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Greening EPA

Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division (ACESD) Laboratory

Aerial photo of EPA’s Atlantic Ecology Division Laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

89,922 gross square feet (GSF)

Energy Intensity:
FY 2019: 261,461 Btu per GSF
14.8% reduction from FY 2003

Water Intensity:
FY 2019: 14.79 gallons per GSF
49.5% reduction from FY 2007

Narragansett, Rhode Island

ACESD is a state-of-the-art aquatic research facility of EPA's Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM) under the Office of Research and Development (ORD).

Sustainable Features

  • The facility is undertaking a multi-phase infrastructure replacement project (IRP) to upgrade mechanical, electrical and laboratory equipment with more efficient systems. As part of the IRP, the laboratory plans to install a ground source heat pump that will use geothermal energy to provide heating and cooling to support the facility and provide winter process cooling for the seawater system.
  • EPA developed a Sustainable Site Master Plan to provide a clear path for its phased laboratory modernization projects, which included reducing lawn mowing and replacing vegetation with native, non-invasive plant species that encourage healthy foliage growth.
  • The facility has a green roof and 1,200-gallon cistern to capture excess stormwater runoff through roof drains, and AED reuses the water for irrigation during dry periods.
  • A 5 kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) array helps offset some of the laboratory’s energy use. In FY 2019, the renewable energy system generated 4,654 kWh.

For more information, visit the Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division website or the EPA Facility Contact List.