Energy Stars: Space Command team wins national award

by Auburn Davis
Air Force Space Command Public Affairs

8/22/2014 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.  -- The United States Department of Energy and the Federal Interagency Energy Management Task Force announced Headquarters Air Force Space Command and the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron Energy Team are the recipients of the 2013 Federal Energy and Water Management Award for outstanding achievements in energy, water and fleet management during the 2013 fiscal year.

The Energy Team consists of Todd Wynn, Tim Pugh, Monte McVay, Fox Theriault, Vistasp Jijina, Chuck McGarvey, Jim Dowdy, Air Force Space Command directorate of Installations, Logistics and Mission Support, Maj. Tony Muro and Lt. Col. Brian Smith, AFSPC directorate of Plans and Requirements, Martha Wilkinson, AFSPC directorate of Air, Space and Information Operations, Jim Jacobsen and Randall Pieper, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, and Andy Roake, AFSPC Public Affairs.

The team developed an energy-lowering strategy focused on the top two energy intense installations, which are high-efficiency exterior lighting and fleet fuel.

They garnered a $15.3 million project to connect Clear Air Force Station to an electric grid, saving 659,561 MBTU of wasted energy and $1.5 million annually.

The team also spearheaded $9 million in energy initiatives at Thule Air Base, Greenland, improving energy efficiency of 15 megawatt power plant and 4 energy intensive facilities; saving 636,000 gallons of Jet Propellent-8, 25,088 MBTU and $2.9 million annually.

They led the Air Force in executing a $4.9 million strategic purchase of 6,600 Light Emitting Diode fixtures to replace street and parking lot lights at installations across Air Force Space Command; saving 80,978 million MBTU and $1 million annually.

AFSPC was first to establish Ethanol-85 infrastructure at all installations and fully implement Biodiesel throughout the fleet, which is an Air Force benchmark.

The energy team launched the Department of Defense's advancement of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) technologies at Los Angeles Air Force Base, which was the first federal facility to replace entire general purpose fleet with PEVs.

Comprehensive energy and water conservation efforts led AFSPC to a 29 percent reduction in facility energy intensity, 46 percent reduction in water intensity, 11 percent reduction in fleet petroleum consumption and a 50 percent increase in alternate fuel from their respective baseline years.

Combined efforts and teamwork of the team exceeded all Executive Order 13514 and Energy Independence and Security Act goals.

The Federal Energy Management Program will honor the award winners in Washington DC later this year.