Fort Meade, Maryland

This facility features the following green attributes:
Green Power
Water Management Plan
Mechanical Upgrades
Re-commissioned
Native Landscaping

Environmental Science Center (ESC)

Total Facility Area: 162,799 gross square feet (GSF)
Estimated Personnel: 168 persons
Energy Consumption: 49,421,923,270 Btu per year
Btu per GSF per Year: 303,576
Total Water Consumption: 3,820,000 gallons per year
Gallons per GSF per Year: 23.5

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

Description

The Environmental Science Center (ESC), completed in April 1999, houses the Region 3 Office of Analytical Services and Quality Assurance (OASQA) and the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances' (OPPTS) Analytical Chemistry and Microbiology Laboratories. The laboratory portion of the building is divided into 70 work areas dedicated to organic and inorganic chemistry, biology, microbiology, and other scientific activities.

Awards

Rick Dreisch, former facility manager of ESC, received a fiscal year (FY) 2010 Btu Buster Award for helping the laboratory to achieve energy intensity savings of 10.5 percent in FY 2010 compared to FY 2009, due to close monitoring and optimization of boiler operations and active administrative management of capital equipment.
Rick Dreisch also received an FY 2010 Leading Edge Award for facilitating the implementation of a major water-saving project that re-pipes air handler condensate from air handling units to feed cooling tower water, reusing water that would have drained into the sewer system. The completion of this project helped ESC achieve water intensity and cost savings of 8 percent in FY 2010 compared to FY 2009.
In 2004, Rick Dreisch was one of two EPA employees recognized by the Department of Energy (DOE) with a Federal Energy and Water Management Award for individual achievement. Mr. Dreisch received a Federal Water Conservation Award for his consistent efforts to conserve water at ESC. Under his careful tracking and management, ESC's annual water consumption dropped more than 33 percent in FY 2004 compared to FY 2002.

Unique Environmental Features

Energy Conservation

In FY 2006, EPA conducted an extensive audit of the facility's ventilation system and collected baseline airflow data. Based on the recommendations of this evaluation, EPA developed a revised ventilation plan that established new set points to meet reduced air flow demand. In the third phase of this project, scheduled for completion in FY 2008, EPA will fully implement the ventilation plan and recommission the HVAC system and controls to ensure optimum efficiency and continued employee safety and comfort.
In July 2003, the facility began operation of a new small boiler to improve the energy efficiency of laboratory operations during the summer.
In March 2002, EPA Headquarters and EPA Region 3 recommissioned this laboratory. This effort involved confirming supply and exhaust requirements in each laboratory, correcting logic errors in the sequence of operations, reprogramming the building automation system (BAS), and confirming that the mechanical system was operating as the BAS indicated. This effort resulted in a minimum 12–15 percent reduction in energy use by the laboratory. For more information, view a presentation on the Fort Meade recommissioning project (PDF) (36 pp, 2.4MB, About PDF).
The facility maximizes natural light and augments it with energy-efficient electrical lighting. Direct digital controls monitor the status of mechanical systems throughout the building to maintain efficiency. Variable air volume fume hoods for laboratory spaces minimize heating and cooling costs while maintaining a safe working environment.

Green Power

EPA offsets 100 percent of the electricity consumption at the Environmental Science Center 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.
In August 2005, EPA entered into a one-year contract with Basin Electric Power Company (procured by the Defense Energy Support Center) to purchase 6.4 million kWh of green power annually for its Fort Meade, Maryland, laboratory in the form of RECs. This contract supported the generation of renewable energy from wind farms in South Dakota and North Dakota, and offset 100 percent of the electricity consumption at the ESC.

Water Conservation

In August 2009, EPA updated its water management plan for the Fort Meade laboratory (PDF) (18 pp, 270K, About PDF).
The updated water management plan supersedes Fort Meade's previous water management plan (PDF) (18 pp, 285K, About PDF), which was created in FY 2002 and implemented in FY 2003. It helped ESC achieve an 18 percent water reduction compared to its FY 2001–2003 average. In addition to the water-saving devices, landscaping, and processes in place at Fort Meade, the laboratory optimized the operating schedule of its deionized water system and was able to reduce the quantity of water consumed and discharged. The laboratory also decreased the quantity of water used in the cooling tower by increasing the water recycle rate.
In 2004, the facility completed installation and commissioning of a new super-conductivity system to control cooling tower and boiler water recycle concentrations. The facility collects data to carefully control and maximize water efficiency in the cooling tower. In FY 2007, the laboratory reduced its water consumption by nearly 23 percent compared to FY 2005. A dry chemical treatment system also has been implemented to reduce material handling at the laboratory.
Native plants were planted or maintained on the 24-acre site, reducing irrigation and pesticide requirements. Efforts were made to save as many trees as possible and to integrate natural landscaping to minimize areas of mowing.

Stormwater Management

EPA employees in Fort Meade, Maryland, helped construct a rain garden with native grasses, goldenrod, coneflowers, and rain chains to help reduce splash erosion as stormwater falls from roof gutters to the garden. Rain gardens direct runoff into landscaped depressions beneath garden surfaces where stormwater is filtered and detained as it soaks into the ground or is absorbed by plants.

Waste Prevention and Recycling

The facility was constructed with concrete containing recycled incinerator residue (fly ash) and recycled asphalt was used for parking and roadway surfaces. A substantial amount of laboratory cabinetry is made of wood from a sustainable forest, which actually cost less than comparable metal casework and is a renewable resource.

Additional Features

In 2003, the facility received ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system.

For More Information About This Facility

Website: www.epa.gov/region3/esc/

Jeffrey Dodd (dodd.jeff@epa.gov)
701 Mapes Road
Fort Meade, MD 20755-5350
Phone: (410) 305-2654