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AssET MANAGEMENTAssET MANAGEMENT
The Military Engineer • September-October • 2011 The Military Engineer • No. 673
In the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) of February 2011, Department of Defense (DOD) leaders prioritized reduced energy demand and increased use of renewable energy on installations. Chiefly, this focus is identified as a means to improve operational effectiveness, re-duce the need for foreign fuels and lessen greenhouse gas emissions in support of U.S. climate change initiatives. This im-portant declaration led the Office of the Secretary of Defense and Military Depart-ments to craft green building and energy conservation policies to drive DOD prac-tices. A strategic look at federal and DOD guidance reveals a pathway to minimizing energy demand and maximizing use of renewable energy that inevitably leads to net-zero buildings and installations.
Defining the concept of “net-zero” can be difficult. Put simply, a DOD installa-tion is net-zero energy when it requires no power from outside the gate. Some may question whether it is possible or cost-effective to actually achieve this; however, most would agree movement towards net-zero will improve DOD’s energy efficiency posture, demonstrate good stewardship of limited fiscal and natural resources while enhancing mission readiness, and drive planning and promote development of sound technical solutions. In essence, DOD will get as close to achieving net-zero as current technology allows on a cost-effective basis. The point is to make measurable headway towards true net-zero, not necessarily to achieve it—further progress will be made as technology and market forces allow.
The QDR connects operational effec-tiveness to a reduction in energy demand and increased use of renewable energy.
According to the QDR, energy security is “…having assured access to reliable sup-plies of energy and the ability to protect and deliver sufficient energy to meet op-erational needs.” DOD leaders recognize both deployed warriors and those back home depend on direct support from in-stallations. If the electrical grid supplying power to a DOD installation were down for a significant time period, that instal-lation would surely suffer impacts to its ability to support operational missions. Therefore, an energy-secure installation would improve operational effectiveness because it would not depend on energy coming from outside the gate to accom-plish operational missions.
There is a difference between an energy-secure installation and a net-zero energy installation. An energy-secure installation isn’t necessarily net-zero energy; however, as an installation moves toward net-zero energy, the task of making the installation energy-secure becomes simpler.
ThE fINANCIAL INCENTIvEIn FY2010, DOD facilities energy use
totaled 221-trillion-BTU, at a cost of $3.76 billion. Unlike operational energy use, which includes wartime and training energy use, facilities energy consumption is subject to executive order and public law mandates for energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Electricity use in DOD facilities accounted for nearly one-half of DOD facility energy consumption, but more than two-thirds of the cost; as such, reducing electricity consumption is a key focus.
Achieving net-zero sounds great, but these are times of austere budgets. In fact, the path to achieving net-zero within cur-rent funding projections is most likely to occur through extensive use of third-party financing mechanisms combined with federal appropriations. This won’t be easy, and it will require outside-the-box think-
ing on the part of planners, end users and acquisition professionals. However, there is a strong business case to be made for current investments in energy efficiency
An Energy-secure dOd future
by COL. bART bARNhART, M.sAME, UsAf, WENdI GOLdsMITh, M.sAME, and sTACEy hIRATA, P.E., sEs, M.sAME
Movement towards net-zero energy military installations can ensure resilient operational effectiveness while reaping long-term cost savings.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Research Support Facility in Golden, Colo., achieved LEEd Platinum certification and net-zero energy status at a construction cost competitive with similar commercial buildings. PHOTO BY FRANK OOMS, COURTESy NORTHSTAR PROJECT MANAGEMENT
process, this initial goal has developed into a strong sustainability framework that will position WRAMC as a model for transitioning from government to public and private use.
In consideration of the reuse and tran-sition of WRAMC, the campus now needs to reposition itself for both the District of Columbia and the federal government. Currently, the buildings, some of which have historic significance, represent mul-tiple uses, including office, medical and housing. Some of these buildings are in good condition and present opportunities for reuse, providing new jobs and living opportunities for the local community. Historic spaces will be maintained and reprogrammed, and buildings that do not offer reuse potential or historic value will be considered for demolition and removal to allow for new development.
