Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest (NAVFAC NW) announced Wednesday, Oct. 12, the results of the 2016 Secretary of the Navy Energy and Water Management awards.

This year all Navy entrants in the Pacific Northwest achieved gold level or better.

"It's really about our Navy team -- a team of active-duty service members and their families, civilian and contract employees -- who work very hard to meet and exceed the SECNAV Energy Goals of 2009," said Capt. Chris Kurgan, commanding officer of NAVFAC Northwest.

The SECNAV award-winning commands for 2016 were Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility. The second highest-level SECNAV award is platinum, and this year the recipients were Naval Base Kitsap, Naval Magazine Indian Island, Naval Station Everett, and Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport. As a first time entrant, Naval Hospital Bremerton achieved the gold level award which recognized NHB has a very good energy and water management program. Gold level recipients will receive a certificate for their participation.

"It's always gratifying to see the members of your team recognized for an accomplishment," said Capt. Howard Markle, commander of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. "We take energy and water management very seriously at PSNS & IMF as a way to keep costs down and because it's the right thing to do. I'd like to thank everyone on the PSNS & IMF team for their efforts to earn this recognition, and I'd also like to thank NAVFAC Northwest for helping us focus on this important issue."

Along with recognition of the accomplishments made in 2015, both NASWI and PSNS & IMF are authorized to fly the SECNAV Energy flag for one year, and will receive award dollars -- which at the commanding officers' discretion may be used to improve the quality of life on their installation, and/or fund more energy awareness or reduction projects. Recipients of platinum level also receive momentary awards.

Since 2007, SECNAV recognizes Navy commands worldwide for innovative energy reduction accomplishments, whether it's deploying the Great Green Fleet, or reducing the usage of energy on a naval installation.

Navy installations in the Pacific Northwest have been recognized by the SECNAV Energy and Water Management program. NASWI received their first SECNAV award this year, and in the past they have been recognized for six platinum-level awards and two gold-level awards. Naval Base Kitsap has achieved two SECNAV awards, four platinum- and three gold-level awards. Naval Station Everett has received two platinum-level awards, six gold-level awards, and one blue-level award. NUWC Keyport has achieved three SECNAV-level awards, five platinum-level awards, and one gold-level award. Naval Magazine Indian Island has been recognized for five platinum-level awards, three gold-level awards, and one blue-level award. PSNS & IMF has received four SECNAV awards -- two platinum-level, two gold and one blue-level award.

In 2009, SECNAV released five ambitious energy goals, which include:

1) Half of the Navy's energy consumption for ashore and afloat commands will come from alternative sources.

2) Half of our Navy's installations will achieve net-zero energy usage.

3) The Navy will sail the Great Green Fleet with carrier strike groups comprised of nuclear ships, hybrid electric ships running on biofuel, and aircraft flying on biofuel.

4) The Navy will cut in half the consumption of petroleum used in government vehicles and equipment, and replace them with hybrid electric and flex-fueled vehicles.

5) The Navy will immediately change the way contracts are awarded, to include the energy goals in the contract documents.

These five goals challenge the Navy family to find new, better, cheaper, and more effective solutions to reduce the Navy's consumption and dependence on traditional energy sources.

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