Federal EnergySaver Showcases

FEDERAL ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal EnergySaver Showcases 1999

ContentsExecutive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Department of CommerceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationKihei, Maui, Hawaii

Denver Federal Courthouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3General Services AdministrationDenver, Colorado

Seattle Federal Courthouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5General Services AdministrationSeattle, Washington

The Louis Stokes Laboratories—Consolidated Laboratory Facility Building 50 . . . . . . . . .6Department of Health and Human ServicesNational Institutes of HealthBethesda, Maryland

Joshua Tree National Park Cottonwood Visitor Use Complex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceTwenty-Nine Palms, California

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, North Manitou Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceEmpire, Michigan

Whitman Mission National Historic Site Visitor Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceWalla Walla, Washington

Zion National Park Visitor Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceSpringdale, Utah

Palm Beach Air Traffic Control Tower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Department of TransportationFederal Aviation AdministrationWest Palm Beach, Florida

Technology Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Executive SummaryThanks to the efforts of numerousFederal agencies, Federal facilities are becoming less costly to operate. Avariety of agencies have implementedsignificant energy and water efficiencyimprovement projects. These projects,which employ a wide variety of tech-nologies and products, represent sav-ings in both dollar and environmentalcosts.

Since 1996, Federal agencies have hadthe opportunity to share their meth-ods for improving energy and waterefficiency through the Federal EnergySaver Showcase program. To date, 75new or existing buildings have beendesignated Federal Energy SaverShowcases. This year, nine more sitesfrom a number of regions across thecountry will be added to the list.

Among the showcases this year are the General Services Administration’sSeattle and Denver Federal Court-houses, as well as the National ParkService’s (NPS) Visitor Center at ZionNational Park in Utah. These threenew buildings demonstrate "wholebuilding design"; buildings aredesigned as integrated systems ratherthan a series of independent compo-nents. For instance, efficiency measuressuch as additional insulation couldmake it possible to use a smaller heat-ing, ventilating, and air conditioning(HVAC) system without compromisingcomfort.

The Seattle and Denver Courthousesalso incorporate building-integratedphotovoltaics (BIPV). In this tech-nology, photovoltaic (PV) arrays arebuilt into building structures such as skylights and supplement conven-tional grid-supplied electricity.

NPS and the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA)also chose to employ PV technology.PV arrays with battery banks and

backup generators now supply elec-tricity to remote sites at Joshua TreeNational Park and Sleeping BearDunes National Lakeshore. WhenNOAA’s project on Maui is complete,the National Marine Sanctuary therewill house the first grid-intertied PV-hybrid system on the island.

Showcase facilities at WhitmanMission National Historic Site (NHS)and Palm Beach International Airport(PBI) demonstrate how we canimprove energy efficiency by simplyreplacing less-efficient, outdatedequipment. Whitman Mission NHSreduced energy consumption by retro-fitting the lighting in its visitor centerand maintenance shop. PBI installedadditional insulation and a new roofmade of light-reflecting material andthen replaced old, inefficient HVACequipment with the most energy-efficient equipment possible.

The National Institutes of Health,Louis Stokes Laboratories Building 50makes use of state-of-the-art HVACequipment as well as desiccant energyrecovery wheels. The wheels recoverenergy from conditioned air and usethat energy to condition incoming air.

Successful projects such as these areimplemented through partnershipswith utility providers and the U.S.Department of Energy’s national laboratories and Federal EnergyManagement Program. Assistancemay take the form of rebates and cre-ative financing options that encouragethe use of energy-efficient productsand renewable energy technologies, aswell as design and technical assistanceand low- or no-cost energy audits.

Federal agencies are charged withidentifying showcase facilities inaccordance with Executive Order13123, Section 406(e). Showcases havebeen selected according to several criteria: the historical significance of

the building, the high number of non-Federal visitors it receives, the oppor-tunities that exist to teach visitorsabout energy improvements, and theease with which a project’s featurescan be replicated. Federal agenciesdesignate the projects that best incor-porate energy efficiency, water conser-vation, and renewable energy asshowcase facilities. These successfulshowcase projects help our govern-ment save money and run more efficiently.

