Going (and Staying) Green

Department of Energy Awards Jefferson Lab the GreenBuy Award for the Third Consecutive Year

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – “Purchasing ‘green’ is now an automatic mindset at the lab,” says Barbara Rice, procurement officer for the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. “The lab is always striving to purchase parts and services that comply with GreenBuy standards.” Jefferson Lab has been awarded the GreenBuy Award by the Department of Energy for the third consecutive year.

The GreenBuy Award program recognizes DOE sites for excellence in “green purchasing” extending beyond minimum compliance requirements. All federal agencies are required to purchase products that are energy efficient, water efficient, made from bio-based or recycled content, and are non-toxic or less toxic than conventional alternatives. Once an organization has received three GreenBuy Awards in a row, they are elevated to Gold GreenBuy Award status, indicating their commitment to the environmental sustainability.

“This voluntary program helps DOE sites systematically reduce their carbon footprint through environmentally sustainable purchases,” says Shab Fardanesh, the AU-21 senior sustainable acquisition advisor of the Department of Energy Office of Sustainable Environmental Stewardship.

In an effort to ensure a smooth implementation process at the lab, Rice led the charge by taking a deliberate approach to “going green.” By conducting regular and consistent staff education courses, posting awareness notices, and identifying vendors and products that are environmentally friendly, the Procurement Department was able to exceed DOE requirements.

“Rice’s ability to articulate the green initiatives across the many lab procurement vehicles was an extraordinary task,” says Andy Ramirez, Jefferson Lab construction, services and tech transfer manager, and Rice’s supervisor. “She was able to influence a culture shift across the way we do business at the lab. The continued success in this area is unquestionably in part to Barbara’s commitment to excellence.”

“I am impressed to see that lab personnel are striving to purchase parts and services that comply with GreenBuy standards. It’s so important to achieve mission goals while also reducing the environmental impact of operations, while demanding an improved marketplace for greener products and services,” says Rice.

Rice will represent Jefferson Lab during the acceptance award ceremony Aug. 11-13, 2020, in Atlanta, GA.

On Jan. 23, 2020, the DOE recognized the following DOE sites for their efforts on sustainability.

Reference: https://www.energy.gov/ehss/greenbuy-awards

Contact: Rebecca Duckett, Communications Office, duckett@jlab.org or (757) 269-6809