In late October, members of the Aeronautical Center’s Energy Management Team attended the annual Energy Exchange conference. The purpose of the Energy Exchange Conference is to advance government agencies by improving federal infrastructure through innovation regarding energy and water resources. Technical training for new sustainable technologies, decarbonization in federal buildings, fleet infrastructure, implementation of the sustainability executive order, etc. was provided. Additionally, members of the MMAC Energy Management Team met and collaborated with their FAA and Department of Transportation (DOT) energy program counterparts to continue teamwork and planning for meeting sustainability goals.

During the conference, Russ Goering received MMAC’s official recognition and a plaque for achieving the Department of Energy’s (DOE) 50001 Ready certification. MMAC received notification of the certification at the end of September with electronic certificates, but the official paper certificate and plaque was presented during the Energy Exchange Conference. The 50001 Ready certification recognizes facilities that have implemented an ISO 50001-based energy management system. The program is a self-paced, no-cost way for organizations to build a culture of structured energy improvement that leads to deeper and sustained savings, which does not require any external audits or certifications. Out of five cohorts working towards this achievement, MMAC was the first FAA group to complete the certification by the end of the fiscal year.