USPS To Cut Energy Use 30% by 2015

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has launched an internal communications and conservation program aimed at cutting energy use 30% by 2015.

The USPS hopes that by turning off lights, closing doors adjusting thermostats and taking other simple steps, its 685,000 employees at 34,000 facilities can have a dramatic impact on the environment.

In addition, the year-long campaign to increase awareness will also include scheduled capital investments in energy conservation measures, primarily for lighting and HVAC upgrades.

Postmaster General John Potter hosted a special "unplugged" event last week that provided demonstrations of photovoltaic equipment used throughout the Postal Service, showed off some alternative-fuel vehicles, including the T3, a three-wheeled vehicle that runs on electricity being tested as a possible replacement for traditional fuel delivery vehicles in Florida, California, Texas and Arizona.

Other initiatives include detailed energy audits at 500 of the largest energy-consuming buildings in the postal inventory. These buildings represent approximately 40 million square feet of facility space (40 percent of all facilities) and approximately 60% of the Postal Service’s energy consumption. More than 1 trillion BTUs of potential energy reductions already have been identified.