Wings step up to energy challenge

  • Published
  • By Ashley M. Wright
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
Members of Team Eglin began a fierce, month-long battle, Feb. 11, to become the first Energy Challenge Champions.

"The main purpose of the contest is to conserve energy, reduce demand and change culture," said Paul DerSarkisian, Eglin Energy Management Center energy efficient technician. "We feel that each of the facilities will win by reducing their energy footprint."

Starting Feb. 11, tenants of buildings 349, 350 and 351 began finding ways to conserve energy for their respective building. The new energy management center, which is only in its third week of operations, will officiate the contest and monitor each building's energy consumption on a weekly schedule. After a month, the winner will be announced.

The three buildings in the competition were chosen due to their similar size, construction and age, according to James Reese, center resource efficiency manager. The units will be judged by a percentage of reduction in energy, and only electricity use will measured.

"As good stewards of the resources provided to us, I know that we pay very close attention to every dollar that is spent supporting our primary missions of test, evaluation and combat support," said Col. Michael Gantt, 53rd Wing commander. "What we often take for granted are the facilities we work from and the basic costs of doing business that our wing requires."

The 53rd Wing is headquartered in building 351.

"If we physically don't get a bill for what we use (electricity, water, heat, etc.) and are not responsible for providing payment, then we frankly don't pay as much attention to them as we probably should," the colonel said. "The Air Force, and specifically on Eglin, the 96 Air Base Wing, pays our bills."

The Air Force spent more than $9 billion on energy costs in 2008, according to a report from the center. Electricity was more than 46 percent of energy use and 64 percent of cost in fiscal year 2008. Therefore, an individual's actions to operate air conditioning, heating, lighting and electronic equipment efficiently can significantly reduce the single largest area of facility energy usage and cost.

Leadership for the 308th Armament Systems Wing, located in buildings 349 and 350, believes saving energy benefits a multitude of purposes.

"With more than 1,100 members assigned to the 308th Armament Systems Wing, we have an opportunity to make a big impact on energy conservation," said Randy Brown, 308th ARSW director. "Everything we do to conserve precious resources makes our current environment healthier, saves scarce taxpayer dollars and ensures our natural resources are available for future generations."

The 308th ARSW began their energy-saving efforts a little early - four years early. Since 2006, the wing has taken steps to conserve energy, from installing energy efficient lights and air conditioning to implementing new computer virtualization technologies that do the same work with less hardware and energy, according to Mr. Brown.

"Our end-of-day security checks ensure all non-essential electrical appliances and lights are turned off when not in use," he said. "Finally, we keep the recycling center at Eglin pretty busy with approximately 2,600 pounds per week of material."

At the kick-off event, members of the center distributed flyers to employees of the three buildings, containing tips on how to save energy for the contest. Those tips included maintaining building temperature at 68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees in the summer, using both sides of paper when printing and placing computers in power save mode when the mission permits.

Results and winners will be publicized in March.