Several years, new construction and major overhauls of existing structures have made NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida a leader in the push to make federal government facilities more environmentally friendly, a sustainability officer from the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality said Friday, Nov. 4.
Not to mention Kennedy’s increasing use of electric vehicles plus more charging stations for those with their own electric vehicles.
“NASA has an incredible reputation throughout the federal government and you are continuing to uphold that reputation with these moves,” said Jesse Black, senior sustainability officer for Energy at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “Kennedy Space Center is definitely leading the federal government in many respects.”
A commander in the Navy, Black said his observations from the council position will be shared with other federal organizations and he also will brief his home service on changes that can be applied.
“I see Kennedy Space Center leading in many aspects,” Black said. “I am here to see why you are able to do it here, and then take that to other agencies and give them a model to follow.”
The last several years have seen a number of cutting-edge environmental projects undertaken at Kennedy. While some older, less efficient facilities were demolished, new structures were built with an eye on green-friendly construction materials and updated energy use. Two solar farms were installed in partnership between Kennedy and Florida Power and Light.
Several of the new buildings earned high ratings from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, including a platinum rating for the Propellants North facility, one of the structures Black toured during his day at Kennedy. Propellants North was the first building at NASA to achieve a net-zero energy rating, meaning the building generates the same amount of energy that it uses.
Black’s tour took him to Launch Complex 39B, where crews are replacing the bricks in the flame trench. That work is on top of extensive refurbishment throughout the infrastructure at the launch complex including a new heating and air conditioning system as well as upgraded water systems and communications networks.
Some of the considerations Black is also watching for are ways to analyze the effect new techniques and operational methods impact energy usage. Since Kennedy has several years of working in the new buildings behind it, the charting methods and results are being examined to see how well they capture the changes and how they can be copied elsewhere.