The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) has successfully completed the demonstration of an innovative geothermal heat pump (GHP) system which includes underground thermal energy storage (UTES). This system generates higher energy savings with lower installation costs than conventional geothermal heat pump systems. Though this technology is widely used in Europe, this was the first installation in the U.S. and the ESTCP demonstration has helped validate the technology’s performance and savings for the U.S. market. 

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Wikipedia was launched in 2001 and has since become one of the ten most popular websites with 18 billion page views. The site aims to provide a neutral point of view and does not require any credentials, which can present challenges for technical topics. ESTCP and Solutions-IES, a division of DAA, have developed the  ERWiki to communicate environmental restoration information to a variety of users in a timely and easily accessible fashion.

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Dr. Kurt Preston, Program Manager for Resource Conservation and Resiliency, recently traveled to Spokane, Washington for the  National Military Fish and Wildlife Association’s (NMFWA) 2017 DoD Natural Resources Annual Training Workshop. This annual training workshop, held in conjunction with the 82nd North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference, provides military resource conservation professionals a venue to exchange new advances and cost saving best practices.

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Two long-time friends of SERDP and ESTCP were recognized by the  Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council at their 2017 annual meeting in New Orleans last week.  Dr. Charles Newell of  GSI Environmental received an Industry Appreciation Award for his work with the ITRC Remediation Management of Complex Sites team.  

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SERDP and ESTCP supported the development and demonstration of classification technologies for use in munitions response for many years.  This support culminated in a series of demonstrations of these technologies in the ESTCP Classification Pilot Program.  

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Cadmium (Cd) has been widely used in the aerospace industry and the Department of Defense (DoD) due to its excellent corrosion resistance, adhesion, and lubricity characteristics. Cadmium brush electroplating is used to repair worn and corroded parts, in many cases while the components are still installed on the aircraft. However, Cd is a toxic metal and human carcinogen that is heavily regulated in the United States and the European Union. Traditional brush plating is an “open” process that leads to potential worker exposure and contamination of surrounding areas.

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The Internet of Things (IoT) enables buildings to be “smart” and offers new opportunities for improved facility energy and operational efficiency by connecting machines, sensors, data and real-time analytics with facility managers. Smart buildings are instrumented with thousands of network-connected sensors from lighting to HVAC that enable reduction in energy and water use through continuous monitoring and control.

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The Department of Defense’s testing and training ranges are a critical asset for the military. Maintaining these ranges is essential for mission-readiness and to develop and test new weapons systems. Testing and training necessarily results in the introduction of munitions constituents and some heavy metals to surface soils. If these chemicals are transported to soil and groundwater, active training and testing on ranges may be affected. DoD directive 4715.11 ensures the long-term viability of operational ranges while protecting human health and the environment. Due to the unique challenges presented by munitions constituents, SERDP and ESTCP have invested in research in identifying and evaluating sources, characterizing fate and transport, addressing contaminant migration to groundwater sources, technologies for improved monitoring, and assessment of potential ecological impacts.

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Approximately 2,270 species are listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). At-risk species are vulnerable to becoming listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. Populations are often spatially structured. Understanding the effects of spatial structures such as sources and sinks, can be critical for successfully managing at-risk species. A SERDP-funded project led by Dr. Joshua Lawler at the University of Washington worked to develop an understanding of the relative importance of the factors that influence source-sink dynamics in general.

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Many of you know SERDP and ESTCP through our work on remediation, either hazardous chemical contamination or unexploded ordnance, or elimination of hazardous materials from DoD industrial processes.  Two of our Program Areas devote a significant portion of their resources to the sustainability and security of installations and access to ranges.  Military installations and ranges serve as a platform for readiness and mission effectiveness.  They must be efficient, safe, sustainable and adaptive, and available when needed. 

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