This week I had the privilege of visiting the Navy’s Sustainability Interior Showroom (SIS) in San Diego. This showroom is part of Admiral Len Hering’s effort to green the Navy’s act in the Southwest, for which he is the commanding officer.

The showroom was constructed and decorated by GSA certified contractors and suppliers, all of whom meet strict environmental criteria. Suzanne Smith, Navy Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, spoke about staying away from toxic materials, bringing in natural light, reusing materials (the construction was zero waste), LED lighting, a functional and motivational workspace, and a host of other green features that went into the SIS.

The showroom is meant to provide an example for Navy construction, remodeling, and interior decorating projects, many of which will be seeking LEED status in the future.

I never particularly thought of the Armed Services as a beacon of green (at least outside of camouflage), but hearing Admiral Hering and Suzanne Smith speak really woke me up to the sustainability efforts of the Navy.

I was very impressed by Admiral Hering’s understanding and holistic view of environmental sustainability, as well as Smith’s efforts with the SIS and spreading the word on sustainability throughout the Navy. Among the key areas they touched on:

Water

Water is pretty important for the Navy, and it’s also pretty important in the (dry) Southwest United States. Therefore, Hering and his staff have to consider not only the seawater and aquatic habitats their ships travel through but also their water use on land.

One of the more interesting steps the Navy has taken in San Diego is to replace chemically treated wooden posts on their piers for posts made from recycled plastic. This change did away with the hot spots of dangerous chemicals in the water created by the old wooden piling.

The new piling also last longer; saving resources and helping the Navy’s bottom line (as Hering reminded us it’s the tax payers who pick up the Navy’s tab). Financial responsibility was a major theme with Hering.

Hering and his staff have also been working to reduce the amount of water used at their complexes through efforts such as planting native species and using astro-turf rather than the expansive lawns the Navy used to maintain throughout the Southwest. Admiral Hering spoke of his ambitions to eventually use grey water recycling in all Navy facilities, and held our current wasteful water-use practices in contempt.

Waste

Hering’s philosophy seemed to be “waste not, want not.” The Navy has made a profitable business out of selling recyclable material from cardboard to e-waste. Of course, the Navy cannot make a profit, so the proceeds (in the millions) are reinvested into the environmental sustainability program.

Waste was also a central theme in the SIS. The Navy is a high turnover business, with the use and command of facilities changing regularly. Previously a new command meant tearing down walls and reconfiguring spaces. Moveable walls have been incorporated into the SIS for flexibility. All the building materials and furnishings in the showroom are tested for durability, and many are recyclable once their useful life is up (Smith had a copy of Cradle to Cradle in her office).

Energy

The Navy is a huge consumer of energy. Hering told us that one of his barges creates as much emissions in one hour as five hours of Los Angeles traffic. So he’s using biodiesel wherever possible. He’s concentrating on increasing his storage and transportation capabilities.

Renewable energy is another focus for the Navy in the Southwest. They operate a commercial scale solar facility, and are looking to continue expanding their generating capacity throughout the region.

Processes

Both Hering and Smith understand that getting people to act—incorporating sustainable practices into their daily routine and broader thinking—is half the battle. For Smith this means educating the officers responsible for purchasing decisions about the benefits of sustainable products. She stressed thinking not only in terms of the initial outlay, but also the return on investment.

Creating a healthy work environment was an important consideration in designing the SIS. Cubicles built with recycled materials are designed to let natural light pass through the room, and sliding doors take away from that lovely feeling of working in a cubicle. LED lights, which can be turned on and off individually, replace typical, sterile fluorescent office lighting.

Chairs are ergonomic as well as being part of a cradle-to-cradle process. An outdoor courtyard was previously too hot to even walk through. With the addition of some plant life and movable, hollow walls the space is now ideal for lunch or holding open-air meetings (as Smith said, “this IS San Diego…”).

The SIS and Admiral Hering’s command are not only showing leadership on sustainability for the Armed Services, but indeed for all organizations: public or private, for-profit or non-profit. I was thrilled to see my tax dollars going to such great use!