Post on 13-Aug-2020
Nicholas HromalikGreen the Capitol
Office of the Chief Administrative Officer
U.S. House of Representatives
November 17, 2010
BECC Conference 2010The U.S. House of Representatives as a
Model of Sustainability
Green the CapitolLeadership by Example
“The House of Representatives must lead by example, and it is time for Congress to act on its own carbon footprint.”
‐Speaker Nancy Pelosi
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The Capitol Complex
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House Campus Context6,100,000 sq. ft in 4 House Office Buildings7,000 Staff in DC3,000 Staff across the USPreservation as a National Historic Monument
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U.S. Capitol: 1793Cannon: 1908Longworth: 1933Ford: 1939Rayburn: 1965CVC: 2008
Green the Capitol Goals
1. Aggressively reduce the carbon footprint of the House of Representatives
2. Reduce the energy consumption by 50% over 10 years (5% per year starting in 2007)
3. Position the House as a Model of SustainabilityRefine House waste reduction programDrive sustainable management practices into all aspects of House operations
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Model of SustainabilityDrive Sustainable Management Practices & Energy Saving Technologies into all aspects
of House Operations and Actions
Behavior Change
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Refine House Recycle and Waste Reduction Program
CAO Zero Landfill goal: Eliminate 90% or greater of all waste produced by CAO staff, services, and systems.House‐wide 50% waste diversion from landfill goal.AOC manages House recycling program, including paper, plastic, aluminum and glass bottles, cans and glassCAO and AOC:
educate House staff on waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting.focus on reducing all waste streams and eliminating landfill waste.
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Sustainable Food Services & Composting
In 2007, all Styrofoam®and plastic food servicewarereplaced with compostable versions. In 2008, over 535 tons of food and compostable waste were diverted from the landfill.
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Employee Participation & Engagement
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Example: Reusing and green cleaning refrigerators and ergonomic chairs in Member officesSavings to the House since January 2009: $126,000
Education: The Green ExpoHighlighted Greening Efforts within the House and the CommunityWork‐Life GreenGreen Products, Produce, Services, and BehaviorGreen Games and GiveawaysOver 2000 attendeesin April, 2010
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The Congressional Transition
The Office Supply Reuse Areas for staff to drop off and pick up unused or reusable supplies.Cost savings for offices.Diverts waste from landfills.Transition in 2008: Resulted in the reuse of approximately 12,500 pounds of supplies.
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Member Office Greening Program441 Member Offices 24 Committee Offices9 Leadership OfficesTracks implementation of sustainable business practices and energy savingsOver 100 CAO employees trained
Over 400 consultations completed to date
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District Office Greening Program
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900+ District Offices across with countryOver 3,000 employeesDirect consultationsRegional workshopsTeleconferencing
Over 260 of the 441 districts have participated to date
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Core 15 Greening Actions
1. Designate a Green Office Representative2. Recycle Paper3. Recycle Bottles, Cans, Plastics4. Compost5. Recycled Content Paper6. Reduce Publication Subscriptions7. Light Switches8. Transportation Benefits9. Computer Power Management10. Smart Power Strips11. Doublesided printing12. EPEAT Computer Equipment13. ENERGY STAR appliances14. Occupancy Sensors15. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
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Stretch Greening Actions
1. ENERGY SAVING ACTIONS
2. GREEN PROCUREMENT
ACTIONS
3. OUTREACH ACTIONS
4. TRANSPORTATION ACTIONS
5. WASTE REDUCING ACTIONS
6. WATER CONSERVING
ACTIONS
Examples: Adjust your Thermostat +/‐ 2 degrees Check your heating and cooling vents for obstructionsHouse Hosting ServicesEPEAT computersENERGY STAR Televisions, water coolers, and DVD players
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My Green Office Demo Site
Public Demonstration Site:
http://stage.greenthecapitol.icfi.com
Username: Demouser1Password: Demouser1#
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Get ConnectedTelephone(202) 225 – 0892Email:gtc@mail.house.govWebsite:http://cao.house.gov/greenthecapitol/Facebook:“Green the Capitol” Fan PageTwitter:@greenthecapitol
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