Research Lab Uses Advanced Technology To Reduce Energy Use And Carbon Footprint

On the campus of a not-for-profit research laboratory outside Washington, engineers, physicists and mathematicians have been solving some of the nation’s most critical challenges for more than 70 years. The research facility organized in 1942 shortly after the U.S. entered World War II, and today is engaged in more than 600 programs designed to “enhance national security through science and technology” for the U.S. government.

The laboratory is also committed to improving its sustainability efforts across the sprawling campus, including a goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 5,700 metric tons. In 2011, as facility managers began to explore ways to achieve the goal, their Johnson Controls team - long-time partners at the facility - suggested they focus on improving efficiency within their HVAC system through an approach called Central Plant Optimization.