U.S. Postal Service Surpasses Its Energy Saving Goals
The Obama administration is pushing more and more federal agencies to go green and find sustainable energy resources. But the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is significantly ahead of the curve.
Recently the USPS announced that it is more than two-thirds of the way to reaching its stated goal of reducing energy intensity by 30% by 2015. The Postal Service’s 21% reduction in energy intensity since 2003 is far ahead of the federal goal of 12%. The agency’s efforts to reduce energy use impact 287 million square feet of facility space.
The Postal Service has been using an Enterprise Energy Management System (EEMS) which allows it to manage and measure energy performance for its facilities.
EEMS has shown the Postal Service has reduced its energy usage by 10.8 trillion Btus since 2005 and saved over $400 million in energy costs since 2007. USPS has also fostered a culture of conservation among its employees.
A year ago the USPS established a green roof on the Morgan Processing and Distribution Centerr in Manhattan. The largest green roof in New York City, it covers 109,000 square feet, or approximately 2.5 acres – and is expected to last 50 years. The green roof has contributed to a 40% per month reduction in energy use.
During construction, approximately 90% of the original roof was recycled and reused on the new roof. The green roof has also reduced storm water runoff by 75% in summer and 40% in winter.
“A year ago, the Postal Service projected the green roof would help the Morgan facility save $30,000 in annual energy expenses,” said Tom Samra, Vice President, Facilities. “We’re pleased to have surpassed that goal, saving more than $1 million since the implementation of the green roof and other energy-saving measures at Morgan.”
Image credit: United States Postal Service
Learn more about Energy Efficiency on eBoom's Emerging Energy Learning Page.
Alison Pruitt is a freelance writer/editor living near Washington DC. She has written about a variety of issues, including education, healthcare, IT, the arts, and energy/environment -- and has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy. She has a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Rutgers University.
Any opinion contained in this article is solely that of the writers, and does not necessarily shape or reflect the editorial opinions of Energy Boom. Energy Boom content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be advice regarding the investment merits of, or a recommendation regarding the purchase or sale of, any security identified on, or linked through, this site.
