PNNL

In late 2005, the Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Energy Saving Expert Teams (ESET) conducted assessments at 28 Federal sites. These assessments were directed by President Bush in a memorandum to Federal agencies in response to projected natural gas shortages resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The primary focus of the ESET assessments was to identify low-cost and no-cost (operations and maintenance-oriented) energy efficiency measures that the sites could quickly and easily adopt to relieve the expected supply shortfall, while also realizing significant energy and cost savings. The assessments successfully identified large potential natural gas savings opportunities available at low-cost/no-cost through energy efficiency measures such as boiler tune-ups, repair of steam and condensate leaks, repair of missing and/or damaged insulation, adjusting temperature and setback setpoints, and modifying equipment operating schedules. Because these savings opportunities were largely anticipated, the issue now becomes one of helping facility managers more easily identify and address these opportunities as they arise.