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Counting the Savings

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The numbers detailing the use of energy in the House office buildings are starting to roll in, and the House is starting to count the savings.

Earlier this year, the Architect of the Captiol (AOC), working with Green the Capitol, installed more than 100 meters to monitor and track energy and water usage throughout the Capitol campus.

Counting Savings

"The meters allowed us to zero in on which buildings had the most efficiency problems," said AOC Superintendent Bill Weidemeyer.

Weidemeyer offers an analogy to further explain: "If you're going to go on a diet to lose weight you'd need an accurate scale to determine your weight and how much you're losing. Having the ability to measure every utility in every building is a real plus for us," he said.

For example, meters discovered that the HVAC system in Ford, which was designed when old, energy-efficient windows were in place, was more powerful than it needed to be.

The AOC also found three holes in the system that were releasing air and wasting energy. The AOC patched the holes, saving an estimated $400,000. And work is underway to modifying the airflow in order to make the building more efficient.

The goals of the energy conservation programs are in lockstep with Green the Capitol.

"This effort is a testament to our shared commitment to pursing greening initiatives that save both energy and money," said Green the Capitol Director Bob Lane.

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The House now purchases renewable wind energy to counterbalance the carbon emissions of its electricity consumption.

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