Minot AFB leads as stewards of energy conservation

Published Feb. 22, 2012
By Senior Airman Jose L. Hernandez
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- On a cold day at Minot AFB, N.D., it's not uncommon to see someone run for shelter indoors where it's nice and comfortable.

Thanks to the electricity and natural gas flowing into buildings, people can take a break from the cold winter weather. in a cold climate, like North Dakota, it takes a great amount of energy to combat the cold temperatures.

Yet, with so much energy usage, Minot Air Force Base earned the Air Force's top recognition for energy and water conservation last year.

The team responsible for overseeing energy consumption and establishing projects for facility energy reduction is Jason Webster, 5th Civil Engineer Squadron energy manager, and Larry Johnson, 5th CES resource efficiency manger. The duo is ensures Minot AFB manages its energy efficiently and effectively.

"We are here to support the Air Force's energy goals of reducing demand, increasing supply and raising energy awareness," said Webster.

There is lots of variety in their job duties, said Webster. Some of it involves identifying new concepts for projects to save energy, evaluating proposed energy projects to insure they will be economically viable, tracking energy consumption and reviewing utility bills to make sure there are no abnormalities.

"Every day we have the opportunity to learn new ways to improve our energy saving efforts," said Webster. "Whether it's implementing more efficient technology on base or working with our utility suppliers to improve energy distribution."

Despite some of the challenging tasks they perform, Webster said the most rewarding part of the job is seeing the final results of new energy projects and witnessing everything come together in the end.

"New technology is a very exciting thing," said Webster. "There continues to be great advances in energy efficient technology in areas like lighting and heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment. Suppliers are creating more efficient equipment every day and we try to plug in those systems here on base. I want to make sure we are only using the energy we need because every bit of energy saved is money saved."

While it was the interest in new technologies and how things work that motivated Webster to join the engineering field for Johnson it was the passion for leaving behind a better world for the next generations to come that led him into the energy industry.

Johnson said his interest in energy first began in 1973 when he read a National Geographic magazine on what was going to happen to the world if we did not change our ways.

Ever since then he has done what he can to walk the talk when it comes to effectively managing energy consumption.

"It is amazing how much more can be done to save energy and not change the way we live," said Johnson.

It was his work as a design engineer for the ground-source heat pumps that paved the way to Minot AFB's success in earning the Air Force's top energy recognition. Johnson said he is happy he gets to work on saving energy full time, something he couldn't do as a design engineer.

Both Johnson and Webster agree that energy is a limited resource and thus it is important to use it efficiently.

While they will continue to work on energy projects that help reduce energy usage, they stressed the importance of the contribution people can make as individuals.

"Whether it's turning off a light when you leave a room, opening a service call to fix a leaking faucet, or replacing an incandescent light with a compact fluorescent bulb, everyone can make a difference in the overall picture," said Webster. "It's important to keep your eyes open for energy waste."