Energy conservation is everyone's business

  • Published
  • By 509th Civil Engineer
  • Squadron
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  October is Energy Conservation Month, a time when we all need to take a step back and examine how energy is used both at work and home.

Whiteman is a large user of energy, spending more than $21,000 per day on electricity and natural gas for the last twelve months. This does not include base produced water and base processed sewage.

While housing occupants and employees do not pay near this amount, you are partially responsible. Your attitude and work practices contribute to what the base pays for electricity and natural gas.

Executive Order #13423 requires that all federal facilities reduce energy usage by three percent and energy budget by two percent each year. For FY 08 the energy usage goal was nine percent. However, with the available data for the end of FY 08 it appears that the base will not make this goal. Next fiscal year can be successful with the cooperation of all base personnel and base organizations.

Here are some starting points that can be accomplished at work to conserve energy:

Give it a rest: Use the power management settings on your computer and monitor so they go into power save mode when not in use.

Unplug it: Unplug electronics such as cell phones and laptops once they are charged. Adapters plugged into outlets use energy even if they are not charging.

Light up your work life: Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights, they will last 10 times longer and use about 75 percent less energy. Have your building custodian contact the 509th CES to obtain these lights for your facility. CE has a limited quality available.

Let it flow: Keep air vents clear of paper, files and office supplies. It takes as much as 25 percent more energy to pump air into the workspace if the vents are blocked.

Daylon Edminsten, 509th CES base energy manager, is working with the Energy Management Steering Group (made up of the commanders of various Whiteman  to develop an energy policy and address energy issues. He consults with Headquarters Energy Conservation Team to stay up to date with the latest policies and funding sources for the success of the base. He is responsible for identifying design and operations and management projects and implementing them. His actions will enable the base to meet the mandated goals of EO 13423. Some of the projects that the energy manager has under design are:

  • The repair of ventilation controls in 105 facilities. This project will replace fixed outside air ventilation with demand based ventilation controls thus improving energy efficiency.
  • The installation of occupancy sensors within 105 facilities. These sensors will control the lights within various rooms, shutting them off when they are unoccupied. Some will be installed in the light switches and others will be mounted in the ceilings where obstacles prohibit the wall switch from seeing the entire room.
  • Replacing the existing gas or steam feed HVAC systems within 9 facilities with ground source heat pumps.
  • Replacing water damaged steam pipe insulation within the steam trench distribution system. The project will also upgrade the water infiltration pumping system.
  • Installing remotely controlled controls on HVAC systems within an additional 43 facilities. Civil Engineering now has the capability to monitor and adjust the settings on 37 facilities.

Meeting the energy goals established by E.O.13423 depends upon all of us. Without each and everyone doing their part we cannot become energy independent now and in the future.