It is fitting that my first article for the entire Civil Engineering community 

would be published in this special energy edition. Early in my career, we had 

just come out of the energy crisis. Energy was a new area of emphasis for the 

Air Force, and it was part of my “job jar.” I began to understand the need to 

include energy and water conservation in everything we did professionally 

and personally. We have come a long way from those days, but we have not yet 

instilled an energy culture in the Air Force. We are really just beginning to take 

a strategic look at how we can use renewable energy and sustainable designs 

as we routinely plan, program, construct, and maintain the infrastructure and 

installations that support our warfighters and ultimately safeguard America’s 

freedom and security. We need to attack our jobs with selflessness, pride, and 

unprecedented professionalism. We need to “Build Sustainable Installations.”

We have an opportunity to use the full extent of our academic and professional 

education, technical training, creativity, and drive for excellence to be the best 

we can be. The energy problems facing our country and the world require us 

to focus on energy in every aspect of our lives. We also must turn our collective 

attention to our profession. When we “Build to Last,” we need to think holistically, with the sustainability of the entire installation and surrounding community at the forefront. We need to seek out those large opportunities to build 

efficiency and environmental stewardship into our installations, reduce our 

energy and water consumption, and find new sources of renewable energy. If 

we are going to be successful, the ways we work with water and waste and with 

renewable alternatives, advanced metering, technology, Enhanced Use Leases, 

and the private sector must be rethought as part of an integrated strategy.

I’m pleased to say that we are on the right path. We have an integrated Air 

Force Infrastructure Energy Plan addressing supply, demand, and culture. The 

Air Force leads the U.S. government in renewable energy development, and has 

far exceeded federally established energy reduction goals. In 2008, we reduced 

energy usage by nearly 17 percent. In May, President Obama visited Nellis AFB, 

Nev., to recognize the base’s — and the Air Force’s — outstanding accomplishment: one full year of operation of one of the largest photovoltaic sites in North 

America, which generates over 28,000 MWh of energy and saves more than 

$1M annually. Thanks to the innovative Airmen at our installations, MAJCOMs, 

and FOAs, and at our Air Force Facility Energy Center, we have several other 

great initiatives that are being worked across the entire renewable spectrum. 

At the end of FY09, we will have executed nearly $600M in funds dedicated to 

energy projects and Energy Savings Performance Contract buy-downs.

These are fantastic first steps. I am extremely proud of these accomplishments 

and am quick to acknowledge the dedicated Air Force energy experts that 

have worked so hard to achieve this very impressive success. At the same time, 

I am excited to think about the new opportunities to leverage and harness the 

enthusiasm and innovation of our great civil engineers and look forward to discovering all of the new creative approaches we will take. It is not just the energy 

experts that I am calling to action; it will take every civil engineer to meet these 

energy challenges head-on to “Build Sustainable Installations” and “Build to Last 

... Lead the Change” in the years ahead. I know we will succeed.

Building Sustainable Installations

Timothy A. Byers

Brigadier General, USAF

The Air Force Civil Engineer

Printed on recycled paper (30% post-consumer waste) Air Force Facility Energy 2009 3

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On the Cover

Mr. Damien Cuello, a contractor providing 

maintenance support, takes a moment to get 

acclimated to his high work area and then 

performs operational checks of the spinning rotor 

blades and drive line of the 900kW wind turbine at 

45th Operations Group Detachment 2, Ascension 

Auxiliary Airfield (AAF). The unit sits atop a 110-

foot tower. It takes only a few seconds for the disk 

brake to stop the 20-ton three-bladed 182-foot 

rotor. (photo by Lance Cheung)

Air Force Facility Energy 2009

Air Force Facility Energy is published by the 

Professional Communications staff at the Air Force 

Civil Engineer Support Agency, Tyndall AFB, Fla. This 

publication serves the Office of The Civil Engineer, HQ 

U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. All photos are U.S. Air 

Force, unless otherwise noted. Contents of Air Force 

Facility Energy are not necessarily the official views 

of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department 

of Defense, or the Department of the Air Force. Editorial 

office: AFCESA/CEBH, 139 Barnes Drive, Suite 1, Tyndall AFB 

FL, 32403-5319, Telephone (850) 283-6264, DSN 523-6264, 

FAX (850) 283-6499, and e-mail: cemag@tyndall.af.mil. 

All submissions were edited to conform to standards set 

forth in Air Force Instruction 35-101 and The Associated 

Press Stylebook. Air Force Facility Energy is 

accessible on the Internet from AFCESA’s home page: 

http://www.afcesa.af.mil.

The Civil Engineer

Brig Gen Timothy A. Byers

AFCESA Commander

Col Max E. Kirschbaum

Chief, Professional Communications

Dr. Ronald Hartzer

Special Editor

Ms. Jennifer Elmore

Editor

Ms. Teresa Hood

Graphic Designer

Mr. Michael Hopper

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A Plan for Air Force

Energy

Facility Energy Capital

Investment

Are you an Accurate

DUER?

Renewable Energy

Net-zero Initiatives

Energy $aving Ideas

New Construction

Energy Awareness

Security

Bellows AFS: An Energy 

Island Concept

Academy Sets Sights on 

Net-zero Goal

A New Game of “I Spy”

Saves Energy and Money

AETC’s Retail Electric

Provider Contract is

DoD’s First

Audits - Identifying Worst 

First

Kadena Improves

Lighting and Water 

Efficiency

Utility Rates

Management Team Renewable Energy Goals:

A 3-Step Approach 

Making a Renewable

Energy Project Feasible

A Look into the Future of

Renewable Energy

Harnessing the Power

of the Sun

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21

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Wind Turbine 

Development

Investing in Energy 

Conservation

Green Communities

Researching Electrical 

System Vulnerabilities

OPERATION 

CHANGE OUT

Energy Awareness 

Plans

Air Force Facility 

Energy Center
and are critical to achieving 

and sustaining readiness. Fuels 

and electricity are delivered to 

weapon systems, installations, 

and forward operating bases through 

complex supply chains and storage 

and distribution networks that are 

potentially vulnerable to disruption, 

all of which have implications for 

national security.

Recognizing the critical role energy 

plays with regard to our national 

security, Section 902 of the National 

Defense Authorization Act for 2009 

provides for a director of Operational 

Energy Plans and Programs in the 

DOD, to be appointed by the president, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Once appointed, 

the new director will be the principal 

adviser to the secretary of Defense 

and the deputy secretary of Defense 

regarding operational energy plans 

and programs. Further, within 90 days 

of this appointment, Section 902 also 

provides for the service secretaries 

to designate a senior official to be 

responsible for operational energy 

plans and programs within their 

respective service. 

As DOD structures to address energy 

in new ways, the Air Force remains dedicated to integrating 

energy leadership and management across mission areas 

and implementing a portfolio of renewable and alternative 

energy programs that will enhance its energy security. To 

do this, the Air Force is taking a leadership role in developing an energy plan that includes goals, objectives, and 

metrics that address demand-side energy efficiency measures with supply-side alternative and renewable energy 

resource development. 

The Obama administration has made clear its intention to 

secure America’s energy future, with emphasis on breaking our dependence on oil, producing more energy at 

home, and promoting energy efficiency. Accordingly, the 

Department of Defense (DOD) has recognized and acted 

upon these imperatives. Simply put, the DOD requires 

an enormous amount of energy to enable the services to 

conduct, support, and sustain their respective military 

operations. Consequently, energy availability and security 

impact all military missions, operations, and organizations, 

The energy plan is built upon three goals that provide 

the structure necessary to guide the Air Force in managing energy across all mission areas. The goals are “Reduce 

Demand,” “Increase Supply,” and “Culture Change,” and 

they support the Air Force Energy Vision to “Make energy 

a consideration in all we do.” Let’s take a look at the Air 

Force energy goals individually:

Reduce Demand: The Air Force is committed to reducing energy demand in the three primary areas of aviation operations, installation operations, and vehicle and 

support equipment operations. Overarching objectives 

include increasing conservation, improving efficiency, and 

enhancing energy security. 

Increase Supply: Increasing energy supplies ensures 

availability and helps the Air Force become more energy 

independent. By considering renewable energy where 

practical, the Air Force can increase its energy supplies 

while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Implementing goals, objectives, and metrics that increase 

supply are targeted to the areas of aviation fuel, installation 

power infrastructure, ground fuels, and acquisition. 

Culture Change: The Air Force is committed to instilling 

energy awareness through focused leadership, energyspecific training, curriculum development, and effective communication. 

Great strides have been made to 

incorporate energy awareness into 

the greater Air Force culture. As the 

culture continues to change, new 

ideas and innovative methods will 

emerge to enhance energy efficiency and productivity. 

The Air Force Energy Senior 

Focus Group (SFG), co-chaired 

by the under secretary of the Air 

Force (when appointed; currently 

delegated to the assistant secretary 

of the Air Force for Installations, 

Environment, and Logistics) and the 

vice chief of staff of the Air Force, is 

the senior-level steering group for 

Air Force energy decisions. In order 

to advance energy management 

integration across Air Force mission 

areas, the SFG established eight 

working groups to provide support 

on specific issues. There are five primary working groups that develop 

guidance reporting metrics and 

other documents and tools relating 

to their area of Air Force energy 

management (aviation operations, 

acquisition and technology, provide 

infrastructure, international, and culture change) and three 

advisory groups (strategic communication, innovative 

financing, and critical infrastructure) that provide support 

in transecting mission areas. 

As we continue to move forward, funding and manpower 

will be areas of profound interest. Budgetary priorities will 

need to be adequately reflected to enable the systematic 

deployment of energy management programs across the 

Air Force. Reaching Air Force energy goals will require 

programmatic funding support and targeted investments 

in projects that enhance the Air Force’s ability to effect 

substantial reductions in energy consumption. 

The Air Force is proud to be a leader in America’s ongoing quest to use energy more efficiently through better 

procedures and new technologies while, at the same time, 

decreasing energy consumption and increasing vital supplies of alternative and renewable energy. Through our 

efforts in energy management, we look to excel as good 

stewards of vital resources and continue to uphold the 

United States Air Force mission — to fly, fight, and win...in 

air, space,and cyberspace.

Mr. King is Director, Air Force Energy Policy, HQ USAF, The 

Pentagon,Washington, D.C.

A PLAN FOR

AIR FORCE

ENERGY

Mr. David M. King

SAF/IEE

These 660kWh wind turbines are located at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. (U.S. Air Force photo)

4 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 5

President Barack Obama, Col Dave Belote, 99 ABW commander, and U.S. Sen. Harry 

Reid tour the $100M photovoltaic array at Nellis AFB, Nev. With over 72,000 solar 

panels, the array is the largest solar energy field in the western hemisphere and saves 

the base about $1M a year in energy costs. (photo by SrA Nadine Y. Barclay)
Air Force energy program goals are aggressive and require 

substantial planning and capital investment; consequently, 

the Air Force developed a multi-tier plan to steer our 

energy program: 

Tier 1: the Infrastructure Energy Plan (IEP) outlines the 

Air Force’s comprehensive energy strategy. The strategy 

for facility energy management rests on four concepts: 

improve current infrastructure; improve future infrastructure; expand use of renewable energy; and manage costs.

Tier 2: the Infrastructure Energy Implementation 

Plan guides development of installation-level energy 

programs, and integrates the four IESP pillars with elements 

the plan defines as enablers.