For example, the current hospital on the site does not offer reuse potential for the stakeholders involved. Through the transition process, LRA is readjusting the Army’s lifecycle management approach to a universal lifecycle approach, consis-tent with the planning team’s sustainabil-ity framework. With this in mind, due to building specifications, this massive structure no longer works for the repur-posing of the site. The WRAMC reuse plan will amplify the historic campus and area and create new spaces through environmentally-sustainable actions and economically-conscious decisions.
sUsTAINAbILITy fRAMEWORkThe transformation of military and
federal agency campuses to public use of-fers a unique opportunity to implement a long-term sustainability approach that can guide the adaptive reuse of the exist-ing buildings as well as new development. The first step in achieving new effective eco-communities is developing a sustain-ability framework that will set the param-eters for an adequate lifecycle manage-ment of buildings and infrastructure. The final outcome of a strong commitment to sustainability is reduced operations and maintenance costs and a lessened impact on the environment.
The recent cost-reduction trends at the federal, state and local levels have al-
lowed for new and innovative ways for the government to partner with the private sector to reduce its capital investment and operations costs while achieving environmentally-friendly solutions. The emergence of Energy Savings Compa-nies (ESCO) is a good example of this. By means of an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), ESCOs will develop the necessary infrastructure and retrofit exist-ing buildings with no upfront cost to the end-user, be it a federal agency, developer, or other entity, to provide federally-guar-anteed energy cost savings.
For WRAMC, the reuse plan outlines a clear strategy to partner with private-sec-tor entities and developers to retrofit ex-isting buildings and set the standards for new development. An ESPC enabled the viability of the sustainability framework and allowed LRA to develop a plan to ef-fectively reuse the existing heating and cooling infrastructure on campus.
LIfECyCLE CONsIdERATIONsTo allow the WRAMC planning team’s
sustainability framework to achieve its full potential, other lifecycle consider-ations need to be established, such as stormwater management, transportation and walkability goals, and the use of eco-friendly materials. The capture, treatment and reuse of stormwater and greywater will aim to achieve full water reuse by 2050 through rain gardens, bio-retention areas, green roofs, cisterns and open wa-ter features. For transportation measures, LRA will look to develop a network of paths and routes that promote pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly environments and establish zoning regulations, all of which will promote sustainable commuting practices. Furthermore, the implementa-tion of waste management standards will encourage the goals of the campus as a sustainable site.
Importantly, these lifecycle consider-ations forecast the way visitors will utilize the site. The integration of a cohesive mix of uses within the campus will take advan-tage of the synergies of the different users and will complement the land uses of the surrounding neighborhoods. These stan-dards are set early in the planning process to manage any change that will happen at
a later time and are established through collaboration among LRA, federal gov-ernment and the local community.
Through these sustainable initiatives, LRA will continue to encourage commu-nity involvement for input on develop-ment and design decisions that concur with federal regulations. For example, per section C5.4.8 of the Department of De-fense Base Reuse and Realignment Manual, “The LRA is required to balance the needs of the communities for economic reuse and other development with the needs of the homeless. In considering and accom-modating homeless assistance needs, the LRA has been mindful of the criteria that [the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development] uses in evaluating the home-less assistance provisions of reuse plans.” Per federal requirements, it is imperative such matters are addressed early in the planning process, as they affect both the federal gov-ernment and local community.
sUCCEssfUL TRANsITIONThe adaptive campus reuse at WRAMC
enabled a wide array of stakeholders to work together through challenges and implement sustainable initiatives to en-sure a successful transition of govern-ment-owned land to public and private investment. By maximizing the value of properties through a long-term planning process and instituting conscience asset management decisions, WRAMC will demonstrate a sustainability framework that will add to the value of the properties and will continue to augment the historic area in which the campus is situated.