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Hawaiian Islands HumpbackWhale National MarineSanctuaryDepartment of CommerceNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministrationKihei, Maui, HawaiiEach year, thousands of tourists arriveat this newly designated FederalEnergy Saver Showcase facility towatch the annual migration of hump-back whales. The site also attractsmuch scientific attention and was fea-tured in the May 1998 issue of NationalGeographic magazine. Not surprisinglythen, the energy-saving and renew-able energy improvements plannedfor the sanctuary are not being madesimply to save money—although costsaving is one of the benefits. They willalso help to educate the sanctuary’svisitors.

The U.S. Navy originally built themain building just before World WarII. The National Marine Sanctuary(NMS), under the auspices of theNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA), moved tothe site in 1994. In 1997, NOAAinstalled two thermosiphon-type,solar water heaters and security light-ing that operates on a stand-alonephotovoltaic (PV) system. Inside facility buildings, NMS staff increasedthe energy efficiency of lighting byinstalling electronic ballast fluorescenttubes as well as occupancy sensors.The result was a reduction in demandof about 27%.

Now the sanctuary facilities areundergoing a more extensive transfor-mation as conventional grid-suppliedelectrical power is replaced by renew-able sources. The U.S. Department ofEnergy’s Federal Energy ManagementProgram at the National RenewableEnergy Laboratory and a Maui ElectricCompany (MECO) matching grant are

funding a Pilot PV Intertie Congen-eration Project that will make the facilities at the sanctuary energy inde-pendent. Phase I of the three-phasegrid-intertied PV system is completewith 1.3 kW of electrical power thatlowers demand on the local utility.Phase II will add 2.6 kW of additionalpower and will include the installationof inverters to prepare for Phase III, as well as dual metering. Phase III will extend the PV system by an additional 3.6 kW of power. Upon

completion, NMS will house the firstgrid-connected system on Maui.

Electrical costs are high on Maui so theprospect of saving an estimated $3,000per year, as well as being able to sellexcess energy back to MECO, is a posi-tive one. This is especially true for anagency whose true intention was todisplay a clean alternative to fossilfuel, not necessarily to save money.The public may visit this showcase siteat 726 South Kihei Road, Kihei, Maui.

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The main building at the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale NMS was constructed in1942. Very few improvements have been made since that time, but now the buildinghouses a part of the first PV-hybrid grid-intertied system on the island of Maui.

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The solar panels on the roof of the Education Center at the Hawaiian Islands HumpbackWhale NMS are part of the PV-hybrid grid-intertied system that will allow NOAA to sellexcess energy back to the local utility provider.

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Denver Federal CourthouseGeneral Services AdministrationDenver, ColoradoThe General Services Administration(GSA) approached the expansion ofthis Federal Courthouse in Denver asa showcase of sustainable design. Oneof GSA’s project goals was to "use thelatest available proven technologiesfor environmentally sensitive design,construction, and operation."

The project’s sustainable design consultant, Architectural EnergyCorporation of Boulder, Colorado, andthe design team developed the build-ing's overall sustainable design strate-gies. The building achieves a highlevel of energy efficiency through acombination of strategies that seek

first to reduce building energy loadsas low as possible and then to satisfythe remaining reduced loads throughstate-of-the-art, high-efficiencymechanical and electrical systems and renewable energy sources.

The new courthouse makes a state-ment about alternative energy sourceswith its highly visible building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Thebuilding is crowned by a series ofglazing-integrated PV modules incor-porated into the top horizontal rooflouver of the tower. This PV array willbe recognizable from many placesaround the city. Direct current fromthe BIPV system is fed into the build-ing’s electrical system via a DC to ACpower-conditioning unit. The systemis utility-interconnected so no battery

storage is necessary. Estimated totalenergy production from the system isapproximately 25,000 kWh per year, orabout 2% of the building’s total annualelectrical consumption.

Another important consideration inthe sustainable design of the buildingwas the selection of building materi-als. Local materials, such as brick and native stone, will be incorporatedinto the exterior cladding system. The building will have steel frameswith recycled material content. Mostof the flooring materials will be madefrom recycled or native sources,including native stone, cork, or recycled plastics.

In addition to high-efficiency mechan-ical systems, renewable energy

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The U.S. Courthouse expansion in Denver will be a showcase for sustainable building design.

