Adequacy of Insulation at Leetown Laboratory, National Fish and Wildlife Service

GAO reviewed the engineering and design of the National Fish Health Research Laboratory. Concern was expressed that the Laboratory was erected without minimum insulation needs, and that minimum temperatures could not be matched during the winter months.

According to National Fish and Wildlife Service (NFWS) officials, the Laboratory's malfunctioning heating system, not its insulation, has made it impossible to maintain desired room temperatures in the Laboratory during the winter. NFWS engineers estimate that repairs to the heating system to ensure desired temperatures will cost $5,774. In addition, NFWS said that although additional insulation is not needed to correct the heating problem, it is needed to bring the Laboratory into compliance with Executive Orders, which require retrofitting of Government buildings to reduce energy consumption.