2019 Federal Energy and Water Management Award Winners

Richard Havrisko

U.S. Army
Directorate of Public Works
Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey

For more than 37 years Richard Havrisko has served the U.S Army and Picatinny Arsenal as the Director of Public Works and as an electrical engineer in the design branch. He was an early adopter of innovative contracting tools including performance contracting, demand response program participation, and on-site privatized utility partners. One important effort implemented under his leadership included a unique energy savings performance contract (ESPC) modification by the contract team. It permitted a creative refinancing opportunity to raise an additional $16.5 million for a 2 MW combined heat and power co-generation project that will provide baseline electricity, steam for process support, and the potential for back-up power during a catastrophic event.

Maria "Angie" López

U.S. Army
Directorate of Public Works
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico

Maria "Angie" López has contributed to significant operational efficiencies throughout her 20 years of service to the U.S. Army. As the Director of Public Works at Fort Buchanan, she oversees a $25 million budget and leads her staff to meet and surpass federal and Army energy and water security requirements. Ms. López is committed to ensuring long-term energy and water security. Fort Buchanan generates much of its own power from ten solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays, and is currently the only Army Reserve-funded installation harnessing wind power. The renewable energy capacity of Fort Buchanan is currently 6.5 megawatts, or about 24% of the post’s demand.

Patrick Walsh

U.S. Army
Directorate of Public Works
Fort Knox, Kentucky

Since 1981, Patrick Walsh has been an innovative force for positive change within the Fort Knox Directorate of Public Works. As part of his tenure, energy efficient ground source heat pumps became the norm for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning replacement projects, leading to ENERGY STAR status for many historic footprint pre-1940s buildings. He was directly responsible for staffing support of the installation’s microgrid, which can re-route power for any circumstance, such as restoring power to a portion of the installation experiencing a localized power outage. He also led an innovative underground natural methane extraction wells program.

Bob Bossert

U.S. Air Force
Civil Engineering Technical Services Center
Air National Guard, North Dakota

As Chief of the Air National Guard (ANG) Civil Engineering Technical Services Center, Robert Bossert helped build a comprehensive energy program capable of anticipating and responding to current and future ANG energy and water demands. Between FY 1994 and FY 2018, Mr. Bossert and his team executed 888 separate energy projects valued at more than $573 million. In FY 2018 alone, program personnel executed 26 energy projects valued at $24.4 million and performed facility audits at 21 installations covering 7.3 million square feet. His efforts have resulted in a cumulative reductions in ANG energy use intensity of more than 25% since FY 2003 and water intensity of more than 31% since FY 2007.

Bradley Clark

U.S. Navy
Navy Region Southeast, Florida

Bradley Clark served the Department of Defense for more than 35 years He retired in 2018 after serving as both Supervisory General Engineer and Regional Energy Program Manager for Navy Region Southeast, which covers 12 states, Cuba, the Bahamas, 17 Public Works Departments, and dozens of Navy reserve centers. Throughout his career with both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, he excelled through his leadership, technical competence, and exceptional management skills. Some examples include authoring the Region’s Energy Strategic Plan and Energy Management Instruction and leading $300 million in solar PV projects across the region, totaling more than 200 MW.

Dave Heinrichs

U.S. Marine Corps
Marine Corps Installations Command, Virginia

Dave Heinrichs has worked for U.S. Marine Corps for more than 24 years, serving as the Marine Corps Installations Command (MCICOM) Facilities Operations and Energy (GF-1) Section Head for the last 9 years. He has been a dominant force in developing the MCICOM GF-1 Energy Program, focusing on innovative approaches and effective strategies to enhance the Marine Corps’ capacity to meet its mission while greatly improving its energy resilience, reliability, and efficiency. Between FY 2003 and FY 2018, Mr. Heinrichs and the MCICOM GF-1 Energy Team executed energy projects valued at close to $1.5 billion and reduced energy intensity by more than 31%.

