Modeling Sustainability

Sandia Energy > Programs > Climate Security > Modeling Sustainability

Sandia aims to lead in the transformation toward a sustainable, carbon-neutral environment while increasing mission effectiveness, resource reliability, and resource security.

For Sandia, sustainability means making balanced environmental, social, and economic decisions about developing, operating, and maintaining its sites to meet the human and mission needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. Our Laboratories are part of a larger community; the impacts of sustainable development on our sites extend beyond the physical boundaries. To that end, Sandia is actively engaged in finding and implementing innovative, sustainable solutions for its sites and the nation. Learn more about our commitment to environmental responsibility.

Net-Zero at Sandia

As part of our climate security efforts, Sandia will model the way forward in site sustainability. Sandia is committed to meeting or exceeding Executive Order (EO) 14057: Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability, which outlines a path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with interim milestones for zero-emission vehicles, carbon-free electricity, reductions in on-site emissions and emissions from purchased energy and net-zero procurement. We have developed plans to achieve net-zero emissions at the Sandia Albuquerque and Sandia Livermore sites through decarbonizing our energy supply, reducing mission-critical emissions and incorporating sustainability into building renovations.

Sandia New Mexico Net Zero Plan

Sandia California Net Zero Plan

Sandia Energy Management System

Frequently Asked Questions

Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is only one of the greenhouse gases. Other greenhouse gases include methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), ozone, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride. Water vapor is also considered a greenhouse gas.

“Net Zero” can have several definitions. For example, a net-zero energy building combines energy efficiency and renewable energy generation to consume only as much energy as can be produced onsite through renewable resources over a specified time period. On the other hand, a net-zero emissions building refers to the balance between the amount of greenhouse gases produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. Executive Order (EO) 14057: Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs through Federal Sustainability directs the Federal Government to achieve net-zero emissions buildings by 2045 and net-zero emissions operations by 2050.

The Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting Guidance defines the different types of emissions and how to calculate them. According to this document:

Scope 1 emissions result from generating electricity, heat or steam from sources owned and controlled by the agency. This includes stationary combustion, mobile combustion, fugitive emissions and industrial process emissions.
Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions associated with the consumption of purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heating or cooling.
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions not covered by scope 1 or scope 2. They occur as a consequence of agency activities but originate from sources not controlled by the agency.

Executive Order (EO) 14057 outlines an ambitious path to achieve net-zero emissions across Federal operations by 2050. In support of this path, each agency is required to develop a strategic plan to address the following goals:

100 percent carbon pollution-free electricity on a net annual basis by 2030, including 50 percent 24/7 carbon pollution-free electricity;
100 percent zero-emission vehicle acquisitions by 2035, including 100 percent zero-emission light-duty vehicle acquisitions by 2027;
a net-zero emissions building portfolio by 2045, including a 50 percent emissions reduction by 2032;
a 65 percent reduction in scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, as defined by the Federal Greenhouse Gas Accounting and Reporting Guidance, from Federal operations by 2030 from 2008 levels;
net-zero emissions from Federal procurement, including a Buy Clean policy to promote use of construction materials with lower embodied emissions;
climate resilient infrastructure and operations; and
a climate- and sustainability-focused Federal workforce.

The Department of Energy issued Order 436.1A, Departmental Sustainability in 2023 to establish an agency-wide integrated, performance-based approach to implementing sustainability in DOE operations. The Order sets forth the requirements for departmental sustainability management, performance measurement, and progress reporting. The DOE Federal Energy Management Program also issued the Federal Clean Energy Rule in April 2024. The Clean Energy Rule directs DOE to require new construction or major renovations for certain federal buildings be designed to reduce on-site fossil fuel-generated energy consumption.

Visit the EPA Basics of Climate Change webpage to learn more.

Resources

FY22 Site Sustainability Plan

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