Y-12, Pantex earn GreenBuy Gold Awards

Sites recognized for sustainable purchasing

The Y-12 National Security Complex has been honored with GreenBuy awards for five years. This year, the site was recognized at the gold level for purchasing nine priority products in five categories. The site was also honored with a GreenBuy Prime Award for achieving the gold level for three consecutive years.

Oak Ridge, Tenn.— Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, turned green into gold with GreenBuy Gold Awards from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for sustainable purchasing in Fiscal Year 2023. The awards recognize excellence in “green purchasing” that extends beyond minimum compliance.

Y-12 has been honored with GreenBuy awards for five years. This year, the site was recognized for purchasing nine priority products in five categories. The site was also honored with a GreenBuy Prime Award for achieving the gold level for three consecutive years.

Sites have history of award-winning efforts

Shab Fardanesh, senior advisor and Sustainable Acquisition Program coordinator for the DOE Office of Sustainable Environmental Stewardship, said, “This is the third time Y-12 has been recognized for achieving the gold level and demonstrating excellence in sustainable acquisition, which is also commended with the GreenBuy Prime Award for demonstrating exceptional achievements in sustainable acquisition.”

This was the fourth year Pantex has been honored with GreenBuy awards for sustainable purchasing and the first time the plant has achieved the gold level. Pantex purchased 10 priority products in 5 categories to achieve this honor.

Achieving the mission while reducing environmental impact

“Both sites achieved these awards by demonstrating excellence in sustainable acquisition for recycling electronics and purchasing paper products, electronic equipment, Y-12’s LED emergency lighting on the two new fire trucks, etc., as priority products,” said Jan Jackson, Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) Sustainability and Stewardship manager.

Brad Russell, CNS Sustainable Acquisition program manager, also pointed out an employee-education achievement that the awards highlighted. “These awards recognize that the CNS Sustainable Acquisition Program trained 297 employees at Y-12 and Pantex involved in specifying and procuring materials, products, and services during Fiscal Year 2023,” he said.

Advantages of going green

Fardanseh noted, “Participation in this program leverages the federal government’s purchasing dollars to achieve mission goals while improving the marketplace for greener products and reducing the environmental impact of the department’s operations.”

“Reducing the environmental impact of the sites’ mission activities is always a goal,” said Russell. “Having those efforts validated by DOE helps us communicate the important impact of green purchasing.”

Learn more about the GreenBuy Award Program and its recognition of DOE sites for their excellence in “green purchasing.”

Y-12 National Security Complex received a GreenBuy Gold Award as well as a GreenBuy Prime Award for receiving the Gold award for three consecutive years. Accepting the award, pictured left to right, are Jeannette Widman, Y-12 Sustainability and Stewardship; Brad Russell, Consolidated Nuclear Security’s Sustainability and Stewardship program manager; Cate Berard, program manager of the Electronics Stewardship and Data Centers for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Sustainable Environmental Stewardship; and Shab Fardanesh, senior advisor and coordinator of the Sustainable Acquisition Program for the DOE Office of Sustainable Environmental Stewardship.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. Bechtel National, Inc. is the lead member of CNS; minority members include Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, LLC; and SOC LLC. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on performance excellence and the imperatives of safety, security, zero defects, and delivery as promised.

For more information on each site, visit www.pantex.energy.gov or www.y12.doe.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, X or LinkedIn. Follow Y-12 on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

CONTACT
Kathryn King, APR
Communications
Office (865) 315.5996
Kathryn.King@pxy12.doe.gov