designing for a sustainable future · 2 power engineers corporate sustainability report 3 power...

power engineers Corporate Sustainability report 2012

Designing for a Sustainable Future

2 power engineerS Corporate SuStainability report 3

POWER Strategies and Solutions

Designing for a Sustainable Future:

Message from the president and Ceo

SuStainability.

What doeS thiS term mean at PoWer?

during the initial ownership transition in 1998, we used

this word often. it described our view on where PoWer

could and should go. at that time, we wanted to create

a company that was focused on employees and clients

and would be sustainable for the long term. We wanted

to develop a company that would stand the test of time,

providing our employees with good benefits, good income,

and the opportunity to work on fun and challenging

projects. We also wanted to develop a philosophy that

encouraged our clients to utilize our expertise year in and

year out. our goal was to create a sustainable company.

as of today, i believe we’ve accomplished this goal. We’ve

developed a culture and business philosophy that works

in the best interest of our company, our clients, and, of

course, our employees.

today, we’ve expanded our definition of the word. We still

believe it means we must create something that benefits all

for the long term. but we’ve specifically grown our view to

include not just the company, clients, and employees, but

also our planet.

PoWer recently created a Corporate Sustainability

Committee to address basic behavioral issues as they

relate to sustainability. the group is exploring how we can

be better stewards of the planet and how, as a company, we

can create a sustainable environment that allows all of us

to live within the constraints of our planet. the committee

is creating design philosophies that not only seek long–

term, sustainable solutions, but economic ones as well.

We are very involved and need to stay involved. Several

employees, in fact, participate in national programs and

present sustainable design practices to international

audiences. in some areas, we’re sustainability thought

leaders.

We can’t fix the problem overnight, alone or completely, but

we can sure be part of the solution.

Alta Wind Farm, CA.


PoWer’s sustainability program consists of two parts: company

operations and engineering design. We operate our business

in a sustainable fashion, which includes implementing energy

and materials conservation measures, maintaining a healthy

workplace, and developing relationships with the surrounding

community.

in 2009, PoWer created a Corporate Sustainability Committee

to lead our efforts and provide our management team insight into

the industry as well as internal operations. it’s a way to ensure

PoWer engineers stays responsible and practices what we

preach.

but PoWer’s most effective pathway to making a difference

for future generations is in how we approach each consulting

opportunity provided to us. in our interactions with our clients,

PoWer engineers promotes sustainable design and construction

practices. We strive to educate our clients about a project’s

impact on the environment and lead them to choices that meet

their needs and objectives while still limiting that environmental

impact.

Since our core industries are so diverse, for this report we split

out the different divisions to highlight each one’s sustainability

focus.

Corporate responsibility

power engineers understands that every project we

undertake has an impact on the earth, its resources, and

society. we believe it is important to do our very best to

help meet the world’s present needs without compromising

the ability of future generations to do the same.

Sustainable Vision Statement

Installation of a combined cycle unit at a California power plant.


Better systems and processes mean more sustainable

energy delivery, and POWER challenges itself with

each project to continually improve our processes.“

“power Delivery: a paradigm Shift in transmission

Sustainability has not become a widely acknowledged

priority for players in the transmission side of the bulk

energy business. Safety and performance considerations

tend to take precedence over cost and sustainability

concerns in planning, constructing, and operating

transmission lines.

Coming to embrace all these considerations is a paradigm

shift that must occur for those owners, designers, builders,

and operators with the world’s future generations in mind.

PoWer is a strong advocate for this shift.

there are always ways we can use less and focus on

global environmental concerns. better systems and

processes mean more sustainable energy delivery, and

PoWer challenges itself with each project to continually

improve our processes.

1whatever materials are to be used, use less. there are many opportunities

for materials reduction in the

installation and maintenance

of transmission facilities.

measurement of materials

used should be factors in early

design decisions.

2 Some materials should not be used. When a material, product, or

technology is in some way

poisonous to something in

the environment, it is not

enough to just reduce its

use – it must be eliminated

completely.

