Our Past Accomplishments

2012 HHS Accomplishments

At HHS, we promote responsible environmental policy year-round since the health of the American people is directly linked to a healthy environment. We take pride in our year to year accomplishments regarding sustainability and are happy to support our current Administration’s commitment to open government and transparency. Accomplishments from each goal area are briefly described below.

While these summaries are only a snapshot of the steps we are taking at HHS to make the world a greener place to live, they illustrate how we are improving our practices. At HHS we are committed to doing whatever is necessary to protect the health of all Americans, and we recognize that ensuring a clean and healthy environment is a fundamental part of that effort.

Scope 1&2 Greenhouse Gas Reduction
HHS Green Fleet Management
High Performance Sustainable Design / Green Buildings
Water Use Efficiency and Management
Pollution Prevention and Waste Elimination
Sustainable Acquisitions
Electronic Stewardship and Data Centers

Scope 1 & 2, Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Reduction

To achieve the HHS GHG reduction targets, HHS has focused on reducing energy use for Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions and reducing employee travel for Scope 3 emissions. HHS has achieved the FY 2020 GHG emissions reductions goals for Scope 1 & 2 and Scope 3 emissions.

In FY 2010, HHS established a Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions reduction target of 10.3% by FY 2020 as compared to the FY 2008 baseline year. As of FY 2012, HHS has reduced Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 14.7% when compared to FY 2008.
In FY 2010, HHS established a target to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions 3.3% by FY 2020 as compared to the FY 2008 baseline year. As of FY 2012, HHS has reduced Scope 3 GHG emissions by 9.5% when compared to FY 2008.
Per the December 2011 Presidential Memorandum, “Implementation of Energy Savings Projects and Performance-Based Contracting for Energy Savings,” HHS committed to an estimated $59.6M of alternative financing contracts. To date, $2M has been awarded, and we expect to award the remaining $57M by December 2013. Of these contracts, $13.6M comes through Utility Energy Service Contracts and $46M through a Department of Energy (DOE) Super Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) vehicle.

HHS Green Fleet Management

HHS is reviewing its Fleet Management Program to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of fleet assets across the Department. With most of the fleet sustainability goals on track, HHS will be focused on ways to reduce and/or better align assets to meet the needs of the agency while saving money, mitigating risk, and minimizing the program’s negative impact on the environment. HHS has reduced petroleum use and increased alternative fuel use in the fleet vehicles.

As of FY 2012, petroleum fuel use has decreased by 33% as compared to the FY 2005 baseline, an achievement better than the 30% required reduction by FY 2020.
Alternative fuel consumption has increased by 295% above the 2005 baseline, well above the 159.4% increase required by FY 2015.
HHS OPDIVs are preparing to participate in the GSA Electric Vehicle Pilot Expansion program. Projects are being developed and implemented that will install electric charging stations on campuses.

High-Performance Sustainable Design / Green Buildings
Laboratories

HHS has reduced energy intensity in its facilities, most of which are energy-intensive laboratories and medical facilities. The Department is on track to meet EO 13514 reduction mandates. However, HHS is lagging on the EO 13514 requirements that 15% of new, existing, and leased buildings be compliant with the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High-Performance and Sustainable Buildings (“Guiding Principles”) by FY 2015.

HHS is on track to meet the energy use intensity reduction of 30% by FY 2015. As of FY 2012, HHS has reduced energy use intensity by 22.4% when compared to FY 2003.
HHS is not on track to meet the FY 2015 goal that 15% of new, existing, and leased buildings be compliant with the Guiding Principles. The 2013 goal is 9%; however, currently only 0.73% of HHS buildings comply. The goal to incorporate Guiding Principles into at least 9% of GSF of building inventory over 5,000 GSF was also not met. The HHS total for 2012 was 3.9%.
To improve incorporation of the Guiding Principles, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed a comprehensive Green Building Strategic Plan that identifies the assets most likely to achieve the 15% requirement. FDA also continues to work on projects that reduce the Backlog of Maintenance and Repair (BMAR) and improve compliance with the Guiding Principles. The Indian Health Service (HIS) has integrated sustainability assessments with energy and water assessments to maximize funding and meet multiple requirements. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will incorporate sustainability assessments into Health Impact Assessments in facilities, which will combine sustainability requirements with health mission requirements.

