Eglin wins 2008 Federal Energy Management Award

  • Published
  • By Jerron Barnett
  • Eglin Environmental Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Department of Energy honored Eglin for its Fiscal Year 2007 energy efficiency improvement efforts Oct. 22. 

Alan Mardis, Eglin's Energy Manager, attended a ceremony at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington to accept the Energy Efficiency/Energy Program Management to Organizations category award on Eglin's behalf.

Col. Dennis Yates, 96th Civil Engineer Group commander, is honored that Eglin was recognized for its efforts. He has put a priority on making Eglin operations and facilities as energy efficient as possible since his arrival in July 2006. This priority has been further emphasized by Col. Bruce McClintock, who took command of the 96th Air Base Wing this summer.

"It's a shared goal of Eglin's senior leadership to ensure we are an Air Force leader in energy stewardship," Col. Yates said. "Winning this award validates that Team Eglin is indeed a leader in energy conservation."

In FY07, Eglin used two major program initiatives to save energy and reduce costs. Eglin teamed with Gulf Power Company and Southern Company Energy Solutions to implement energy efficiency projects through a Utility Energy Services Contract that reduced consumption by more than 48 billion Btu and saved nearly $1 million in energy costs. Measures included lighting upgrades, daylight harvesting controls, LED lighting retrofits, energy management control systems, central plant chilled water system optimization, boiler plant replacement, and chiller replacements. The base also purchased 3,300 megawatt-hours of renewable energy certificates to meet 2.5 percent of the renewable energy goal set by Executive Order 13423. Additionally, a second UESC was executed with Gulf Power and Chevron Energy Solutions that will save an additional 36 billion Btu and $700,000 annually.

"It took a total team effort to realize our current level of success in energy conservation and we'll need that same level of effort and focus for future initiatives," Col. Yates said. "Energy conservation is easy. Everyone can contribute in some way."

Eglin was one of five federal organizations to be honored in the Energy Efficiency/Energy Program Management Awards to Organizations category. The complete list of winners can be viewed at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/services/awards_fewm2008.html#energyorg

EGLIN ENERGY GOAL UPDATE: Eglin's energy conservation goal for this month is to reduce its consumption by five percent from the previous October. As of Oct. 22, Eglin has reduced its energy consumption by12 percent, or 1,916,290 kilowatt hours. This is equivalent to approximately $153,000 in energy cost savings.