Public Sector Resources and Compliance
Municipalities, Government, HUD, University
If you are a RFQ/RFP Director, Procurement Director, or a decision maker in the Public Sector and are looking for additional resources look no further. BigFoot Reduction, Inc. provides several resources below for your benefit.
Our Compliance, Policies, and Disclosures
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General Compliance
BigFoot Reduction, Inc. abides by all local, state and federal laws. BigFoot makes every effort to read, research and abide by all compliance requirements for all governing bodies, prior to submitting proposals and performing services.
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Drug Free and Drug Testing Workplace
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All new employees of BigFoot Reduction, Inc. are drug tested as part of their conditional offer of employment, prior to their first day of employment. All drug testing is provided by a licensed independent third-party lab and administers the most comprehensive testing offered by the vendor to include a 9-panel screening.
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Tobacco Free Workplace
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BigFoot Reduction, Inc. is committed to a Tobacco Free Workplace. Use of tobacco is not permitted on any job site, facility or location BigFoot staff works, or services clients at any time.
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Public Records Law
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BigFoot Reduction, Inc. is compliant with and committed to all Public Records Laws, including but not limited to, Florida Statue 119.07.
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Anti-Discrimination Commitment
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BigFoot Reduction, Inc. philosophy of teamwork is, "no person is an island" and "one team, one project" thereby, BigFoot Reduction, Inc. takes every effort to prevent, discourage and rebuke all acts of discrimination in the workplace. As said by the CEO, "Everyone wants to be the hero of their own story, and a great leader, helps bring out that hero in us all" really shows BigFoot's commitment to anti-discrimination efforts in the workplace.
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Grants, Auditing, Accounting and Tax Compliance
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Grants can be well intended and cumbersome. All grants applied for, on behalf of or subject to projects, are back by a 100% compliance satisfaction guarantee. In an effort to maintain full transparency, BigFoot has established a three-layered accounting approach as described below.
BigFoot uses a triple layered approach on all auditing and accounting practices. BigFoot currently uses an independent third-party licensed CPA and Accounting Firm for monthly reconciliation of financials, as well as an in-house process for accounting purposes. Additional quarterly reviews by a third-party licensed CPA are conducted at the close of the quarter, in addition to the monthly reconciliations and are available upon written request.
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Legal Disclaimer
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BigFoot Reduction, Inc. is not a licensed CPA or Public Accountant and does not provide licensed CPA or Public Accounting Services. Any statements made here are not the statements of any parties disclosed and are not liable for any damages as a result thereof. Information provided herein, is for information purposes only and is subject to change without notice. For licensed CPA or Public Accounting Services, please contact a licensed CPA.
Resources
FEDERAL BUILDING ENERGY USE BENCHMARKING GUIDANCE
August 2014
Section 432 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) requires the Secretary of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to select or develop a building energy use benchmarking system and to issue guidance for use of the system. EISA also requires designated agency energy managers to enter energy use data for each metered building under 42 U.S.C. § 8253(e) that is (or is a part of) a covered facility into a building energy use benchmarking system, such as the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool (Portfolio Manager) (see 42 U.S.C. § 8253(f)(8)(A), as referenced in section III of this Guidance and in Appendix A). In addition, energy managers shall post and update the benchmarked buildings’ performance data each year in the web-based EISA section 432 Compliance Tracking System (CTS) developed by DOE to track compliance with Section 432 of EISA. See 42 U.S.C. § 8253(f)(8)(C).
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Resource Provided by US Department of Energy
STATE ENERGY PROGRAM: RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION WHITE PAPER
2013
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is pleased to summarize the results of a major national evaluation of the State Energy Program (SEP), under the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Retrospective Evaluation of SEP’s Program Year (PY) 2008, a typical year in SEP operations, was a multiyear, peer-reviewed, statistically robust effort led by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). It is the most comprehensive, detailed analysis ever conducted of SEP. The purpose of the evaluation was to develop independent estimates of key program outcomes, including: energy savings and renewable energy generation; job creation; carbon emissions reductions and avoided social costs (such as public health impacts, agricultural losses, the value of ecosystem services and flood damage associated with climate change); and bill savings and cost-effectiveness.
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This resource was provided the US Department of Energy for informational purposes only.
A GUIDE FOR INCORPORATING ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN STATE ENERGY PLANS
June 2018
This guide, written for all U.S. states, describes 10 steps that are commonly incorporated into state energy plans. The guide provides tips and examples from state energy plans to help each state support data-driven energy planning that can enhance energy efficiency. In 2018, the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) updated their State Energy Planning Guidelines, which provide a step-by-step approach for how states can conduct energy planning across all common energy sectors (Figure 1).i NASEO’s Guidelines serve as a resource for states on how to conduct energy planning. The Guidelines advise state planners to include a separate section in their plans focused on energy efficiency that contains data, policies, implementation actions, as well as information on evaluating and measuring enacted energy efficiency policies. This guide is designed to enhance existing information on state energy efficiency planning efforts; it is not meant to be a comprehensive review of how to conduct energy planning. This guide is prepared by: U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, State Energy Program.