Tier 3: the Air Force Facilities Energy Capital 

Investment Strategy (CIS) establishes a specific investment plan that will help the Air Force accomplish legislative 

and corporate goals for facilities energy and water use. 

CIS investment allocations align with the goals outlined in 

the IESP. The CIS does not address aircraft fuels or ground 

vehicles.

Funding

Several different funding sources are potentially available for energy and water conservation projects. Sources 

include regular MILCON funds; Sustainment, Restoration, 

and Modernization (S/R&M) funds; Energy Conservation 

Investment Program (ECIP) funds, AFSO21 funds, American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act (i.e., economic stimulus) 

funds, and Federal Energy Management Program funds. 

Nonappropriated funds (NAF) may be used to fund 

energy and water conservation projects for facilities and 

activities within the NAF area. The table below documents 

anticipated funding for the next several fiscal years. Energy 

initiative and energy conservation funds are S/R&M-type 

funds programmed in different years for specific energy 

requirements. Targets for energy initiative funds are 

primarily ‘enablers’ such as energy awareness, high-interest 

energy projects, and program management costs. For 

energy conservation funds, targets include the design and 

construction of projects intended to save energy or water, 

or advance renewable energy technologies.

In accordance with current policy, the Air Force plans to 

perform investment-grade audits for approximately 100 

million square feet of facilities per year. The Air Force will 

spend about $20M in FY10, based on anticipated costs per 

audit and $13.5M on designs for facility energy projects.

The annual renewable energy investment will vary significantly, but during the next few years, funds allocated to 

this key area will total $75M or more. In FY10, the Air Force 

will spend about $8M for renewable energy projects. 

Similarly, attaining the water conservation goal of a 16 

percent reduction by 2015 will require a capital investment 

of approximately $120M over the next six years, with an 

investment target of $19.3M in FY10.

Cost-effective reduction of facilities’ energy intensity is the 

bedrock of the Air Force energy program, with a primary 

program goal of reducing it 30 percent by the year 2015, 

compared to a 2003 energy baseline. In addition to the 

specialized areas described above, the Air Force will invest 

$146.5M in FY10 for projects designed specifically to 

reduce energy use.

AFCESA will annually review energy performance metrics 

versus investment allocations to assess the effectiveness of 

the investment strategy, and will revise CIS allocations as 

needed to assure investment allocations are consistent with 

legislative and corporate energy goals.

Mr. Stacey is Chief of the Capital Investment Branch, AFFEC, 

HQ AFCESA, Tyndall AFB, Fla. and has been selected to head 

AFFEC.

Facility Energy Capital Investment 

Strategy Mr. Rick Stacey, P.E., CEM, HQ AFCESA/CEN 

Are you an 

Accurate DUER?

Col Michael J. Rocchetti, P.E.

HQ USAF/A7CAE

 “For want of a nail a shoe was lost, for want of a shoe a 

horse was lost, for want of a horse a rider was lost, for want 

of a rider a battle was lost, for want of a battle a kingdom 

was lost.” This medieval proverb describes how careless 

workmanship and a seemingly insignificant loss can ultimately result in a much greater loss. Here’s a more modern 

and topical twist to the proverb: for want of accurate data, 

poor information was produced, for want of accurate 

information, poor policy was established, for want of good 

policy, improper resource allocations were made, for want 

of proper resource allocations, goals were not met, and a 

program failed. Could this happen with our energy management program? Is there an apt comparison between 

war and energy? In 1977, President Carter called our 

pursuit of energy independence, “the moral equivalent of 

war.” So, there may be a good case for the comparison, and 

just as in war, small actions can have large consequences for 

our energy program.

We all want to conserve energy, save money, and reduce 

the environmental impacts caused by energy use. We all 

want energy security. But just like the blacksmith whose 

careless work ultimately resulted in the loss of a kingdom, 

careless energy accounting can have far reaching consequences. That’s why it’s so important to make sure our data 

inputs in DUERS (Defense Utility Energy Reporting System) 

are accurate and complete. 

We use DUERS data to track our energy conservation 

progress and prepare our Annual Energy Management 

Reports to Congress. We use the DUERS data to identify 

energy use patterns and conservation opportunities, 

to budget utilities, and to track the performance of our 

energy conservation investments and plan new ones. This 

last point takes on greater significance as we embark on the 

most ambitious energy conservation investment program 

ever. 

It is imperative that our energy managers input correct values for both utilities consumption and cost, as well as accurate weather data and square footage data. Weather data 

can be obtained from the Air Force Combat Climatology 

Center, and square footage data can be obtained from 

your real property records custodian. These are essential 

sources of information, crucial to our success.

While we understand that our DUERS system is outmoded 

and difficult to learn and use, help is on the way. We are 

currently migrating DUERS from our legacy IWIMS (Interim 

Work Information Management System) to the more capable ACES (Automated Civil Engineer System), as an interim 

measure while a new all-encompassing NextGen IT system 

is developed and fielded. This new system will include 

an Enterprise Energy Management Component that will 

greatly simplify our energy data collection, accounting, and 

reporting chores.

This is the vision of the future, but in the meantime we 

need your help. We have made a compelling business 

case in support of energy conservation investments, and 

our senior leaders and financial managers support our 

program. Now that we are expected to produce results, 

it is important that we identify the best projects, allocate 

resources to them, execute these projects effectively, and 

demonstrate energy savings and financial returns on the 

investments. Just as integrity is an Air Force core value, data 

integrity has a core value and affects every aspect of our 

energy program. We won’t be successful if we don’t pay 

attention to important details such as accurate and complete energy data. So don’t be like the careless blacksmith. 

Give it your best.

Col Rocchetti works with the Facility Energy Program in 

the Office of The Air Force Civil Engineer, the Pentagon, 

Washington, D.C.

6 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 7
8 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 9

It’s a quiet, cool morning at Tyndall AFB, Fla., on Saturday, 

January 31, 2009 at 0600 hours. With so little activity on 

base, most people don’t even notice that the lights momentarily blink twice a few minutes apart. But, much more is 

going on behind the scenes. As part of a Headquarters 

Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (HQ AFCESA) 

investigation into a base’s response to an Aurora event, two 

of Tyndall’s high voltage electricians, Mr. Frank Cutchin and 

Mr. David Byrd, initiated a well-coordinated and planned 

test on Tyndall’s electrical distribution system. 

What is an Aurora Attack?

Aurora is the term given to a type of cyber threat or 

vulnerability to electrical power systems: the deliberate 

and fast (less than a quarter-second) turning off and on of 

electrical power. This action can cause damage to some 

types of motors or other rotating equipment, yet be 

undetected by conventional electrical monitoring equipment. An Aurora attack occurs when hackers gain access to 

substation protective devices through unsecured remote 

access via modems or Internet connections and reprogram 

the devices’ functions to repeatedly open and close circuit 

interrupters. Because the effects of Aurora can propagate 

several miles, hacking can occur outside an Air Force installation at an upstream utility substation. 

During the first part of an Aurora attack power is turned off 

and motors start to coast down and drift electrically outof-phase with their source of power. During the second 

part of the attack, power is restored to the motor and the 

coasting motor is forced back into phase with the source 

power as it is reenergized. The sudden torque applied to 

the motor may cause mechanical damage. 

Dr. Daryl Hammond, P.E.

HQ AFCESA/CEOA Investigating 

the Air Force’s Aurora Vulnerability

Over the past two years, the Air Force has been investigating the Aurora threat, performing tests and researching 

a logical, systematic, and simple risk-based approach to 

mitigate vulnerability. The outcome of the final real-world 

test on Tyndall was as impressive as the test itself, serving 

to shape the Air Force’s risk mitigation efforts for Aurora 

and save millions of dollars in system upgrades.

The test simulated the initial conditions of an Aurora attack 

while sophisticated electrical test equipment recorded the 

information needed to analyze the electrical distribution 

system’s response, all accomplished without the possibility of damaging motors or other sensitive electrical 

equipment. 

It was important to determine how quickly the system 

voltage would decay to zero because rapid voltage decay 

supports modeling predictions that deenergized motors 

are quickly below safe reenergization levels (a desirable 

response when considering an Aurora event). The test 

data showed that this system’s voltage decays to near zero 

within 0.08 seconds (behaving similar to a fault on the system), and the motor voltage is well below safe reenergization levels before the postulated Aurora attack can reclose 

the upstream circuit breaker. 

Although the Aurora threat is real, HQ AFCESA engineers 

determined that devices designed to mitigate this postulated vulnerability are not necessary to protect many 

Air Force bases. Most Air Force bases do not have prime 

power generation or large motors; their distribution system response to an Aurora event is expected to be similar 

to the Tyndall AFB test results. 

Air Force Aurora Guidance

Released in April 2009, Engineering Technical Letter (ETL) 

09-10, “Aurora Electrical System Vulnerability Assessment 

and Mitigation Action,” provides field guidance on the 

types of systems vulnerable to an Aurora attack and 

appropriate mitigation methods to implement. The ETL 

requirements address both remote access to substation 

protective devices as well as different types of rotating 

electrical equipment, and include the following:

 Remote access capability to electrical equipment

 Standby and emergency generators

 Prime and parallel utility/generator operation

 Large induction motors

 Synchronous motors

 Renewable energy systems

Typical Air Force bases only have motors (i.e., no prime 

power generation) and protecting induction motors used 

in such applications as water pumps, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment is unnecessary. The 

greatest concern is for generators that routinely operate 

simultaneously with the main utility. For those applications, 

risk mitigation can often be accomplished with a few simple 

steps, and specific Aurora mitigation 

devices are not needed.

Because installing any protective 

device on an electrical system can 

affect the safety, security, and reliability of an entire base distribution 

system, HQ AFCESA must approve 

any Aurora mitigation device, in 

accordance with the ETL.

Protection Options

One of the simplest, most effective Aurora mitigation strategies 

is ensuring secure cyber access 

to electrical system protective 

devices at base substations. 

Current Air Force policy requires 

enhanced password control and 

disconnecting communication 

devices such as modems, radio 

frequency transceivers, and 

wireless LAN to prevent external 

access to control systems until new 

Information Assurance policies are 

implemented. 

Some motors and generators used in special applications 

can be protected with simple device firmware updates or 

simple control circuitry modifications to ensure a motor 

or generator has had time to coast to a safe speed before 

reapplying power to avoid damaging the equipment. Large 

motors and prime-power generators may require more 

complicated solutions.

Fielding meaningful and pertinent guidance is a top priority in the Air Force and often requires challenging industry 

solutions that are not in the best interest of the Air Force. 

Additional information on the Aurora vulnerability and 

the Air Force mitigation plans can be obtained from HQ 

AFCESA/CEOA. 

Dr. Hammond is the Air Force Electrical Engineer, HQ AFCESA, 

Tyndall AFB, Fla.

Tyndall AFB electricians Mr. Frank Cutchin and Mr. David Byrd flip the switch on the base electrical distribution 

system to initiate a vulnerability test.
Renewable energy projects make headlines daily. They’re 

flashy, interesting and the right thing to do. The Air Force 

has built quite a portfolio: hundreds of acres of solar 

panels, several large wind turbines, and even an electric 

generator fueled with landfill gas. However, all 20 on-base 

renewable energy projects combined account for less than 

1 percent of the electricity used by the Air Force. 