3 Some materials add to efficiency. Some materials add to

efficiency. herein lies the

exception to the “use less”

principle: Greater aluminum

content in conductors leads

to reduced energy loss in

transmission, so aluminum

content well above the

classic optimum is ideal for

conservation of fossil fuels.

the overall cost will be less

in the long run.

we at power engineers propose three guiding principles aimed at improving a transmission line project’s contribution to sustainability:

Texas CREZ projects.


the PoWer Generation team has developed a type of audit

program which defines, identifies, assesses and summarizes

design, construction, and operational alternatives for more

sustainable generation projects. the program, known as

the PoWer Sustainability review, uses a set of predefined

parameters and rankings and is documented to demonstrate

upon completion the project’s commitment to sustainable

principles.

the Sustainability review encourages a holistic perspective

and clear goals as we consider short- and long-term effects

on local and regional environments and economies.

its open-ended nature involves the owner, owner’s

engineers, plant personnel, and contractors in discussion

and generation of ideas.

there are always ways we can reduce energy consumption,

lower operating costs, and improve overall system

performance. better systems and processes lead to

energy savings, payback, less maintenance and repair,

and improved uptime. it is PoWer’s responsibility to go

beyond and design those better systems.

1technology and equipment selection. 2 alternative

methods of constructionbest suited to the

local conditions,

workforce, and

carbon footprint.

4 assessment of all resource and revenue streamsfrom the plant in

addition to electrical

production best

suited to the locale.

3 project management structuresto maximize

local content

and knowledge

transfer.

these audit principles provide a platform to educate owners and contractors on topics such as:

power generation: the power Sustainability review

The Sustainability Review encourages a holistic perspective

and clear goals as we consider short- and long-term effects

on local and regional environments and economies. “

“

47 MW Germencik dual-flash geothermal power plant in Turkey.


the logo is a trademark owned by the

u.S. Green building Council and is

used by permission.

PoWer engineers strives to implement high-

performance buildings that incorporate energy-efficient

design by identifying alternative technologies and

solutions suitable for the operating environment. We

work with our clients to compute overall lifecycle costs

of a project. While initial project costs may increase

for sustainable design, lifecycle costs can be reduced,

resulting in a lower cost over time.

For example, we conduct sun studies to analyze plant

orientation and the availability of sunlight to adapt a plant

to solar energy generation and savings. Furthermore,

attention to equipment, water, energy consumption, and

power quality can result in some of the greatest resource

savings for a facility. We have helped our clients save

significant amounts of money through the use of filtered

recirculation systems for rinse water and the installation

of more efficient cooling, heating, and lighting systems.

PoWer also focuses on combined heat and power

solutions for our clients to help reduce utility costs at

their plants. PoWer helps facilities optimize utility

production, distribution, and usage, offering innovative

and cost-effective solutions geared toward the specific

needs of our customers that improve reliability, reduce

brown-outs, support standby, and save money.

PoWer engineers remains a member of the u.S. Green

building Council (uSGbC)—the organization that

developed the leadership in energy and environmental

design (leed) certification system. leed provides

third-party verification that a building or community was

designed and built using strategies aimed at improving

performance across all the metrics that matter most:

energy savings, water efficiency, Co2 emissions

reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and

stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Facilities & the Food & beverage industry: overall lifecycle Solutions

Attention to equipment, water, energy consumption,

and power quality can result in some of the

greatest resource savings for a facility.“

“

Lifting a chiller unit above downtown Portland’s busy streets for a 5th floor installation.


installation of communications systems can potentially

interfere with natural landscapes and native species, and

PoWer recognizes that danger and seeks to minimize the

impact.

before PoWer designs the placement of a fiber optic cable

network for faster internet speeds, we perform an extensive

environmental impact analysis on the proposed right of way

for the fiber installation. our surveyors attempt to mitigate any

impact to sensitive landscapes. PoWer is committed to using

existing cable pathways whenever possible to avoid additional

impact. When it is required by state and local land use

regulations and policies, PoWer’s communications designers

rely on our internal biological specialists to provide ecological

knowledge to ensure valuable habitat is protected.

PoWer is committed to working with product distributors

that have reduced packaging systems to lessen waste at the

job site and to help clients earn leed certification points.

in addition, PoWer’s Communications division assists

clients with ways to improve their data center’s Power usage

effectiveness score, which is used to determine a center’s

energy efficiency. PoWer’s designers can update data center

facilities to lessen the amount of power used versus the

amount of computing output it makes possible.

Communications: Mitigating impact on Sensitive landscapes

POWER’s communications designers rely on our

internal biological specialists to provide ecological

knowledge to ensure valuable habitat is protected.“

“

Fiber Optic innerduct installation in Sacramento, CA.


