Energy conservation requires focused team effort Published Oct. 6, 2009 By Rhonda Siciliano 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- October is energy awareness month and members of the 66th Mission Support Group Civil Engineering Office are enlisting everyone's support in teaming up to reduce Hanscom's environmental footprint through energy conservation. "As Air Force employees everyone has a responsibility to each do their part in conserving energy," said Chris Perkins, base civil engineer. "There are simple things that each of us can do in our work areas to save energy, that collectively will make a big difference base wide." To understand the magnitude of utility consumption, Hanscom's electric bill for the 2009 fiscal year was $10.8 million, natural gas was $4.3 million and heating oil was $1.04 million. A number of initiatives are in the works to help improve Hanscom's energy efficiency. Included among those projects are continued improvements to the steam and condensate lines that will significantly improve the efficiency of the system that supplies heat to the base. Work is also being done to lower utility usage at the Central Plant through boiler control upgrades and boiler insulation projects to keep units running efficiently. "We're also working to reduce the base's overall electrical consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by working with National Grid to replace failed equipment with higher efficiency models," Mr. Perkins said. "These projects combined with the efforts each individual makes in their own workplace, coincides with our goal of decreasing energy consumption by three percent each year. All bases need to actively conserve energy. We [Civil Engineering personnel] are always looking at ways to improve and update existing systems with more efficient equipment in order to exceed our goal," he said. When it comes to reaching the three percent goal, base projects are only part of the solution; responsibility also falls under each member of the base community, Mr. Perkins said. "Simple things, such as turning off lights and unplugging electric devices when not in use, since many use electricity even while in sleep mode, to save energy and cut pollution, are all ways that the community can take part in conserving energy." For employees looking to do their part in lessening their carbon footprint, the Commuter eboard Web site might be a good place to start. The Web site, found under the quick links section of the Centernet, offers a number of environmentally and economically friendly options for commuters. Other energy conservation steps employees can take in their work areas include: utilizing natural daylight to conserve electrical energy within office space when applicable; sharing refrigerators to reduce the total number of personal refrigerators on base and replacing incandescent lamps with Energy Star certified energy efficient lighting which are available in the CE Self-Help store. To emphasize the importance of energy conservation a new Special Interest Item has been created by the Commander of Air Force Materiel Command to demonstrate the high level interest and attention to base energy programs. The Special Interest Item is to ensure that all AFMC units comply with the various Air Force requirements on energy management and conservation. "This SII emphasizes the need to manage energy and water consumption as good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars," said Patricia Sabine, 66th Air Base Wing Inspector General's Office. The inspection period for this Special Interest Item started on July 1 and will run until June 30, 2010. For more information on energy conservation at work or home, go to http://www.energystar.gov/ or to share ideas on energy saving ideas for the base call the CE Energy Management Office at (781) 377-5233. Additional Energy Saving Tips: -- For three copies or less, use a printer; for more than three, use the copier. -- Laser printers use 300 watts of power per hour; Inkjets use only 10 watts of power per hour and provide similar quality. -- Using the "stand-by" button on a copier will lighten the energy load by 70 percent. -- Computer monitors use 60 watts of power per hour; monitors should be turned off if an individual is expected to be gone for more than 10 minutes. -- Using recycled paper reduces water use by 60 percent, energy by 70 percent and cuts pollution in half. -- Instead of driving a personal vehicle, try mass transit -- it uses 25 times less energy.