9 Oct 2024

Unified Facilities Criteria and Unified Facilities Guide Specifications for Sustainable Military Construction : Concrete, Asphalt, Wood, and Life-Cycle Assessment Perspectives

Abstract: Construction materials such as concrete, asphalt, and wood are essential components for Department of Defense (DoD) Military Construction (MILCON) and construction for contingency operations around the world. From housing facilities, to airfields, to magazines and hardened structures, each of these materials fulfill numerous Army building applications. However, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions stemming from the manufacturing, application, maintenance, and disposal of concrete and steel exact a significant climate burden. Thus, due to their pervasive use and commodity status, the advancement of sustainable concrete, asphalt, and wood materials are a critical driver for GHG mitigation. This report communicates a first step toward decarbonization-focused updates to UFC and UFGS by outlining major specifications related to concrete, asphalt, and wood with near- and long-term strategies to facilitate modernization. The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is poised to make a significant impact on the identification and integration of sustainable materials to meet regulatory goals for the re-duction of GHG emissions in MILCON. New guidance will be integrated into UFC and UFGS by leveraging unique re-search, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) capabilities in materials science, life-cycle assessment, and federal relationships with discipline working groups

8 Oct 2024

Identifying Sustainability and Resilience Investments to Implement the 2022 US Army Climate Strategy: Fiscal Year 2023 Sustainable Design and Development Update

Abstract: This report offers a detailed assessment of the US Army’s adherence to sustainable design and development (SDD) policies, encompassing the US Army Sustainable Design and Development (SDD) Policy memorandum; Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 1-200-02, High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements; Executive Orders 14,008 and 14,057; the Army Climate Strategy; and required LEED v4 certifications. The evaluation comprises five primary tasks, including quarterly reports on US Army military construction (MILCON) project LEED v4 certifications, analysis of US Army LEED v4 certifications and trends, research and implementation of the intermediate objectives in the 2022 US Army Climate Strategy focusing on strategies to achieve climate goals, an analysis ex-plaining the advantages of Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER) certification for Army microgrids, and industry knowledge gained from participation in the Greenbuild 2022 conference. Key recommendations developed in this assessment include enhancing transparency in LEED reporting, considering PEER certification, expediting climate strategy implementation, and active participation in industry gatherings. This report serves as a comprehensive resource for informed decision-making, aiding the US Army in advancing its sustainable design and development initiatives to meet future environmental and sustainability objectives.

19 Sep 2024

The Arctic Deployable Resilient Installation Water Purification and Treatment System (DRIPS): Microgrid Integration with Geoenabled Water Production and Disinfection Systems for Installations

Abstract: The purpose of the Arctic Deployable Resilient Installation water Purification and treatment System (DRIPS) is to be a critical asset in disaster response and military operations by providing a reliable and effective means of producing potable water and disinfection in a challenging and unpredictable environment, such as in an extremely cold climate. The objective of this effort was to deliver, integrate, and demonstrate the Arctic DRIPS to show that it can provide drinkable water to users of the microgrid within polar climate zones. Its adaptability, mobility, and comprehensive water treatment capabilities make it an invaluable resource for addressing water-related emergencies and water disruptions and for sustaining critical missions. It also addresses a point of need by improving the ability to meet demands while reducing convoy requirements and the logistical foot-print and ensuring the well-being of affected installations during disaster responses, training operations, normal water disruptions, and emergency preparation. The DRIPS was delivered to Fort Wainwright, a sub-Arctic installation, to demonstrate the integration of a water treatment component within a microgrid structure and to help them be better prepared to meet their water and energy requirement goals. The microgrid integration requirements were met upon implementation of this project.

