Energy savings dependent on the actions of individuals

  • Published
  • By Megan Just
  • 452 AMW Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  How many times have you walked into the restroom in your building and found the lights already on? When was the last time you reached under your desk and turned your power strip off before leaving work? Have you ever found yourself wearing a jacket indoors during the summer or stripping to short sleeves during the winter?

Turning off lights in unoccupied rooms, powering electronics down at the end of the day and maintaining proper building temperatures are just three of the many small actions individuals can take that will make a huge difference in the energy consumption of their building.

"Who will know if I do?" you might ask. Jack Porter, Jr., the base energy manager will. Porter, an Association of Energy Engineers Certified Energy Manager with the 452nd Civil Engineering Squadron, monitors the energy consumption of the base. One of his tasks in doing this is reviewing a monthly report that lists every standard light that SSI (the base support contractor) has replaced with a T-8 energy efficient bulb, and every old appliance that was replaced with an Energy Star appliance. Porter reports these numbers to Southern California Edison, the base's electricity supplier, and the base receives a refund on their utility bill.

"It's imperative that everyone do their part, no matter how small," Porter said. "Every little bit helps."

A federal mandate requires each branch of service to reduce their energy use by three percent per square foot each year from a fiscal year 2003 baseline.

"If each base conserves the three percent a year per square foot at a minimum, then the Air Force as a whole will meet their goal," Porter said. "This translates into each base having a 15 percent reduction per square foot from the 2003 baseline."

Porter said that in fiscal year 2009, March Air Reserve Base accounted for 25.6 percent of Air Force Reserve Command's square footage and used 26.5 percent of the electricity and 7.5 percent of the heating.

"We are a big part of the command and our conservation efforts can have a substantial impact for the command," he said.

Porter is still waiting to receive energy figures for September, but estimates March's fiscal year 2010 energy reduction from the 2003 baseline will be 15.31 percent, which means the base is in compliance with the federal mandate.

However, Porter has observed energy usage at March has been slowly on the rise. When separating the data for fiscal year 2010 alone, the base did not save the requisite three percent. It is only because of extra savings in previous years that the base's total figure was satisfactory. At the end of fiscal year 2011, the base will need to have a cumulative reduction of 18 percent.

"If we do not start conserving now, especially in the summer months, we stand a very good chance of falling below the cumulative goal for the first time since fiscal year 2005," Porter said.

To prevent this from happening, Porter hopes Team March members will educate themselves on energy conservation and begin taking individual action. He recommends visiting www.energy.gov as a starting point.

"The biggest ally in energy conservation is the individual," he said. "I cannot personally visit every building to check the temperature and the lighting. I need the individuals help to bring energy waste to the forefront."

While conserving energy within the Defense Department is crucial, Porter hopes Team March members will also bring conscientious energy practices home.

"If your children learn how to conserve energy to the point where they do it subconsciously then there will be many generations to come that will conserve energy without thinking about it," he said. "This is changing the culture of the American people to be energy conscious. After all, the changes we make now may not impact our lives directly, but will likely to impact your children's lives and your grandchildren's lives."

Conserving energy You can make a difference

LIGHTS
-- Take advantage of natural daylight from windows.
-- Turn off lights when leaving a room for more than a minute.
-- Turn on task lights; turn off general and overhead lights.
-- Turn off display and decorative lights.
-- If you are the last one out of your office or building, take the extra time to make sure the lights are completely out, including in common areas such as hallways and bathrooms.

EQUIPMENT AND ELECTRONICS
-- Buy only Energy Star appliances and office equipment
-- Turn off power strips, printers, copiers, personal computers, and monitors when idle or when you are leaving for the day.
-- Activate and use the "power saver" and "sleep" features.
-- Shut off coffee pots, radios, fans, and other appliances in the office.
-- Avoid excess electronics with a high power demand such as digital photo frames.
-- When recharging, unplug device and recharger as soon as recharging is complete .

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING
-- Call SSI for HVAC balancing if buildings are too hot or too cold.
-- Dress appropriately to minimize the requirement for heating and air conditioning.
-- Make sure vent grills are not blocked by plants, books or furnishings.
-- Try not to overuse window air conditioning units.
-- Refrain from space heaters.

Energy saving ideas from Jack Porter, Ed Saleem, Lt. Col. Yvonne Spencer