State Leads by Example With Sustainability, DGS Official Says

When it comes to sustainability, a California Department of General Services (DGS) official says her department “should be at the front end driving the industry” and “leading by example within our state facilities.”

Nancy Ander is the deputy director in the Office of Sustainability at DGS. Her focus is on supporting California’s energy goals by pushing vigorous benchmarks involving zero net energy (ZNE) in state facilities, electric vehicle service equipment, charging stations, and the installation of renewables.

Ander made her remarks during an April 30 talk at the California Energy Commission. She once worked for the Energy Commission where she developed energy codes and managed research to develop technologies in renewables and energy efficiency.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a crucial sustainability effort at DGS, which among its many functions includes managing state buildings.

“I think we all know that’s the horizon goal,” said Ander.

DGS has a goal of 9 million square feet of ZNE in state buildings by 2025. By the end of 2018 half of that will have been met, said Ander.

DGS also plans to install 1,000 more electric vehicle charging stations at state buildings by the end of the year. The agency wants to install 60 megawatts of renewables and increase organic recycling in all DGS facilities. Many of these programs are being worked on in conjunction with the Energy Commission, Ander said.

DGS will likely be focusing its future efforts on climate mitigation and climate adaption policies, given California’s recent experience with more frequent extreme climate events, she said.

Ander said new technological developments can advance California’s renewable energy goals. These include the ability to store electricity generated from renewables, more efficient fuel cells and hydrogen technology in cars.