The New Embassy in Valletta

The New Embassy Compound in Valletta Addresses Stormwater Run-Off:
1. Erosion and Sediment control during construction including sediment traps, basins and silt fencing.
2. An underground stormwater retention tank will be permanently installed to retain 95% of stormwater runoff from the site so that it can be reused for the landscaping.

The Embassy Valletta IT staff automated the shutdown of all workstations in the Embassy during nights and weekends. This will save 225,000 kilowatts of electricity per year, calculated by taking a baseline reading of the electricity used over night and on a weekend, and then taking the same measurements after the shut down procedure was in place.

Saving at Consulate Istanbul

Consulate Istanbul is working on a photovoltaic array, windmill, waterless urinal, water catchment, energy efficient security lights applications. OBO will be sending a team of energy experts this coming June to begin the photovoltaic design and best placement of an anemometer tower for wind study data. The are also working directly with the previous Clinton Global Initiative lead in Turkey who has provided many inroads into local authorities for permit purposes and local contractors who can install these applications.

Embassy Zagreb Spreads the Word

Public advocacy – the Embassy joined a nascent Green Building Council in Croatia, helping to launch locally was is already a world-wide effort to incorporate sustainable building practices. Our involvement puts a “green” face on the Embassy’s public image and helps us promote our own greening efforts in the mission. If other posts are interested, countries with existing and prospective GBCs are listed here.

Zagreb Helps Eliminate a Scourge

Paper recycling – all of the paper recycled in the mission is taken to a recycling center, where we receive credits for each kilo of paper. Those credits translate into cash for a local demining NGO, Recobot, which uses the funds to demine around refugee’s homes, enabling them to return to their houses. So far their contributions have helped demine over 9,500 square meters.

Embassy Jordan Leads the Way

Despite the lack of a formal recycling framework in Jordan, the Embassy contracted the services of a start-up private sector vendor (Entity Green) to collect the Embassy's recyclable materials. FM procured and placed large containers as well as individual recycling bins at different offices throughout the Embassy and encourages employees to bring items from their homes as well. Since the recycling program began, Embassy Amman has gathered 30 tons of paper and cardboard, 4 tons of plastic, 2.5 tons of cans, and 3 tons of glass. Other materials also being recycled include oil, printer cartridges, vehicle batteries, tires, pipes, and carpet tiles. Post's support for Entity Green is also helping create new small andmedium enterprise employment opportunities in Jordan, providing vocational training for Jordanian and Iraqi youth employed by Entity Green, and increasing environmental activism - all key mission priorities.

Saving Water in Jordan

Mindful of being situated in the fourth most water-poor country in the world, Post also focused on water saving measures. Drip irrigation is used to water the plants and zero-scape landscaping is used throughout the compound. The Ambassador's residence uses rock garden topography with indigenous, drought-resistant plants. Water-saving devices will be installed on faucets and shower heads in embassy buildings, including the gym and club. Post also installed what perhaps are the first waterless urinals in Jordan. A dual flush mechanism is currently being installed in Embassybathrooms. Future plans include reducing water usage for washing the Embassy motor-pool fleet.

Embassy Amman Leads the Way

Post launched the Green Embassy initiative in September 2008 to reduce the Embassy's environmental, water, and energy footprint and to lower operational costs. The positive results have included estimated annual savings of $55,000 in electricity costs, $25,000 in water costs, and $40,000 in diesel fuel bills. The Embassy also recycled 30 tons of paper and cardboard, 4 tons of plastic, 2.5 tons of cans, and 3 tons of glass. Embassy Amman has set an ambitious target of working towards LEED certification as one of the first Green Buildings in Jordan and is working on a LEED audit with a vendor.

AMMAN SEES GREEN!

The ESTH Hub and the Public Affairs Office partnered with other diplomatic missions in Jordan to organize the Seeing Green film days! A 5-day event in October 2009 centered on the October 14 Arab Environment Day, featuring films from the U.S., Britain, Holland, France and Jordan, all screened at the Royal Film Commission in Amman. Isn’t it time for you to start seeing green too?