Current goals require increases in renewable energy to 

meet annual targets of 5 percent by FY10, 7.5 percent by 

FY13 and 25 percent by FY25, and on-base renewable 

energy generation of 1 percent by FY12 and 3 percent 

by FY15. In FY08, 5.7 percent of the energy used by the 

Air Force was renewable energy, and on-base generation 

was 0.4%. The task seems daunting, but energy experts 

and engineers from the Air Force Facility Energy Center 

(AFFEC), along with energy leaders at the major commands 

and installations, have developed a strategy to meet the 

renewable energy goals.

A renewable energy project is a project of 

any size or execution method that provides electricity generated from natural 

resources which are renewable or naturally 

replenished, such as sunlight, wind, biomass, 

geothermal, and landfill gas. The Air Force is 

investigating other renewable technologies 

but has made these a priority.

The AFFEC, located at the Air Force Civil 

Engineer Support Agency (HQ AFCESA), 

Tyndall AFB, Fla., has developed a threestep approach for achieving Air Force 

renewable energy goals. First is the 

development of on-site renewable energy 

resources to the extent economically and 

technically feasible. Second is the procurement of renewable power from off-site 

resources delivered over the power grid. 

Third is the purchase of renewable energy 

certificates.

On-Site Development

MAJCOM and base energy managers, along with the 

AFFEC, have compiled a renewable energy candidate list 

that includes dozens of potential on-base projects. The list 

is prioritized based on availability of the resource, economics, and mission impact. Locating quality renewable energy 

resources is often not as simple as it seems. For example, 

a photovoltaic array in Florida, the “sunshine” state, would 

produce significantly less power than an identical project 

in Nevada, because of differences in solar intensity. So, Air 

Force energy leaders use solar and wind intensity maps 

to find optimal locations for expensive renewable energy 

projects and get the most out of their investment. 

New solar array projects are under consideration for 

installations in California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, and 

New Jersey. Feasibility studies for wind turbine projects 

Renewable Energy Goals A 3 -Step Approach Mr. Jim Snook, P.E.

Mr. Dick Fillman, P.E., CEM

HQ AFCESA/CENC

are underway in California, New Mexico, and Alaska. Hill 

AFB, Utah, is home to the Air Force’s first operational 

biomass/landfill gas project, and others are under evaluation in Florida, Texas, and Georgia. Geographic regions 

near tectonic plate boundaries – which are few – have the 

best potential for geothermal power generation; the best 

opportunities have been identified for bases in Nevada, 

Idaho, Utah, and New Mexico. 

Off-Site Renewable Energy Resources

Approximately 15 percent of the Air Force electricity 

requirement can be purchased from a source other than 

the local utility. Fifteen “open” states and the District of 

Columbia allow the competitive purchase of electricity. 

Although California is no longer an open state, Edwards 

AFB continues a direct purchase of renewable energy 

through a “grandfather” clause. Direct renewable energy 

(wind) purchases are also under consideration at Laughlin 

and Sheppard AFBs in Texas. 

Renewable Energy Certificates

Renewable energy certificates (RECs) represent the 

environmental attributes of the power produced from 

renewable energy projects. RECs are also known as green 

certificates, green tags, or tradable renewable certificates. 

A green energy provider (such as a wind farm) generates 

one REC for every 1,000 kWh or 1 MWh of electricity 

produced. The energy is fed into the electrical grid and 

the REC can then be sold to the local utility or on the open 

market.

RECs may be sold separately from the underlying electricity commodity, in which case the electricity is no longer 

considered “green” and is treated like any other electricity. 

In these circumstances, each REC requires 

independent verification by an auditor of its 

green power origin and that it was sold only 

once. When sold separately from electricity, RECs may be purchased from locations 

anywhere in the country and prices may 

vary widely depending on factors such as 

state laws and supply and demand.

In coordination with the MAJCOM energy 

managers, the AFFEC identifies the number 

of RECs required by the Air Force to meet 

goals, and coordinates a REC purchase 

through the Defense Energy Support 

Center. This consolidated purchase results 

in a lower price than individual purchases by 

MAJCOM or installations. By current calculations, the Air Force will need to purchase 

about 200,000 MWhs of RECs in FY10 

to meet the 5 percent renewable energy 

goal and the requirement will increase to 

357,000 MWhs by FY15 in order to meet 

annual goals. 

Mr. Snook is the renewable energy team leader 

and Mr. Fillman is a support contractor at the 

AFFEC, HQ AFCESA, Tyndall AFB, Fla.

10 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 11

U.S. Concentrating Solar Resource U.S. Wind Resource Map
12 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 13

Making a 

Renewable Energy 

Project Feasible

Ms. Kim Holmes, HQ AFCESA/CENC

Renewable energy technology is currently more expensive 

than traditional fossil fuel methods of producing energy, 

but with the right package, renewable energy projects can 

be affordable.

Reducing carbon emissions and meeting national energy 

goals are not good enough reasons to execute a renewable 

energy project. The project must produce energy at or 

less than the current cost of energy consumed by a base 

or the project must have a reasonable payback period. 

For example, if a base is currently paying $0.10 per kWh 

for electricity, the renewable energy electricity must cost 

$0.10 or less per kWh. 

Answering “yes” to all the questions below helps determine whether a renewable energy project is feasible:

 Are renewable resources available in sufficient 

quantity/quality? 

 Are adequate land or facilities available? 

 If the completed renewable energy facility 

adversely impacts the installation’s mission, can the 

impact be mitigated? 

 Is the renewable energy economical? 

The renewable energy team at the Air Force Facility Energy 

Center (AFFEC) can help base energy managers in planning 

and developing an economically feasible renewable energy 

project. AFFEC’s experts are familiar with the current 

renewable energy market, interested utility providers, and 

what type of technology works best in different regions of 

the country. 

Various funding options from utilities, private investors, 

and government programs are available for renewable 

energy projects on installations. 

Often, the most economically feasible way to implement 

a renewable energy project is to allow a utility provider 

to build their generation plant on base property and the 

base enters into a Renewable Energy Power Purchase 

Agreement (REPPA) with the provider. (A REPPA is a 

Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 41 utility purchase 

contract used to acquire renewable energy.) By using a 

REPPA, the Air Force has limited, or no, capital investment 

and is billed monthly for the amount of energy consumed. 

Private utility providers may take advantage of federal tax 

credits that can offset as much as 30 percent of the project 

cost; they can also sell renewable energy certificates for as 

much as $0.20 for each kWh the project produces. 

In addition to a REPPA, there are several other methods for 

implementing a renewable energy project: 

Utility Energy Service Contracts are agreements 

between utility service providers and the Department of 

Defense to install performance-enhancing, energy-efficient 

equipment on installations. Utility companies assume the 

capital cost of installing energy and water conservation 

equipment and renewable energy systems. The government makes monthly payments using cost savings from the 

infrastructure improvement.

Energy Conservation Investment Program is a congressionally approved construction program primarily 

intended for energy conservation 

retrofits and system installation, 

including new energy systems such 

as wind turbines and the modernization of existing systems such as 

centralized heat plants. Savings to 

investment ratio (SIR) must be at 

least 1.25 with a simple payback 

less than 10 years.

Sustainment Restoration and 

Modernization (S/R&M) is another 

construction program, but with 

more flexibility than ECIP projects in the planning, design and 

execution of renewable projects. 

However, S/R&M projects are often 

limited by statutory funding limitations. The SIR should still be greater 

than 1.0 and simple payback must 

not exceed the expected lifespan of 

the system installed.

Energy Savings Performance 

Contracts (ESPCs) are agreements 

between private industry and the 

Air Force to install and maintain 

performance-enhancing, energyefficient equipment on installations. 

ESPCs allow energy service companies to fund the capital 

costs of installing energy and water conservation equipment and renewable energy systems, but the companies 

must guarantee a fixed amount of energy cost savings 

throughout the life of the contract (up to 25 years) and are 

paid directly from those utility savings.

Enhanced-Use Lease (EUL) is a ground lease executed 

under the authority of 10 USC 2667, which allows the Air 

Force to receive monetary or other in-kind consideration 

for the use of underutilized property by a private developer. This method is most often used when the base is not 

the primary consumer of the energy. For example, a very 

large renewable project designed to provide power to the 

local utility grid is a prime candidate for an EUL. 

Implementing renewable energy can help a base control 

the cost of energy, provide energy security, and meet the 

federal renewable energy goals. Before embarking on a 

renewable energy project, contact the HQ AFCESA AFFEC 

team to discuss the best strategy for developing the right 

project, at the right price, for your installation. Contact 

AFCESAEnergy.Helpdesk@tyndall.af.mil or (850) 283-6217, 

DSN 523-6217 for more information or assistance.

At the time this article was written, Ms. Holmes provided 

contract engineering support to the AFFEC, HQ AFCESA, Tyndall 

AFB, Fla.

Photo above: These wind turbines located at Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, South Atlantic Ocean, work in parallel with 

low-load diesel generators powering the airfield, Space Command sites and facilities, and a Royal Air Force airfield 

facility on the island. Photo top left: These solar panels are the sole source of energy for the runway lights at the 

45th Operations Group, Detachment 2, Ascension Auxiliary Airfield. Ascension Island is 35 square miles in a remote 

island location midway between Brazil and Angola. (photos by Mr. Lance Cheung)
The Air Force Facility Energy 

Center (AFFEC) at the Air Force 

Civil Engineer Support Agency 

(AFCESA), Tyndall AFB, Fla., 

encourages the use of renewable 

energy on Air Force bases and 

offers advice as bases work to 

construct green power projects. 

AFFEC’s renewable energy 

experts stay abreast of the latest 

research to actively promote 

the implementation of high-tech 

renewable energy systems when 

economically and technically 

feasible. The Air Force Research 

Laboratory (AFRL) is currently 

working on three technologies that 

are of particular interest for potential 

renewable energy projects: a transportable waste-to-energy system (TWES), 

algae-to-fuel bioreactors, and solar power 

systems to create renewable energy tent 

cities. 

Designed by researchers at AFRL’s Materials 

and Manufacturing Directorate at Tyndall to 

increase the use of renewable fuel, the TWES also 

solves two deployment problems — what to do with 

trash and what to do about electricity. Waste material 

fed into the system is shredded to one-half-inch or finer 

particles, stored in hoppers, then released into a superheated furnace at controlled intervals. Once in the furnace, 

the material quickly combusts, creating a fuel source to sustain 

the process and produce energy. Heat is turned into electrical 

power and used in an absorption cycle chiller that can run air conditioning or provide cold water for a base. The development of the TWES 

is ongoing. Construction began in July on a steam generator designed to 

Deployable solar power is tested and evaluated at the Air Force Research Lab’s Renewable Energy Tent City at Tyndall, AFB, Fla. 

(U.S. Air Force photo)

mate with the furnace and produce heat for buildings (testing is scheduled for fall 2009). The TWES produces minimal ash; it can process up to 500 pounds of garbage per hour with the potential of generating 

200 kilowatts of electricity per hour (equivalent to about 2,000 100-watt lightbulbs). 

Algae-to-fuel technology, using a high-efficiency photobioreactor and conversion system, has the 

potential to produce 1,000 gallons of synthetic fuel per day and would require minimal real estate 

and eliminate reliance on host nation support for fuel. Currently, most biomass fuels come from 

terrestrial plants (e.g., food crops), through the chemical conversion of cellulose into ethanol 

or lipids into biodiesel. Depending on the source crop, tens to hundreds of gallons of fuel 

per acre per year can be produced. However, when compared to terrestrial plants, 

algae have the potential to generate tens of thousands of gallons of fuel per acre per 

year because of their faster growth rate and greater lipid content. Researchers are 

testing different strains of algae and bioreactor configurations to grow biomass 

faster and with higher lipid content and are examining how to efficiently 

extract and convert the algae into a useful fuel. 