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sources, and environmentally sensi-tive materials, the building’s designincludes low-impact landscaping tominimize water use, reduce the "urbanheat island" effect, and provide anattractive outdoor space. Low-flowlavatory faucets and water closets willalso be used throughout to minimizewater use. And all interior finish mate-rials were carefully selected on thebasis of their impact on the environ-ment and occupants.

This GSA pilot sustainable designproject received funding from a con-gressional budget line item, as well asfrom the Judiciary. When finished, thebuilding will consume 43% less ener-gy than a building designed accordingto U.S. Department of Energy stan-dards for energy efficiency. Because

the courthouse expansion has beendesignated a "demonstration project"by GSA, it will be used to influencefuture courthouse design projects.With an expected 500–600 visitors perday to the building, there will also beample opportunity to educate thepublic about sustainable buildingdesign. The PV array will be equippedwith a data acquisition system thatwill feed via standard telephone lineinto a computer display terminallocated in a busy area, such as thelobby. The computer will have cus-tom-designed software for displayingboth real-time and archived data, aswell as educational information.

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Photovoltaics will be integrated into the top roof louver of the tower and into a skylight above the lobby rotunda.

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Seattle Federal Courthouse General Services AdministrationSeattle, WashingtonThe new Federal Courthouse inSeattle, to be completed in 2002, will showcase the General ServicesAdministration’s (GSA) commitmentto designing buildings in a sustainablefashion. The nearly $200 million facili-ty has received widespread supportfrom the community and will serve asan opportunity to educate hundredsof visitors per day about sustainablebuilding practices.

The U.S. Department of Energy(DOE), through the Federal EnergyManagement Program (FEMP) andappropriate national laboratories, pro-vided technical and design assistanceto the project. FEMP established sus-tainable design guidelines to assist the

architectural and engineering firm inthe whole-building design processand to ensure that energy efficiency is measurable. Using the computersoftware DOE-2 to create a buildingenergy simulation, the designersestablished an annual building energyuse target of 50,000 Btu per square foot(about half that used by conventionalbuildings). FEMP also assessed thefeasibility of adding renewable energytechnologies, such as building-inte-grated photovoltaics, that can supple-ment conventional grid-suppliedpower.

The design of the courthouse includesa minimized building footprint, allow-ing for an open courtyard that willcontain plants requiring little water.

The building's orientation on the siteprovides solar heat gain in the winter

and natural lighting in workspaces. Inaddition, the building features energy-efficient lighting, occupancy sensors,and a building management systemthat dims or turns off lights not in use.

Between open offices, low partitionheights permit better air circulationand reduce the number of air supplyand return locations. Separate air han-dling unit zones are closely related tothe function and anticipated occupan-cy of the spaces they serve; only thenecessary amount of cooling and heat-ing will be delivered to each zone. The air handling units will be variablevolume so that, as cooling and heatingloads are satisfied, fan speeds can bereduced. And the building will con-tain a displacement air ventilation system that differs from conventionalsystems by using natural convectionto move air.

Funding for this project came fromseveral sources. GSA appropriatedfunds for the design and constructionof the new building. Seattle City Light,the local utility provider, offeredincentives and rebates for the inclu-sion of energy-efficient systems andequipment. And DOE provided finan-cial assistance through the expertise of the FEMP staff.

As a result of energy-efficient mechan-ical systems, water conservation, andthe application of renewable energytechnologies, this 615,000-ft2 facilitywill save $300,000 in energy costs peryear, in comparison to other facilitiesof this type. And a projected 50% costsavings in utility consumption will be achieved through attainment of the U.S. Green Building Council’sLeadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design gold rating. This ratingsystem measures a project’s sustain-ability in terms of environmentalimpact, energy efficiency, occupantcomfort, and other criteria.

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The new Federal Courthouse in Seattle will serve to educate hundreds of visitors per dayabout sustainable building practices.

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The Louis StokesLaboratories—ConsolidatedLaboratory Facility Building 50Department of Health and HumanServicesNational Institutes of HealthBethesda, MarylandBuilding 50 on the National Institutesof Health (NIH) Bethesda campus is scheduled for completion in thespring of 2001. This technologicallyadvanced, consolidated laboratoryfacility for structural and cell biologyresearch will replace three outdatedfacilities.

