Richmond, California - Archive

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

Region 9 Laboratory

This page houses older environmental information about EPA's Region 9 Laboratory in Richmond, California. View the laboratory's current facility page.

Facility Manager Jennifer Mann won a fiscal year (FY) 2009 Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Exceptional Service Award for her efforts to improve energy efficiency and start a composting program at the Region 9 Laboratory.

In FY 2006, EPA replaced the building's existing mechanical time clock with a more accurate astronomical time clock to enhance the energy efficiency and functionality of the building's outdoor lighting.
In FY 2004, EPA began a project to renovate the Region 9 Laboratory's fume hood systems. Phase one focused on the design, construction, and commissioning of new systems, including six new variable air volume (VAV) fume hoods. In FY 2006, in the second phase of renovation, EPA focused on the design, construction, and commissioning of six new high-performance fume hoods, which are designed to use 30 to 40 percent less energy than conventional, constant volume systems.

In August 2005, the Region 9 Laboratory, working with the Defense Energy Support Center , finalized a three-year contract to offset 100 percent of the laboratory’s annual electricity consumption with green power. The contract with 3 Phases Energy Services provided 1.9 million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year in renewable energy certificates (RECs) in support of renewable energy generation at wind farms in Northern and Southern California.
From 1999 to 2001 the Region 9 laboratory received 1.9 million kWh per year in delivered green power from geothermal energy and landfill gas. Then, from 2002 to July 2005, the laboratory contracted for 1.9 million kWh in RECs from a mix of biomass, wind, solar, and small hydropower.