From Harford County government:
The Green Stars for this quarter are Paul Magness of the Department of Parks and Recreation and Bill McKean of DPW, Capital Projects. Bill and Paul were nominated for their integration of alternative energy into the roof replacement design at the Equestrian Barn. According to the solar power company in charge, five solar powered roof ventilation fans were installed as part of the Equestrian Barn Roof Replacement. This measure will save energy while reducing heat build-up and removing moisture from the space. The use of alternative energy to power the ventilation fans allows Harford County Government to take the next step towards sustainability.
In 2008, County Executive David R. Craig formed the Energy Management Steering Committee, otherwise known as the Green Team, as one of his Environmental Stewardship Initiatives. The goal of the Green Team is to guide energy and resource efficiency practices within the County. To foster a culture of sustainability, in June 2010 the Green Team created the Green Star Program to recognize actions by county employees that demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship, promote energy efficiency and resource management.
According to Scott Kearby, Deputy Director of Public Works – Construction Management, “throughout the course of a project’s development and design there are literally hundreds of small decisions made routinely to select materials and equipment and for the Equestrian Barn roof project, there were multiple ways to provide the required ventilation. Bill and Paul recognized an opportunity to implement an innovative solution that is both functional and sustainable or green. They chose to use a solar powered ventilation system which provides an active positive airflow, saves energy, and avoids adding to the carbon footprint and greenhouse gases. This is another great example of how County employees are integrating environmental stewardship into all aspects of County government operations.”
The winning selection was voted on by the members of the Green Team. The selection process consisted of two phases. The first phase was an initial review of all Green Stars awarded between January and March of 2011, to identify the top four Green Star awards. The final selection was from the top four awards to indentify the Green Star of the Quarter.
To learn more about the Green Star Program and to see all of the Green Stars, please visit our new Environmental Stewardship webpage at http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/Green/.
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