Apr 1 2009
A green-design maintenance shop has set a foundation for further pollution prevention efforts for the North Carolina Army National Guard (NCARNG).
The NCARNG Pollution Prevention (P2) Team's efforts to make their field maintenance shop as green as possible while maintaining more than 500 pieces of equipment that come through their facility each year sets them apart in North Carolina and in the region in terms of environmental excellence.
The newly opened maintenance shop was designed to meet the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council Small Commercial Buildings program standards using SBIC's Energy-10(TM) software. The shop's features include a geothermal heating and cooling system, water reducing facilities, occupancy sensor lighting systems and tank-less water heaters. "The P2 Team's commitment to environmental quality and stewardship has helped to cement the NCARNG's reputation as an environmental leader and good neighbor," said Sgt. 1st Class Todd Lingerfelt, facility manager.
The P2 Team's primary mission is the maintenance and rehabilitation of rolling stock, communications and electronics equipment as well as weapons systems integral to the NCARNG's training mission. The team also provides units with hazardous material management, recycling and compliance training programs.
The team's attention to Soldier training helps to foster improved environmental practices and awareness throughout the NCARNG organization and in Soldiers' communities. Quality program management techniques are key to the team's success. They have contributed to the achievement of several program milestones, including the opening of a new, green facility for equipment rehabilitation and servicing, significant reductions in both hazardous and universal waste, the implementation of new training and material inventory programs and ongoing compliance excellence in the environmental performance assessment system.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for the Environment, Safety and Occupational Health, Tad Davis, recognized the NCARNG for having the Army's most outstanding pollution prevention team effort in fiscal year 2008. This award is part of the Secretary's annual Environmental Awards Program and represents the highest honor in the field of environmental science conferred by the Army.
"The Army is committed to protecting the environment at installations here and overseas," said Davis. "In fact, as the winners of our environmental awards demonstrate, the Army is getting more and more sophisticated in its use of environmental technology and sustainable practices. We're becoming a greener shade of green."
An independent panel of judges made up of professionals from federal, state and Army organizations recommended the NCARNG for the Secretary of the Army environmental award. "During the last two years, the NCARNG P2 Team has successfully managed a new facility for equipment rehabilitation and servicing, achieved significant reductions in hazardous and universal wastes, developed new training and material inventory programs and adopted the "gell-cell" battery, among other pollution prevention activities," shared Rachel Dagovitz, Secretary of the Army environmental award judge. "The program is an exemplary operation with best practices that can be easily adopted at other Army facilities."