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This resource was provided by the US Department of Energy for informational purposes only. BigFoot Reduction, Inc. did not create, produce or weigh in on this plan and is not responsible or liable for its content. This resource is for informational purposes only.
INVESTIGATION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT RETROFIT HVAC SYSTEMS FOR A UNIVERSITY: CASE STUDY
July 2019
We did energy efficient retrofits for the Indiana University Purdue University—Indianapolis Health Science Building using the eQuest energy software. The current dual-fan dual-duct (DFDD) system is 41 years old and has a higher energy utilization index (EUI) than the national average for similar building types. The baseline model with the DFDD system was compared with the actual electrical consumption. Then, two energy efficiency measures (EEMs) were applied to the model. The first EEM was ‘DFDD system with chilled water and steam heating,’ and the second EEM was ‘single-duct variable air volume (VAV) with chilled water and electric reheat.’ After comparative simulations and analyses, it was determined that the ‘single duct VAV with chilled water and electric reheat’ was the most energy efficient and saved 28% in utility costs. The recommendation given to the facility services was to change the current DFDD system to the single-duct VAV system. The single-duct VAV system will save energy and create additional space above the ceiling after the heating duct is removed.
USING PAYBACKS TO FUND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
In 2008, the University of California initiated a $280 million strategic energy plan encompassing 900 energy efficiency projects across the university system. The goal of the program is to reduce system-wide energy consumption by 10% or more by 2014, using the year 2000 as the baseline as the baseline measure. According to Dirk van Ulden, associate director of energy and utilities at the university, the program achieved about 70% of its goal by the end of 2010, including "a gross cost avoidance of $21 million and a GHG emission reduction of 93,000 metric tons."
CASE STUDY: UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA CAMPBELL HALL
January 2022
In 2011, Campbell Hall completed a significant chiller plant optimization process. Afterwards, various energy efficiency projects were identified for the building thanks to encouragement from the Architecture School. All of the following upgrades are projected to reduce energy consumption by 35% and save $82,000 in annual utility costs, a 17% reduction.
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Built in the 1960s, Campbell Hall has been home to UVA's School of Architecture for nearly 50 years. The most recent renovation came in 2008 with an addition designed by the Architecture faculty. This 2008 renovation introduced new classroom space and rooms designed specifically for student review, presentations, along with storm water and architectural features that truly reflect the use of the building.
HOUSEHOLD ENERGY BILLS AND SUBSIDIZED HOUSING
March 2011
Household energy consumption is critical to national energy policy. Federal housing assistance programs alter the incentives faced by landlords and tenants for utility bills to be included in rent or paid separately, and consumption incentives differ under each arrangement. This paper identifies and explores the rules for utilities and associated landlord and tenant incentives across the four major federal housing subsidy programs. Then, using data from the American Housing Survey, we examine the differences in utility billing arrangements between subsidized and unsubsidized low-income renters, controlling for a variety of other factors. Finally, looking at tenants who pay their bills directly, we explore the differences in utility expenditures between subsidized and unsubsidized households. Respondents who report receipt of government housing assistance also report paying utility bills separately from rent less often than do other low-income renters. When tenants pay rent and utility bills separately, observable differences in energy expenses of the two populations are driven by differences in unit, building, and household characteristics rather than receipt of government assistance.
REVIEW OF ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS IN PUBLIC HOUSING
February 2020
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) seeks to assess the effectiveness and value of its Energy Performance Contract (EPC) program by comparing trends in the utility consumption and the financial and physical condition of public housing authorities (PHAs) that have implemented EPCs with those that have not. It also wants to discover the extent to which implementation factors affect the rate at which EPCs are used by PHAs.
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UTILITIES IN FEDERALLY SUBSIDIZED HOUSING
June 2012
Utility usage is interwoven with our everyday use of housing, from the water in our sink to the gas in our stove to the electricity in our sockets. Residential buildings account for 39% of U.S. electricity consumption and 20% of U.S. natural gas consumption. The costs of these utilities also directly affect our pocketbooks and comprise one-quarter of average housing expenses nationwide.
This report takes a close look at utility consumption in HUD-assisted housing. As a starting point, it describes the profile of HUD’s utility usage and analyzes the costs involved. It then delves deeper into how decisions are made about utilities in HUD’s three major rental assistance programs. Finally, it explains the initiatives currently underway at HUD to reduce utility consumption and offers policy recommendations and research questions to further the same goal.