Audit Report: IG-0817

During 2008, the Department of Energy expended about $300 million to provide energy to over 9,000 Federal buildings at its facilities. A significant portion of those costs, up to 40 percent, were expended for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).
Because of its size and scope, operating the Department's existing HVAC systems as efficiently as possible offers the promise of immediate and substantial energy and cost savings. In addition to the "common sense" reasons for efficient and economic energy use, Federal agencies are specifically required to conserve energy by reducing heat or eliminating air conditioning during non-working hours. One of the primary means of achieving these savings is through the use of "setback" controls, both mechanical and software, that decrease the temperature difference between the inside of the building and the outside of the building during non-working hours.
The Department is the Federal agency designated to lead the country to energy efficiency and it has both an opportunity and responsibility to provide direction for smart, efficient energy management. However, as we noted in our recent report on Department of Energy Efforts to Manage Information Technology Resources in an Energy-Efficient and Environmentally Responsible Manner (OAS-RA-09-03, May 27, 2009), both Federal and contractor officials had not always taken all necessary steps to advance the Department's energy leadership role.
Recently, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act)
reemphasized the importance of reducing the country's dependence on foreign oil and, more generally, on fossil fuels, and of conserving the Nation's scarce energy resources.
Because of the importance of these objectives, we initiated this audit to determine
whether the Department was taking maximum advantage of setbacks as an energy
savings/management technique.