Cynthia Obermeyer

Defense Logistics Agency
DLA Energy, Installation Energy
Fort Belvoir, Virginia

Throughout her career, Cynthia Obermeyer provided exemplary leadership and lasting contributions in executing Department of Defense (DoD) energy and water efficiency projects. Prior to her arrival at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in 2010, she was known as the "energy conservation expert in contracting" within the Air Force. During her eight year tenure at DLA Energy, the DLA’s energy savings performance contracting (ESPC) portfolio grew more than ten-fold. Ms. Obermeyer led the contracting effort for the single largest ESPC awarded in the federal government, and at the time of her retirement, DLA Energy was actively managing more than $1.6 billion in ESPCs for Army, Air Force, and other DoD Components throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Samuel E. Hagins

Department of Veterans Affairs
Amarillo VA Medical Center
Amarillo, Texas

Since 1998, Samuel Hagins has led successful energy management programs for both the U.S. Air Force and the Veterans Administration. He and his support teams have set standards for no-cost energy saving initiatives, load deferral, solar PV, ice thermal storage, high-efficiency lighting, building automation, and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Mr. Hagins rallied both subordinates and superiors to follow his lead to successfully implement the first-ever use of many cutting-edge technologies, which have since been standardized and firmly established within the Federal Government. His work has demonstrated transferability to more than two dozen other federal facilities.

Chandra Shah (DOE/NREL)
Michael Holda (DOE/LBNL)
Timothy Hoseth
Thomas Sherman
John Bollinger

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, Maryland

This team overcame several procurement challenges to award a $10.2 million energy savings performance contract (ESPC) energy sales agreement for a 5 MW direct current, 4 MW AC fixed-tilt, ground-mounted PV system for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Gaithersburg campus. The system is expected to generate 6,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity in the first year of operation. It will supply about 4% of the campus’s total annual electricity consumption at a rate 30% below the local electric utility, saving $11.8 million over the 30-year project life.

Karen Bastian
Keith Carvalho (DLA Energy)
Nick King
Brian Walsh

U.S. Air Force
Hill Air Force Base, Utah

In FY 2018, the Defense Logistics Agency awarded a $91.1 million 20-year term energy savings performance contract (ESPC) at Hill Air Force Base (AFB). The comprehensive project spans 262 buildings and 9.1 million square feet. Energy conservation measures, including process improvements, lighting upgrades, steam distribution insulation, compressed air system upgrades, a PV array installation, and industrial ventilation air reduction, will reduce overall energy consumption by 9% and energy costs by 13% while increasing the installation’s distributed/renewable energy portfolio by 30%.

Jeffrey Fanto
Seth Keller (Energy Systems Group)
John Kitson
Daniel Nocher
Eddie Springle (Okaloosa Gas District)

U.S. Air Force
Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

Eglin AFB awarded a $57.8 million ESPC that includes energy conservation and resilience measures, a microgrid, and solar arrays and combined heat and power systems capable of producing 121 billion Btu annually. As part of the ESPC, Eglin also entered into a unique agreement with Okaloosa Gas District, allowing resilience assets to be supported under the terms of the ESPC contract vehicle. Together the projects are estimated to reduce total electrical consumption by approximately 35%, or 50 billion Btu, and will save nearly $4.4 million annually. 

U.S. Navy
Navy Region Hawaii
Pacific Missile Range Facility

Kekaha, Hawaii

The Naval Facilities Engineering Command partnered with Kauai Island Utility Cooperative in FY 2018 to execute a lease to develop a 19.3-MW solar facility in conjunction with a 70 MWh battery energy storage system at Pacific Missile Range Facility. This created a mutually beneficial opportunity consistent with Hawaii’s 100% renewable goal, the Public Utility Commission goal to keep utility rates reasonable, the utility’s sourcing initiative to increase solar plus batteries while decreasing utility rates on the island, and the Navy's requirements for mission assurance.

Defense Logistics Agency
DLA Energy, Installation Energy Division

Fort Belvoir, Virginia

In FY 2018, the DLA Energy ESPC contracting team awarded eight task orders to six energy service companies under the Department of Energy's Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract. The task order awards, valued at a total of more than $598 million, will provide more than $285 million in third party investment in 30 ECMs. The awarded projects will result in annual energy savings of 840 billion Btu, more than 29 million gallons of water, and $19.8 million in costs, with a total guaranteed energy cost savings of more than $610 million.

Philip Beall
Ernest Crowder
Charles Dodgen
Kevin Sullivan
Andrew Young

Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Quantico, Virginia

The Quantico Laboratory Retrocommissioning and Fume Hood Retrofit Demonstration Pilot focused on one of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's most mission-critical, energy intensive buildings occupying nearly a half million square feet. The team prescribed a series of efforts including recommissioning the existing HVAC system; reprogramming the building controls; and a pilot conversion of a constant air volume fume hood to variable air volume using state-of-the art technology. The project reduced energy consumption by 21% in FY 2018 from the prior year, and reduced energy costs by more than $181,000 per year.

