 Mary Sotos, FEMP Director, speaking at the Opening Plenary.
Thank you to all who attended!
This year’s return to an in-person event had close to 2,200 attendees, with 77 different technical sessions across 9 technical tracks. We captured a breadth of critical topics for Federal energy managers, including 24-7 carbon-free electricity, planning for net-zero buildings and fleets, performance contracting, climate resilience, and emerging technologies.
Download presentations from most technical sessions. Select your session to view and download available presentations.
Earn your CEUs before December 12. Register for an account (if you haven't already) and take your quizzes to obtain CEUs.
Mark your calendar for the 2023 Federal Utility Partnership Working Group (FUPWG) Seminar scheduled for May 3-4, 2023. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) will co-sponsor this in-person event in the Washington, D.C. area.
FUPWG provides a venue for information exchange and training that fosters effective partnerships between federal agencies and their serving utilities to develop solutions which leverage private sector investment in federal facility infrastructure to improve energy and water efficiency and support federal building decarbonization. Additional information will be posted on the FUPWG website as the plans develop. The FUPWG Fed Council will be working on the developing the agenda so please submit session topics ideas via the session suggestion portal on the website. The deadline for submitting topics for the May 2023 meeting is January 10th, 2023.
Solar and Battery Storage Equals Energy Savings and Resiliency at Fish and Wildlife Service Iguaca Aviary
Located within El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico (El Yunque), the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Iguaca Aviary is at the center of efforts to expand and rehabilitate the population of critically endangered Puerto Rican parrots. After hurricanes heavily impacted El Yunque in 2017, Forest Service staff in El Yunque reached out to FEMP and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for technical assistance support in improving the resilience of El Yunque and the Iguaca Aviary within it.
Using FEMP and Forest Service funding, NREL staff identified critical energy loads at the Iguaca Aviary and conducted a REopt analysis to determine the cost-optimal sizing for a photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) microgrid. NREL staff prepared design-build PV and BESS specifications for use in the project solicitation, including battery operation requirements during nominal and grid outage conditions. The system specifications included highly wind-resistant, low-profile PV modules with eight bolted connection points per module.
Category 1 Hurricane Fiona struck the Iguaca Aviary shortly after commissioning was completed, but the PV and BESS microgrid was not damaged and successfully handled 100% of the site’s emergency loads for 5 days with no need for a backup generator. Learn more about this project and how an appropriately sized, designed, and installed PV and battery storage system can save energy, improve energy system resilience, and maintain critical operations throughout a storm. Photo by Peter Lashoto, U.S. Forest Service
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Eliminating Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Smart Labs
Laboratories typically consume 3-4 times more energy than an average office building, representing a huge source of emissions for facilities. The new Decarbonizing Labs webpage on the Smart Labs Toolkit connects users to a wide scope of decarbonization resources related to labs and how proven Smart Lab strategies can reduce a building’s carbon footprint while increasing lab safety. Visit the Smart Labs Toolkit to learn more.
New Federal Laboratory Working Group Formed
Federal labs represent a huge opportunity to achieve energy savings and emission reductions, which are critical in meeting energy efficiency standards for federal buildings and the decarbonization requirements listed under Executive Order 14057. The establishment of a FEMP-sponsored Federal Lab Working Group will help agencies achieve these requirements, face common challenges, and share joint processes. The group will meet virtually each quarter and may hold annual in-person meetings to coordinate activities and exchange ideas on Smart Labs. Individual agency meetings and technical assistance discussions will be provided by the Smart Labs team at FEMP and NREL. The first working group meeting will be held December 13 from 1:00 PM-2:30 PM ET. For more information, contact Jeff Murrell or Rachel Romero.
The FEMP Fleet Team is proud to report the completion of an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) assessment at Yellowstone National Park, which took place even in the face of disastrous flooding that washed out park roads and damaged power lines earlier this year. The assessment is a key step in helping Yellowstone replace convention combustion engine vehicles in its fleet with electric vehicles – a transition that will allow park visitors to enjoy better air quality and lower noise levels throughout the park, along with the added benefit of reduced carbon emissions. You can read more about the project highlights and impacts [here].
