Energy Action Month: save more by turning off

Courtesy Photo | (U.S. Air Force graphic)  

OSAN AIR BASE, SOUTH KOREA

10.01.2018

Story by Staff Sgt. Sergio Gamboa 

51st Fighter Wing

OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea—October is Energy Action Month and Team Osan is doing their part to conserve energy and water resources.

“We want to increase energy awareness of the base populace and encourage the implementation of innovative energy savings techniques both in the workspace and at home,” said 1st Lt. Dylan Bechen an energy manager with the 51st Civil Engineer Squadron. “These techniques can increase Osan's energy resiliency and save the installation thousands of dollars. We also want to highlight Osan’s efforts in saving energy.”

This year’s Air Force theme, “Protect the Power,” calls on Airmen and the Air Force community to practice smarter, more efficient energy and water consumption behaviors to enhance readiness and resilience.

“Resilient bases require a reliable, uninterrupted supply of energy to assure mission success for our wings,” said Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Energy, John Henderson. “Energy Action Month is a time for us to focus on our responsibility to make the most effective use of our energy and water resources to support our warfighting mission and to enhance readiness.”

To help with EAM, the 51st CES has instituted an energy conservation campaign that is highlighted with the annual Energy Cup Competition and educating Airmen and their families.

Team Osan was able to save approximately $535,000 from 2015-2016 by following some of these office and dormitory tips.

Office:

• Turn off lights when not in use or when natural daylight is sufficient. This can reduce lighting expenses by 10 to 40 percent. Open or close blinds to make the best use of natural daylight sources to reduce lighting during daytime hours.
• Modify the temperature in the office based on the season and business hours. You can save up to three percent for each degree the thermostat is raised in the summer and lowered in the winter.
• Make sure all air vents are clear of paper, files and other office supplies. Blocked air vents means your HVAC system has to work harder and use more energy to circulate cold or warm air in the office. As much as 25 percent more energy is required to distribute air if your vents are blocked.
• Turn off your monitors at the end of the work day. When counted together, computer monitors use more energy than any other piece of office equipment.
• Turn off office equipment when it is not needed at night or on the weekends. About 30 to 40 percent of office equipment is left on at night and on weekends. Activate sleep settings on all printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners and multifunction devises so that they automatically enter a low-powered sleep mode when inactive.

Dormitory:

• Turn off lights when not in use or when natural daylight is sufficient.
• Turn off power to computers, TV’s and all electronic devices when not in use to avoid wasting standby power which can account for as much as 10 percent of energy use.
• Plug multiple devices into a power strip with a surge protector so you can turn them all off with the flip of one switch while also protecting them from damage.
• Use water wisely. Turn water off when not in use, such as while brushing teeth and shaving.
• Turn the thermostat up or down by 2 degrees. Each degree you lower the thermostat can reduce your heating costs by as much as three percent. Dress for the season, and use sweaters and extra blankets when it’s cool outside.

Whether your installation implements an aviation fuel efficiency or energy project, every effort taken by dedicated Air Force communities contributes to protecting energy and water resources and helps increase resilience and readiness. No matter the size, every Airman can take action to “Protect the Power.”

For more information visit www.safie.hq.af.mil/EnergyActionMonth and follow Air Force Energy on Facebook @AirForceEnergy and Twitter @AFEnergy

• Date Taken: 10.01.2018
• Date Posted: 10.01.2018 02:08
• Story ID: 294973
• Location: OSAN AIR BASE, KR