ST. PAUL, MN — An award earned by the U.S. Department of State in Seoul, Korea, was the direct result of an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) from the Trane Asset Management Services Business Unit. According to Trane, the contract is significant for its use of a geoexchange system to replace inefficient oil furnaces and window air conditioners in housing units at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. As a result of the improvements, the Embassy may realize total energy savings of approximately $12 million over the 19-year contract duration.

The Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is a division of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) focused on helping federal agencies reduce costs, increase efficiency, use renewable energy, and conserve water.

Each year since 1981, the DOE has presented awards in numerous categories related to energy management and resultant cost savings. The FEMP presented 12 Federal Energy and Water Management Awards in 2001, including one in the “Alternative Financing” category to the Department of State for its work with Trane in Seoul.

Specifically recognized in the award were Department of State employees Jose Cao-Carcia, Richard H. Crowson, Brian J. McCarthy, Nathaniel James Pines, and Hilario L. Silverio. This team of representatives, recognizing the effects of inefficient and unreliable hvac systems in base housing units, contracted with Trane to replace over 150 of these systems with geothermal units to provide energy savings over the duration of the contract.

Publication date: 03/18/2002