Montgomery, Alabama

This facility features the following green attributes:
Green Power

National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory (NAREL)

Total Facility Area: 54,639 gross square feet
Estimated Personnel: 55 persons
Energy Consumption: 11,415,309,797 Btu per year
Btu per Square Foot per Year: 208,922
Total Water Consumption: 2,204,000 gallons per year
Gallons per GSF per Year: 40

All energy and water data are reported as of FY 2007.

Description

Located on Maxwell Air Force Base, the Montgomery laboratory provides radiological monitoring data to support rule making and radiological emergency response activities. The Environmental Radiation Ambient Monitoring System (ERAMS) is the only nationwide environmental radiation monitoring network in the United States. NAREL also supports Superfund and enforcement activities with laboratory and field measurements and technical assistance for radioactive and hazardous chemical (mixed waste) contaminants. The facility includes a state-of-the-art radioanalytical laboratory and office space.

Unique Environmental Features

Energy Conservation

EPA relocated and installed a 150-ton chiller from Ann Arbor, Michigan to Montgomery. Use of the chiller from Ann Arbor saved enough money for the purchase of a new chiller for conditioning furnace hood wake-up air.

Green Power

In June 2006, EPA signed a contract to acquire 110 million kilowatt hours (kWh) in renewable energy certificates (RECs), or "green tags," from 3 Phases Energy Services over the period September 1, 2006 - September 30, 2007. This blanket purchase supplies EPA with enough RECs through FY 2007 to offset 100 percent of annual electricity consumption at NAREL and other EPA facilities not covered by separate green power contracts. Procured through the Defense Energy Support Center , this contract supports wind power generation in California, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Water Conservation

In FY 2008, the National Air and Radiation Environmental Laboratory continued development of a water management plan.
The laboratory has eliminated all forms of single-pass equipment cooling.
No landscape irrigation water is used at the laboratory, as grasses and shrubs are climate-appropriate and survive on natural rainfall.
As of November 2007, a new central chiller plant is under construction at the laboratory. Historically, cooling towers have been maintained by a cooling tower maintenance contractor that performs monthly quality, performance, and water chemistry reviews of cooling tower operation. The laboratory plans to regularly test the new towers, once they are operational, to achieve maximum water use savings.

Other Features

All of the facility's chlorofluorocarbons were replaced by 1998.

For More Information

Contact

Michael Clark (clark.michael@epa.gov)
Maxwell AFB - Gunter Annex
540 South Morris Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36115
Fax: (334) 270-3434

Web site: www.epa.gov/narel