A deployable solar power system is another technology AFRL is developing for the warfighter. Researchers are investigating and developing 

molecular solar cells and a new generation of dyes to provide shelter 

and shade for a renewable energy tent city. Solar power reduces 

noise and emissions and could reduce the number of generators 

needed in deployed locations by 25 percent, potentially saving 

2,000 gallons of fuel a day for a 1,100-person deployment. 

The deployable solar power system was recently tested at 

Holloman AFB, N.M., during a Basic Expeditionary Air Field 

Resource Base, or BEAR-Base IPT, demonstration. 

AFRL is not the only government agency researching and 

developing renewable energy technology. AFFEC has 

also partnered with U.S. Department of Energy research 

labs such as the National Renewable Energy Lab, Idaho 

National Lab, Pacific Northwest Lab, and Sandia National 

Lab. The Advanced Power Technology Office, Robins 

AFB, Ga. is also on the leading edge of integrating alternative energy technologies into the Air Force inventory.

Maj Addison is a civil engineer at AFFEC, HQ AFCESA, 

Tyndall AFB, Fla.

Maj Milt Addison

HQ AFCESA /CENC

This transportable waste-to-energy system was designed by Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate 

researchers at Tyndall Air Force Base to increase the use of renewable fuel. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

A Look into the

of Renewable

FUTURE

ENERGY

14 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 15
Photovoltaic panel installation on new homes at Hale Na Koa Village, 

Hickam AFB, Hawaii (U.S. Air Force photo)

16 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 17

Capt Stacey Smalls

 15 CES/CEOE

Bellows AFS: An 

Energy Island 

Concept

Ms. Karissa Arnett

HQ PACAF/A7OP

Bellows AFS, located on the windward coast of Oahu, 

Hawaii, is on the road to becoming one of the first energyneutral DOD installations.

A former active airfield, a portion of the base has served as 

a recreational area to Air Force personnel for the past 50 

years. Hawaii’s ample renewable resources, coupled with 

low energy consumption, led Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) 

engineers to propose making Bellows a net-zero installation, or “energy island.”

“The DOD net-zero projects are a critical step in reaching our goal of 70 percent clean energy by 2030,” said 

Mr. Joshua Strickler, facilitator for renewable energy 

programs for the State of Hawaii. “The DOD is the largest customer for electrical energy on the island, so this 

partnership is vital to the state’s success in achieving energy 

independence.”

After a contracted feasibility study, completed in January 

2009, found that achieving net-zero was possible, PACAF 

gave the contractor the okay to develop an execution plan 

and draft project documents. 

The first phase of the execution plan included retrofits 

to existing facilities to gain energy efficiencies wherever 

possible. Recommended retrofits included light-emitting 

diode street lights, and interior and exterior facility lighting upgrades, as well as solar hot water systems and heat 

pumps for shaded areas. The study discovered that 25 

percent of energy use on Bellows was from domestic hot 

water systems. The efficiency upgrades cost $520K with a 

payback of four years.

This project was funded by the command in March 2009 as 

part of a $13M energy initiative. “PACAF believes efficiency 

is the most effective renewable resource and must be 

maximized,” said Col David Maharrey, chief of PACAF’s 

Operations Division in the Installations and Mission 

Support Directorate. “We want to capture all the efficiencies within our facilities, most of which have little or no 

impact, while spreading the message that energy stewardship is not just the future, but the here and now.”

The next phase includes generating renewable resources. 

The abandoned airfield is a potential site for a photovoltaic 

array; it has generous sunshine, limited shading, a semiprepared base, and is out of sight of base residents and 

surrounding communities. This phase will cost an estimated 

$11M with a payback of approximately 20 years.

The study also highlighted the potential for wind at Bellows 

but additional data needs to be collected. Extensive 

coordination with local communities would be needed to 

ensure views along the shore are not disturbed. 

 “This project has the opportunity to show that the U.S. Air 

Force can accomplish its mission while having little impact 

on the electrical grid. This responsible energy usage is the 

model for the 21st century Air Force installation,” said Col 

Maharrey. 

At the time this article was written, Ms. Arnett provided 

contract engineering support to the Operations Programs and 

Support Branch, HQ PACAF, Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

Photo above: Solar power currently in use at Bellows AFS, Oahu, Hawaii. 

Photo below: Bellows AFS would like to be an “energy island,” producing 

70 percent renewable energy by 2030. (U.S. Air Force photos)

Just like civil engineers at other bases, at Hickam AFB, 

Hawaii, we are carefully exploring renewable options and 

the combinations that will meet the needs of our people 

and our mission, while being environmentally responsible 

and technically and economically feasible. Currently, 

Hickam receives a little more than half a percent of its 

energy from renewable sources. 

Because there isn’t a single renewable source that meets 

all of our needs, we’re focusing on one — solar — while 

looking at a combination of options for the best fit. For 

example, it may be wise for us to combine wind generation 

with solar to help balance our supply.

Hickam will not jump into any initiative without carefully 

studying the benefits and impacts of any given technology. 

In addition to solar energy and heating, we’re also exploring opportunities from daylighting and wind-to-wave 

generation and sea water cooling. Following are some of 

the solar initiatives underway at Hickam:

Solar roof systems — In 1996, Hickam installed an 18 kW 

photovoltaic roof system on the Auto Hobby Shop. At the 

time, it was the largest in the state of Hawaii. Our goal was 

two-fold: provide a means to evaluate using photovoltaic 

systems mounted on buildings, and to help meet peak 

electric demand and the energy requirements for an air 

pollution mitigation strategy. The results were so promising 

that we increased the size of the project to 25 kW in 2006. 

Hickam now saves about 40,320 kWh per year or $8,870 

per year based on a cost of $0.22/kWh.

Solar hot water — Hickam is now 

taking it a step further: our privatized 

housing contractor is installing solar 

hot water and energy efficient design 

features on new homes and has plans 

to build Hickam Community Housing’s 

new office as its first LEED certified 

building. Special features will include 

insulation and solar light tubes in all 

offices and common areas. Ninety-five 

percent of occupied spaces will utilize 

daylight, dual-pane windows with low 

emissivity coating, radiant roof barriers to repel heat, and a variable-refrigerant flow air conditioning system. 

Each office will have a fan coil unit and 

each area will be able to manage its 

own air temperature and volume.

Solar energy to convert water 

to fuel for hydrogen-powered 

vehicles — Through a partnership 

with the Hawaii Center of Advanced 

Transportation Technologies and the Air Force Advanced 

Power Technology Office, Hickam established, demonstrated and validated one of the latest fuel-efficient and 

environmentally compliant technologies — hydrogen 

power — for use in the ground vehicle fleets. Solar electricity produced by a photovoltaic array is used to convert the 

water into hydrogen. Five 10 kW wind turbines are being 

constructed to supplement the electricity-to-hydrogen 

fuel station. This initiative will provide multiple 15th 

Logistics Readiness Squadron fleet vehicles with a zero 

fossil fuel, electrical, and carbon dioxide footprint.

Solar-focused renewable energy has played and will continue to play a very important role in helping us become 

less reliant on fossil fuels. By leveraging technology and 

innovative processes, Hickam is well on its way to maximizing the full potential of one of its primary resources — the 

Hawaiian sun.

At the time this article was written, Capt Smalls was the 

operations engineer with the 15 CES, Hickam, AFB, Hawaii.
extraction from unsteady flow fields created by both deep 

and shallow water waves. The cycloidal propeller-based 

wave energy converters investigated in this project have 

the potential to overcome problems of conventional wave 

energy converters, such as scalability to large power levels 

and efficiency of energy conversion.

The ability to utilize ocean wave power on a large scale 

could ease America’s reliance on imported fossil fuel. 

One benefit to wave power is that no valuable real estate 

is required for its use. Large scale off-shore wave power 

farms in deep water waves may be used to produce hydrogen, providing renewable energy for use in transportation 

and areas remote to the shores.

“Among alternative energy sources, wave power is one of 

the most abundant sources on earth and has the potential 

to provide a large portion of the world’s electric energy 

needs, if it can be tapped into in an efficient way,” said 

Dr. Siegel. “Existing wave energy converter technology is 

inefficient and too expensive to implement or very susceptible to damage from storms and other adverse ocean 

conditions. The cycloidal propeller addresses both of these 

issues.” 

Chemistry and Management Biodiesel Effort

Another renewable energy project at the Academy is a 

joint chemistry and management biodiesel effort. In the 

spring of 2008, Management Capstone cadets conducted 

a business case analysis that explored converting used 

cooking oil into biodiesel fuel for installation vehicles. In 

early 2009, the project received more than $30K in funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s USAFA 

Center for Disruptive Innovation to purchase a 30-gallon 

EzBio-diesel reactor and begin research. 

Under the direction of Maj Kathy Fullerton of the USAFA’s 

Chemistry Department, cadets began producing biodiesel 

in eight-gallon batches at the end of April. They are also 

studying the chemical components; removing undesirable 

chemical elements; and continuing research studies on 

costs of refinement, quality tests, and cost savings analysis. 

“We are all excited to take a plan from paper to reality and 

help us reach the net-zero 2015 goals,” said Fullerton.

The net-zero effort is truly an Academy-wide effort, 

crisscrossing through a multitude of disciplines, involving 

faculty and air base wing personnel, and inspiring cadets. 

USAFA’s personnel have taken Lt Gen Regni’s message to 

heart — implementing conservation efforts, carpooling, 

volunteering to help with energy audits, brainstorming 

new renewable energy ideas, undertaking new renewable 

energy research projects, and most importantly, bringing 

the effort directly to cadets in classrooms, labs, and in their 

training as future officers.

Editor’s note: Portions of this story previously appeared in multiple 

articles from the USAFA’s paper, the Academy Spirit. 

Mr. Van Winkle is a public affairs officer and Ms. Imada is 

a research publicist for the chief scientist and the research 

centers and institutes, USAFA, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Academy Sets Sights on Net-zero Goal

Mr. John Van Winkle, USAFA/PAM

 Ms. Julie Imada, USAFA/DFER

Academy Sets Sights on Net-zero Goal

Photo Top: This artist rendering shows a solar array scheduled to be 

constructed at the Air Force Academy in late 2009. It will produce four 

percent of the electricity needed to power the Academy.

When Lt Gen John Regni retired in July as the United States 

Air Force Academy’s (USAFA’s) superintendent, he left 

an energy vision and legacy for the future. Announced 

in March, Lt Gen Regni’s vision of a “net-zero” energy 

Academy by the end of 2015 and a carbon-neutral 

Academy by 2025 has already started to see a growth of 

energy innovations and research at the Academy. 

Beyond calling for a net-zero and carbon-neutral installation, Lt Gen Regni’s plan also defines some broad objectives for the future, including meeting federal energy 

reduction mandates; taking a leadership role in renewable 

energy research; energy security; and most importantly, 

instilling in each cadet an understanding that energy must 

be a consideration in all they do.

The Academy is in a unique position to meet the goals 

of the “Net-zero 2015” plan, with vast natural resources, 

including forests, water, solar, low-profile wind, and biomass, and with its research centers and institutes providing 

valuable information and expertise. While conservation 

efforts will play a large role in the net-zero effort, the 

Academy’s faculty, staff, and cadets are also working to 

meet the challenges of Lt Gen Regni’s plan through renewable energy initiatives and research.

