PROGRESS REPORT
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service owns, occupies and manages two facilities in Brownwood and Fredericksburg, Texas. In most of the locations, employees are in tenant space. The agency is geographically spread across the state including the university's main campus in College Station, throughout 12 AgriLife Research and Extension Centers and in 250 of the 254 counties. Space on the university main campus and AgriLife Research is reported with that respective university or agency and included in their Energy and Water Management Plan. Joint renovation projects are coordinated and prioritized. County extension agents work in spaces inside county offices, which are not owned by the agency. These spaces are controlled and operated by the counties; the agency does not purchase, negotiate or directly pay for utilities.
AgriLife Extension energy efficiency programs focus on employee education. The agency and its employees strive to be good tenants by proactive involvement with conservation programs and efficient activities. The Brownwood facility now uses LED bulbs for energy efficiency and makes sure lights are off when facilities are not in use. HVAC unit replacement has been with higher-efficiency units. In July, repairs were made to a propane unit. The Fredericksburg facility conserves electricity by turning off lights in rooms not in use and keeping HVAC units on auto adjustable settings. Thermostats are set automatically on timers to go up and down based on season conditions. In the greenhouses, temperatures are adjusted for research/projects as needed and exhaust fans are used to assist with air flow. For water conservation, the lab closes irrigation lines to the sections of the vineyard and orchard that currently do not have plants and uses timers to irrigate orchard, vineyard and building landscaping. The lab also turns off cooling pads in greenhouses that currently do not have plant research or storage. Propane is only used to heat greenhouses. Greenhouse heating is turned off or dropped to lowest temperature during colder seasons if plant research is in progress or plant storage is needed.
GOALS
AgriLife Extension seeks to do its part to be energy, fuel and water efficient. Three percent is the goal with a benchmark year of 2022 and target year of 2026.
| Utility | Target Year | Benchmark Year | Percentage Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 2025 | 2022 | 3 |
| Electricity | 2025 | 2020 | 3 |
| Transportation Fuels | 2025 | 2022 | 3 |
| Natural Gas | 2025 | 2025 | 0 |
STRATEGY FOR ACHIEVING GOALS
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service uses cost efficient fixtures where practical, controls heating and air conditioning through auto scheduling in buildings, and monitors water schedules.
IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
As fixtures fail, investment will be made in more cost-efficient devices as facility managers deem appropriate.
AGENCY FINANCE STRATEGY
AgriLife Extension will fund projects with available state and designated resources.
EMPLOYEE AWARENESS PLAN
AgriLife Extension strives to be a good steward of the environment and spaces it occupies both as a tenant and an owner. The agency supports the TAMU Energy Stewardship Program, which includes an Energy Stewardship Team, TAMU Utilities & Energy Services website and an Energy Action Plan.
