravel-filled porous paving system allows for stormwater filtration, infiltration, and eventual groundwater recharge.

Additional Features

All of the facility's chlorofluorocarbons were replaced by 1998.

For More Information About This Facility

Website: www.epa.gov/athens

Rick Pittman (pittman.rick@epa.gov)
National Exposure Research Laboratory
U.S. EPA Ecosystems Research Division
960 College Station Road
Athens, GA 30605-2700
Phone: (706) 355-8010
Fax: (706) 355-8068