FROM: The Deputy Director for Management, NIH

SUBJECT:  2010 HHS Green Champion Awards

As you know, President Obama is extremely dedicated to improving our stewardship of the environment.  As an example, the President issued Executive Order 13514 last October, challenging Federal Agencies to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce energy and water consumption, and reduce pollution. NIH is fully supportive of this Administration’s commitment to the agenda.  

With that as background, I am proud to announce that NIH has been recognized by the Department through the HHS Go Green Award, where NIH claimed several key awards:

Energy/Water: Energy Savings Performance Contract at NIEHS: Bill Blair

Environmental Stewardship: NIH’s Office of Technology Transfer Green Team: Kevin Chang and Mark Rohrbaugh

Fleet Management: ARRA-Funded Fleet Acquisition at NIH: Terry Schlegel (Lead), Vernon Williams, Leo Wright, Woodrow Harrison, Ulysses Mitrakas, Anthony White, Sylvester Young, Wallace Stephens, James Lewis, and John Cloyd

Sustainable Buildings: NIH’s Green Roof Terrace at the Bethesda Campus:  Suzanne Grefsheim (Lead), Mary Hash, Benjamin Hope, and Bradley Otterson

Honorable Mention: The NIH Environmental Management System: Terry Leland

NIH’s Green Procurement Outreach for Bethesda’s Building 10: Mary Hash (Lead), Benjamin Hope, and Bradley Otterson

I am proud of these accomplishments and I am confident that we can achieve even greater successes through the enthusiasm and dedication of the entire NIH community. Many thanks for your commitment to environmental excellence!

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This year marks the second annual HHS Green Champions Awards, which honors outstanding HHS employees and Native American tribal members involved in various sustainability projects. What began several years ago as the HHS Energy Awards morphed into the "Green Champions Awards" when, in 2009 (for FY08 projects), an "environmental" category was added to the energy criteria. The awards program further expanded this year, with the inclusion of new program areas.

Program Areas and full descriptions: http://intranet.hhs.gov/building/winners.html#top