Carter M. Hickman District Court and Multi-Service Center Named “Top Courthouse” in EPA’s ENERGY STAR® National Building Competition

General Services Secretary Gail Bassette is pleased to announce that the Carter M. Hickman District Court & Multi-Service Center was awarded first place for energy reduction in the Courthouse category of EPA’s ENERGY STAR National Building Competition.

The Carter M. Hickman District Court & Multi-Service Center, Centreville, Maryland, successfully reduced its energy use by 18 percent from 2014 to 2015. This translates to costs savings of over $28,000 and prevented 99 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the course of the year, equal to the energy use from nine homes.

“I’m so proud of the excellent work of our energy team and the employees who help achieve energy savings at DGS facilities,” said Secretary Bassette. “Every dollar we save in energy costs benefits Maryland’s citizens and the environment.”

A thorough review of current systems performance helped identify opportunities for HVAC schedule adjustments and lighting retrofits. Thus, building staff cut energy usage on evenings, weekends, and other times when courts were not in session. Also, all exterior lights at Carter M. Hickman District Court & Multi-Service Center were replaced with LED technology. A total of 45 fixtures were upgraded from old mercury vapor and metal halide to more energy efficient LED lights.

“We are excited by EPA’s acknowledgement that the Carter M. Hickman District Court & Multi-Service Center is the nation’s leading courthouse in reducing energy costs and consumption,” Secretary Bassette added.

“The teams competing in this year’s Battle of the Buildings showed incredible dedication and ingenuity in finding ways to save energy and water,” said Jean Lupinacci, chief of the ENERGY STAR Commercial and Industrial Branch. “Their achievements don’t just help their own bottom line through lower utility bills, they also help all of us by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrating what savings are possible in the built environment.”

Six DGS Multi-Service Centers competed in EPA’s 2015 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition. In its sixth year, the competition featured teams from across the country racing to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs, and protect the environment. Other competing DGS buildings included W. Paul Martin Courthouse/ MSC (Salisbury), John R. Hargreaves Courthouse/ MSC (Denton), Mary Risteau Courthouse/MSC (Bel Air), Ellicott City Courthouse and MSC, and Louis L. Goldstein Courthouse and MSC (Prince Frederick).

The 2015 ENERGY STAR National Building Competition measured energy performance over the entire 2015 calendar year. Top finishers in the competition demonstrated the largest percentage reduction in energy use, adjusted for weather.