The design of Building 50 includeshigh-performance, energy-saving fea-tures as well as open labs and minimalcorridor space. These elements willmake the facility efficient in terms ofboth usable space and energy usage.The efficient use of space allows morefunds to be spent on energy-efficiencymeasures while, overall, the project’sconstruction costs per gross squarefoot remain reasonable.

The six-story, 290,000-gross-ft2 build-ing will include several mechanicalcomponents that will contribute to anestimated 40% reduction (in compari-son to typical research laboratory facil-ities) in energy consumption.

Dessicant energy recovery wheelsrotate between the supply and exhaustair streams in each of the eight, 50,000-cubic-feet-per-minute (cfm) air-handling units. In colder months, out-going warm air raises the temperatureof the wheel, which, in turn, spinsthrough the cooler incoming outdoorair and raises its temperature. Inwarmer months, the opposite occurs,and the incoming air is precooled.

In order to reduce the risk of contami-nation, only general exhaust passesthrough the energy wheels. Fumehoods and other containment deviceshave a separate exhaust system.

The energy wheels filter out most ofthe summertime humidity andincrease the humidity of dry, incomingwinter air. These energy recoverywheels will provide up to a 50%reduction in peak demand load forcooling, heating, and humidification of the building.

Variable air volume (VAV) supply andexhaust systems consume 30%–50% less energy than the more commonconstant-volume systems. With VAVsystems, airflow per volume and tem-perature vary according to demand.

Instead of a constant volume of sup-ply air, maintained by a motor run-ning at a constant speed, variablefrequency drive (VFD) fans can oper-ate within a range of speeds. VFD fanscan reduce or increase the volume ofincoming air from a maximum of400,000 cfm (fifteen air changes perhour) to a minimum of 160,000 cfm(six air changes per hour). VFD pumpswork in the same way, but instead ofmoving air they pump water asrequired by load demands.

Building 50 also uses VAV fume hoodsthat allow a maximum airflow of1,000 cfm and a minimum of 300 cfm.This flexibility prevents conditionedair from being unnecessarily exhausted.

Building 50’s design incorporates double-height windows that providenatural lighting in work areas. Tasklighting is used in individual worksta-tions. And the building is equippedwith high-efficiency, electronic-ballastlighting and LED exit signs as well asprogrammable lighting and occupan-cy sensors.

Unlike most new buildings, Building50 did not require a central heatingand chilling system because those systems were already central to theNIH campus. Funds that might havecovered those installation costs went,instead, toward systems to increaseenergy efficiency. As this building willcost approximately 40%–50% less peryear to operate than typical researchlabs, its energy-efficient features willquickly pay for themselves as well as result in a two-million-dollar reim-bursement from the energy provider.

The Louis Stokes Laboratories design and construction team poses at one of the eightSemcoTM desiccant energy recovery wheels. Clockwise from top right: Frank Kutlak, NIH Architect/Project Manager; Michael Ufer, HLM Design Inc.; Stefan Domby,Mechanical Engineer, RMF Enginnering Inc.; Brian Temme, Project Manager, Sverburp-CRSS; and Jeremy Bardin, Project Manager, The Bell Company (general contractor).

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Joshua Tree National ParkCottonwood Visitor UseComplexDepartment of the InteriorNational Park ServiceTwenty-Nine Palms, CaliforniaThe Cottonwood Visitor Use Complexin sun-drenched Joshua Tree NationalPark is one of several National ParkService (NPS) sites that have been designated Federal Energy SaverShowcases. Until 1998, the park used32-kW diesel generators to provideelectricity to the remote Cottonwoodsite. Individual gasoline generatorspowered the park’s campgroundamphitheaters. The U.S. Departmentof Energy’s Sandia National Labora-tories recommended that the dieseland gasoline generators be replacedby two photovoltaic (PV) systems. A 21-kW PV array, a 250-kWh bank ofbatteries, a 30-kW inverter and batterycharger, and a 30-kW propane genera-tor for backup power replaced thediesel generators. And a separate 2.0-kW PV system now supplies elec-tricity to the park’s amphitheaters.

