Postal Service Saves Millions in Energy Costs

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has reported more than $400 million in energy cost avoidance since fiscal year (FY) 2007.

Proactive steps, including actions suggested by the Go Green Adjust the Thermostat and Turn off Lights Not in Use Forever stamps, resulted in an energy reduction of nearly 30 percent since FY 2003, equal to the average annual energy use of approximately 100,000 U.S. households.

The nearly 2.5-acre Postal Service green roof, atop the Morgan Mail Processing and Distribution Facility in New York, is the city's largest green roof. Combined with other energy-saving enhancements, the Morgan green roof helped the facility save more than $1 million in energy costs and 40 percent in energy use in its first year.

"Postal employees are committed to working every day to reduce energy use at Post Offices, mail processing facilities and all our buildings," says Tom Samra, vice president, Facilities. "Energy audits since FY 2007 have helped us identify potential reductions of nearly 3 trillion British Thermal Units Btus with potential cost savings of more than $150 million per year."

USPS has created and continues to develop robust systems to audit and analyze facility energy data to better manage energy use and identify ways to reduce energy costs.

"Our energy savings are identified, measured and managed using the Postal Service's Utility Management System, Enterprise Energy Management System and Corporate Energy Interface," says Thomas Day, chief sustainability officer. "These systems help the Postal Service measure, monitor and manage energy use, improving our ability to take advantage of future cost-saving opportunities."

In June 2011, USPS reported an overall 8-percent decrease in its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from an FY 2008 baseline. The reduction of 1,067,834 metric tons of CO2 is an amount equal to the average annual electricity use of approximately 130,000 U.S. households. Lower energy use at USPS facilities represented nearly 50 percent of the GHG reduction.

Energy-conservation actions at USPS are part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce facility energy use by 30 percent by 2015 and GHG emissions 20 percent by 2020. Details of USPS energy savings results can be found in the FY 2110 Annual Sustainability Report.