The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) and the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) hosted their annual GreenerGov CT Awards ceremony on June 6th.
The event celebrated the incredible work that institutional officials at UConn Health and others have done to reduce their institutions’ environmental impact and advance Connecticut’s climate and sustainability goals.
UConn Health received this year’s Innovation Award, a special award recognizing outstanding sustainability innovation in the public sector. UConn Health received the award for leading a 12-month pilot program with collaborators from Shelton-based Budderfly and Connecticut Innovations that aimed to achieve net-zero emissions at the University Medical Center’s child care center in Farmington.
An innovative pilot program announced by Governor Ned Lamont in February will deploy new technology developed by Budderfly to help health systems and hospitals achieve a net-zero carbon footprint and realize significant energy cost savings. The company’s proprietary ultra-high performance (UHP) heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems will demonstrate the decarbonization and energy savings capabilities of government agencies and organizations.
“This is truly a team effort,” praised Eric Krueger, UConn Health vice president of facilities development and operations, who accepted the award on behalf of UConn Health at the ceremony.
The ceremony also recognised other Senior Sustainability Officers (SSOs) and the efforts they have undertaken to reduce their agencies’ environmental impact and make them more efficient and greener.
“We are so proud of the hard work and creative solutions state agency employees have come up with to reduce our environmental impact and save taxpayer money,” said DEEP Commissioner and GreenerGov Co-Chair Katie Dykes. “This effort showcases potential projects that Connecticut residents and businesses can incorporate to save money, use a cleaner energy supply, and reduce waste.”
“DAS is proud to participate in this year’s GreenGov awards ceremony and congratulates all of the winners and nominees. At the Governor’s direction, our agency is prioritizing ‘green’ solutions in our construction, procurement, fleet and facilities management efforts every day,” said DAS Commissioner and GreenerGov Co-Chair Michelle Gilman. “We continue to work with our partner state agencies to implement these important efforts and create a more sustainable Connecticut for all our residents.”
“These award recipients represent some of the best and brightest minds in state government, and we thank them for their thoughtful collaboration with many agencies to realize Governor Lamont’s sustainability vision,” said OPM Administrator and GreenerGov co-chair Jeffrey Beckham. “Their commitment to protecting the environment through new and innovative processes is a model for others to follow. We applaud all who work to find new ways to save taxpayer money and achieve a greener state government.”
GreenerGov CT is a collaborative effort led by leadership from OPM, DAS, and DEEP, with each agency’s SSO leading sustainability initiatives within their departments.
Governor Lamont’s Presidential Decree No. 1The bill, signed into law in 2019, called on agencies to recommit to and expand the state’s “exemplary and lead programs” that reduce energy use, water, waste, and greenhouse gas emissions, and lower state facilities and operating costs. The Governor’s comprehensive climate policy: Presidential Decree No. 21-3 It established eight new sub-goals for state agencies to achieve on sourcing clean electricity, diversion of organics and food waste, adoption of electric vehicles, and more.
