• Improving energy efficiency involves the implementation of a technology or process that uses less energy to achieve the same quality of output.                              
• Cost savings associated with improved energy efficiency should be calculated over the entire lifespan of the technology or process since savings extend well beyond the first year of use.                              
• A decrease of only 1% in industrial energy use in the U.S. would save the equivalent of about 55 million barrels of oil per year, worth about $4 billion.                              
• ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy that designates energy efficient products and practices to inform energy efficient decisions. 

• Fort Lee replaced inefficient fluorescent lighting with modern lights leading to an annual energy savings of $79,000.  The Fort also purchased a large bulb crusher that allowed it to achieve a major secondary benefit to its energy efficiency program: the recycling of 323 grams of mercury and 49 tons of bulbs and ballasts in 2004-5.  The Fort presented its project successes to the V-REMS partnership at the February 2006 V-REMS meeting.                      
• Inspired by Fort Lee’s tremendous successes, the Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) installed motion sensors and timed light switches in their facilities leading to an annual energy savings of $337,701.  Additionally, the DSCR has also replaced out 24,000 inefficient bulbs, recovering 288 grams of mercury in a small bulb crusher.  The DSCR projects that it will change out an average of 15,000 bulbs annually, allowing it to recycle an average of 180 grams of mercury per year.                       
• Fort AP Hill retrofitted over 3,600 lighting fixtures in over 60 buildings at a savings of $56,000 per year.   The Fort also installed room occupancy sensors, insulation blankets on hot water heaters, and a geothermal heat pump to reduce energy usage.                        
• The Virginia National Guard has improved energy efficiency by replacing ceilings, roofs, windows, and two older boilers.                       
• DuPont  hosted a plant-wide energy fair to educate its employees on the use of energy efficient products and encourage the purchase of ENERGY STAR products.  The DSCR attended the fair and presented its Global Electric Motors car at the event, sparking interest from DuPont.

* In some cases, the accomplishments identified are the results of individual V-REMS partners’ voluntary efforts.  In others, environmental projects were already in effect when organizations joined V-REMS and experiences were shared.  In most instances, partners identified common problems or needs or solutions, shared their experiences, and developed joint projects resulting in environmental improvements.

• 7,880 MWh of electricity saved.                 
• $472,701 saved in annual energy expenditures.               
• Reductions in air emissions from avoided electricity production include:
  • 1,970,134,242 lbs. CO2 emissions;                 
  • 28,996 lbs. VOCs;                  
  • 4,093,304 lbs. NOx;                  
  • 9,389,953 lbs. SOx;                  
  • 186,865 lbs. carbon monoxide;                  
  • 151,425 lbs. particulates; and,                  
  • 13,204 grams mercury.