Solar Array

An $18.3M solar array project has been funded by the 

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (i.e., the economic stimulus bill), with construction beginning in late 

2009. Under an energy contract between the Academy 

and Colorado Springs Utilities, the utility will build, own, 

operate, and maintain the solar array on Academy land. 

Under the contract, the Academy will purchase solar-generated electricity from the utility from 2010 through 2026. 

“It will be a fixed solar array on 10 to 24 acres of Academy 

property, depending on the exact system selected,” said 

Col Rob Fredell, chief scientist of the Academy.

Sites were evaluated by the Academy and the utility 

company; the array will be located on the eastern edge of 

Academy property to maximize the amount of available 

sunlight. Once complete, it is expected to produce four 

percent of the Academy’s total annual electrical needs, 

which amounted to more than $5.5M in 2008, according to 

Mr. Russell Hume, 10th Civil Engineer Squadron. 

New Wave Energy Converters

In the Academy’s aeronautics water tunnel, cadets and 

aeronautics researcher Dr. Stefan Siegel are making waves 

with Dr. Siegel’s cycloidal propeller wave energy converter. 

The goal of the project, funded by the National Science 

Foundation and the Academy, is to find an efficient, effective, and survivable wave power-generating turbine. They 

expect to begin ocean-simulation testing in partnership 

with Oregon State University within the next 18 months.

Cycloidal propellers have been used for decades in 

marine applications like ferries and tug boats. Their main 

advantage is the ability to produce thrust in any direction 

perpendicular to the propeller shaft. The Academy’s project investigates the use of cycloidal propellers for energy 

Net-zero energy buildings or installations generate as much energy

as they consume through efficiency technologies and on-site power generation.

18 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 19
20 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 21

Since its inception in 2008, the long-term indefinite 

delivery/indefinite quantity REP contract has cut service 

costs more than 30 percent. Prior contracts for the three 

bases had service, overhead, and administrative costs for 

each base. Since all three bases are now combined into one 

customer account, there is only one service cost. The quantity of energy purchased — more than 220,000 MWh per 

year — also qualifies the REP for bulk wholesale pricing. 

Combined, these factors are expected to create a savings 

of $2M per year or almost 10 percent of the combined 

annual electrical budget for the three bases.

The contract structure enhances the direct purchase of 

renewable generated power by allowing for long-term 

power purchase agreements with generators, assuring 

them of a stable income. This provision is vital to AETC 

meeting the mandated renewable energy goals of EPAct05 

and EO 13423. It also stimulates renewable energy generation in Texas. The REP is finalizing renewable power purchases, including renewable attributes, from Gulf of Mexico 

coastal wind farms and west Texas wind generation, as well 

as landfill gas generation sources. The REP’s projections are 

for the three bases to be 50 percent renewable in less than 

five years. As a result of the contract, AETC will exceed the 

Air Force’s renewable energy goals within three years.

Mr. Kain is the Utility Manager, HQ AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas.

AETC’s Retail 

Electric Provider 

Contract is DOD’s 

First

Mr. John Kain, CEM

HQ AETC/A7COE

About 15 percent of the electric load used by the Air 

Force comes from deregulated areas in the United States. 

For the deregulated areas of Texas, Air Education Training 

Command’s energy team and Contracting Office have 

developed an innovative acquisition strategy for purchasing power. AETC has three bases in the deregulated market, Sheppard in Wichita Falls, Goodfellow in San Angelo, 

and Laughlin in Del Rio. By Texas law, customers in these 

areas must have a purchasing agent, called a Retail Electric 

Provider (REP), to buy electricity. AETC’s contracting 

strategy bundles the three bases under one REP, eliminating duplicate overhead and service costs and assuring a 

better commodity price. The stabilized, predictable costs 

also make AETC’s budget forecasts more accurate.

This wind farm in Corpus Christi, Texas may soon provide eight megawatts of electricity to the Air Force. (photo by author)

A New Game of

“I Spy” Saves 

Energy and Money

MSgt Matt Summers

374 AW/PA

Six hours of helicopter flight time has the potential to save 

Yokota AB, Japan, hundreds of thousands of dollars in 

energy savings.

No, it’s not a plan to harness the winds generated by the 

blades of the UH-1N helicopters flown by the 459th Airlift 

Squadron (AS), although the squadron did feature prominently in a cost-savings project recently conducted by the 

374th Civil Engineer Squadron.

MSgt Joseph Hudson, 374 CES infrastructure superintendent, received a bird’s-eye view of the base’s more than 

1,700 acres during six sorties as a guest of the 459 AS. But 

it was no sightseeing trip.

Armed with a state-of-the-art infrared camera, MSgt 

Hudson was on a mission to detect “hot spots” or potential 

leaks in the base’s more than 97 miles of heat distribution 

lines. While using infrared cameras to detect leaks is not 

new, marrying airlift capabilities and a top-of-the-line camera is something the rest of the Air Force civil engineering 

community is interested in, according to MSgt Hudson.

“My career field manager wants to see my report so he can 

push other (PACAF) bases to get the camera,” said MSgt 

Hudson.

He was able to detect at least 28 “hot spots” on the east 

and west sides of the base and must still pore through the 

digital footage of the remainder of the base. But time spent 

at the computer pales in comparison to the hours it would 

take to “walk” the lines, which provide heat and hot water, 

with the infrared camera. Sergeant Hudson said detecting 

leaks used to be a difficult task because they are buried 8 

to 10 feet underground.

“We would get a major water loss at our (boiler) plants ... or 

see steam coming out of the ground,” he said of a distribution system that is more than 20 years old.

Crews must dig down and locate the damage and determine the point where steam or water is escaping from 

the lines. Because of standing water and the proximity of 

supply and return lines, on average three holes must be 

dug to find and repair the damage, at a cost of thousands 

of dollars in man-hours, according to MSgt Hudson.

The infrared images will allow crews to better pinpoint 

leaks and expedite repairs, saving labor costs, and decreasing the amount of time services are interrupted.

MSgt Hudson (center photo) took infrared 

camera shots over Yokota AB, Japan, from a UH1N helicopter, such as the one depicted in first 

photo (left), flown by 2Lt Matt Diamond (right). 

(photo by Amn Sean Martin)
Facility

Energy Audit

• Apply Audit Guide

• Gather Data on Forms

Portfolio 

Manager

• Store Data

• Determine Rating

• Populate S-File

& AMP

22 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 23

Kadena Improves 

Lighting and Water 

Efficiency

Mr. Gerardo Salazar

718 CES/CEAOE

Nearly 78 percent of Kadena AB’s electricity is generated 

by burning coal and 21 percent by natural gas, both of 

which release greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. 

Since 2007, engineers at the Japan base have been working 

to save energy resources and costs in two important ways: 

more efficient lighting and reduced water consumption.

Lighting

For years, the standard method of lighting high bay areas 

has been the use of 400W metal halide lights. This practice has led to gyms, hangars, and warehouses with poor 

lighting conditions and expensive utility bills. Good lighting 

conditions are especially important in aircraft hangars, 

where maintenance crews need color clarity to accurately 

identify wire colors and quickly locate tools or items that 

could cause foreign object damage to aircraft.

Since 2007, Kadena engineers have managed projects 

to install high output (HO), energy-efficient fluorescent 

lighting in base facilities, replacing inefficient metal halide 

fixtures at the gym (62,334 square feet) and five hangars 

(253,686 square feet total). In 2008, they installed new 

lighting at flightline facilities, protective aircraft shelters, 

and nose docks (a total of 653,466 square feet in 35 facilities). These projects combined reduced annual energy 

costs by more than $750K.

In addition to greatly increasing worker productivity, the 

more efficient lighting greatly reduced power consumption. For example, in one hangar, the metal halide fixtures 

used an average of 65 kW while the new fluorescent 

fixtures use an average of 25 kW; this equates to an almost 

62 percent reduction in energy use in one facility. 

A typical 54W HO fluorescent bulb produces 5,000 

lumens, which is equivalent to 92.6 lumens per watt. The 

higher lumens per watt translate into energy savings. HO 

fluorescent lamps lose only five to six percent of their 

lumen output between the rated initial and maintained 

lumens (maintained lumens are calculated at 40 percent of 

rated life). By contrast, standard metal halide lamp lumens 

typically deteriorate about 35 percent over the same 

period. In the event of a power interruption, fluorescent 

lamps are back on instantly, unlike metal halide lamps, 

which can take several minutes to re-strike. HO fluorescent 

lamps have a color rendering index (CRI) of 82 while metal 

halide lamps have a CRI of 65 to 70, which negatively 

impacts occupant visual acuity. HO lamps last two to three 

times longer than metal halide lamps.

In 2009, Kadena completed a site walk for a $1.4M Energy 

Conservation Investment Program project to retrofit six 

warehouse lighting systems (345,210 square feet total). The 

project is anticipated to reduce annual energy costs by 

$382K .

Water

Besides implementing energy efficiency projects, Kadena 

also reduced base water consumption in 2007 and 2008 

through the installation of ENERGY STAR® clothes washers. 

Kadena used $254K in productivity investment funds to 

purchase 302 washers for over 1.2 million square feet of 

dormitories and billeting facilities. This initiative is saving Kadena 5.1 million gallons of water and 367 MBTU of 

electricity annually, with no reduction in quality. ENERGY 

STAR front-loading and advanced top-loading washers 

use sophisticated systems that actually lengthen the life of 

often-washed items. 

At the time this article was written, Mr. Salazar was the energy 

manager at Kadena AB, Japan. 

Facility Energy 

Audits – Identifying 

Worst First

Mr. Steven E. White, P.E., CEM

Mr. John McDuffie, CEM

HQ ACC/A7OE 

Simply defined, a facility energy audit is the process of 

gathering data to evaluate how a building uses energy and 

identifying opportunities to reduce consumption. A key 

component of an audit is energy intensity, measured in 

BTU/SF. Facility energy audits are required by Section 432 

of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 

2007 and its implementation guidance, and by the 2008 

Air Force Infrastructure Energy Strategic Plan. 

EISA mandates an annual energy intensity reduction of 

three percent. It takes a significant and focused capital 

investment to achieve energy intensity reductions. A 

comprehensive process is needed to evaluate the energy 

health of facilities, develop measures to improve their 

efficiency, prioritize those improvement projects, and 

have them programmed and integrated into Activity 

Management Plans (AMPs).

It is critical that there be a means to gather data on how 

our facilities perform and consume energy. The Energy 

Policy Act (EPAct) 2005 requires meters be installed, where 

cost effective, in federal facilities. Electric and natural 

gas advanced meter readers (AMRs) are “smart” meters 

capable of storing readings and transmitting the data to a 

base energy management and control system (EMCS) or 

AMR front-end system. The data they collect is crucial to 

determining the energy consumption of the facility. That 

information, along with occupancy data, mechanical system 

operations, building envelope condition, and electrical 

loads, is collected during the facility energy audit and 

recorded in an EISA recommended on-line database: EPA’s 

ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager. 

Portfolio Manager generates a numerical rating (0 to 100) 

based on the audit information. The rating establishes 

how that building compares, energy performance-wise, 

to a national database of similar facilities. Based on the 

rating, a simple assessment (red = unsatisfactory, yellow = 

degraded, green = adequate) is generated, ranking facilities from worst to best. Leadership can then focus attention 

and resources on the “worst first.”

