Work force can help reduce energy usage, costs

By Rob Schuette, Triad Staff

      With the increasing cost of energy pushing up against constrained Department of Defense budgets, members of the Department of the Army work force can help stretch funding by taking steps to save money, whenever possible.

Otto Peterson, Recreation Center manager, checks the setting on the thermostat that controls central air conditioning in the facility. (Photo by Rob Schuette)

      Some Army installations, such as Fort Bragg, N.C., Fort Knox, Ky., and Fort Sam Houston, Texas have reported that budget shortfalls have required them to cut services, ranging from office supplies to not being able to pay monthly utility bills on time.

      Fort McCoy has paid all of its utility bills on time, but members of the installation work force are encouraged to take a number of steps to help conserve energy. This helps ensure Fort McCoy has enough money to meet all of its energy funding needs, without running the risk of having to use money from other sources and not having sufficient funding for those areas.

      Scott Naeseth, the Fort McCoy Directorate of Support Services (DSS) energy manager, said many of the strategies included in the Army Energy Conservation Interim Policy Guidance, dated December 2005, can help reduce energy usage and costs at work. These guidelines currently are being incorporated into Army Regulation 11-27, the Army Energy Program. Naeseth said many of these common-sense strategies can be used by members of the work force to save money at home, as well.

      Any electrical appliances or equipment that aren't needed at a particular time (when not being used and during nonduty hours) should be turned off, if feasible, Naeseth said. Day-lighting and occupancy controls will be used when they're cost-efficient.

      Off-hour and exterior lighting will be eliminated, except when it is essential for safety and security purposes as required by Army Regulation 190-11. If lighting is required, use of motion-sensor controls will be evaluated for cost effectiveness.

      Any new lighting fixtures for new construction, remodeling and modular office furniture will be the T-8 32-watt lamp with instant start electronic ballast or the T-5 lamp, he said. All new or replacement electrically-operated appliances and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment will be ENERGY STAR rated at a minimum.

      Replacing light bulbs also can be an energy-intensive operation, so personnel are asked to be patient, he said.

      "If you have only one light bulb to change, it is very costly in the time and gasoline it takes to get somewhere," he said. "It's more cost-effective to do a number of them at the same time."

      Naeseth said DSS is working to establish a regular schedule to inspect and change lights that are flickering or need to be replaced.

      Computer processing units from desk top units and personal computers are mandated to remain on for information technology purposes, such as virus updates. Monitors, printers and other peripheral accessories should be turned off, whenever the computers aren't being used. These computers must be configured and enabled for energy-saving features, such as standby or low-energy usage modes (ENERGY STAR compliance and consume 20 watts or less of energy in that mode) during periods of operator absence. The mode is activated after any 30 minutes of inactivity. Servers, storage-area network devices and other network infrastructure are not required to be powered off during periods of nonuse.

      Refrigerators are authorized in work and office areas with sizing based on number of personnel supported. In general s this is one cubic foot per person. Refrigerators in work areas and offices intended for only one person's use are prohibited. Exceptions are allowed for commanders and general officers who have conference room meeting requirements that justify single use.

      Heating and cooling temperature ranges are established to help ensure general employee comfort.

      Temperatures in general occupied office space during the heating season will be maintained in the range of 70-74 degrees Fahrenheit during working hours. During nonworking hours, the offices will be set between 50 to 60 degrees, which can be done with a thermostatic setback device, where available.

      In warehouses and similar active working spaces, the temperature will be set between 55 to 65 degrees during times of occupancy, and between 40 to 50 degrees during unoccupied periods.

      When cooling is authorized, the cooling season temperatures will be maintained at 72 to 76 degrees. Cooling setup temperatures during unoccupied times will be set at 80 to 90 degrees.

      All temperatures, including those for medical and medical research operations, will comply with these standards, except where the mission or Department of Defense standards require otherwise, Naeseth said.

      "These guidelines provide a little more leeway than President Carter's guidelines did in the 1970s, and recognize that people need to be comfortable while they're working," Naeseth said. "Personnel also contribute to their comfort by dressing appropriately according to weather conditions -- lighter clothes in hot weather and warmer clothes in colder weather."

      The operation of portable heating and cooling devices is prohibited where the intent is to circumvent the aforementioned heating and cooling standards.

      Supplemental heating and cooling sources may be used when cost-effective energy reductions can be achieved by reducing the use of primary heating and cooling systems or personal comfort levels cannot be achieved by reasonable adjustments of the primary system.

      Such devices often are effective when only a few people occupy a portion of a large building, and heating and cooling needs for individuals exist only in that small section of the facility, he said.

      Any use of personal supplemental heating or mechanical cooling devices must have supervisor written approval and only can be used when an area is occupied.

      Jane Schmidt, DSS Transportation officer, said the administrative use of vehicles will be monitored for abuse and unnecessary use beyond that need to maintain readiness. Engines will be turned off when vehicles are parked, she said.

      Schmidt said members of the Fort McCoy work force also can help conserve energy when using government vehicles.

      The best way to ensure a vehicle gets optimum gas mileage per gallon rate is to ensure all maintenance services are taken care of on schedule.

      Regular maintenance includes such things as scheduled oil and filer changes and engine tune-ups and checking tire pressure.

      Another good way to get maximum gas mileage is to consolidate vehicle trips, whenever possible, she said.

      "It doesn't make sense to go to just one place when you know during the day you will have other places to go," she said. "Be sure to coordinate with other members of your office when you go somewhere, such as to pick up supplies, so they don't have to make a separate trip."

      If more than one member of an office is attending a meeting, they should ride together whenever possible. Schmidt said if people are handcarrying packages or paperwork to other activities on post they should use the post mail distribution system, whenever possible, to eliminate unnecessary vehicle trips.

      Members of the work force also are requested to make the best and most appropriate vehicle choices they possibly can make when planning a trip.

      If employees have a choice between using a pickup or sedan to attend a meeting in the cantonment area, for example, Schmidt said they would get better gas mileage using the sedan. Likewise, it probably would be a better choice to use the pickup if the employees had to go out to the ranges.

      Employees who need a vehicle to drive to a temporary duty site off post are encouraged to check with the Transportation Motor Pool (TMP) to determine if a more fuel-efficient vehicle is available, she said. The TMP has procedures in place to replace leased vehicles with more fuel-efficient vehicles, whenever possible.

      Energy awareness tips also are posted on the Fort McCoy Corporate Network Site on a weekly basis. These are provided by VT Griffin, which is contracted to provide DSS services. Energy tips also run twice-a-month in the VT Griffin ad in the Triad. For more information, call (608) 388-7951.