Sandia also recommended severaladditional changes to increase energyefficiency. The park switched electricheating loads to propane, installedoccupancy sensors to control lighting,retrofitted all lighting with fluorescentfixtures and lamps, equipped resi-dences with highly efficient refrigera-tors, increased building insulation,and added shading structures toreduce cooling requirements.

The Federal Energy ManagementProgram assisted NPS in evaluatingfinancing options for the Joshua Treeproject and supplied $20,000 for thechanges made to increase energy effi-ciency. Appropriated funds wouldhave been the least expensive way tofinance the project, but, at the time ofproject planning, such funds were notavailable. Savings lost while waitingfor appropriated funds to becomeavailable represented a cost greaterthan that of alternative financingoptions.

Ultimately, NPS contracted withSouthern California Edison (SCE), thelocal utility provider. SCE installed the PV system for a 10-year fixed

monthly service charge of 1.6% of theinstallation cost. SCE also assumedresponsibility for the operation andmaintenance of the system. The contract provided for the option ofrenewal for an additional five years atthe end of the 10-year term. A buy-outschedule was also devised to allowNPS to pay for the PV system withoutpenalty should appropriations becomeavailable.

The cost of the new PV system was$265,000, with an estimated annualoperating cost of only $1,100. The sim-ple payback (which does not includethe cost of future battery replace-ments) is 5.4 years. Battery replace-ment will be necessary in 10 years andwill cost $25,000.

NPS has a guideline that assigns a dol-lar value to pollutant emissions forinclusion in life-cycle cost analyses. In this case, basic annual operatingexpenses for the generators used atCottonwood were about $27,000 peryear. With the cost of emissionsincluded, total operating costs wereestimated at about $49,700 per year.Annual emissions from the generatorsat Cottonwood were estimated at5,770 pounds of nitrous oxides, 286pounds of sulfur dioxide, 218 poundsof suspended particulate, and 120 tonsof carbon dioxide. The new systemeliminates pollutant emissions byabout 85% and lowers annual operat-ing costs by about 90%.

According to John Williams, Buildingsand Utilities Foreman at the park, "Allthe component parts of this project are 100% replicable anywhere the sunshines." Joshua Tree staff have takenspecial care in documenting theprocess and outcomes of the project.The staff even provide interpretivetours to high school groups wishing tolearn more about renewable energy.

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After increasing energy efficiency at the Cottonwood Visitor Complex, NPS replaceddiesel generators with a 21-kW PV array and a propane generator for backup power.

Sleeping Bear DunesNational Lakeshore, NorthManitou IslandDepartment of the InteriorNational Park ServiceEmpire, MichiganNorth Manitou Island is a 15,000-acrewilderness area in Lake Michigan. In addition, the island is home to aseparate, 52-acre, National HistoricLandmark site. The Landmark con-tains several historic structures thatserve as an administrative area.

Each year from May 15 to November15, the island plays host to some10,000 hikers, campers, birdwatchers,and other outdoor enthusiasts. Beforeinstallation of the photovoltaic (PV)hybrid system that now supplies theisland’s electricity, visitors and staffcontended with noise and air pollu-tion caused by three 30-kVA dieselgenerators. In addition to the air andnoise pollution of the generators, thetransport of fuel to the island by boatalso posed the threat of an accidentalspill. According to the maintenanceforeman, Paul LaValley, even a smallamount of fuel spilled in a lake or atan isolated location can necessitate adifficult and costly clean up. Dieseland propane used for cooking alsohad to be stored on the island, whichcreated some safety concerns.

In collaboration with the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy and Sandia NationalLaboratories, the National ParkService invested $190,000 in thehybrid-PV system that now provides85% of the island’s energy needs. Thesystem consists of a 10-kW PV array,installed in three subarrays; a 2400-Ahbattery bank at 120 V (sufficient forfive cloudy days); a 15-kW inverter toconvert 12 V DC to 120 V or 240 V ACpower; and controllers and switchgearneeded to optimize the system’s func-tioning and backup. Diesel generatorsare required occasionally, especially

from Labor Day to November, andthey continue to supply about 15% ofthe island’s energy needs.