Ten critical energy data elements gathered during the 

audit are then exported from Portfolio Manager and 

entered into the Space Optimization S-File, for comprehensive planning purposes and subsequent incorporation 

into AMPs. (The S-File is an information technology bridge 

solution that will be used until the NexGen IT system 

is deployed.) The 10 energy data elements are facility 

number, current rating, energy intensity, annual energy 

cost, electric use, natural gas use, water use, greenhouse 

gas emissions, floor space, and audit date.

Data collected during the audit and entered into Portfolio 

Manager are then modeled in MS Excel spreadsheet 

calculators in order to determine the most appropriate 

energy efficiency measures to reduce energy consumption. 

From this, a building life-cycle cost is computed and added 

to a DD Form 1391 that describes the project requirement in programming terms. The project is then entered 

into ACES-PM as a programmed project. The base energy 

manager and programmer must work closely to assure the 

proper energy funding codes (NRG, ESP, etc.) and subcodes are used, as well as the appropriate energy “levers” 

that identify the type of energy project. 

This process identifies energy projects that can compete 

for funding based on wing priorities and the business case 

presented for energy savings. A project with a savings to 

investment ratio above 1.0, a simple payback period of 10 

years or less, and a high BTU savings to investment ratio 

will be competitive for project authorization and funding.

Air Combat Command has published the “Facility Energy 

Audit and Project Development Guide” to help base 

energy managers and resource efficiency managers comply 

with the annual requirement for comprehensive audits 

on one-fourth of covered facilities, and report the results. 

This guide is currently being reviewed for applicability Air 

Force-wide. 

Mr. White is the Command Energy Engineer and Mr. McDuffie 

provides contract engineering support as the Resource 

Efficiency Manager, HQ ACC/A7, Langley, AFB, Va. They 

authored the Air Combat Command Facility Energy Audit and 

Project Development Guide.

Photos left and middle: The metal halide fixtures in this 64,000 sq ft aircraft maintenance hangar at Kadena were changed to fluorescent fixtures. (U.S. 

Air Force photos)

EEM

Calculators

• Building Life-Cycle Cost

• Savings-to-Investment Ratio

• BTU-to-Investment Ratio

• Simple Pay Back

Develop 

Projects

• Prepare DD 1391s

• Enter in ACES-PM

(Energy Efficiency Measures)
24 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 25

bill. Notices can look like advertisements or something 

that might be in a bill at home. However, even if the notice 

doesn’t look important, it could be notification of a rate 

increase or a rule change that may have an impact on the 

base’s utility rates. For example, one installation got a 

notice that looked like the rates were going to go down, 

but they called the URMT anyway. When we looked into 

it, we discovered that there were some proposals from the 

utility company that over time may have harmed the Air 

Force. We will investigate notifications from utility companies and take the best course of action for the Air Force. 

We may intervene and appear before the utility commission to defend against a detrimental change or to support 

a beneficial change. 

Note fluctuating charges: If your energy charge continues to go up every month, then you might 

want us to take a look. Is there something 

going on with that utility company’s fuel 

costs? Is there a bill mistake? We’ve found 

mistakes in utility bills that result in refunds 

to the installation. If your demand charge 

seems to be fluctuating, or exceptionally 

high, call us. You may be on some sort 

of fee schedule that penalizes you for an 

entire year if you have a high usage in one 

15-minute period. We have experts on 

staff that can look through those things and 

give you suggestions about how to manage 

those costs or suggest methods to reduce 

the impacts of these types of tariff clauses, 

including technological improvements to 

increase load factors or reduce losses, if 

possible. 

Check rate schedules: Another way you 

can save on your utility bill is by making 

sure your installation is on the right schedule. When we looked at the rate schedules 

available to one installation, for example, 

we found that by going to the utility commission and asking permission, we could 

switch to another tariff. At that base we 

saved several hundred thousand dollars 

a year by putting them on the right rate 

schedule. 

Avoid late fees: In some cases, the Air Force system for 

paying bills may not respond as quickly as a rate schedule may require. Some rate schedules require a 10-day 

turnaround. The URMT can assist you with contacting the 

utility company and requesting a longer payment period 

or creating an agreement for no late charges if you don’t 

make their 10- to 15-day invoice due date.

Investigate demand response: Demand response 

programs offer options for lowering your utility costs. 

Ms. Karen White, HQ AFCESA/CENL 

Ms. Nancy Coleal, P.E., CEM HQ AFCESA/CENC

The Utility Rates Management Team, 

or URMT, is part of the Air Force 

Facility Energy Center located at the 

Air Force Civil Engineer Support 

Agency, Tyndall AFB, Fla. The URMT 

is a group of utility engineers and 

lawyers that helps bases save energy 

and, ultimately, millions of dollars each 

year. Below are several tips for understanding and managing utility costs: 

Review monthly utility bills: Base 

energy managers should review 

every monthly bill and all of the 

elements on the bill. In many states, 

the regulatory commissions require 

utility companies to split the charges 

into “bill elements.” Analyzing the bill 

and understanding what each element 

represents is important to ensure the 

base is being charged appropriately 

and to identify cost-saving opportunities. Something called a fee may really 

be a tax. If there are line items on a bill 

that don’t make sense, the base should 

contact its MAJCOM energy manager 

and the URMT. 

Energy managers should also call 

the URMT and MAJCOM energy 

manager if they find a notice in their 

Some utility companies offer programs that pay incentives 

to bases for agreeing to reduce electrical load during peak 

times or when the utility is experiencing a system need. 

Demand response programs have gained a lot of interest, 

and we’re able to help the bases navigate through the rules 

for participating and accepting payment.

Calculate reimbursements: In addition to checking the 

bills that the installation receives, it’s important to ensure 

that the base is appropriately recovering reimbursement 

from its reimbursable customers, such as the credit union, 

Burger King, schools, and privatized housing corporations. 

Energy managers must calculate how much energy was 

consumed by these customers, fill out the appropriate 

paperwork, and follow up to ensure these customers pay 

their fair share of utility costs. 

The base civil engineer, base energy manager, and base 

contracting officer have the best relationships with the 

local utility company. The URMT is there to offer support 

to the installation as they’re negotiating with their local 

utility. Call us at (850) 283-6217.

Ms. White and Ms. Coleal are both part of the Utility Rates 

Management Team at the AFFEC, HQ AFCESA, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 

Ms. White is a staff attorney and Ms. Coleal is an engineer and 

URMT Chief.

Tyndall Base Energy Manager, Mr. Jon Caldwell, discusses an electric bill with URMT Attorney, Ms. Karen 

White. (photo by Jennifer Elmore)

Costs?

AnyWay Is

toManage Electric

There

The AFFEC’s Utility Rates Management Team has answers.
Location, Location, 

Location

Mr. Steven Sample

HQ USAF/A3O-AYR

“Who do I call at the Air Force to talk about my wind 

turbine proposal?”

This question from a developer captures the challenge the 

Air Force faces in engaging the alternative energy community on site selection decisions.

“While the potential impacts involve many Air Force interests, we are trying to provide one comprehensive answer 

to industry,” said Col Ed Chupein, chief of Air Force Ranges 

and Airspace (AF/A3O-AYR). As liaison to the Federal 

Aviation Administration in the evaluation of tall structures, 

Col Chupein coordinates the response from Air Force 

stakeholders. 

The Air Force often has no direct authority over wind 

turbine construction, but actively participates in multiple 

federal, state, and local processes to collaborate on, and 

perhaps influence, the proposals. The process timelines 

and issues for consideration vary greatly, which leads to 

situational, often 

singular answers 

from the Air 

Force. However, 

to date the 

process has had 

one recurring 

trait in common: 

it occurs too 

late for both the 

developer and 

the military. “We 

prefer to engage 

the wind turbine 

proponent at 

the earliest point 

to evaluate the 

proposal and 

put forth mitigation strategies as 

needed,” said Col 

Chupein.

The Air Force led 

a DOD project 

to expand a Web 

tool for developers seeking consultation with the military. The DOD 

Preliminary Screening Tool (https://oeaaa.faa.gov), already 

provided developers with feedback on potential conflicts 

with long range and weather radar systems; the new expansion adds military testing and training operations. The user 

enters the proposed geographic location and is presented 

with a military aeronautical map and points-of-contact 

for each of the services that might experience operational 

impacts. The Air Force contacts include airspace managers 

and Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment 

regional program managers. 

“We’re working to support the reviewers as they engage 

developers,” said Lt Col Scott Taylor, leader of AF/A3OAYR’s Operations Sustainment Team, which created the 

tool. “We provide proposal maps, example responses, and 

relevant policy in addition to many individual consultations.” Air Force personnel can access the tools on the 

A3O-AYR Air Force portal site.

Wind turbines are reaching heights of nearly 500 feet 

and have the potential to impact a variety of Air Force 

operations. Reviewers must consider such varied issues as 

electromagnetic impacts to radar, strobe light impacts on 

night vision optics, and obstacle analysis for flight safety. 

While the Air Force is working to automate the intake and 

response process, the actual reviews must be done on a 

case-by-case basis. This allows consideration for differences in the turbine size and number, as well as the specific 

concerns of the local mission. The policy and efforts that 

began with wind turbine reviews must be flexible enough 

to allow for additional alternative energy technologies, 

such as solar concentration towers, geothermal energy 

plants, or photovoltaic arrays.

As the Air Force participates in the development of a safe 

and sustainable domestic energy infrastructure, the answer 

to a single question about energy requires a combined 

effort of personnel with expertise in civil engineering, testing and training operations, radar, environmental management, land use, and energy policy.

Mr. Sample provides operations sustainment support for 

the Ranges and Airspace Division, HQ USAF, the Pentagon, 

Washington, D.C.

26 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 27

More than a dozen Energy Conservation Investment 

Program (ECIP) projects will soon break ground and are 

expected to save the Air Force more than $4M a year. The 

FY09 Military Construction appropriation to the Office of 

the Secretary of Defense (OSD) provided $22.6M for Air 

Force ECIP projects while the American Reinvestment and 

Recovery Act of 2009 provided $17.2M in ECIP projects. 

The total investment is 47 percent more than last year.

 “The Air Force Energy Program has never seen this level 

of funding, which clearly demonstrates a new commitment 

to energy conservation and the reduction of green house 

gases,” said Mr. Pat Mumme, director of the Air Force 

Facility Energy Center (AFFEC).

The AFFEC, part of the Air Force Civil Engineer Support 

Agency (AFCESA) at Tyndall AFB, is responsible for centrally managing and executing the design and construction 

for all ECIP projects, including 14 projects executed this 

summer for wind power generation, solar power, ground 

source heat pumps, lighting retrofits, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system replacement. 

ECIP projects awarded in 2009 are 

expected to conserve or produce 

almost 115 million BTUs, the equivalent of powering approximately 

4,000 homes (see table).

ECIP is just one way the Air Force 

funds energy conservation projects. 

The Air Force has set aside $250M 

in operations and maintenance 

dollars for each of the next six 

years to help meet congressionally 

mandated energy conservation, 

water conservation, and renewable 

energy goals.

The Air Force has met or exceeded 

every energy conservation goal 

since 1975. Most recently, the Air 

Force reduced its facility energy 

intensity by more than 30 percent 

in a 20-year period ending in 

2005. The current goal is to reduce 

facility energy use an additional 

30 percent (2005 to 2015). While 

the Air Force’s consumption of jet 

fuel makes it the largest consumer 

of energy among all federal agencies, the Air Force is an 

EPA Green Power Partner; is the number one purchaser of 

green power in the federal government; and is currently 

ranked seventh overall in the nation. 

