New energy competition promotes culture change

  • Published
  • By Sarah Olaciregui
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  A new initiative developed by the base's civil engineering division, called Hanscom Energy Reduction Competition, aims to promote an energy culture change and reduce consumption across the base. It directly ties into an Air Force Materiel Command energy competition that began in July and will run until June 2011.

Hanscom's competition began on Jan. 1 and will run until the end of June. The competition will serve as a catalyst to educate base personnel on how to save energy by measuring and reporting consumption and savings. Each month facility managers for buildings included in the competition will receive mock utility bills detailing their electrical energy consumption for that month, as well as providing an overall competition status.

Facilities in the competition are grouped by major organization. The organizations included are the Electronic Systems Center staff, Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Directorate, Battle Management Directorate, Cyber/Netcentric Directorate, 66th Air Base Group and 66th Force Support Squadron. Each organization has a leadership "champion" who will be in charge of promoting energy conservation.

"This gives leadership a tool to use to emphasize energy reduction awareness with their people," said Tom Schluckebier, base civil engineer.

Currently, Hanscom spends approximately $1 million a month on energy costs, according to Mr. Schluckebier, but a reduction in that is achievable.

"Turning off lights when leaving a room, unplugging space heaters or turning off computer monitors or personal electronics at night will go a long way in helping conserve electrical energy," he said.

The base energy manager thinks Hanscom is already on the right track.

"We reduced energy consumption a little over five percent from the previous year," said Karl Berg.

Soon after June 30, a winner will be announced. The organization that has the lowest electrical consumption per square foot will receive recognition and have the honor of knowing they did their part to lower energy consumption and plant the seeds of energy culture change here at Hanscom.

The competition directly ties in to the AFMC Energy Excellence award, which also focuses on energy reduction and energy culture change. The award was designed to go beyond just energy reduction because energy usage can be driven by some factors that are hard to control, such as mission activity or weather changes, as well as purposeful efficiency efforts.

At the end of the AFMC competition, first, second and third place awards will be announced and the winners will receive their share of $1.2 million that is currently planned to be set aside and used toward energy related projects.

The civil engineering division hopes the competition will increase awareness, give personnel a chance to do their part in reducing energy consumption and change the culture to make energy conservation a part of everyone's daily lives.

For further information about the Hanscom Energy Reduction Competition or to submit energy conservation questions, comments or suggestions, contact the base energy manager at 781-377-5233 or send an e-mail to the energy management mailbox at 66.ABG.CEK.Energy@hanscom.af.mil.