Protecting a project’s surrounding environment and

community is an important part of PoWer’s approach to

sustainable development in all our projects. our staff of

professional scientists and resources specialists provides

a wide range of environmental planning, compliance, and

permitting services that help mitigate our projects’ effects

on all areas of local life: natural habitat, social expectations,

politics, the economy, and governance.

PoWer’s environmental group performs environmental

feasibility screening and studies of a project area. depending

on the scale and impact of the construction project, a rigorous

environmental planning process may be undertaken to

examine the impacts of any construction project. Consistent

with federal and state siting requirements, project feasibility

screening and studies involve the evaluation of potential

sites while balancing needs, agency and public concerns,

resource impacts, and the construction project’s technical

specifications. to do this, the team incorporates our fully

developed public involvement programs and detailed

resource assessment.

our public involvement programs help public officials

make better decisions based on an understanding of

environmental consequences, and to take actions that

protect, restore, and enhance the human environment.

Public comment and sentiment are rich sources of

information about people’s values and philosophies, and our

public involvement specialists solicit input and translate

these values and philosophies into meaningful information

to guide the environmental feasibility screening and study

process.

through our environmental planning process, we find

pathways to success for sustainable and clean energy

construction projects, both in generation and transmission.

these undertakings help satisfy the growing customer

demand for renewable energy; help meet renewable energy

portfolio standards; provide safe, efficient, and reliable

infrastructure; and reduce the variability of renewable

energy by connecting geographically diverse resources

with transmission.

environmental: Minimizing the Development risk

Protecting a project’s surrounding environment and

community is an important part of POWER’s approach

to sustainable development in all our projects.“

“

Wetlands delineation in Washington State.


the u.S. government is expanding its clean energy options

to power everything from the lights in its domestic offices

to the computers and ice machines at remote, international

military installations. PoWer brings the technical savvy

and cutting-edge renewables expertise to make sure

operational mission objectives are met.

the government’s military services are aggressively

incorporating renewable energy on installations

domestically and internationally, and PoWer is answering

the call with its full spectrum of energy capabilities.

PoWer works with military bases, government agencies,

and international government clients to directly address

the government’s energy goals. PoWer’s extensive

project portfolio for the uS government includes renewable

installations that rely on wind, solar, and geothermal

generation, and the secure transmission and delivery of

energy.

PoWer’s Federal division is currently designing a

uStda-funded photovoltaic power plant in morocco that

will help morocco gain profitable energy independence.

Closer to home, PoWer is addressing the security

implications of energy use, including potential

vulnerabilities at military bases as a result of grid

disruptions. PoWer’s clients, including the department

of defense, rely on PoWer to provide enhancements to

power generation and provide a back-up plan for emergency

power during a utility blackout.

PoWer is responding to the federal government’s energy

goals through the design of energy-efficient facility

installations and renovations to existing facilities and

power installations.

power’s Federal Division supports the government’s clean energy initiatives and has the expertise to respond to the government’s current and future sustainability priorities including:

Federal Market: Staying Focused on Sustainability priorities

1renovatingexisting installations. 2 expanding

the supply of clean

energy options. 3 addressingthe security implications

of energy use.

power brings the technical savvy and

cutting-edge renewables expertise to make

sure operational mission objectives are met.“

“

A 105 MW heavy fuel diesel power plant operating near Kabul, Afghanistan.


in emerging marketplaces around the world, PoWer is

helping nations create new jobs and breathe better air by the

planning, design, and development of power generated from

sustainable sources. more and more of the world’s renewable

energy capacity is consumed in developing countries, and we

are helping this trend thrive through expert technical advice

and designs.

PoWer teams support and advise international governments

and agencies as they develop plans to use geothermal,

solar, and wind projects to bring thousands of megawatts of

renewable energy to their countries. and beyond the planning,

we have been instrumental in getting renewable systems on

line for 15 years as design engineers, owner’s engineers, and

construction supervisors.

Finally, the globe is circled by geothermal plants on which

we were the principal designer. teaming with the world’s

premier geothermal turbine suppliers, we have put 700 mW

of sustainable energy to work, often where it is needed most,

into the electrical systems powering emerging economies and

aspiring homes.

international Markets: Sustainable Design in Developing Countries

POWER is helping nations create new jobs and breathe

better air by the planning, design, and development

of power generated from sustainable sources.“

“

Geothermal plant construction.

power engineers Corporate Sustainability report 2012

www.powereng.com

designing for a sustainable future · 2 power engineers corporate sustainability report 3 power...

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