A hybrid system such as this, consist-ing of PV arrays, battery banks, anddiesel generators, is especially usefulin an area not served by the conven-tional electric-power grid. It providespower 24 hours per day, and reducesthe noise and air pollution caused bythe diesel generator system by 85%.The hybrid system will also save$2,500 per year in diesel fuel costs as

well as the costs of transporting fuel to the island.

The NPS staff on North ManitouIsland have been using the PV-hybridsystem for three years. They believe it is a system that could and should beused throughout the Park Service as a way to conserve and protect theNational Parks. The system also edu-cates visitors and encourages them tobe more environmentally conscious intheir own homes.

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A hybrid PV/diesel generator system provides energy to the historically significantbuildings that house administrative offices on North Manitou Island in Sleeping BearDunes National Lakeshore, Michigan.

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A new 10-kW hybrid PV/diesel generator system protects the wilderness area on NorthManitou Island by significantly reducing the noise and air pollution caused by the olddiesel generator system.

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Whitman Mission NationalHistoric Site Visitor CenterDepartment of the InteriorNational Park ServiceWalla Walla, WashingtonWhitman Mission National HistoricSite (NHS) is one of several NationalPark Service (NPS) facilities that havebeen designated Federal Energy Saver Showcases. Since 1992, BruceHancock, Chief of Maintenance, andother staff at the park have retrofittedoutdated lighting systems in the maintenance shop and visitor center.The result is a 25%–40% reduction inenergy consumption in 1999, repre-senting cost savings of $825–$1,580.

Denise Fong of Lighting Design Lab,Steve Butterworth, NPS RegionalEnergy Conservation Manager, andthe park staff worked together to iden-tify locations and ways to update thepark’s lighting. Most of the costs forthe lighting retrofits were paid withfunds authorized for park mainte-nance, but some special regional fund-ing for equipment procurement wasused in the early stages of the project.Federal Energy Management Programstaff assisted Whitman Mission NHSwith an agreement between the U.S.Department of Energy and theLighting Design Lab.

Because lighting accounts for20%–25% of electricity used annuallyin the United States, it is a logical placeto begin when making changes toreduce energy consumption. In thevisitor center and maintenance shop,most of the old light fixtures were fluorescent, electromagnetic ballast,40 W T-12 tubes. These were replacedwith electronic ballast, 32 W T-8 tubes. Some overhead fixtures werealso replaced with task lighting fix-tures designed for energy efficiency.And many of the old incandescent fix-tures in the facilities were replaced

with compact fluorescent lighting(CFL) retrofits.

In the auditorium and exhibit areas,incandescent lighting could not bereplaced with CFL without compro-mising the quality of light and the useof dimmers. Fourteen fixtures with120 V, 60 W incandescent lamps werereplaced with 130 V, 20 W R-30 Hytronlamps. In the exhibit area, 120 V, 75 Wreflector lamps were replaced by130 V, 45 W halogen IR Lamps. Thesereplacements save energy because oftheir lower wattage, and, because oftheir higher voltage, the lamps have agreater life expectancy.

Occupancy sensors were also installedin the exhibit area. The space, original-ly designed for 8–10 hours of illumina-tion each day, was monitored for oneyear after installation of the sensorsand was found to require only abouttwo hours of illumination per day.

Approximately 80,000 visitors tourWhitman Mission NHS facilities annu-ally. The staff at the park are dedicatedto encouraging sustainable practices.Plaques at the park already educatevisitors about recycling. And now

Whitman Mission NHS staff are revis-ing the Web site and field trip guide toinclude information about the energy-efficient lighting.

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New "green" lighting retrofits in the visitor center museum reduce energy consumptionwithout compromising quality.

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Zion National Park VisitorCenterDepartment of the Interior National Park ServiceSpringdale, UtahSince its designation as a NationalPark in 1919, the number of visitors to Zion’s natural sandstone canyons,mesas, and rock sculptures on theVirgin River has grown steadily. Now,the National Park Service (NPS) hasworked with the U.S. Department ofEnergy’s National Renewable EnergyLaboratory (NREL) to create a newvisitor center to serve both the park’scurrent 2.5 million annual visitors aswell as visitors in the future.

Completed in May 2000, the ZionVisitor Center demonstrates the con-cept of "whole building design," aprocess that operates from a systemsengineering perspective. Buildingsdesigned in this way are conceived ofas a system rather than as a series ofindependent components. The resultat Zion is a sustainable building thatincorporates the area’s natural fea-tures and energy-efficient buildingconcepts into an attractive design thatsaves energy and operating expenseswhile protecting the environment.