Since 1999, the Air Force “on-time” obligation rate (fiveyear running average) for the ECIP program steadily 

declined to below 50 percent. In 2008, AFFEC and AFCESA 

engineers and contract specialists implemented central 

contract execution for the FY09 ECIP program. They 

awarded all projects assigned to them before the end of 

June. Elmendorf AFB also stepped up to the challenge 

and awarded $1.9M for direct digital control conversion 

at several of their facilities. Since OSD proportions future 

ECIP funds based on the five-year running average, this 

proactive central management approach postures the Air 

Force for a brighter future in ECIP funding.

Ms. Elmore, a support contractor, is the Communications 

Coordinator, Air Force Facility Energy Center at HQ AFCESA, 

Tyndall, AFB, Fla.

Investing in Energy Conservation 

Expected to Save Millions

Ms. Jennifer Elmore

HQ AFCESA/CEBH

Examples of some FY09

Air Force ECIP projects

Sites Project

Buckley, Colo. Solar photovoltaic panels

Los Angeles, Calif. Solar photovoltaic roof; 

Energy reductions

Minot, N.D. Repair HVAC systems

Elmendorf, Alaska Convert HVAC systems; 

warehouse lighting retrofit

Hanscom, Mass. Boiler Economizers

Hickam, Hawaii Install energy-efficient lighting

F.E. Warren, Wyo. Preheaters and radiant heaters

Kadena, Japan Warehouse lighting retrofits

Cape Lisburne, Alaska Wind turbine

Cape Newenham, Alaska Wind turbine

Cape Romanzof, Alaska Wind turbine

The time is right for renewable energy projects, but where’s 

the right place? A new Web-based tool brings the Air Force 

and developers together early in the planning process.
The Air Force has long been a leader in sustainability, 

dating back to establishment of its first sustainable design 

and development seven years ago. The Barksdale AFB, La., 

Fitness Center achieved LEED NC v1.0, Bronze (the equivalent of “Certification” level in the current 

U.S. Green Building Council certification 

rating systems) in 2002. It was the seventh 

project nationwide and the first federal 

facility to receive USGBC certification.

Since that time, the Air Force has received LEED certification on numerous projects, including the Satellite and Main 

Crash Fire Rescue Facilities at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. 

in 2007 and 2008; the Edwards AFB Consolidated Support 

Facility in California (the first Air Force Silver level) in 2007; 

and the Library at Shaw AFB, S.C. (Silver level) in 2008. 

We also completed the first of 736 units at Keesler AFB 

in 2008, all of which will receive LEED Silver certification 

in the pilot programs, LEED for Homes and LEED Volume 

Certification. When completed, the Keesler Housing 

Project in Mississippi will represent the single largest property transfer of LEED-certified facilities to date. 

These successes have improved our project 

delivery process and have led to the first 

Air Force Gold-certified facility, the Air 

Force Weather Agency Headquarters at 

Offutt AFB, Neb. The Air Force Energy 

and Sustainability Demonstration Project, 

Tyndall AFB Fitness Center in Florida, scheduled to be 

complete in the spring of 2010, is on target to achieve 

LEED Platinum certification. There are currently no other 

Platinum certified buildings in the Department of Defense. 

The Air Force continues to address the sustainability of 

new construction, and has now taken on the more arduous task of greening the existing building inventory and 

meeting the requirements of Executive Order (EO) 13423. 

We have recognized 

trends in the data related 

to the requirements for 

individual buildings: 

approximately 75 percent 

of the data fields indicate 

compliance at the installation level and minimal data 

points speak to individual 

building performance. We 

believe this trend compels 

us to propose and pursue 

an installation-wide 

approach to sustainability 

rather than the suboptimal 

building-by-building 

approach required by 

executive orders and current legislation.

For example, EO 13423 

requires that 15 percent 

of the existing building inventory meet the 

Federal Leadership in 

High Performance and 

Sustainable Buildings 

Memorandum of 

Understanding Guiding Principles by 2015. Since collectively the DOD owns approximately 330,000 buildings with 

total floor space of over 2.285 billion square feet, meeting 

that requirement would take significant investment in planning, organization, implementation, and assessment.

The Air Force is spearheading an effort, in partnership 

with the Army and the Navy, to cooperatively provide a 

solution for compliance with federal sustainability directives, such as EO 13423, the 2005 Energy Policy Act, and 

the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. 

Sustainable Communities is an installation-wide view of 

sustainability rather than a building-by-building approach. 

It provides a compliant, comprehensive, and synergistic 

survey methodology that streamlines data collection 

and reporting requirements and allows enterprise-level 

acquisition.

The Sustainable Communities approach more clearly 

addresses the intent of policies, aligns conflicting goals, 

and creates a more efficient solution. To achieve this 

assessment, we will use a variety of existing private and 

governmental rating systems, and commercial programs 

and adjust as necessary to address our mission-oriented 

nature of installation planning and operations. The framework will be mission focused, built upon asset management 

principles, and will have a reporting mechanism via the 

existing ISO 14001-based environmental management 

system. One goal will be creation of a verifiable rating 

system that enables installation-wide evaluation and scorAir Force Institute of Technology’s new academic building at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base recently received the base’s 

first LEED “Silver” certification rating. The effort is an Air Force initiative for improving energy efficiency and natural resource 

conservation at its installations while establishing safe, healthy and productive built environments and facilities. (Image 

courtesy of the United States Army Corps of Engineers)

ing. Each installation would be evaluated against its own 

baseline and performance compared on a year-to-year 

basis. Through this collaborative effort, the services, and 

thus the Office of the Secretary of Defense, will be able to 

use a single combined approach to evaluate, quantify, and 

improve the level of sustainability on specific installations.

Work is in progress to compile the Sustainable 

Communities Scorecard, designed to be flexible and 

objective. The scorecard will monitor progress and document improvements over time at the installation. The 

framework will be formed by objective indicators linked 

to a specific menu of potential credits. Installations will 

set program priorities based on sustainable return on 

investment. Credits will be awarded based upon individual 

installation progress against their own baseline and yearover-year performance. Results will be reported via existing or expanded systems, rolled up from the installation 

level, and weighted to reflect the conditions and missions 

of each region.

Sustainability requires an integrated approach that 

includes buildings as well as the infrastructure, facilities, 

equipment, and activities across the entire installation 

community. It requires that efforts should reach beyond 

the “greening” of individual buildings to sustainable 

communities.

Ms. Shaw is an environmental engineer, HQ AFCEE, Brooks-City 

Base, Texas.

Ms. Paula Shaw

HQ AFCEE/TDBS

Air Force, Army, and Navy work together to expand sustainability effort

Turning Sustainable Buildings into Green Communities

28 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 29

Tyndall AFB Fitness Center in Florida, scheduled to be complete in the spring of 2010, is on target to achieve LEED Platinum certification.
30 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 31

Ms. Lani MacRae

U.S. DOE

Congratulations to the Air Force for exemplary 

participation in ENERGY STAR OPERATION CHANGE 

OUT – THE MILITARY CHALLENGE.

OPERATION CHANGE OUT, a jointly sponsored effort of 

the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy 

(DOE), encourages service members and their families to 

save energy and money and protect the environment by 

replacing their inefficient incandescent lightbulbs with 

ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent bulbs.

As of mid-July, 100 percent of the Air Force’s major U.S. 

bases, as well as bases in eight foreign countries, had 

signed up. The Air Force has achieved the highest level of 

base participation among the service branches, with 88 

bases participating. These bases have changed out more 

than 272,500 lightbulbs. Air Force actions alone will save 

an estimated 76.8 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 

more than $8.1M in energy costs, and will prevent nearly 

123 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions over the 

lifetime of the bulbs.

The leadership and commitment to OPERATION CHANGE 

OUT by the former Air Force Civil Engineer, Maj Gen 

Del Eulberg, as well as base energy managers and the 

Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, is to be highly 

commended. Maj Gen Eulberg’s Earth Day 2009 challenge 

to the other service branches to follow the Air Force’s lead 

for full participation continues to spur broader success for 

the program. 

All U.S. military bases are invited to join the effort. From 

the campaign’s launch in 2008 

through mid-July 2009, a total 

of 152 military installations, 

representing all five service 

branches, have joined the 

challenge, and more join every 

week. Change-outs were done 

by bases and privatized housing 

providers and these efforts were 

supported by military retailers and 

other partners, such as utilities. In 

total, nearly 856,800 bulbs have 

been changed, saving nearly 242 

million kilowatt-hours of electricity 

and over $25.6M in energy 

costs and preventing nearly 386 

million pounds of greenhouse gas 

emissions over the lifetime of the 

bulbs. 

For more information on 

OPERATION CHANGE OUT, visit 

www.energystar.gov/OCO.

Ms. MacRae works in marketing and 

communications for the ENERGY STAR 

program, DOE, Washington, D.C.

The Air Force soars above the rest for...

ENERGY STAR® OPERATION CHANGE OUT

Capt Stacey Smalls

15 CES/CEOE

There is little we do that is not affected by the availability 

of electricity. We use it for everything from lighting, cooling, and heating our homes to running all of the equipment 

in our offices. Soon even the cars we drive will use electrical energy. 

At Hickam, we asked ourselves the question, “How is our 

electrical stewardship?”

“It’s a priority,” said Maj Eric Fajardo, operations flight chief 

for the 15th Civil Engineer Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii. 

“We need to do everything feasible, not only because 

‘the boss’ has directed it, but also because we have been 

entrusted with the taxpayer’s resources. Many American 

households are penny pinching, trying to stretch their dollars. We need to do the same.”

In Hawaii, most of the electrical energy we consume is 

provided by burning oil and this means when the price of 

oil goes up, so does our cost per kilowatt-hour of energy. 

It also makes Hawaii one of the states most dependent on 

fossil fuels for energy production — for now.

Hickam has many initiatives underway and in development that address this dependency. Of particular note is 

our participation in OPERATION CHANGE OUT – THE 

MILITARY CHALLENGE. This initiative is the first national, 

military-focused energy-efficiency campaign and it encourages service members to replace inefficient, incandescent 

lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs).

We launched our campaign on Earth Day 2008, as did 

many other military installations. We encouraged Team 

Hickam to get involved and take advantage of the savings 

potential for their families and the taxpayers. A policy 

was put into place for facility managers so that when an 

incandescent lightbulb goes out, it’s replaced with a CFL. 

The 15 CES got the word out by publishing articles in the 

base newspaper, sponsoring an energy awareness poster 

contest for the local schools, and holding an energy awareness event during Energy Awareness Month in October. At 

the event, we gave away 700 CFLs and asked attendees to 

pledge to purchase and change out more bulbs at home. 

We challenged them to guess the wattage required to 

power common household appliances, asked them to pick 

the poster winner, and rewarded them with table prizes 

(200 energy awareness t-shirts and 50 ball caps). Our grassroot efforts were rewarded. 

Among all Air Force bases that signed up to participate in 

OPERATION CHANGE OUT, Hickam placed third behind 

Lackland and Edwards. Hickam AFB changed out 29,601 

bulbs. Over the lifetime of the bulbs, that’s nearly 8.3 

million kilowatt-hours saved. At the state of Hawaii average 

electric rate of $0.22/kWh, more than $1.8M of taxpayer 

money will be saved over the lifetime of the bulbs. 