AMMAN’S GREEN TEAM ON EARTH DAY

Embassy Amman’s Green Team is planning to co-host several events on Earth Day 2010
to celebrate its best greening practices throughout the local community. Current plans
include the April 21st screening of a documentary on Garbage and Waste Management
and the April 22nd Clean-up Campaign at a local park with several hundred school children.
They are also planning to hold an art contest to create sculptures from the collected waste.

LEED in Sofia

The Embassy in Sofia was the first to be awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) when it was constructed. The features include a pulse-powered water treatment system, water saving fixtures and a drip irrigation system to reduce water consumption. More than 95% of the light bulbs is energy saving and light sensors ensure that lights are turned off when areas are not in use or when there is sufficient daylight. Timers are similarly used to shut down systems after hours. Solar water heaters and a heat exchange connected to the hot water system are utilized to reduce energy use. In addition, greater insulation has been obtained through the thermal properties of the external materials. Outside containers also promote recycling by employees after hours.

Doing It The Spanish Way

At the Embassy in Madrid, computers are automatically shut down between 7 pm and 6 am. The thermostats on heat have been lowered and the water temperature for cooling raised, with timers being used to regulate the equipment at night. OBO funding has been requested for the purchase of new electronic ballast and motion sensors.

Embassy London Goes Zonal

In January 2009, the building Energy Saving Project was completed, having reached its energy and money saving targets. All floors are now divided into zones, which are lit between 6.15 am and 7 pm. During nights and weekends, lights are turned off. Each zone has a light switch, in the event that someone has to work at hours when the lights are turned off. Pressing the button will light the zone for 6 hours and when leaving, a reset button can be used to turn off the lights. As of 2008, IT has also implemented Wake on LAN or WOL for all OpenNet work stations, implying energy saving computer shutdowns between 8 pm and 7 am.

Turning Off The Lights in Brussels

In January 2009, the building Energy Saving Project was completed, having reached its energy and money saving targets. All floors are now divided into zones, which are lit between 6.15 am and 7 pm. During nights and weekends, lights are turned off. Each zone has a light switch, in the event that someone has to work at hours when the lights are turned off. Pressing the button will light the zone for 6 hours and when leaving, a reset button can be used to turn off the lights. As of 2008, IT has also implemented Wake on LAN or WOL for all OpenNet work stations, implying energy saving computer shutdowns between 8 pm and 7 am.

Missions in Germany Save Energy and Dollars

An agreement with Vattenfall has been initiated to include Berlin residential buildings on the commercial utility contract for non-residential buildings, which has a lower kWh-rate and allows for real time utility metering in residential units. A photovoltaic system has been installed on the roof of the residence on Goldfinkweg 14. Energy savings have been achieved through the Munich strategy of overnight computer shutdowns and extraneous water heaters have been turned off in four restrooms at COB in Düsseldorf.

Greening IT

In this fiscal year, the Department of State's Bureau of Information Resource Management will replace an additional 2,212 PCs with thin clients, bringing the total number deployed to 8,187. The Department is expected to save 630,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 422.7 tons annually as a result. Plans are under way to begin adding thin client workstations to the unclassified network in fiscal 2011.

By using a PC’s power management capabilities such as sleep, hibernate and shutdown modes, the Department could increase energy savings by more than 35 percent annually, according to conservative estimates. In fact, a number of overseas posts have already implemented power management and gained impressive results. IRM’s ultimate goal is to enable computers that have been shut down to automatically “wake up” so that scheduled maintenance can occur without disrupting work activities. In the future, while you’re sleeping at home, your PC at work will also be sleeping— and saving energy.

Nordic Nations Leaders in Global Trend toward LEED Green Building Program

International builders are increasingly adopting the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System -- the United States’ primary tool for green building -- with international projects now comprising 27 percent of LEED certified and registered projects. LEED projects are underway in 114 nations, with a particularly strong presence in Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

“Currently there are 43 LEED projects under construction in the Nordics, where their commitment to consensus and collaboration mirrors exactly how LEED works best,” said U.S. Green Building Council’s Vice President of International, Tim McEnery. “Growth of LEED adoption in the Nordic region is accelerating: 36 projects have registered with LEED so far in 2009. With the increase of interest in the Nordic countries, we’re confident that LEED will be a tremendous tool to add to the leadership in sustainability that the Nordic countries embody.”

