OMAHA, NE - The 2016 GreenGov “Building the Future” Presidential award was presented to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District project delivery team Sept. 7 in Washington, D.C. for contributions in making the federal government more sustainable.
The White House Council on Environmental Quality presented 12 GreenGov awards during the ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to federal agency teams and individuals who fulfill President Obama's mandate to "lead by example" in implementing Executive Order 13693: Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade.
The Building the Future Award went to a team from Omaha District and Fort Carson, Colorado, for the 13th Combat Aviation Brigade Aviation Support Battalion Hangar at Fort Carson, which earned the Army's first Net Zero, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum certification for a hangar, producing less waste, generating less pollution, using less water, and putting energy back into the grid.
Fort Carson has a legacy of more than 56 LEED certified projects, including more than 82 certified buildings, half of them at the LEED Gold level, and including the hangar, three at the Platinum level. Receiving the award were Project Manager James Harding, Military Programs Director Vince Turner, Resident Engineer John Offen and Senior Construction Representative Robert Collupy of Omaha District and Fort Carson Director of Public Works Hal Alguire.
In introducing the Building the Future Award, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Katherine Hammack noted that the team working on the hangar not only achieved reduced the environmental footprint, used renewable energy, enhanced energy security, achieved Net Zero and LEED Platinum, but "came in under budget. It was a win-win for all," she said.
"I'm always impressed with what the Army Corps of Engineers does when it comes to finding innovative and better ways of doing this," said Hammack.