Casey Hiraiwa
Jack Shriver
Krista Stehn
Keith Yamanaka

U.S. Army
U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii

U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii (USAG-HI) increased its on-site distributed energy resources from 32 to 85 MW and renewable energy generation from 14 to 45 GWH in FY 2018 from the prior year, at no capital cost. A 50 MW Biofuel Schofield Generating Station and 3.6 MW of roof-top PV, combined with an existing 18 MW of demand response and 15 MW of PV, provide twice as much power than needed for 19 Army installations on Oahu. As a result, USAG-HI is included in the Hawaii Integrated Grid Planning process as a major contributor toward energy resilience and renewable integration. 

David Frederick Carter (representing U.S. Army Fort Belvoir)
Jason Nash (representing American Water)

U.S. Army
Fort Belvoir, Virginia

American Water, the privatized water and wastewater utility partner at Fort Belvoir, worked with the installation's Directorate of Public Works to incorporate water management best practices developed by the program over several years. This led to a significant decrease in water consumption from 581.91 million gallons in 2017 to 491.91 million gallons in 2018, or a 15% decrease in water use. These practices included the implementation and expansion of no-discharge hydrant flushing, nitrification monitoring and mitigation, and smart meters with Beacon computer program interface.

Peter Dufault
Patrick "Shannon" Kelly
Maj Mathew Lehman
CMSgt John Talcott
Maj Jason Villemaire

U.S. Air Force
Air National Guard Vermont
Burlington, Vermont

The policies, strategies, and overall management of Vermont Air National Guard's energy program contribute to a culture of optimized performance, resource conservation, environmental protection, waste reduction, cost reduction, and enhanced resiliency of infrastructure and operations, all of which enable more effective accomplishment of the ANG mission. The team uses strategies such as integrating energy efficiency into all capital improvement projects and implementing maintenance best practices.

Charles Mendoza
Roberto Reece
Antonio Rodriguez
Hilary Schroeder
Jason Walker

U.S. Navy
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas

The Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (NASCC) team was responsible for developing, executing, and institutionalizing a low cost, high return data analytics water management program methodology instrumental in resolving the 1.3 billion gallons of water loss the installation experienced between FY 2011 and FY 2017. The NASCC program utilizes the waste water treatment plant effluent quantities as a basis to determine the approximate potable water usage for domestic and industrial processes as compared to the actual potable water quantities purchased. Moving forward, the program will quickly identify water loss, sounding the alarm for field crews to investigate the 230,400 feet of supply and distribution system for leaks, thereby expediting repairs and reducing water waste.

Charles Hein

Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Washington, D.C

Under Charlie Hein's leadership as the Federal Bureau of Prison’s (BOP) National Energy Program Manager, BOP completed numerous projects in FY 2018 that contributed greatly to the Department of Justice's overall performance improvements. For example, BOP activated photovoltaic arrays at two institutions in Florida and Illinois that generated 2.3 million kilowatt-hours of additional onsite renewable electricity. He led the development of BOP's Standard Operating Procedures for energy savings performance contracts (ESPC), ensuring that BOP manages future ESPCs in a consistent manner to achieve guaranteed savings. With an increased focus on water conservation measures in ESPCs, BOP reduced its water consumption by more than 275 million gallons compared to FY 2017.

U. S. Army Garrison Redstone Arsenal
Directorate of Public Works and
Tennessee Valley Authority (AL/KY)

Huntsville, Alabama

Redstone Arsenal implemented a $9.9 million project through a utility energy service contract with Tennessee Valley Authority to remove 27 selected buildings from the basewide central steam distribution system and install energy efficient natural gas/electric HVAC systems. A new energy management control system was connected to all HVAC equipment and to new electric and natural gas meters. The project saves about $1.5 million annually in steam usage, steam distribution system losses, electrical, operations and maintenance, and avoided equipment replacements.

Brandon Bestelmeyer
Liz Knoll
Mark McWilliams
Trent Stevens
Dave Thatcher

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
Las Cruces, New Mexico

In late FY 2017 the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) awarded a contract to install 80 kilowatts (Kw) of solar panels at Jornada Experimental Range in Las Cruces, New Mexico with appropriated funds, and the site became ARS’ first net zero electricity facility. The appropriated funds contract, adapted from ESPC ESA form by ARS, was used again in FY 2018 for a 33 Kw rooftop solar array in Davis, California, and is now being used for additional projects.

