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NIH Environmental Management System

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Clean and Renewable Energy

​​As outlined in Executive Order (EO) 14057, ​Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Feder​al Sustainability, the NIH shall reduce greenhouse gas emissions, achieve net-zero emission buildings, campuses, and installations, and consume carbon-free electricity.  Additionally EO 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad requires federal agencies to combat climate change. Clean energy will be essential in meeting the requirements from these executive orders.​​


    

           ​  Figure 1 Solar energy                         Figure 2 Geothermal energy


The goal of clean and renewable energy is to to reduce environmental impacts from energy consumption, this is accomplished by:

  • Ensuring the total amount of building electric and thermal energy be ‘clean’ energy (accounted for by renewable electric and alternative energy).
  • Installing renewable energy at the NIH, including photovoltaic and geothermal, and retaining corresponding renewable energy certificates (RECs).
  • Contracting for the purchase of energy that includes the installation of renewable energy on and off site.
  • Purchasing electricity and corresponding RECs.​
  • Installing combined heat and power processes on site.
  • Evaluating and implementing alternative energy approaches.
The NIH Division of Facilities Stewardship Energy Management Branch tracks the NIH use of clean energy and implements clean projects throughout the NIH.

To demonstrate progress in fleet management and sustainability, NIH publishes an annual Sustainability Plan (SP) and reports progress to their parent government agency, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS adheres to the requirements of EO 14008 and EO 14057 and publishes an annual Sustainability Plan to demonstrate overall agency progress.

Why Clean and Renewable Energy?​

Though EO 14057 and EO 14008, the federal agencies must reduce their environmental impact and combat climate change. Clean energy is essential for federal agencies to meet these requirements. This will require the development and implementation of energy resources across USA including solarwindgeothermalbioenergy and water.

In accordance with Section 203 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. § 15852), each fiscal year the federal government must consume at least 7.5% of its total electricity from renewable sources. The NIH must ensure that at a minimum, 7.5% of the total amount of building electric energy and thermal energy shall be clean energy, accounted for by renewable electric energy and alternative energy sources. There is a preference for renewable energy to be generated on site, and in addition, energy can be purchased from renewable sources.​


Click here to view more information on how the NIH is conserving energy.

Division of Facilities Stewardship​​





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