As the history of WRAMC demon-strates, the campus is bound to encounter additional changes as it continues to grow. This current planning process will define a framework by which to facilitate these decisions and construct a consistent envi-ronment for the future.
Andres Losada is Planning+Strategies Senior Consultant, and Anton Villacorta and Erica Gordy are Planning+Strategies Consultants, Perkins+Will. They can be reached at 202-624-8335 or [email protected], 202-624-8314 or [email protected], and 202-624-8320 or [email protected], respectively.
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AssET MANAGEMENTAssET MANAGEMENT
The Military Engineer • September-October • 2011 The Military Engineer • No. 673
In January 2007, former President George W. Bush announced the Grow the Force initiative to increase the strength of the U.S. Marine Corps from 177,000 to 202,000 active and reserve Marines by FY2011 to help meet increasing strategic demands and reduce stress on the current force. For Marine Corps Base Camp Pend-leton, Calif., this meant the provision of new facilities to accommodate up to 4,045 Marines over a five- to eight-year time horizon, with a corresponding increase in budget for personnel, equipment and in-frastructure. Since the onset of Grow the Force, planning has been underway to ad-just to a post-Afghanistan Marine Corps size. Nonetheless, base leadership was
prompted to think creatively and holis-tically about the installation’s overall ca-pability to remain “America’s Preeminent Littoral Training Base for 21st Century Warriors” to 2030 and beyond.
To ensure mission capability for many years ahead, an all-encompassing plan-ning approach, combined with a vision-ing process, was put in motion. The Camp Pendleton 2030 Vision and Master Plan centered on achieving synergy among operational, environmental and growth factors to maintain viability of the entire base. By enlisting stakeholder involve-ment, base leaders and the planning team established common planning precepts and principles and future mission require-ments that extend base-wide and frame individual area development plans for all 18 cantonment areas. The visioning and master plan analyzed each cantonment
area to show current assets and mission growth and to identify areas ready for fu-ture development. In addition, the plan-ning team optimized cantonment layouts to meet and exceed federal mandates for long-term energy conservation and envi-ronmental compliance.
This master plan provided a unique opportunity for in-depth analyses of the entire installation as well as the individual cantonment areas and their relationship to the whole, a practice that has become scarce amongst military installations due to a lack of time and funding. This plan was created within the context of current planning considerations, such as anti-terrorism and force protection, whole sys-tems lifecycle costing, federal energy and water mandates, and sustainable planning principles. A direct and collaborative data collection methodology allowed for a
Ensuring Mission Capability
by kOMAL dEWAN, AICP, LEEd AP, M.sAME, and fAREEhA kIbRIyA, AICP
A master planning process produced comprehensive guidance for future land use and development to position Camp Pendleton as the premier training installation in the nation for years to come.
Camp Pendleton, Calif., comprises 18 cantonment areas separated by large expanses of training ranges located along 17-mi of Pacific coastline between San diego and Los Angeles. IMAGE COURTESY AECOM
AssET MANAGEMENT
and renewable energy, with initial savings that will become ever greater as the cost of energy continues to rise. Hence, it is a worthwhile enterprise for both industry and government.
DOD also must expand its focus past the next fiscal year, place a higher premium on long-term cost savings and be willing to spend slightly more on construction when lifecycle cost analysis indicates even greater operations and maintenance sav-ings. Recent studies have demonstrated that, contrary to widespread belief, the so-called “green premium” is generally very small, often merely a couple percent-age points. Incorporating sustainable fea-tures from the start of design work is key. Similarly, targeting net-zero early will al-low most cost-effective attainment in the long run.
A NET-zERO bLUEPRINTDOD’s current sustainable installa-
tions policy requires each new building or major renovation to meet the Guiding Principles for Federal High Performance & Sustainable Buildings and to meet, as a minimum, the U.S. Green Building Coun-cil’s Leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design (LEED) Silver standard. Also, DOD generates 5,800-billion-BTU of renewable power on its installations. These actions demonstrate DOD’s grow-ing commitment to consume less energy and move toward net-zero energy, thereby increasing our energy resiliency.
