Manchester, Washington

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

Region 10 Laboratory

Total Facility Area: 68,222 gross square feet (GSF)
Estimated Personnel: 75 persons
Energy Consumption: 18,104,406,720 Btu per year
Btu per GSF per Year: 265,375
Total Water Consumption: 650,873 gallons per year
Gallons per GSF per Year: 9.5

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

Description

The Manchester Environmental Laboratory provides physical, chemical, biological and microbiological analyses of air, soil, sediments, water tissue, and unknown chemicals. It measures contaminants and pollution effects in a variety of media in support of criminal enforcement, civil enforcement, site assessment, remedial investigation, ecosystem monitoring and public health initiatives. It also serves as a technical reference laboratory with the capability of providing consultation and interpretation of data in areas such as organic and inorganic chemistry, metals chemistry, and environmental microbiology. Construction of a new wing was completed in May 2003.

Awards

The Region 10 laboratory was recognized with a 2008 White House Closing the Circle Award Honorable Mention for the facility's comprehensive recycling program. Employees collected more than 23,000 pounds of recyclable materials in 2007. The facility's strong Environmental Management System (EMS) and willingness of employees not only to recycle but to contribute new ideas for conservation provided the foundation for this remarkable achievement.

Unique Environmental Features

Energy Conservation

In March 2011, EPA expects to finish a project to replace the Region 10 laboratory's constant volume fume hood systems with variable air volume (VAV) high-performance fume hoods. By the end of FY 2010, no constant volume systems were in use, and 50 percent had been replaced with VAV high performance models. The remaining 50 percent are in the process of being replaced.

Green Power

EPA offsets 100 percent of the electricity consumption at the Region 10 laboratory 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.
The facility's wet laboratory—one of the facility's multiple laboratory buildings—was the first commercial, solar-powered net metering project in the Northwest. Under net metering, any excess electricity produced by the laboratory's four photovoltaic panels is used to reduce the flow of power from the local utility power grid, slowing the spin of the electric meter, and offsetting the laboratory's energy costs. In FY 2008, the panels underwent a renovation, and the system was brought back online in November 2008. In FY 2011, the panels generated 2,150 kilowatt hours of electricity.

Water Conservation

EPA completed a water conservation assessment and developed a water management plan for the Region 10 Laboratory (PDF) (17 pp, 381K, About PDF) in August 2005.

For More Information About This Facility

Website: www.epa.gov/aboutepa/r10lab.html

Stephanie Bailey (bailey.stephanie@epa.gov)
7411 Beach Drive East
Port Orchard, WA 98366
Phone: (360) 871-8739