88,577 gross square feet (GSF)

Energy Intensity:
FY 2020: 316,730 Btu per GSF
19.1% reduction from FY 2003

Water Intensity:
FY 2020: 2.04 gallons per GSF
81.2% reduction from FY 2007

Duluth, Minnesota

The Office of Research and Development’s Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure (CCTE) studies the ecological effects of water pollutants on fish, wildlife and ecosystems at this facility because it can use water from Lake Superior to conduct its research. The unchanging quality of the lake’s water is essential to the ecotoxicology research. 

Sustainable Features

• GLTED uses more than 99 million gallons of Lake Superior water annually for research and cooling.
• EPA replaced GLTED constant volume air handling units (AHUs) with a more energy-efficient variable air volume models and installed updated AHU technology.
• The GLTED laboratory replaced restroom faucets, toilets and urinals with more efficient models, saving an estimated 360,000 gallons of water per year.
• Two acres of meadow grasses and other native plants surrounding GLTED provide a buffer between the site’s impervious surfaces and Lake Superior. As stormwater runs through the meadow, the native landscaping helps filter out pollutants and allow for ground absorption.

For more information, visit the Great Lakes Toxicology and Ecology Division website or the EPA Facility Contact List.