Water Use Efficiency and Management

HHS continues to work toward the EO 13514 and Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) goals for water use efficiency and management.

HHS has reduced water intensity by 0.3% in FY 2012, as compared to the baseline year of FY 2007. HHS did not meet the 10% reduction goal for FY 2012 but is working to meet the FY 2020 target.
A primary area of concern for HHS has been the inability to monitor usage accurately and at detailed levels. To address this challenge, in FY 2013 OPDIVs will install additional potable water meters at the building or major use level to monitor use, identify additional savings, and meet Guiding Principles goals. The Indian Health Service (IHS) will focus on xeriscaping landscaping, which incorporates indigenous plants and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate supplemental water needs for irrigation.
HHS OPDIVs have established a best practice to convert all open-loop chilled water systems to closed-loop, because laboratory and medical equipment typically make HHS facilities highly water-intensive.

Pollution Prevention and Waste Elimination

Examples of OPDIV successes and best management practices include:

NIH achieved an OPDIV-wide recycling diversion rate of 43.2% for FY2012. These figures included food and animal bedding that was diverted for composting. This FY 2012 rate puts NIH on track to achieve the goal of 50% diversion by FY 2015.
FDA reduced its solid waste disposed of via landfills by over 26% in 2012 as compared to 2011.
In FY 2010 IHS initiated a new partnership with the Leech Lake Reservation’s Green Team to assist in developing a tribal-specific, practice-based environmental sustainability assessment tool. This tool establishes a baseline profile, prioritizes intervention strategies, and develops an action plan. In addition, funds were secured to support a community composting project estimated to divert 153,088 pounds of waste from the community’s solid waste stream annually. This project will save approximately $17,750 in disposal costs and reduce greenhouse gases by 28.3 metric tons carbon equivalent.

Sustainable Acquisitions

To support sustainable acquisition, HHS issues guidance to the acquisition workforce that emphasizes the inclusion of biobased products and all applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) sustainability clauses in construction and other relevant service contracts. HHS provides the acquisition workforce with sustainable acquisition training, focusing on biobased products, further supporting the inclusion of sustainability requirements in applicable contracts.

In FY 2012, 95% of HHS new contract actions included applicable sustainability requirements (based on a minimum 5% quarterly review of applicable contract actions).
The HHS Office of Grants and Acquisition Policy and Accountability (OGAPA) implemented a supplemental sustainable acquisition contract review process in January 2013, resulting in a greater number of contracts being verified and validated for the inclusion of sustainable acquisition requirements.
In FY 2013, HHS will provide OPDIVs with separate quarterly sustainability compliance rates based on the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS) reporting elements. The Department will emphasize the importance of accurately reporting sustainability information in FPDS, with a target of increasing sustainability compliance rates in FPDS by 10% in FY 2014.

Electronic Stewardship and Data Centers

As of FY 2012, HHS is compliant with all electronics stewardship requirements per EO 13524

Energy Star product procurement is 99%.
Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) procurement is 98%.
FEMP designated energy-efficient product procurement is 99%.
Power management features enabled on applicable products is 94%.
Duplex printing enabled products is 99%.
Sound practices used for electronic product disposition is 100% of products.

In addition, the HHS OPDIVs have designated 27 core data centers and 131 non-core data centers. 27% of the non-core data centers are scheduled to close by the end of CY 2015. The HHS Chief Information Officer (CIO) will review the data center consolidation plan by the end of FY 2014 and determine if additional data centers can be closed, as HHS strives to reach the OMB 40% closure goal.

In FY 2013, HHS will expand efforts to integrate Electronic Stewardship into existing OCIO domain governance activities by including additional stewardship goals as tracked activities within the HHS CIO Council. Additionally, the CIO will represent HHS on the Federal Electronics Stewardship Working Group.

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