TEXAS MEDICAL BOARD RESOURCE EFFICIENCY PLAN
The Texas Medical Board is committed to energy conservation by ensuring our facilities are operating in an efficient and effective manner.
Regarding energy management, the TMB’s original Resource Efficiency Plan (REP), submitted October 2002, in accordance with 34 TAC § 19.14, established the agency’s commitment to support the State in agency-owned and leased facilities with infrastructure planning and operations in its efforts to reduce energy consumption.
State Agency Energy Savings Program
(1) A summary of the overall strategy and goals for addressing utility use at state owned buildings or facilities.
TMB is housed in the William P. Hobby Building, a state-owned building maintained and operated by the Texas Building and Procurement Commission (TBPC). As a tenant, the TMB encourages employees to cooperate in energy conservation by adhering to the following energy reduction criteria.
- Turning off unnecessary lights, appliances, and other equipment when not in use;
- Adjusting blinds to allow for solar heating in winter and cooling in summer;
- Scheduling of operations to ensure building systems will not be operated outside of normal working hours as much as possible; and
- Adjust temperature controls to no lower than 70 nor higher than 75 degrees.
(2) A Utility Assessment Report (UAR) or a Preliminary Energy Audit (PEA).
The TMBis not funded to conduct energy audits nor does the agency have access to the information that is required to conduct these audits. It is expected that these types of feasibility studies are conducted by the lessor (theTBPC), and the resulting information and recommendations will be provided to all tenants of the William P. Hobby Building.
(3) An Implementation Schedule that describes how the agency plans to achieve the agency established goals and implement the recommended cost effective resource efficiency measures that are identified in the UAR or PEA, and a strategy for monitoring the status of implementation of the Resource Efficiency Plan.
See response to #2 above.
(4) A finance strategy that describes how the agency or institution plans to obtain funding for the recommended cost effective efficiency measures.
It is assumed that if any projects identified in the UAR or PEA require significant funding from the TMB,the TMBwill seek these additional appropriations from the Legislature through the Legislative Appropriations Request. The development and implementation of an agency Employee Awareness Plan will not require a significant amount of funding.
(5) A Utility Awareness Plan through which the agency or institution will educate its personnel on utility conservation methods and practices.
TheTMB will educate employees by direct methods such as:
Update the agency Risk & Safety Manual with the summary of the overall strategy and goals for addressing utility use at the agency building
- Introduce new employees to the program through the agency Risk & Safety Manual that is distributed at new employee orientation
- Inform current employees of the Resource Efficiency Plan through e-mail
- Promote ongoing employee awareness through the use of e-mails featuring energy saving resource links
- Monitor thermostats and other equipment to ensure compliance
- Discuss any recommendations by TBPC at the Building Tenant Users Committee meetings
The TMB will increase employee awareness by indirect methods such as:
Purchase computer equipment/copiers/printers with power saving features.
(6) An Asset Management Inventory that describes the agencys or institutions buildings or facilities.
This information must be obtained from TBPC.
(7) A two-year history of utility use and expenditures for the buildings and facilities that are identified in the Asset Management Inventory.
This information must be obtained from TBPC.
(8) A Savings Monitoring and Evaluation Plan that describes the plans for monitoring and evaluating utility efficiency savings as a result of implementation of the recommendations in the UAR.
This information must be obtained from TBPC.
(9) A Project Implementation Update that outlines the progress over the previous two years in implementation of the recommendations that are contained in the previous Resource Efficiency Plan, including a summary of the results of the projects in terms of utility efficiency and cost savings.
Cost savings and utility efficiencies must be obtained from TBPC.
(10) The name and address of the designated official at the agency who is responsible for implementation of the recommendations in the Resource Efficiency Plan, and the name and address of an agency contact person for the Resource Efficiency Plan.
Contact for TMB can be found in the TBPC Resource Efficiency Plan.
Contact for the TMB is Karen Drabek, Chief Financial Officer, 333 Guadalupe, Tower III, Suite 610, Austin, TX 78701.
TEXAS MEDICAL BOARD FLEET FUEL MANAGEMENT PLAN
(1) Agency Fuel Usage
The TMB does not have a vehicle fleet, however the agency does have field staff that travel for business purposes. These field staff use their own personal vehicle or rent a vehicle for business travel. The agency encourages field staff that rent vehicles for travel to rent the economy or compact size vehicle. These vehicles are more fuel efficient, and will therefore decrease the agency’s fuel expenditures. Several agency employees have gasoline credit cards that can be used for business travel. The expenditures on this account are monitored very closely.
(2) Education of employees of fuel-efficient operating practices
TheTMB will educate employees by direct methods such as:
- Update the agency Risk & Safety Manual with the summary of the overall strategy and goals for addressing fuel use for traveling employees
- Introduce new employees to the program through the agency Risk & Safety Manual that is distributed at new employee orientation
- Inform current employees of the Fleet Fuel Management Plan through e-mail
- Promote ongoing employee awareness through the use of e-mails featuring fuel saving resource links
(3) Percentage Savings Goal for Fuel Expenditures
The TMB will implement a 3% savings goal for all fuel expenditures during the next biennium.