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As the days heat up, so does the search for energy-saving projects on base.
A team of engineers will be inspecting Ramstein’s buildings to identify ways to reduce electric, gas and water usage, which could save the base hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This highly anticipated energy, building and infrastructure audit is tentatively scheduled to start Aug. 2 and last through Aug. 20.
“Building audits help us identify potential heating and cooling, building envelope, lighting and water conservation projects to save the base energy and money,” said Ramstein Energy Manager Raul Visaya. Federal mandates require the Air Force to reduce energy consumption 30 percent and water usage 16 percent by 2015.
“The energy survey teams will go through facilities and mechanical rooms taking pictures, documenting conditions, and collecting lighting and equipment data,” Mr. Visaya said. “Once the audits are complete, they’ll provide us with a complete analysis of facility energy and water consumption levels. They’ll also produce the project programming documents and cost benefit analyses required for developing energy-saving projects.”
Projects such as lighting upgrades and heating and cooling retrofits are likely to be identified.
Ramstein Resource Efficiency Manager Anja Kempf-Urschel will work alongside Mr. Visaya. The team will complete more than 4.9 million square feet of phase one building energy audits this year.
“You can only do so many in a year,” Ms. Kempf-Urschel said. “We want to identify energy conservation projects as quickly as possible, compete for funding, and get the projects up and running.”
In addition to the energy audit, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe has established guidance on energy efficient lighting fixtures and bulbs, appliance reduction in the workplace and landscape irrigation with the purpose of identifying, reducing and tracking reduction applying to all KMC facilities.
Part of this execution will require assistance from facility managers in responding to a survey related to lighting, work space appliances and irrigation system impacting their facility. The survey will provide a better outlook in our goal to reduce energy and water consumption.
The Air Force Facility Energy Center, located at the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, Tyndall Air Force Base, is managing energy audits at 43 Air Force bases. The $20 million program is the result of a new federal mandate that requires the Air Force to audit a minimum of 25 percent of its facilities each year over the next four years.
For questions or more information, call Mr. Visaya at 480-3723.
(Courtesy of the 86th Civil Engineer Squadron)
