JEFFERSON CITY, MO - By implementing numerous conservation measures at facilities around the state, Missouri state agencies have continued to meet the energy-reduction goals established by Gov. Jay Nixon three years ago. In 2011, energy use by state agencies was reduced by another 2.28 percent.
"This is great news as we continue to support Gov. Nixon's effort to make state government more efficient and energy conscious," Office of Administration Acting Commissioner Doug Nelson said. "I appreciate the combined efforts of our state agencies to reduce energy usage throughout Missouri. As a result of their hard work, we are achieving Gov. Nixon's important goal of reducing energy use by 2 percent each year."
In April 2009, Gov. Nixon signed Executive Order 09-18, requiring all state agencies whose building management falls under the direction of the Office of Administration to implement policies that will reduce their energy use by 2 percent per year for the next 10 years. After the first three years of implementing Executive Order 09-18, Gov. Nixon's administration achieved the following reductions:
- Electricity: Decrease of 23.5 million kWh (kilo-watt hours), or a 6.77 percent reduction. That's enough to power 3,700 Missouri households for an entire year, and the equivalent of reducing annual CO2 emissions by 35,000 tons; and
- Gas (propane and natural gas): Increase of 19,581 MMBtu (1 million Btu), or 1.32 percent and down 18.42 percent (339,266 MMBtu) overall compared to Calendar Year 2008, which is enough to fuel 14,000 water heaters for an entire year, and the equivalent of reducing annual CO2 emissions by 20,000 tons.
As electricity has been reduced, gas increased only slightly. As a result, the State of Missouri has moved to increased use of other fuels including woodchips, diesel, steam and hot water that are cleaner and more efficient than gas or other sources of energy. Over the last three years, there has been a 677 percent increase in the use of these more efficient fuels.
The energy reduction efforts implemented by the Office of Administration's Division of Facilities Management, Design and Construction (FMDC) include:
- Implementing lighting upgrades at various state facilities, using in-house staff to do the installations. Where incentives are offered from the utility companies to make upgrades, the state is applying for those incentive funds;
- Adjusting thermostats to save energy during both the heating and cooling seasons;
- Incorporating modifications to operational sequences at various facilities;
- Working to retro-commission HVAC and automation systems to eliminate simultaneous heating and cooling as much as possible, and to ensure that equipment operation is scheduled to take place in conjunction with building occupancy.
The state's energy-efficiency efforts are managed by a team within FMDC. This team carefully monitors energy use at state facilities and implements strategies to reduce energy consumption at specific facilities, such as changes in lighting, heating and cooling. The team uses a cutting-edge computer monitoring system to track and evaluate consumption at facilities across the state.
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