Energy Stewardship and Sustainability


Challenge: After successfully meeting a 10-year, 30 percent energy reduction target in FY 2015, the AOC set a new target of reducing the agency’s energy usage by an additional 20 percent through FY 2025. This achievement would result in an aggregate 50 percent energy reduction on the Capitol campus since FY 2005. Meeting this target will become more challenging as future energy reduction opportunities will be more scarce and costly to achieve.


AOC Initiatives: During FY 2019, the agency continued to work on several energy savings projects. Most notably, the AOC concluded its first full year of cogeneration operations at the Capitol Power Plant. The cogeneration plant is a critical element of the AOC’s long-term energy savings strategy and will be the single largest factor in the reduction of the AOC’s energy consumption for years to come. Cogeneration uses highly efficient, clean, fuel-burning technology that supplies both steam and electricity to 23 facilities throughout the Capitol campus. With the completion of the cogeneration plant, the AOC expects to achieve future energy reduction targets, reduce environmental impacts and maintain a reliable source of chilled water and steam while decreasing unnecessary fuel consumption. After falling short of a 36 percent


energy reduction target in FY 2018, the AOC met its FY 2019 target of 38 percent — demonstrating that cogeneration is already paying dividends for the agency.


In past fiscal years, the AOC used energy savings performance contracts (ESPCs) to accomplish infrastructure upgrades that have resulted in significant energy savings while limiting the upfront project costs. Congress authorized such contracts in The Energy Policy Act of 1992, which allows for the use of private sector financing to implement energy conservation methods and energy-efficiency technologies by federal entities. The AOC implemented previous successful ESPC projects in the U.S. Capitol and the House and Senate office buildings — saving the AOC more than $9 million in annual energy costs. Building on this strategy, in FY 2019, the AOC awarded a multiyear ESPC for the facilities managed by the Library Buildings and Grounds jurisdiction. This project will install energy-efficient systems, such as lighting, HVAC controls and water conservation improvements in the Library of Congress facilities. The AOC has also continued to replace antiquated pneumatic air handler controls in the James Madison Memorial Building with energy- efficient direct digital controls (DDCs).


Capitol Highlights


Thomas Jefferson Building Roof Replacement


The Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building opened in 1897 to serve as the American national library. In 1922, the AOC was assigned responsibility for the maintenance, operation and care of the building. For almost a century, the AOC has worked to repair, renovate, restore and maintain the historic fabric of the grand structure. The AOC replaced the Jefferson Building’s copper roof, dome and torch in 1998. However, since then, significant water intrusion issues necessitated expensive temporary fixes until the roof could be replaced.


During FY 2019, the jurisdiction completed a project to repair and replace the copper roof and the failed skylight over the West Main Pavilion. The project replaced approximately 9,000 square feet of copper roofing, installed six additional roof drains and replaced catwalks and the Great


50 Section 1 • Management’s Discussion and Analysis


Hall skylight. These repairs addressed major water intrusion issues that had caused significant interior deterioration. In an associated follow-on effort, the AOC artisans restored damaged interior finishes including plaster walls, ceilings, ornamental elements and heart pine floors.


At the same time, this fiscal year, the AOC also began renovations of the building’s East Main Pavilion roof, which protects the ornate Rare Book Reading Room and rare book storage vaults, which house some of the most important collections. The roof replacement project will continue through early FY 2020.


Upon completion, these roof replacement projects will improve protection of the Thomas Jefferson Building’s historic fabric and artwork, as well as the valuable and rare collections contained in the nation’s library.


ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL


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