Greening EPA

Atlantic Ecology Division (AED) Laboratory

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

89,922 gross square feet (GSF)
Personnel: 135

Energy Intensity:
FY 2015: 294,183 Btu per GSF
4.1% reduction from FY 2003 baseline

Water Intensity:
FY 2015: 14.44 gallons per GSF
50.7% reduction from FY 2007 baseline

Narragansett, Rhode Island

AED Laboratory is a state-of-the-art aquatic research facility of EPA's National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory under the Office of Research and Development.

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 and four 1 kW wind turbines on the green roof help offset some of the laboratory’s energy use. In FY 2014, the renewable energy systems generated 4,443 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity.
     

For contact information, visit the EPA Facility Contact List.