We are proud of our efforts here at Hickam. We are 

contributing to a substantial reduction in energy use at 

military facilities and supporting federal energy-efficiency 

goals. Military members and their families, as well as civilians and contractors all contributed to our success. It took 

a change of mindset for everyone, including engineers: not 

only can you program, design, and build multimillion dollar 

projects to address energy efficiency, you can just change a 

lightbulb.

We challenge all the military bases that have yet to join the 

campaign to go to www.energystar.com/OCO and sign up. 

So how is your electrical stewardship?

At the time this article was written, Capt Smalls was an 

operations engineer with the 15 CES, Hickam AFB, Hawaii. 

Hickam Becomes an ENERGY STAR

The contributions of one base add to the Air Force’s overall success in 

OPERATION CHANGE OUT

(U. S. Air Force photo)
32 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 33

to give up something. A long-term energy conservation 

effort focused on permanent behavior change is most 

effective when base officials are personally committed to 

and accountable for energy savings, when methods exist to 

measure use, and when financial incentives are directly tied 

to energy use. 

At Air Education Training Command (AETC), energy leaders have made financial incentives a big part their plan and 

are sponsoring a contest involving command bases. They 

set aside $3M to hand out to the three bases that save the 

most energy during a three-month period. First place will 

Energy Awareness Month began as American Energy 

Week, which was observed from 1981 through 1985. 

The Department of Energy (DOE) made it a month-long 

observance in 1986, and in 1991, President George Bush 

proclaimed October as Energy Awareness Month. Since 

then, the DOE and the Air Force have been conducting 

energy awareness campaigns that promote the wise and 

efficient use of our nation’s energy.

The Air Force spends more than $1B a year to power 

facilities. It is estimated that energy conservation efforts 

could save up to 30 percent of the electricity the Air Force 

consumes. Since the cheapest and 

cleanest power is the power we 

don’t use, Airmen and their families, 

civilians, and contractors can do 

simple things to make a dramatic 

difference. But first, they have to be 

educated and influenced.

There are many ways to promote 

energy savings. It can be as simple 

as distributing newsletters, posters and emails, or planning special 

events. Energy Awareness Month 

materials are distributed by the 

Federal Energy Management 

Program, a division of DOE, and are 

mailed to base energy managers 

every year in September. Energy 

awareness materials are available 

from the Air Force Facility Energy Center located at the 

Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, Tyndall AFB, Fla. 

This year the AFFEC created a 10-minute energy awareness video that can be shown during commander’s calls in 

October. (Call 850-283-6476 for a copy.)

To create the culture change needed to really make a difference, bases must move beyond posters and giveaways 

and develop energy awareness plans. Designers of antismoking and seatbelt-wearing campaigns can attest to how 

difficult it is to persuade people to change their habits. It’s 

especially difficult when people feel they are being asked 

Ms. Jennifer Elmore

HQ AFCESA/CEBH

receive $1.5M, second place $1M, and third place $.5M. 

The money will be given to the wing commanders who are 

encouraged to spend it on energy-related projects and 

materials. Organized by AETC Utility Manager John Kain, 

the contest compares bases’ baselines with average energy 

intensity levels during the specified three months. Winners 

will be notified in August. 

The Air Force has come a long way – reducing energy 

usage 30 percent during a 20-year period ending in 2005 

– but there’s much more to be done. October is Energy 

Awareness Month, but it takes a long-term plan for real 

progress. Start planning now, make 

it fun and keep the enthusiasm 

going. It will take everyone, everyday, not just one month, to reach 

the goals. 

Ms. Elmore, a support contractor, is the 

Communications Coordinator, Air Force 

Facility Energy Center at HQ AFCESA, 

Tyndall, AFB, Fla.

How to Plan an Energy Campaign

Prepare Now for EnergyAwareness Month

October is approaching — do you have a plan?

Evaluate data – Someone on the team 

must have access to, and the ability to 

understand, energy-use data over the 

campaign time period, including previous 

data and weather temperature effects if 

comparisons are being made. 

Execute the plan – Once the approvals, the base champion, and the energy 

team are in place, it’s time to design and 

execute the energy campaign. FEMP 

recommends establishing realistic goals 

and objectives. In a behavior-based campaign, objectives could include increasing 

the percentage of people who

 Keep their thermostats at 

energy-saving levels 

 Replace incandescent light bulbs 

with compact fluorescents

 Replace their filters monthly

 Fill out home energy checklists 

with their children

It is important to get input from residents and base officials who are responsible for housing and utilities, including 

housing maintenance. Base officials can clarify what residents 

are responsible for purchasing 

and what the base provides, 

such as weatherization materials, HVAC filters, and compact 

fluorescent lights.

A campaign schedule is necessary to keep the work on track. 

It also keeps the energy team 

from missing certain timedependent events such as 

newspaper deadlines, school 

events, and base community 

fairs.

Stay informed about energy 

news by registering for the 

Energy Express — an AFFEC 

electronic newsletter. Email 

ebony.payton@tyndall.af.mil 

to sign up. Also, register for the 

FEMP Focus electronic newsletter at www1.eere.energy.gov/

femp/newsevents/fempfocus_subscribe.cfm.

The Federal Energy Management 

Program (FEMP) offers guidance on 

planning an energy campaign at an Air 

Force Installation. Creating an Energy 

Awareness Campaign: A Handbook 

for Federal Energy Managers and the 

Handbook for Promoting BehaviorBased Energy Efficiency in Military 

Housing are available online at www1.

eere.energy.gov/femp/services/outreach.

html. 

The following elements, 

taken from the FEMP 

handbooks, should be 

used to build an effective energy campaign: 

Gain approval – Base 

officials such as the 

wing commander, 

energy manager, and 

housing office must be 

on board and willing 

to pass information 

through their organizations as appropriate.

Identify a champion 

– Beyond approving 

the effort, a high-level, 

well-respected base official should personally champion it by endorsing it and 

perhaps even serving as a spokesperson.

Create an energy awareness team – A 

team of people will be needed who 

have the time and resources available to 

design and execute the campaign. The 

team should include not only the energy 

manager and a public affairs officer, but 

base residents as well, so they will be 

more likely to feel a part of it and want it 

to succeed.

Use communication tools – Someone on 

the team needs access to media (newspapers, newsletters, radio, closed-circuit 

TV, Internet) as well as specialized methods for communicating with residents 

such as community meetings.

Partner with community groups – 

Spouses’ clubs, Boy Scouts, church 

groups, and other community organizations can be influential in encouraging 

culture change. Points of contact and 

approvals must be in place. The local utility can also be a great partner and often 

has energy awareness materials to offer.
34 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 Air Force Facility Energy 2009 35

Air Force Facility Energy Center

Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, Tyndall AFB, Florida

Officially designated a center of excellence in 2007, 

the Air Force Facility Energy Center, or AFFEC, 

located at the Air Force Civil Engineer Support 

Agency, Tyndall AFB, Fla., is made up of more than 

50 engineers and energy experts who identify, evaluate, and help implement technologies and funding 

strategies to enable the Air Force to meet and 

surpass federal energy goals. 

AFFEC personnel have developed a Capital 

Investment Strategy for reaching mandates by 2015. 

Federal law requires the Air Force to

 Reduce facility energy intensity by 30 

percent

 Reduce water usage by 16 percent

 Increase renewable energy to 10.5 percent 

of electricity consumed

 Increase on-base renewable energy to 3 

percent of electricity consumed

Achieving these goals will save an estimated $3B 

over 10 years that can be reinvested for installation 

requirements.

Conservation Branch (CENE)

AFFEC’s many conservation programs have reduced 

Air Force energy consumption more than 16 percent 

in the past five years. The Conservation Branch 

assists in the development of energy implementation 

policy and guidance, manages the Air Force Facility 

Metering Initiative, and provides Air Force inputs 

to the Defense Utility Energy Reporting System. 

Energy awareness, including training courses and 

educational materials, are also a responsibility of 

CENE. The Conservation Branch has oversight of 

the Air Force Resource Efficiency Manager program 

which currently includes more than 40 REMs and 

is expected to double in the future as funding 

becomes available.

Utility Commodities Branch (CENC)

AFFEC’s renewable energy experts and Utility 

Rates Management Team support MAJCOMs and 

installations with the development and execution of 

renewable energy projects and negotiating utility 

rates. They assist installations with the purchase of 

renewable energy and renewable energy certificates. 

CENC worked closely with installations to make the 

Air Force the number one purchaser of green power 

in the federal government. The URMT, made up of 

engineers and attorneys, negotiates on behalf of the 

Air Force to help installations procure utility service 

at a fair and reasonable price. The URMT also 

analyzes bases’ utility bills to find savings opportunities and represents installations before state utility 

regulatory bodies.

Capital Investment Branch (CENI)

AFFEC’s Capital Investment Branch serves as the 

energy program management office charged with 

managing and implementing funding strategies 

that will meet and exceed energy targets. AFFEC 

has developed a Capital Investment Strategy for 

investing $2B through 2015. The strategy calls for 

investments in facility audits and design and energy 

conservation, water conservation and renewable 

energy projects. Once implemented, the Capital 

Investment Strategy will provide new, more efficient 

facilities and free up millions of dollars to sustain 

mission readiness. 

Utilities Privatization Branch (CENU)

The Utilities Privatization (UP) program, as directed 

by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, involves 

the conveyance, with a bill of sale, of a utility system 

(electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater) to a 

municipal, private, regional, district, or cooperative 

utility company; and a utility services contract for 

operations, maintenance, and recapitalization for 

a period of time, not to exceed 50 years. The UP 

program allows Air Force active, Guard, and Reserve 

installation commanders to focus their operations 

and maintenance activities on core defense missions 

and functions. System ownership is transferred to 

the successful offeror under terms and conditions 

that protect the Air Force’s interests. Terms of the 

contract rarely include aspects of the commodity 

(electrical power, natural gas, water, and wastewater 

treatment); the contract is solely for the service the 

system provides. The current UP schedule projects 

completion of all award decisions by 2017.

AFFEC Help Desk

(850) 283-6217 DSN (523)

AFCESAenergy.helpdesk@tyndall.af.mil

Conservation Branch 

Chief, Mr. Gerald Doddington

(850) 283-6222 DSN (523)

Gerald.Doddington@tyndall.af.mil

Utility Commodities Branch

Renewable Engineer, Mr. Jim Snook

(850) 283-6295 DSN (523)

Jim.Snook@tyndall.af.mil

Utility Rates Engineer, Ms. Nancy Coleal

(850) 283-6215 DSN (523)

Nancy.Coleal@tyndall.af.mil

Capital Investment Branch

Mr. Mike Rits

(850) 283-6230, (DSN) 523

Michael.Rits@tyndall.af.mil 

Utilities Privatization

Chief, Mr. Mike Giniger 

(850) 283-6655 (DSN) 523

Michael.Giniger@tyndall.af.mil
For more information contact: EERE Information Center

1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463) www.eere.energy.gov

Be part of 

the solution to 

climate change and help 

build a clean energy economy.

 Here’s how you fit in:

 Change to compact fluorescent bulbs

 Purchase ENERGY STAR® equipment

 Turn off lights when not in use

 Combine trips and share rides

 Use mass transit

 Drive a hybrid or fuel-efficient car

 Find out more:

 www.femp.energy.gov

A Sustainable Energy Future

we’re puing all the pieces together