Energy Conservation Pays Off for Travis

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Josh Martinez
  • 60th Civil Engineer Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A year ago, Travis had a daunting challenge to cut its energy bill or face up to $500K in budget cuts in other programs to pay the bill.

Air Mobility Command issued the funding change as part of fiscal constraints the Department of Defense faces and the importance of energy conservation.

Travis rallied and found ways to save energy while maintaining mission readiness, personnel safety and asset security. A Travis Energy and Efficiency Operations team was formed to identify and carry out a number of innovative, energy-saving initiatives. The team was composed of engineers, security forces, safety, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning and electrical craftsmen all working together to assess each situation and use risk analysis to develop alternatives for senior leadership.

This team saw opportunities to safely reduce the lighting requirements for buildings, streets and vehicle parking lots. It also noticed a lack of consistency with the temperature settings and run times for heating and cooling systems in administrative office buildings. By adjusting thermostats to the approved times and temperatures the energy demand was reduced while maintaining a comfortable working environment and the biggest savings were realized. Facility managers were asked to look at their own work centers and eliminate nonessential appliances and unplug coffee pots after their use. This also contributed to meeting the savings target.

In fact, the actions of the team more than met the AMC deficit. Savings are on track to reach $600,000 this fiscal year. This means Travis funds will not have to pay utility bills and those funds can be used to support mission requirements.

It goes without saying that energy is critical to global outreach, from the KC-10 Extender refueling missions to the fuel needed to fly transport aircraft around the world. Individual contributions to saving energy are just as important as the large-scale conservation efforts.

Even a habit as simple as turning off the lights in the office at the end of a workday can make a difference in the long run. For more information on saving energy, call 1st Lt. Josh Martinez at 424-0016.