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FEMP’s EV U-Finder Tool has been updated to include the latest incentives for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) available from utilities and states. The EV U-Finder interface provides ZIP Code specific incentives and utility contact information to support federal site engagement with local partners. An online version of the tool is planned for 2023.
Does your facility meet all the exceptions of EA2020 EBCx requirements?
Commissioning, retro-commissioning, retuning….what is the right approach for your building?
FEMP has released the new, user-friendly EBCx Decision Tool to help you navigate the proper approach to your facility commissioning needs and Energy Act of 2020 compliance.
This interactive tool guides you through the process of simple data collection using a series of focused questions that will help identify commissioning approaches for your buildings.
Visit the FEMP Training Catalog to view all available live and on-demand trainings.
Data centers are energy-intensive and opportunities exist to reduce energy use, but significant knowledge, training, and skills are required to perform accurate data center energy assessments. In order to accelerate energy savings, the data center industry and DOE partnered to develop the DCEP program. The DCEP training program certifies energy practitioners qualified to evaluate the energy status and efficiency opportunities in data centers.
Training Dates
- November 24, 2022 (Generalist, in Spanish)
- November 30, 2022 (IT Specialist, in Spanish)
- January 23, 2023 (Generalist)
- January 24, 2023 (IT Specialist)
- January 30-31, 2023 (HVAC Specialist)
Best Practices Guide Series: Manifolding Laboratory Exhaust Systems
November 30, 2022 | 1:00 PM-2:00 PM ET | Register
The International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL) has been updating a series of best practices guides on laboratory sustainability and efficiency topics. In collaboration with FEMP, I2SL is pleased to host the fifth webinar of the series, highlighting I2SL's Manifolding Laboratory Exhaust Systems Best Practices Guide. Join Jeremy Lebowitz of Jensen Hughes and Hilary Williams of Arup for this free webinar on manifolding laboratory exhaust systems.
Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity Programs Available in West Virginia
December 1, 2022 | 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET | Register
Learn first-hand from utility representatives about carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) options available to customers in West Virginia. This will be the first in a series of webinars providing federal customers the opportunity to engage directly with utility representatives and learn how available programs or tariffs can help agencies meet the CFE requirements of Executive Order 14057.
Tune in to hear representatives from Monongahela Power (FirstEnergy) and Appalachian Power (AEP) describe their respective green pricing programs. Energy procurement specialists from the General Services Administration will also outline steps federal facilities can take to enroll in CFE options.
This webinar is specifically geared towards energy and sustainability managers at federal facilities in West Virginia, but other interested agency personnel and the public are welcome to attend.
For additional CFE resources, support, and information about future utility CFE webinars, visit Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity Resources for Federal Agencies.
Decarbonization Considerations: Grid Interactive Efficient Buildings
December 7, 2022 | 1:00 PM-2:00 PM ET | Register
FEMP helps agencies understand how to meet decarbonization goals with grid interactive efficient buildings (GEB). This training shows attendees how to identify opportunities and pathways to increase GEB deployment, identify how GEB interacts with DERs, and leverage available FEMP and other resources to help agencies meet decarbonization goals.
Visit the FEMP Training Catalog to view all available live and on-demand trainings.
Performance Contracting National Resource Center (PCNRC) Training Certificate Series
The Performance Contracting National Resource Center (PCNRC) Training Certificate Series is an accredited, on-demand, interactive, eight-part series designed to support performance contracting and workforce development in the federal and MUSH markets (i.e., municipalities and state governments, universities and colleges, K-12 schools, and hospitals), provided at no cost to trainees. This training series supports the professional development of emerging and experienced professionals alike and provides an opportunity for individuals to earn continuing education credits and demonstrate their proficiency in performance contracting.
Module 1: Overview Of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs)
2 Hours | 0.3 CEUs | Introductory
This training introduces ESPC as a tool to address budgetary constraints for building problems, accomplish energy improvements, and meet goals.
Module 2: Getting Started with an ESPC Project
2 Hours | 0.3 CEUs | Intermediate
This training provides an understanding of how an owner's representative (OR) should be prepared to help a facility owner/staff in the MUSH market get started with a new ESPC.
Remaining modules coming soon.
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