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Washington
Area National Parks Make
Nationally
Unprecedented Investment in Energy Conservation
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Washington,
DC – October 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / The National
Park Service (NPS) is investing $29 million in 81 individual energy
efficiency and water conservation projects at national parks throughout
the greater Washington region. This unprecedented commitment to reducing
energy use and generating energy from renewable sources is the largest
to-date among the nine bureaus in the Department of the Interior.
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The
23-year Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) awarded at the end of
September to Siemens Government Technologies, will allow the NPS to conserve
energy and water with no upfront costs and to accrue cost savings into
the future. The project is funded by savings generated through the new
energy conservation measures. Savings are guaranteed by Siemens and will
allow NPS to advance President Obama’s vision that federal facilities generate
20 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.
“The
National Park Service is committed to managing the future health and sustainability
of our national parks proactively through this kind of ambitious energy
and resource conservation program,” NPS Director Jonathan B. Jarvis said.
“The parks in the greater Washington region involved in this effort are
demonstrating the kind of leadership that other parks and public lands
across the country can follow to reduce our carbon footprint, energy consumption,
and water usage.”
“The
National Park Service’s mission to preserve our country’s natural and historic
treasures also requires us to be responsible stewards of our planet’s resources
and of Americans’ tax dollars,” acting Regional Director Lisa Mendelson-Ielmini
said. “As we approach our centennial in 2016, we are committed to employing
the best science and industry practices, and this energy savings contract
provides a creative way to accomplish our goals.”
The
new energy conservation measures will allow 13 D.C. area national parks
to make significant reductions in Greenhouse Gas emissions and Carbon Footprint,
water and energy consumption and deferred maintenance backlogs. Greater
efficiency will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 4,000 tons
each year, reduce water usage by 74 million gallons each year and reduce
energy use by nearly 20,000 MBtus each year.
Specific
projects include installing intelligent lighting and water controls that
regulate themselves to be most effective and efficient for the conditions,
replacing outdated and high energy use heating and air conditioning systems
and installing photovoltaic solar arrays. Project installation is expected
to begin in January 2015.
Project
Examples:
National
Mall and Memorial Parks: Park staff will know instantly when a light
bulb burns out along the National Mall. Intelligent lighting systems with
remote monitoring capabilities will not only allow the park to know when
a new light bulb is needed, but also will smartly adjust to natural lighting
conditions. New energy efficient lights will help the National Mall reduce
energy use by 13 percent in the first year.
President’s
Park: Sprinklers on the White House Ellipse in President’s Park will
now only turn on when the grass needs water. Intelligent remotely monitored
sensors will substantially reduce water use making irrigation more efficient
and sustainable. In the first year of the new energy conservation measures,
President’s Park will reduce its energy use by 36 percent.
Monocacy
National Battlefield: The sun will provide all the energy needed to
power the visitor center at Monocacy National Battlefield. A photovoltaic
system of solar panels will be installed on the visitor center’s roof helping
the park reduce its energy use by 30 percent in year one. Park rangers
will be able to use the solar panels to educate visitors about climate
change and renewable energy.
Wolf
Trap National Park for the Performing Arts: Intelligent lighting systems
and energy-efficient bulbs will be installed at the Filene Center. The
lights are designed to match the ambience and historic feel of the amphitheatre.
All told, projects like this at Wolf Trap will help the park reduce its
energy consumption by 15 percent in the first year.
Participating
Parks:
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Antietam
National Battlefield (Md.)
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Catoctin
Mountain Park (Md.)
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Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (DC, Md., Va.)
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Harpers
Ferry National Historical Park (WVa., Va., Md.)
-
Manassas
National Battlefield Park (Va.)
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Monocacy
National Battlefield (Md.)
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National
Capital Parks- East (DC, Md.)
-
National
Mall and Memorial Parks (DC)
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George
Washington Memorial Parkway (DC, Md., Va.)
-
President’s
Park (DC)
-
Prince
William Forest Park (Va.)
-
Rock Creek
Park (DC)
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Wolf Trap
National Park for the Performing Arts (Va.)
About
the National Park Service
More
than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 401 national
parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local
history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at
www.nps.gov,
on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice,
Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice,
and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
About
Energy Savings Performance Contracts
The
U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPC)
help Federal agencies meet energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation,
and emissions reduction goals through an assisted contracting program.
ESPC’s leverage private sector financing and expertise of energy service
companies, to conduct energy projects with limited to no up-front capital
costs, minimizing the need for Congressional appropriations. In consultation
with the Federal agency, the energy service company designs and constructs
a project that meets the agency’s needs and arranges the necessary funding.
the company guarantees the improvements will generate energy cost savings
sufficient to pay for the project over the term of the contract. After
the contact ends, all additional cost savings accrue to the agency.
Media
Contact:
Jenny
Anzelmo-Sarles
202-619-7177
(NPS) |