AFGSC projects save more than just energy

Published April 10, 2012
By Carla Pampe
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- As the Air Force continues leading the Department of Defense in Green Energy use, Air Force Global Strike Command energy managers are working on a number of large scale energy initiatives throughout the command for Fiscal Year 2012 and beyond.

Overall, in FY 2012, AFGSC is projected to receive more than $30 million for energy efficiency improvements in facilities across the command. Two major energy projects are scheduled to take place this year at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., and F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
At Malmstrom, engineers will install an Energy Monitoring and Control System, a computer-based system that monitors the environmental controls of buildings base-wide.

"The primary duty of an EMCS system is to manage the air conditioning and heating systems in a building in a way that improves customer comfort while saving energy," said Michelle Price, AFGSC Energy Manger. "At the same time, the system will keep data on the energy used, to let [the base] improve the building performance in the future."

Price said the system doesn't just compile data, but also allows for fine-tuning of the heating and cooling systems.

"You can use it to eliminate those building 'hot spots' or 'cold spots,' which plague building occupants," she said. "I've been in many buildings over the years where the air-conditioning in summer is running full-force, while people throughout the building are using space heaters and opening windows in an effort to stay warm. In that situation, you're paying to both, air condition and heat the building at the same time."

The controls will save money on maintenance issues as well, Price said, because it will allow people to identify and fix some maintenance issues, remotely, by computer.

"Overall, EMCS, is well known as a 'tried and true' way to save us energy, therefore, saving money," Price said.
At F.E. Warren, plans are underway to decentralize the heat plant and install individual boilers at almost 90 buildings on base.

"A central heat plant uses a central location to heat water and/or create steam," Price said. "This heated fluid is then piped to buildings throughout the base and used to provide heat to the facilities."
"This project was developed because even though the central heat plant boilers are in good shape, they can only operate at 83 percent efficiency," said Ken Johnston, 90th Civil Engineer Squadron. "However, the real problem is the high temperature hot water distribution system-- it is operating at approximately 62 percent efficiency. This means that between the two, half the heat is lost before it gets to the facilities."

Price added that loss of heat means a waste of energy.

"A great deal of energy is lost piping heated fluid across a base in the middle of winter," she said. "As a result you have to heat additional water and bring it up to higher temperatures in order to meet the need of the facilities."

The current High Temperature Hot Water distribution system was installed in the mid 1980s and the estimated cost to replace the distribution system is $15 million over the next 10 years, Johnston said. However, even if replaced, the efficiency of the replaced line would still be about 85 percent. The new individual boilers should run at 90 percent efficiency, he said.

"Numerous individual boilers can replace the work of a single, aging, inefficient heat plant," Price said.

Once the two projects are completed, Price estimates it will take about two years for the command to start realizing the energy savings they expect. However, there are not only energy savings to be gained.

"For each of these projects, energy savings is only one of the subsequent benefits," Price said. "Environmental benefits, water savings, maintenance savings and improved customer comfort are all potential side-benefits to each energy project."

Central Heat Plant