Bernie Brusko
Michael Boisclair
Philip Buhrman
Andrew Daniels
Frederick Scaccia

U.S. Department of Commerce
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, Maryland

One of four energy conservation measures implemented under a $45 million ESPC awarded for the NIST Gaithersburg campus dealt with improving the campus’s chilled water system. Utilizing a project awarded cost of $7 million, NIST replaced the two oldest chillers with new 3,500-ton, dual compressor chillers, increased the system’s free cooling capacity by 150 percent, and implemented upgrades to the primary chilled water. The new system will save $460,000 in electric consumption costs annually.

Leslie Brown
Kenneth Domako
Richard Fillman
Cynthia Ralph (DLA)

U.S. Air Force
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

Vandenberg AFB partnered with Sun Power to develop and install a state-of-the-art 28.2 MW solar PV power system. A 26-year term, firm fixed price power purchase agreement represents the largest single solar power PV array built on Air Force property, where all the energy generated will be used exclusively by the installation. From January 2018 through the end of the fiscal year, the system generated almost 35.5 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy, representing 38% of the installation’s electrical energy needs.

Conor Grace
Jim Kane
CDR Ancelmo McCarthy
John Remich Jr.
Sabrina Williams

U.S. Navy
Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola awarded a ten-year, $31.5 million utility energy service contract to Pensacola Energy, and the utility teamed with Constellation Energy to develop, design-build, implement, commission, and measure and verify energy savings for the project. The energy team at NAS Pensacola implemented more than twenty energy conservation measures (ECMs) in 43 buildings, resulting in a total annual savings of 98.6 billion Btu and $2.9 million. The ECMs included chiller plant improvements, lighting upgrades, water conservation, retro commissioning, and building envelope upgrades to improve facility conditions and comfort.

Doug Aloisi
Mike Brickley
Erin McFadden
Meaghan Nelson
Kurt Schilling

Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Genoa National Fish Hatchery
Genoa, Wisconsin

The Interpretive Center at Genoa National Fish Hatchery is a classic model of a replicable, high-performance sustainable building. Outstanding energy performance is at least 62% better than that of an average building. The team implemented numerous innovative energy efficient strategies throughout the all-electric building, including a 12-ton open-loop ground source heat pump and 3 kW grid-tied solar photovoltaic array that generate approximately 244.8 million Btu of renewable energy. Low-flow fixtures and water efficient landscaping conserve about 36,900 gallons of potable water annually.

Michael Sandler

Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration
El Paso Intelligence Center
El Paso, Texas

Michael Sandler led the Drug Enforcement Administration’s first on-site renewable energy project at the El Paso Intelligence Center to completion. The project consisted of a 2.47 MW ground-mounted solar PV system, as well as lighting and water upgrades to the building. Designed to generate and provide approximately 85% of the building’s annual electricity load, the PV system met 100% of the building’s electric load for the first six weeks of operation. A model for the Federal Government, this is one of the first projects in the country to complete an ESPC ESA, and is anticipated to save an additional $1 million over the life of the project as compared to a conventional ESPC.

General Services Administration
Public Buildings Service
Great Lakes Region 5

Michigan (multiple locations)

The General Service Administration’s (GSA) Public Buildings Service Region 5 divisions worked together to successfully implement a performance contract spanning eight Michigan locations. The energy conservation measures resulted in a 60% energy reduction and more than two million gallons in water savings per year. The multi-location approach, along with using the streamlined process of the an ESPC ENABLE contract vehicle, allowed GSA Region 5 to achieve significant energy and water savings by bundling small scale projects together, as well as more efficient use of minimal personnel resources to manage the projects across a broad geographic.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Glenn Research Center

Cleveland, Ohio

NASA Glenn Research Center implemented a $14.8 million energy savings performance contract that includes nine energy and water conservation measures at Lewis Field and Plum Brook Station. This project is exceptional for its scale, site-wide perspective, and broad scope that spans diverse facilities separated by 50 miles, and includes measures to improve heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, lighting, and potable water systems. The project is saving 61.8 billion Btu and 7.2 million gallons of water per year. In the first year, the estimated energy, water, and maintenance cost savings totaled $1.2 million.