The Visitor Center uses 70% less energy than a typical building. And,because the building required nomechanical systems such as air condi-tioning, construction costs were lower.An energy-management computerthat ensures all of the building’s energy-efficient features are workingtogether is key to the design of the

building. The design also incorporates"outdoor" rooms that allow for asmaller building design, as well aslower capital and operation costs.Instead of adding fully enclosedrooms to the building, shade struc-tures and existing trees create spacefor permanent displays.

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Water sprayed on pads at the top of this passive down-draft cooltower evaporates andcools the air. This cool dense air “falls” through the tower and exits through largeopenings at the bottom of the tower, reducing temperatures inside the building.

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In creating the Zion National Park Visitor Center, the National Park Service protected Zion's natural beauty by creating a sustainablebuilding that incorporates the area's natural features and energy-efficient building concepts into an attractive design.

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In the winter most of the heat for thebuilding comes from the sun. ATrombe wall traps the sun’s heatbetween a pane of glass and a blackselective coating. Heat-storing mason-ry in the wall can exceed 100°F (38°C)and provide radiant comfort to visi-tors. Another source of heat is the thermal mass flooring. The coloredconcrete floor is heated by sunlightentering the building during the day.That heat is then released at night. Alow-e coating on the window glassallows light and heat to enter butreduces the amount of heat loss to theoutside. On days when the sun is notshining, radiant ceiling panels provideheat to the building. The roof is madeof structural-insulated panels thatsandwich rigid foam insulationbetween sheets of oriented strandboard, thereby reducing heat loss inthe winter.

The roof insulation also keeps heat outof the building during the hot summerwhile passive down-draft cooltowershelp to reduce interior temperatures.Water sprayed on pads at the top ofthe towers evaporates and cools theair. This cool dense air "falls" throughthe tower and exits through largeopenings at the bottom of the towers.The energy-management computercontrols the size of the openings at thebottom of the tower and can directcool air into the building. Optimizedoverhangs, the length and position ofwhich were determined by hourlycomputer simulations, shade highclerestory windows from the summersun. The energy-management com-puter can open the high windows toallow hot air to escape while low win-dows near the doors allow cool air in.

The clerestory windows are a part ofthe lighting system as well as the heat-ing and cooling systems. Computersimulations were used to carefully sizethe windows to collect the rightamount of light. Heating and cooling

needs were considered, maximizingdirect sunlight in winter and mini-mizing it in summer. The building’s energy-management computer adjustselectric light as needed, but the pri-mary source of light in the building is daylight. When needed, the build-ing uses only energy-efficient T-8 fluorescent, T-5 fluorescent, and com-pact-fluorescent lamps as well as LEDexit signs.

Efficient design of the building elimi-nated large electric loads. On thesouth roof, a 7.2-kW photovoltaic (PV)array provides the majority of the elec-tricity needed by the building. The PVsystem also provides uninterruptedpower supply (UPS) for the building.During power outages, the energy-management computer will shutdown nonessential electrical loads sothat the PV/UPS system will supportenough building operations to contin-ue business for at least one-half hourwithout any additional PV power, orall day if PV capacity is available.

Officials at Zion have negotiated a net-metering agreement with the localutility—excess power will be soldback to the power company for useelsewhere.

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The Trombe wall provides most of the heating for Zion National Park Visitor Center. Heatfrom the sun is trapped between a pane of glass and a black selective coating. A masonrywall stores the heat for release into the building later in the day.

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Palm Beach Air Traffic ControlTowerDepartment of TransportationFederal Aviation AdministrationWest Palm Beach, FloridaAs a part of the Energy Policy Act of1992, Federal agencies were requiredby 2000 to reduce per-square-footenergy consumption by 20%, com-pared to a 1985 baseline. In 1999,Executive Order 13123 issued furtherdirectives to improve energy manage-ment within the Federal Govern-ment—a 30% reduction in facilityenergy use by 2005, and 35% by 2010,relative to 1985 levels. Despite the factthat the Federal Aviation Adminis-tration (FAA) is exempt from suchdirectives, FAA National EnergyManager Howard Kernodle, SouthernRegional Energy Manager Ray Ryle,and Energy Coordinator Odel Torreshave developed an excellent energysavings program for FAA facilities.

