Make energy a consideration Published March 11, 2011 By Col. Stephen N. Whiting 21st Space Wing commander PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- As we've been watching the remarkable events that have been unfolding in the Middle East over the last few weeks, you've probably noticed that gas prices have been steadily climbing in lockstep with the political uncertainty that is now gripping that region. In fact, last night I went to fill up and the cost of gas had risen 30 cents per gallon since the last time I had visited the gas station just a few weeks ago. Now consider that last year, the Air Force spent almost $9 billion for energy. Ouch! Now imagine what these rising prices (which hit us all in the wallet) are doing to the Air Force and DoD budgets? Truly, this highlights the on-going need to achieve the "energy security" goals laid out for us by the president and Department of Defense leaders. "Make energy a consideration in all that we do." You've heard this quote over the last few years, and you know that it encapsulates our Air Force senior leaders' vision regarding energy security and efficiency. Have you stopped to think about, however, all the significant impacts that this vision is having, small and large, across Peterson Air Force Base and the 21st Space Wing? Perhaps the most noticeable change day-to-day here at Peterson AFB has been the adjustment of temperature set points in buildings. This means, consistent with Air Force and Air Force Space Command guidelines, we have lowered thermostats slightly in the winter and raised them slightly in the summer. Our civil engineer team has worked closely with building managers to make changes to this policy where needed, and I thank you for your feedback to help make this initiative a success. As an additional energy saving effort, we have researched the manufacturers' specifications for computer server equipment in our server rooms, and, when able, we've optimized our HVAC systems to provide the needed temperature and humidity for those servers without going overboard. Finally, you may have noticed that we have right-sized our nighttime lighting across the base to ensure security, safety, and fire prevention requirements are met without wasting energy and dollars. While the efforts mentioned above are readily visible steps toward achieving Air Force energy goals, there are literally dozens of other, less visible, initiatives and projects that are helping to fulfill the Air Force energy vision. For example, the new Child Development Center that is being constructed across from the BX/Commissary is being built to the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Silver certification level. This means energy best practices are designed into the building from the very beginning, ensuring sustainability and energy efficiency throughout the life of the facility. Other energy improvements that you may not have noticed include the installation of energy efficient lighting in buildings across the installation, and the "green roof" on top of the wing headquarters building (literally, there is vegetation on top of the building that provides natural cooling and storm water containment). In some locations, we are undertaking significant refit projects to achieve our energy goals. For example, at Thule Air Base, Greenland, a multi-million dollar project has installed new exhaust gas boilers that capture and make use of energy that was formerly wasted as it was exhausted from generators that produce electricity using aviation fuel. Additionally, we are working to install two 1.6 megawatt wind turbines at Cape Cod Air Force Station, Mass., in the near future, perhaps making that installation a "net zero" energy user within a few years. And it's not just the Air Force that has seen the benefits of improving energy efficiency. Our privatized housing partner on base, Tierra Vista Communities, has made energy a primary consideration in the new homes they have constructed over the last two years. For example, the 320 new homes they have delivered so far (with another approximately 280 still to be delivered over the next two years) use the latest in insulation techniques and energy efficient appliances (such as tankless water heaters). They are also just embarking on a resident education campaign to further improve energy and utility use in their homes day-to-day. Additionally, TVC is partnering with Colorado Springs Utilities to install smart thermostats that will regulate HVAC during peak use periods (with a "resident override" built-in) while lowering the cost of energy throughout the year. Although the Air Force no longer pays the utility bills for on-base family housing (that bill is paid by TVC), we are partners with TVC in reducing the overall energy footprint of the base. So, with all these efforts on-going, how are we doing? Well, we still have some work to do to achieve our overall goal of reducing energy intensity across the wing by 15 percent from our 2003 baseline. In FY10, we achieved a 6.9 percent reduction in energy intensity, and so far, it appears that the actions we have taken in FY11 (despite some brutally cold weather earlier this winter) will reduce energy intensity by a further 2.7 percent. In addition, these efforts have helped to reduce the wing's utility budget shortfall by $2 million. Furthermore, we have several major projects moving forward in the next few years which will allow us to fully meet our energy intensity reduction goals. However, we can't get complacent and allow rising energy costs to break our energy budgets. We still have a lot of work to do and we need to continue to apply a laser focus on reducing both energy intensity and our annual utility budget. Lastly, don't forget that we have stood up an Energy Strike Force within the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron. This team is behind many of the projects mentioned above and they've been recognized at the Air Force level as the runner up for the Energy Conservation Team Award. They are standing ready to advise you or your unit on additional ways to make energy a consideration in all that you do. The Strike Force also solicits any ideas you have on how we can be smarter about energy and its use. They can be contacted at Petelight@peterson.af.mil, or 556-4900.