AGENCY PROGRESS REPORT
The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) continues to replace its fleet composition to include vehicles that are more fuel efficient. This in turn reduces fuel cost and maximizes fuel efficiencies.
The TAHC has recently moved a regional office to a more efficient space that will include updated restroom facilities and appliances to reduce the agency’s utilities consumption.
The TAHC continues to direct all offices to maintain office air conditioning units at 72 degrees to create a balanced temperature throughout the cooled space. A balanced temperature in each office increases their energy efficiency.
EMPLOYEE AWARENESS PLAN
The key elements of the TAHC's Employee Awareness Plan are to prevent waste and ensure conservation of resources.
These initiatives are broken down into three categories: Direct (affecting change in behavior); Indirect (not designed to affect behavior but will increase awareness); and Operations & Maintenance initiatives.
Examples are listed below.
Direct Initiatives:
- Require all personnel to ensure all computers, printers, and any other office machines are in sleep mode when offices are unoccupied.
- Turn off lights, monitors and televisions in conference rooms when not in use.
- Instruct personnel to remove all refrigerators and comfort‐heating appliances used to supplement the building heating system.
- Instruct custodians to turn off lights in hallways and offices after cleaning.
- When personnel are attending trainings, workshops, meetings, etc. that will be held in the same location all carpooling opportunities will be utilized.
- The TAHC will ensure a plan is in place to review all vehicle purchases for the best fuel economy possible
- The Additional Duty Safety Officer (ADSO) will continue to recognize one employee, from each region, quarterly for their efforts in conservation.
Indirect Initiatives:
- Reduce the operating hours for air handlers
- Install further automatic lighting sensors, where applicable.
- Ensure venetian blinds and shades are fully extended and closed as appropriate to reduce heating and cooling losses.
- Energy conservation posters and flyers will be posted in all TAHC offices. These will be displayed and posted; lobbies, breakrooms, hallways, conference rooms, bulletin boards and warehouses.
Operation & Maintenance Initiatives:
- Identify equipment that can be shut off during nights and weekends for all facilities. Also increase the degree bandwidth between heating and cooling temperature setpoints during unoccupied hours.
- Periodically check temperature and humidity sensors for proper calibration.
- Perform regular preventive maintenance on all major and high energy use equipment.