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Your Charge: make energy conservation a consideration in all you do

  • Published
  • By Capt. Wayne Henry
  • 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  The cost to cool a single room in the Coalition Compound per year is about $1,400. With approximately 4,500 rooms in CC, that brings the annual costs for air conditioning to $6.3M! Electronics such as laptops, televisions or game systems are also significant consumers of electricity. The base-wide estimated cost to power these devices each year is approximately $300K. In this fiscally constrained environment, huge savings are possible by being more cognizant of our energy consumption and turning off electronic devices when not in use.

October is Energy Action month, giving us an opportunity to promote energy and water conservation principles to all Airmen as part of a national campaign led by the Department of Energy. This year's theme, "I am Air Force Energy," puts the Airmen at the center of the campaign. The goal of this theme is to inspire the Total Force to make a commitment to a continual change in organizational and personal energy use, and help Airmen realize they can make a difference in overall Air Force energy efforts.

The 379th Air Expeditionary Wing has led the way on reducing base energy consumption. In 2011, an Energy Management Steering Group was established to seek ways to implement energy saving initiatives in infrastructure, operational and ground fuels. This year's saving alone was outstanding; we reduced our energy consumption by seven percent in fiscal year 2012.

The 379th Expeditionary Civil Engineering Squadron has taken the lead on infrastructure projects to dramatically lower energy waste.

"Energy is not just a commodity ... it's our fuel for the mission," said Lt. Col. Brian Hartless, 379th ECES commander.

With dozens of initiatives in planning and construction, ECES is committed to reducing power requirements through improving inefficiencies and executing sound energy saving practices while enabling the mission.

Several current energy projects include expanding the use of solar powered lighting, using thermal reflective paint on metal roof buildings, and installing new energy efficient water heaters in the Cadillac's. ECES is also incorporating sustainable design principles into new construction such as using building orientation to deflect the sun's rays and clearstory windows to take advantage of natural light in the dorms. Additionally, ECES's focus on routine air conditioner maintenance during the summer drives down power costs and makes a significant difference on the temperatures in facilities.

Achieving the Air Force goals of reducing energy consumption and fostering an energy aware culture requires the hard work and dedication of all Airmen. Together we can reduce power consumption in office areas by turning off monitors, unplugging unnecessary electronics when not in use and pulling exterior doors completely shut. These and other small adjustments can contribute to saving millions of dollars.

The Air Force is committed to reducing energy consumption across all bases by implementing energy awareness training and education for Airmen, civilians, and contractors. If you have a great saving energy idea, please notify your facility manager or chain of command. Customers should contact customer service for any facility or infrastructure issues at 437-2154 or 437-2150, or visit them at Bldg. 8111 in Logistics Town.