VICENZA, Italy -- Sustainability and energy self-sufficiency continue to move forward with the Net Zero Energy Installation plan at the U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza. The most recent event to take place was the NZEI workgroup visioning session Dec. 3 at Caserma Ederle.
Goal leaders and key team members from across the installation convened to start brainstorming ideas and innovative approaches on how to achieve the Army's mandated goal of becoming a community that produces as much energy as it consumes by 2020.
Col. Robert L. Menist Jr., U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza commander, said the diverse groups are necessary to take a well-rounded look at the ambitious task of achieving the goal of Net Zero.
"We want to get the entire installation involved so that we get an installation perspective," Menist said during the opening remarks. "It can't just be a DPW (Directorate of Public Works) effort, it can't just be a garrison effort; it's got to be something where everyone has buy-in, so that's why you're all here."
Robert Clarke, director of Public Works, added his encouragement before the workgroup sessions started.
"Here in Vicenza we are building on very positive foundations on the success of the Del Din construction with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation, as well as on the two energy plants and the multiple renewable energy projects such as the photovoltaic."
Clarke invited participants to work together and identify future planning issues and goals through a participatory process that involved the entire community and will be important to fine-tune the program's implementation and measure its effectiveness.
To help that process along, USAG Vicenza awarded a contract through the Army Corps of Engineers Europe to a team of consulting experts (Parsons) tasked to work closely with installation management in pursuit of Net Zero goals. These include also reduced water consumption and waste generation and aim at increasing efficiency, conservation, and behavior change.
During the visioning session, workgroups were formed to review and validates priorities that will help define vision and goals for Caserma Ederle, Del Din, Villaggio and the community of Darby. While discussion included implementing proven and emerging best practices and technologies, focus areas were infrastructures, transportation pedestrian areas and green.
The Parsons team will be in Vicenza and later in Camp Darby between Dec. 1-19. During this time they will interview technical staff, conduct building audits and full-day planning workshops to ensure the future development options are supportive of the garrison communities priorities.
Vicenza was chosen to participate in the Army's Net Zero plan development program in 2014, and the plan should be in place by early 2015.
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