3 Apr 2024

Deployable Resilient Installation Water Purification and Treatment System (DRIPS): Geoenabled Water Production and Disinfection Systems for Installations

Abstract: The Deployable Resilient Installation water Purification and treatment System (DRIPS) was delivered to aid an Organic Industrial Base in increasing their Installation Status Report–Mission Capacity (ISR-MC) score from black to green as part of a Course of Action (COA) within their Installation Energy and Water Plan (IEWP). DRIPS was also intended to help them be better prepared for the future in meeting their water and energy requirement goals for sustainment of critical missions. The IEWP ISR-MC requirements were met upon implementation of this project. Overall, the purpose of the DRIPS is to be a critical asset in disaster response and military operations, providing a reliable and effective means of producing potable water and disinfection in challenging and unpredictable environments. Its adaptability, mobility, and comprehensive water treatment capabilities make it an invaluable resource for addressing water-related emergencies and water disruptions and for sustaining critical missions. It also addresses a point of need by improving the ability to meet demands, reducing convoy requirements and the logistical footprint, facilitating the endurance of expeditionary forces, and ensuring the well-being of affected installations during times of disaster response, training operations, normal water disruptions, and emergency preparation.

3 Nov 2023

The Importance of Environmental Product Declarations in the Decarbonization Effort

Abstract: An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) is a disclosure document that communicates how a product or material affects the environment throughout its life cycle. EPDs are used across many industries and government organizations as an accurate source of information when making procurement decisions to minimize environmental impacts. Developed by businesses and certified by third-party organizations, EPDs are created to communicate the environmental impacts of specified life-cycle stages of a product. As such, EPDs can be an important tool for organizations working toward carbon reduction goals, such as the Army’s decarbonization goals of Executive Order (EO) 14,057 and the Army Climate Strategy. This document summarizes the current state of EPDs, including how they are created, how they can be used to help analyze the environmental impacts of construction materials, and how they are being used by government entities. Also discussed are other decarbonization tools and methods to integrate EPDs, providing a more wholistic approach to the construction industry’s activities and impacts. The document concludes with a discussion of the challenges and the future of EPDs.

1 Nov 2023

Analysis of the Army Transition from LEED 2009 to LEED v4, with Updated LEED 4.1 Credits

Abstract: The objective of this effort was to identify and recommend an approach for Army green building certification that ensures Army projects meet federal and Army sustainability requirements during the transition from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) 2009 to LEED v4. The first Army LEED v4 project was registered for certification with the Green Building Certification Institute in 2014. Since then, over 860 Army projects were registered for LEED v4 certification. As of the third quarter of FY20, when this report was written, 2 projects achieved LEED Silver certification. Other Army projects teams documented difficulty achieving the required LEED v4 Silver certification due to difficult site conditions, budget constraints, facility types, or project requirements. Commercial-sector project teams also had difficulty certifying with LEED v4, forcing the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) to reconsider the credits and metrics project teams found challenging. The USGBC revised the troublesome credits and now offers LEED v4.1 pilot credits that can be used for any project registered with LEED v4. To assist Army project teams, this research investigates difficult-to-achieve LEED v4 cred-its and their possible replacement with LEED v4.1 pilot credits. The report concludes with guidance on implementing the updated version of the LEED rating system from v4 to v4.1.

26 Aug 2021

Sustainable Infrastructure in Conflict Zones: Police Facilities’ Impact on Perception of Safety in Afghan Communities

Abstract: The notion of sustainable infrastructure for the delivery of social services is to fulfill basic human needs; in war-torn societies, human safety is a critical basic need. The relationship between sustainable infrastructure development and human safety remains under-researched in Afghan neighborhoods. Therefore, this study examined the effectiveness of the police facilities constructed for stability enhancement in Afghan communities. To do so, this study used Afghans’ polling datasets on the police presence and the public safety perceptions, including newly collected survey data related to the influence of the police facilities on human safety and other factors contributing to the neighborhoods’ well-being. The datasets are organized with a multilevel structure in which different individuals are sampled within neighborhoods and analyzed using a multilevel model approach to capture the randomness of the responses. The results showed that police facilities are more important to perceptions of safety in less safe areas and that Afghans in villages perceived themselves as safer than in urban areas, relative to their own immediate region. Those perceiving themselves as being safer were older, more highly educated, and widowed respondents. Overall, Afghans perceived the police facilities as institutional symbol for promoting improvements and opportunities for fulfilling basic human safety need.