The Air Traffic Control Tower at PalmBeach Airport is one example of theprogram. The tower showcases theopportunities for energy savings thatoccur when outdated equipment isreplaced with the latest energy-efficient equipment. Using appropriat-ed funds, the FAA completed a light-ing retrofit at the tower. They alsoinstalled a new light-reflecting, well-insulated roof, which reduces coolingcosts in southern Florida’s warm cli-mate. At the same time, four out of sixolder air-conditioning units werereplaced. A generator, which suppliespower for the 24-hour facility in theevent of an emergency, was alsoreplaced. The new generator not onlyuses significantly less energy than theold one but is also capable of supply-ing more power.

Florida Power and Light (FPL), thelocal utility provider, assisted the FAAwith decisions about new equipmentand gave rebates to the local FPL-

approved contractors who installedthe new products—a savings that waspassed on to the FAA in the form ofreduced contractor fees. With theguidance of FPL, the staff at the towerselected the most energy-efficientproducts available. The result of theircareful selection demonstrates the easewith which energy and cost savingscan be achieved.

Energy consumption and costs arebeing tracked in order to make accu-rate total-energy and cost-savingscomparisons. Current estimates arethat the lighting retrofit and air-conditioning projects will have a payback of less than three years.

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Although FAA facilities are exempt from the energy-efficiencyrequirements of the most recent executive order, the FAA updated lighting and air conditioning equipment, replaced the roof, and improvedinsulation at the West Palm Beach Air Traffic Control Tower. The bestenergy-efficient products available significantly reduced energyconsumption without compromising the agency’s mission: "To make the U.S. air traffic system the safest in the world."

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To ensure uninterrupted power at the West Palm Beach Air TrafficControl Tower, the FAA replaced an older generator with this newgenerator that not only uses significantly less energy than the old one, but produces more power as well.

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Technology LinksThe Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP):http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp

Order FEMP Materials, including Federal Technology Alerts, Renewable Energyand Energy Efficiency Project Case Studies, and Renewable Energy TechnologyFocuses, on the Web at:http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/ordermaterials.html

Showcase program overview and showcases past and present:http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/prodtech/successstories.html

The Center for Renewable Energy Resourceshttp://www.nrel.gov/energy_resources/

The National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV):http://www.nrel.gov/ncpv/

Sandia National Laboratories Photovoltaics Program:http://www.sandia.gov/pv/

The U.S. Department of Energy photovoltaics (PV) Web site:http://www.eren.doe.gov/pv/

A Web-based PV Fact Sheet:http://www.eren.doe.gov/erec/factsheets/pvbasics.html

FEMP's revised Greening Federal Facilities document will be available by fall 2000on the FEMP Web site:http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/

About whole building design:http://www.eren.doe.gov/buildings/build_design.htmlhttp://www.sbicouncil.org/about/wholeBld.html

About fuel cells:http://www.fuelcells.org/

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory fuel cell power Web site:http://www.pnl.gov/fuelcells/

Lighting Systems research group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory:http://eetd.lbl.gov/btp/lsr/

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FEMP Help Desk:800-DOE-EREC (363-3732)Internet: http://www.eren.doe. gov/femp

Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE national laboratory.

DOE/GO-102000-1065June 2000

F E D E R A L E N E R G YM A N A G E M E N T P R O G R A M

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least50% wastepaper, including 20% postconsumer waste

For More InformationTrina BrownFederal Energy Saver Showcases CoordinatorNational Renewable Energy Laboratory1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO 80401303-384-7518Fax: 303-384-7411

Shawn HerreraDesign Assistance Program ManagerFederal Energy Management ProgramU.S. Department of EnergyForrestal Building, Room 6B-0521000 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, DC 20585-0121202-586-1511Fax: 202-586-3000

Elizabeth ShearerDirectorFederal Energy Management ProgramU.S. Department of EnergyForrestal Building, Room 6B-0521000 Independence Avenue, SWWashinton, DC 20585-0121202-586-5772Fax: 202-586-3000