Congratulations to the 2007 SANDEE Award Winners
Outstanding Organizational Achievement
University of California, San Diego
From their alternative transportation and Green Campus programs to their efforts during the recent wildfires, UCSD has taken a comprehensive approach to sustainability. To encourage staff and students to take mass transportation, UCSD created the Free Bus Zone program, which provides free rides on all bus routes that serve the campus. UCSD has partnered with SANDAG to provide a vanpool and carpool program with annual carbon savings of 858 metric tons. The Green Campus Program promotes sustainability by using students to conduct energy savings competitions, lighting exchanges and office energy assessments. In total, the Green Campus program has saved 962,018 kilowatt hours (kWhs) and 1,491,129 pounds of CO2 emissions. During the recent fire storms, UCSD was also able to transform its energy system through a series of demand and supply response measures to first, reduce its reliance on grid supplied power to zero, and then, to export 3 megawatts ( MW) of power to reduce stress on the electrical grid.
Outstanding Individual Achievement
Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Manis
United States Marine Corp
Lieutenant Colonel Manis has been a champion of the Marine Corps effort to make conservation a daily effort. These activities are paying off with a decreased energy intensity of 13% in just one year. The Lieutenant Colonel has provided the strategic vision and top-level support Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar needs for this successful program. The program encompasses education, energy management support and project development. MCAS holds weekly meetings to discuss energy, and this has resulted in a reduction of lighting, HVAC and other equipment use after hours, on holidays and on weekends. The station has also continued the Resource Efficiency Manager program with Tetra Tech EM Inc., which provides assistance inidentifying opportunities for energy savings. MCAS has recently installed energy efficient windows, advanced lighting systems and solar parking lot lights resulting in 6,622,000kWh saved and a cost savings of $1,724,860 in 2007 alone.
Special Achievement in Energy by a Medium to Large Business
Hunter Industries
Hunter Industries is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of water efficient landscape irrigation equipment. Hunter has just completed a state of the art facility that has been awarded LEED Gold and is 22% more energy efficient than Title 24. The building incorporates two rooftop photovoltaic systems; an 80- kW system owned by Hunter, which provides 100% of the lighting needs for the building and a 102- kW system owned by SDG&E that provides locally generated renewable energy for the grid. The building also uses daylight harvesting units to provide its daytime lighting needs. To reduce heat gain, a solar cool bronze insulated glazing system and a “greenwave wall” were installed. Estimates predict that Hunter will offset 302,665 lbs/year of CO2 emissions and save $35,600 in annual energy costs.
Runner Up: Intuit
Special Achievement in Energy by a Small Business
Black Mountain Ranch, LLC
Black Mountain Ranch, LLC is the developer of Del Sur, a master-planned community of 2,500 homes. Del Sur is a prototype of a socially responsible, energy conserving, new home development that is essential in today’s world. The Del Sur community combines EnergyStar appliances, tank-less water heaters and 371kW of roof integrated photovoltaics. A minimum of 20% of all the homes must be outfitted with solar and the option to add solar is available on all homes. In addition, 92% of the construction waste has been recycled. The Ranch House at Del Sur, the community’s information center, was awarded LEED Platinum certification. To date, the Del Sur community has generated 555,934 kWhs of clean renewable electricity.
Runner Up: San Diego Office Interiors
Special Achievement in Energy by a Government or Institution
County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation
The San Diego County Parks and Recreation maintains and enhances the quality of life in San Diego County by providing parks and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. The Goodan Ranch Center was designed to replace the historic ranch house lost during the 2003 Cedar Fire. The County worked closely with Platt/Whitelaw Architects to design the building to qualify for a LEED Silver rating. Designed to use 48.3% less energy than Title 24, the building will save an estimated 29,790 kWhs annually. Installation of a photovoltaic system, indirect evaporative cooling, site orientation, day lighting strategies, high efficiency lighting and a mechanized shading and window system have been incorporated to optimize the building.
Runner Up: City of San Diego Police Department
Special Achievement in Transportation
New Leaf Biofuel
New Leaf Biofuel is a San Diego-based biodiesel production
company. New Leaf’s goal is to provide San Diego communities with an alternative vehicle fuel source that is environmentally sound, produced from renewable or recycled resources, and grown and manufactured in the United States. New Leaf uses waste cooking oil collected from local restaurants to manufacture biodiesel, which can fuel diesel vehicles with little or no conversion. The reuse of this cooking oil results in less CO2 emissions, cleaner air and reduces the amount of grease released into San Diego’s sewers. New Leaf is also partnering with local schools, universities, and other organizations to educate the public about biodiesel and its many benefits.
Runner Up: Utility Consumers’ Action Network
Special Achievement in Energy by a Nonprofit
Community Housing Works
Community Housing Works is a San Diego non-profit that
develops and owns affordable rental apartments. SOLARA is a 56-unit, affordable housing complex that is “Zero Energy.” The project boasts an extraordinary accomplishment-95% of their
energy needs are met by on-site, renewable energy. SOLARA achieves energy efficiency through passive design features such as site orientation, shade overhangs and natural ventilation that replaces air conditioning. Building materials include EnergyStar Low-E windows, appliances and a radiant barrier. In addition, SOLARA uses high-efficiency tank-less boilers, low flow tap and shower devices and dual flush toilets. SOLARA has also installed photovoltaic panels on the roofs and carports to supply the electrical demand for all of the common areas and apartment units.
Runner Up: Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
Special Achievement in Energy by a Homeowner
Norby Residence
The Norby’s “Herons’ House” was designed with the intention of recycling an old house in an existing neighborhood, thus lessening the demand of urban sprawl. The home is situated with southern exposure for use of passive solar, active solar and natural ventilation. The home is constructed with R21 insulation in the walls and R40 in the ceilings and floors. A center spine constructed from block, steel and stone provides thermal mass for passive heating. The home also boasts a tank-less water system, 4.4- kW photovoltaic system, rain water capture for irrigation, EnergyStar appliances, sustainably forested wood and a recycling/composting program.
SANDEE Awards Judging Committee
All submissions were evaluated by a panel of local energy and sustainability experts:
- Scott Anders - Administrative Director, Energy Policy Initiatives Center, University of San Diego School of Law
- Timothy Weiss - Energy Manager/REM, Naval Base Point Loma
- Stephen Kapp, C.E.M., LEED-AP - Technology Resources Manager, California Center for Sustainable Energy
- Richard Caputo, B.M.E., M.S.M.E. - President, San Diego
Renewable Energy Society - Christopher Weixelman, P.E., LEED-AP - Senior Mechanical Engineer Program Manager, Randall Lamb
Legal Note: “The SANDEE Awards,” “The San Diego Excellence in Energy Awards” and program logo are copyright protected and/or service marks of The California Center for Sustainable Energy.