While building to meet the Guiding Principles and attain LEED certification is a great start, it should be considered a minimum requirement, a step on the way to higher performance. The capabil-ity exists to reduce energy demands of our buildings and installations well over and above these standards. Furthermore, President Obama provided the following guidance in Executive Order (E.O.) 13514: “…beginning in 2020 and thereafter, en-suring that all new Federal buildings that enter the planning process are designed to achieve zero-net-energy by 2030.”
When the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo., began plan-ning its new Research Support Facility (RSF), it decided the facility would be a
showplace for sustainable high-perfor-mance design practices and technology advances. However, NREL also wanted the RSF’s construction cost to be competi-tive with similar commercial buildings. That meant limiting construction costs for this 222,000-ft2 building to $259/ft2. Achievement of this goal would show the perceived “green premium” might not be as automatic as many believe.
The desire to demonstrate a high level of energy performance while adhering to tight budgetary constraints led NREL to quickly recognize a standard design-bid-build process would limit a design team’s creativity to develop the most effective integrated energy-efficiency solution. The team decided its best chance to succeed rested with a performance-based “Best-Value Design-Build/Fixed Price with Award Fee” delivery approach.
As part of the request for proposals (RFP), NREL specified key project per-formance parameters versus technical specifications such as building size and configuration and used an Army design developed for Fort Carson as the basis. NREL grouped the performance param-eters into three categories—mission criti-cal, highly desirable, and if possible—and included calculation and substantiation methods for each parameter. For example, one of the mission-critical requirements was attainment of a LEED Platinum des-ignation. Highly-desirable requirements included 25-kBTU/ft2 energy use, use of building information modeling, and ca-pacity to support at least 800 personnel. If-possible requirements included a net-zero design approach.
After a national request for qualifica-tion review, NREL selected three teams and invited them to respond to the RFP. The RFP required substantial investments of time and resources by all three respon-dents, so NREL paid the unsuccessful firms a stipend of $200,000 to ensure stout competition.
NREL’s emphasis on energy perfor-mance in the RFP resulted in design priorities of energy, form, interior and mechanical. These priorities led the de-sign-build team to focus on integrated design strategies that proved key to the project’s ultimate success.
A WINNING COMbINATIONIn the end, the RSF achieved every per-
formance parameter from the mission-critical, highly-desired and if-possible categories, all the way to net-zero energy performance when coupled with a 668-kW photovoltaic array funded through a power purchase agreement.
The combination of design-build deliv-ery with clear and prioritized energy per-formance goals led to focused effort from the design-build team and proved to be a winning combination. The project did not require additional first cost; it provides documented and performance-based fa-cility energy cost savings; and it features a secure local renewable power source that leverages private dollars.
It is hoped that a hard look at how NREL accomplished this feat will lead us-ers and vendors to conclude the capabil-ity is present using existing technology and acquisition methods to greatly exceed current building energy performance standards within typical fiscal constraints. That should be important to DOD engi-neers. Constructing buildings with net-zero-ready attributes will save millions of future dollars in building operations costs, allowing more funds to cover the “tooth” focus that is DOD’s business. Do-ing so also will push DOD down the road to complying with E.O. 13514, the Secre-tary of Defense’s efficiency initiatives and guidance from the QDR while pressing the private sector to develop the next gen-eration of competitive advances.
Col. Bart Barnhart, M.SAME, USAF, is Chief, Sustainable Installations, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment); 703-604-1831 or [email protected].
Wendi Goldsmith, M.SAME, is CEO, Bioengi-neering Group; 978-224-3107 or [email protected].
Stacey Hirata, P.E., SES, M.SAME, is Chief, Installation Support Community of Practice, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; 202-761-5763 or [email protected].