Stockholm Goes To District Heating

Embassy Stockholm and energy company Fortum signed a deal where all electricity used in the chancery building comes from renewable sources, and by joining the district heating grid more than the environment is spared. By switching to district heating saving 366,000 cubic meters of gas annually, which results in a 650,000 kg cut in carbon dioxide emissions.

Embassy Stockholm Driving Green and Powering Green

Embassy Stockholm employees take green taxis for their official travels. Taxi Stockholm (Stockholm’s biggest taxi company) will provide Embassy employees with green taxis on request. They have also purchased bicycles for use when going to meetings.

All Embassy staff has been encouraged to find ways to reduce the Embassy’s carbon footprint. In addition to traveling green, the Embassy signed a contract with Fortum to receive electricity from renewable sources only, expanded its recycling program, and replaced incandescent light bulbs with low energy long-life bulbs.

Sunny Forecast

In recognition of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations is focusing on the design and installation of photovoltaic systems, better known as solar panels. Photovoltaic systems have become OBO’s most universally deployed renewable technology, cutting operating costs, reducing fossilfuel-based sources of energy and expanding reliance on clean renewable energy. Overall, the use of photovoltaic systems reduces the Department’s carbon footprint and shows that the United States government is committed to environmentalism.
Photovoltaic technology is also a clean way to provide supplemental power to U.S. diplomatic facilities. Photovoltaic electricity is produced when sunlight excites the electrons in the silicon-based panels.

Embassy Lusaka Uses Greening to Help Others

—The Embassy donates much of its rubbish to upcyclers, people and charities who create useful or artistic items from waste materials. These include:
ØPlastic Grocery Bags
ØWine BottlesSoda Bottle Tops
ØCardboard, Paper and Shredded Paper

For example:
—Transforming cardboard and paper into paper-mâché chairs for disabled children, and into other decorative items to subsidize the chairs

Lusaka Uses African Sun

—Replacing electric water heaters with solar heaters to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Lusaka Goes to Biodiesel

—Using 500 liters of biodiesel per week made from used cooking oil to power generators and Embassy vehicles, reducing dependency on fossil fuels by as much as 14%.

EMBASSY LISBON ELEVATES “EARTH DAY”!

On April 22, Embassy Lisbon will hold a tree-planting ceremony at a local public school. Students and Embassy representatives will plant trees. Local press will be invited to cover the event, which will be used to highlight actions that students can take to preserve the environment. In addition, Embassy Lisbon has decided to commemorate Earth Day to a higher green purpose by distributing Earth Day posters to American Corners and public schools throughout Portugal.

EMBASSY LISBON FIRST GREEN EMBASSY CONFERENCE!

The U.S. Embassy in Lisbon is proudly hosting their first annual Green Embassy Conference, in cooperation with their Eco-Friendly Action Forum (LEAF) Interagency Committee and other local organizations, they are planning to gather on April 16 to evaluate their progress and find other means to reduce their carbon footprints. Motto for this event is: “Buy Green! Think Green! Practice Green!”

EMBASSY NICOSIA GREENING IS CHEAP!

The U.S. Embassy in Nicosia has taken not only several “green” steps, but also achieved major cost-cuts and benefitted the environment. They have reduced energy consumption throughout the Chancery by only using desk lamps and fluorescent bulbs for lighting and reduced residential heating fuel by 50%. They planted drought-resistant plants, pooled printers, and installed reflective window film. They distributed utility bills to the residents and established a “Green Award” for those who lower their costs the most. It’s not too late! Follow in Nicosia’s foot-steps and not only will you benefit, but so will your children.

Embassy Warsaw is Kidnapping Your Paper Coffee Cup!

Warsaw’s Green Team is now stealing away with all the unnecessary paper coffee cups! After studies supporting the use of ceramic vs. paper cups to reduce paper waste, Embassy Warsaw is making it a reality by joining with Stoney Point Coffee Shop and replacing all paper cups with ceramic reusable coffee mugs for all their customers. Follow their example! One small cup for humanity could make a big impact on your environment.