The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) for achieving DOE 50001 Ready at eight of its facilities. Oregon DOC was the first agency of its type to earn 50001 Ready recognition from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2018. Its facilities submit monthly reports on their contributions toward Oregon DOC’s 2023 goal to reduce energy use by 20%.
Collectively, the eight facilities that have earned the designation include over 63 buildings serving diverse functions, such as administration, housing, textile manufacturing, warehousing, refrigeration, food preparation, education, recreation, religious services, laundry, and medical assistance. The eight Oregon DOC facilities that have achieved 50001 Ready status include:
- Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution
- Central Distribution Center
- Coffee Creek Correctional Facility
- Deer Ridge Correctional Institution
- Powder River Correctional Facility
- Santiam Correctional Institution
- Snake River Correctional Institution
- Warner Creek Correctional Facility
Oregon DOC is leveraging the multi-site features of DOE’s online 50001 Ready Navigator tool to centrally track all of its facilities. By accessing the Navigator’s multi-site dashboard, the Sustainability Manager can easily monitor and manage progress at all sites, including any site-specific energy management activities. This functionality helps to inform monthly reports and meeting discussions, while reinforcing and further motivating each facility.
Oregon DOC has supplemented their involvement with the 50001 Ready program by joining the Sustainable Corrections Infrastructure Partnership (SCIP) cohort, as well as the ENERGY STAR program, both of which are offered through the Department of Energy. Other facilities, including the department’s Two Rivers facility, are also on their way toward achieving 50001 Ready status.
Having an energy management system in place has also eased the transition between the Oregon DOC’s team members. Established protocols that can easily be conveyed to and replicated by new staff mean that the system can continue delivering benefits to facilities long after the original team has retired.
DOE’s 50001 Ready program, managed by the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO), provides a self-paced, no-cost way for organizations to build a culture of structured energy improvement that leads to deeper and more sustained energy savings.
Learn more about energy management implementation at Oregon DOC.