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​​​​​​​​​​Greg Leifer, Energy Management Branch Chief

​​Greg Leifer works as the Branch Chief for the Energy Management Branch in the Division of Facilities Stewardship (DFS). He oversees a plethora of new and existing energy projects across all the NIH campuses. From energy audits to installing solar arrays, if it deals with energy, Greg is on the case.

“An average week would [have] multiple different meetings with site staff and energy services companies working on projects at any of our campuses, whether it’s an energy audit in RTP, a construction project progress update in Bethesda, or acquisition planning with OA [Office of Acquisitions] for RML.”

Greg also handles several meetings with internal staff and contractors, as well as gathering data on energy usage from external sources. Given the number of projects and energy use instances he is called upon for input, working with his staff on data acquisition systems plays a large part in staying informed. With such an involved position, there are likely to be complications and challenges.

“One of the more challenging things are last minute data calls. For example, we need to know the electrical use from NIH [in a given fiscal year] by COB today or need to know the cost and savings from all energy projects [in a given fiscal year] by COB tomorrow.”

Since Greg is the nexus of information for energy metrics across the NIH, these metrics are often requested from him for the purposes of improving energy usage or tracking progress towards sustainability goals. In the engineering and energy sector of HHS operations, plans and details can change quickly, and this results in some challenging turnaround times. Fortunately, Greg sees a silver lining in all these interactions.

“[The best part of the job is] working with all of the different players necessary to conceive, plan, execute, and construct energy and water conservation projects.”

Whether it be energy service companies, Operations and Maintenance (O&M) or OA staff, financiers, utilities, contractors, NIH staff, ICOs or customers, Greg admits that the collaborative spirit of his position is his favorite part. As Greg looks forward to working with others towards reducing environmental impacts through conservation projects, we too should look forward to working together towards our sustainability goals.

Before leaving unneeded equipment on overnight or forgetting to turn out the lights, reconsider. Remember that Greg and his projects need your help!

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​Lifecycle of Electronic Stewardship ​ ​​​​​What do magic potions, vampire hunters and necromancers have in common? The first thing that comes to mind probably isn’t electronic stewardship. But in this article, we’ll show you how these concepts can apply to practices that lower energy use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent pollution. ​​LEA​RN MORE​​​​​

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​	​​Proper E-Waste Disposal​​ ​ ​​When an electronic device reaches the end of its useful life, it’s time to properly dispose of it. But how? Surely it doesn’t go in the recycling bin! Throwing it in the trash could result in harmful components and pollution entering the environment.​ LEARN MORE​​

NEMS Training                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Did you know? ​​​E-waste can contain toxic materials like lead, mercury, beryllium and cadmium. ​If improperly disposed to a landfill, these hazards can leech into the soil and water and pollute the nearby environment. To learn more about waste disposal at the NIH​​​​​​​​, please visit the NEMS T​raining webpage to view a short (20 minute) NIH environmental awareness training video.​​​