State of Connecticut GreenerGov CT - A Lead by Example Initiative

2025 Awards Ceremony

In July of 2025, GreenerGov Co-Chairs, Senior Sustainability Officers, sustainability leaders, and the Governor gathered at the CT State Capitol to celebrate the achievements of the 2025 GreenerGov CT award winners. The awardees were recognized for their work advancing initiatives aligned with Executive Order (EO) 1 and EO 21-3 goals, benefiting energy, water, waste, and environmental conservation within the Executive Branch agencies.

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Sustainability Achievement Award:

Recognizes projects that made significant, measurable contributions toward GreenerGov executive order targets (Executive Order 1 & Executive Order 21-3).

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Reductions:
  • Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) was awarded as the agency with the most GHG reductions between FY23-FY24, with a 3.3% reduction! 
Food Waste:
  • Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) was awarded for reducing food waste through a composting initiative that donates the compost produced to a community garden. 
Electric Vehicles (EV): 
  • University of Connecticut (UCONN) & Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) were awarded as the agencies with the most EV chargers installed to-date with 58 and 56 chargers installed respectively. 
Solar Capacity:  
  • Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) was awarded as the agency with the best ratio of solar capacity installed in FY24 to electricity usage for its new Western District Headquarters.  
  • Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) was awarded as the agency with the best ratio of total solar capacity installed to date compared to Fiscal Year 2024 annual electricity usage. To date, CSCU has installed 8400 kW of direct current solar.  
Reduced Water Consumption:
  • Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) was awarded for having the project with the most reduction in water consumption in FY24, achieving an estimated annual reduction of 348,568 gallons of water. 
Environmental and Fiscal Steward Award:

Recognizes agencies that achieved significant, measurable utility savings in FY24. Reductions are calculated and compared as a percentage of an agency’s annual utility bills.

  • Department of Labor (DOL) was awarded as the agency with the greatest utility cost reductions between FY23 and FY24, saving $184,890 in utility costs. These include reductions across the agency’s utility costs, such as electricity, natural gas, water, sewer and oil.  
  • Department of Insurance (DOI) was awarded for completing a FY24 project that involved decommissioning three energy-intensive servers within its IT Department, achieving the greatest expected cost savings as a percent of their annual utility costs.
Energy Efficiency Award:

Recognizes agencies that have displayed the most significant improvements in energy efficiency.

All Fuels:
  • Department of Agriculture (DoAg) was awarded as the agency with the greatest percent reduction (4%) in energy use, waste disposal, and water consumption (including electricity, oil, propane, natural gas, diesel fuel, gasoline, fire protection, water, sewer, hot water, chilled water, and waste) between FY23 and FY24. 
Electricity: 
  • Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU) was awarded as the agency with the greatest percent reduction (15%) in electricity use between FY23 and FY24. 
  • Department of Transportation (DOT) was awarded for a project with the greatest percent annual electricity savings (4%) completed in FY24.
Natural Gas:
  • Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) was awarded as the agency with the greatest percent reduction in natural gas use (11%) between FY23 and FY24.  
  • Department of Correction (DOC) was awarded for a project with the greatest percent annual natural gas savings completed in FY24. The project is an HVAC upgrade that includes an Energy Management system for the Osborn Correctional facility which is expected to save about 1.4% of their annual natural gas usage.
Trailblazer Award:

Recognizes agencies leading the way in utilizing new and innovative technologies or approaches for sustainability projects.

  • University of Connecticut (UCONN) Health for having significantly reduced or eliminated the use of volatile anesthesia gases which are extremely harmful greenhouse gases.
Eco Champion:

Recognizes individuals who have made significant efforts in implementing behavioral changes at their agencies to conserve energy, water, and/or waste.

  • University of Connecticut: Katie Milardo, Stanley Nolan, Patrick McKee, Mark Bolduc, Brian McKeon, Anna Parker and Betsy Mortensen for coordinating the EcoMadness competition among 27 campus residence halls that encouraged energy and water use reduction and proper recycling habits. In October 2024, EcoMadness winners in each category were: Electricity- Gange/Hicks with a 30.76% reduction, Water- Allen/Kingston with a 29.29% reduction, and Recycling- Mcconaughy with 92.5% compliance.