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Environmentally friendly lighting for the Dome is among green projects for Capitol |
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By Karissa Marcum
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Posted: 10/25/07 07:17 PM [ET] |
The Capitol Dome shines as an enduring symbol of American democracy, but efforts to make its illumination more environmentally friendly may soon change the way it’s lit.
As part of the Green the Capitol Initiative, House Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Daniel Beard is accepting bids for contractors to replace the conventional lights that illuminate the Dome with energy-efficient light-emitting diode, or LED, lighting.
Beard said relighting the Dome would allow the House to save a considerable amount of money every year in energy costs. Bids are due on Nov. 19.
The changing of the Dome’s bulbs is just one of several projects moving ahead as part of the greening initiative initiated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after Democrats took control of the House this year. The goal is to make the House carbon-neutral by the end of the 110th Congress next year.
On Thursday, an array of green exhibitors showcasing alternative forms of transportation will be on hand at the Green Expo. The event, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is intended to inspire more Hill denizens to take steps to conserve energy and make environmentally friendly choices, according to Beard.
The expo, held at the Cannon House Office Building, will feature makers of electric and hybrid cars, and will also promote the use of Segway personal transporters and lightweight road bicycles. It will provide information on ride-sharing options courtesy of the Goose Network, which connects drivers with riders via the Internet or text messages, and car-sharing companies that are setting up shop on the Hill.
Perry Plumart, deputy director of the Green the Capitol office, acknowledged traveling to work via Segway might not work for every commuter, but said the important thing is to get people to think about how they get to the Hill. “It might be something cutting-edge like Segways if you live close or it might be giving incentives to ride the Metro,” he said.
As part of a pilot program that could expand, the CAO is allowing car-sharing companies Zipcar and Flexcar to station four fuel-efficient vehicles in the Rayburn House Office Building garage. The companies are waiving monthly fees, although standard hourly rates of $7.25 an hour for official business and $9 an hour for personal use will still apply. This is intended to encourage workers to use those cars for short trips from the Hill in the hopes some would choose not to drive their own vehicles to work.
Beard said the greening initiative has been somewhat stalled, partly because the legislative branch appropriations bill funding the project is stuck in the Senate. The bill would provide $3.9 million for the initiative, with the majority targeted toward converting the Capitol Power Plant to use natural gas instead of coal.
Plans to purchase renewable power have also been delayed, but Beard remains confident the initiative’s goals will be achieved, “We’re pleased with the progress we’ve been able to make. I think we can make it,” he said.
The CAO’s office and Architect of the Capitol said they have already made some progress in their efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the House.
For example, the House Office Supply Store is now only selling 100 percent post-consumer wastepaper, and thousands of light bulbs have been replaced in the House office buildings.
“We’re doing our best to try to integrate the greening of the Capitol with the business of the House,” Beard said. “Greening will be at the forefront of every major decision that we make.”
The CAO is also moving forward with the Green the Capitol Initiative’s recommendation to buy carbon offsets, in order to compensate for the greenhouse gases the House emits. On Nov. 5, officials plan to buy $100,000 worth of credits from the Chicago Climate Exchange as part of a larger effort to reduce the 91,000 tons of carbon dioxide the House complex emits each year.
Progress may be made in one critical area in December, when a new food service vendor takes over the job of catering meals in the House office buildings. Food waste is responsible for half of the waste produced by the House complex, Beard said.
The goal of the new vendor, Restaurant Associates, is to significantly reduce the estimated 250 tons a month of waste produced by food services. It won a $17 million contract to revamp the House’s food services, and is considering doing away with Styrofoam and plastic take-out containers and installing water extractors in the effort.
“Nothing is really off the table, from the carpet to the lighting,” Plumart said. “We think there is an opportunity in virtually everything we touch.” |
