White House Closing the Circle Awards
This program recognizes outstanding achievements of Federal employees and their facilities for efforts which resulted in significant contributions to, or have made a significant impact on, promoting environmental stewardship. The awards focus on waste prevention, recycling, and green purchasing activities under E.O. 13101, environmental management under E.O. 13148, green/sustainable buildings under both executive orders, and reduced fuel usage under E.O. 13149, and electronics stewardship.
These awards are managed by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE). Sandia National Laboratories has won many of these high profile awards. Hover the cursor over each nomination title for a brief abstract.
Fiscal Year 2007
- Nominations will be submitted by December, 2007.
Fiscal Year 2005 - Winner (x2)
- Comprehensive Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program
Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) has a comprehensive EPP program in place that continues to grow and evolve to incorporate new aspects as they are identified. This program has three primary elements: Procurement Green Teams; a Product Review process; and Product Replacement Recommendations. The EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines regarding recycled-content products, the USDA’s biobased preferences, and the USGBC’s LEED guidelines are used as a starting point for all EPP efforts. With the ability to direct purchasing efforts across the site, these program elements have facilitated the implementation of environmentally beneficial and financially wise policies and practices.
- Petroleum Fuel Reduction through Alternative Fuels
Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) has an impressive array of alternative transportation options available to its employees. The options run the gamut from self propelled to alternative fuels to mass transit. Employees are encouraged on a regular basis through advertisements and booths at special events to pledge or sign up to take advantage of the options available. Internally, SNL/NM’s Fleet department has done an excellent job of advocating and increasing the use of alternative fuels and alternative vehicles, displacing approximately 39,000 gallons of petroleum fuel this year.
Fiscal Year 2004 - Honorable Mention
- Waste Reduction Techniques Applied to Landscaping
Innovative approaches and educational programs have completely changed Sandia’s landscape practices. The redesign of Sandia’s landscaping started as an initiative to maintain a campus-like atmosphere for all to enjoy while implementing cost savings, reducing water use, and minimizing waste.
Fiscal Year 2003 - Winner
- Five Keys to Success: Continuous Improvement for Construction Purchases
Sandia National Laboratories has been continuously improving its purchasing system for construction contracts for several years. This year, a contractual requirement for reporting combined with training, compliance inspections and performance monitoring has increased purchases of material containing recycled content by over $300,000 or 40% over purchases made last year.
Fiscal Year 2002 - Winner
- Incorporating Sustainability in the Model Validation Facility
An integrated, systematic approach to incorporating sustainability has been difficult to apply to construction projects at SNL/NM and within DOE. However, sustainable design was successfully included in the planning, design, and construction process for the Model Validation and Systems Certification Test Center (MVSCTC). As a result, MVSCTC uses less energy and water, generated less construction waste and is healthier than comparable facilities, employs environmentally preferable building materials and methods, and was constructed at no additional cost. The process for incorporating sustainability at MVSCTC is being used for other SNL/NM projects, and forms the basis of sustainable design activities at SNL/NM.
The SNL Radiation Protection Sample Diagnostics Program (RPSD) found they were spending a lot of money and creating a lot of waste from their process of analyzing scintillation vials. Through a team effort, they devised a simple, cost effective way to reuse scintillation vials. Through this innovative process, RPSD will save an estimated $50,000 to $65,000 per year and reduce it overall low-level waste generation by 50%. This process could be applicable to any DOE or nuclear-related laboratory involved with scintillation counting.
Fiscal Year 2001 - Winner
- Sandia National Laboratories Green Purchasing Team
Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL) is committed to ensuring all purchases meet or exceed federal requirements and guidelines for environmentally preferable purchasing. Three dedicated contracts have been placed to date that are designed to encourage the purchase of recycled products. These three dedicated contracts are the first at SNL to include language and review criteria for environmentally preferable purchasing. In total these contracts have saved SNL 72,000 dollars, increased the total dollars spent on recycled products from these categories from 223,000 dollars to 1 million dollars, and increased SNL’s total compliance from 42 percent in Fiscal Year 1998 to 85 percent in Fiscal Year 2001.
- Radiation Protection Sample Diagnostics Program: Scintillation Vial Reuse
(Certificate of Achievement)
