Christopher Wysoczanski

Every day I try to improve something, no matter how small.

What do you do at the Laboratory?

I'm part of a team in the Facility Services Department that supports the Laboratory with the design of spaces for various programs as well as with operations and maintenance, including repair and replacement of infrastructure. I really enjoy troubleshooting problems with systems and coming up with ways to repair them or make them more efficient.

What has been a highlight from your time at the Laboratory?

I'm a member of the Carbon Footprint Committee and part of a team that is researching ways to reduce our carbon footprint related to our buildings’ utilities. The Laboratory’s main location relies on purchased steam and electricity, which together accounted for about 85% of our carbon footprint. Our team decided to focus on the electricity portion because of the prevalence of carbon-free and renewable energy sources in the market. We researched several different carbon-free power options available and ultimately settled on one that comes from nuclear power. It was a challenge to fund the premium charge for the carbon-free power due to regulations around our prime contract, but we were ultimately successful in getting approval and have reduced our carbon footprint by approximately 14,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. Reducing our carbon footprint from steam use will be a much tougher challenge, but one we look forward to solving in our continued efforts going forward.

What are you working on now?

I'm currently working on a project for the Advanced Technology Division to design a large, new laboratory and workspace. It’s been a challenging project with many security requirements and specialized mechanical utilities. One of my goals is to integrate high-level energy modeling into the design of projects. Energy modeling can be a useful tool in selecting the most efficient systems that are also cost effective.

From day to day, where do you find inspiration?

I was in the Scouts growing up, and one of the things instilled in me was leaving something better than you found it. Every day I try to improve something, no matter how small.