DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. - Congratulations to Mohammed Ikram, winner of the 31st Annual Secretary of the Army Energy and Water Management Award, Individual category.
Ikram, Energy Manager and former Electrical Engineer for the USAG-Detroit Arsenal, accepted the challenge of coordinating five projects which resulted in a reduction of more than 30,000M BTUs and a cost savings of over $500K in one year's time. As the Program Manager, Ikram oversaw the total coordination and implementation of the Energy Savings Performance Contract.
"It's a dedicated effort which was not generally a part of the Electrical Engineering discipline," he explained. "I accepted the challenge because I was interested in energy savings as a whole." Ikram humbly continues, "Such accomplishments usually cannot be achieved without consistent backing and sound guidance from upper level management." Ikram was making reference to Robert Riparip, Director of the Directorate of Public Works, and Ms. Brenda Lee McCullough, Garrison Manager, who ardently supported his efforts.
ESPC improvements consisted of: 1) lighting upgrades - 16, 792 light fixtures were retrofitted with energy-efficient bulbs, electronic ballasts, and in some cases, new reflectors; 2) stream trap replacements - 752 energy-efficient thermostatic and thermodynamic traps replaced older models; 3) variable air volume (VAV) conversions - VAV controllers were installed in two major buildings with a total floor space of 281,140 square feet; 4) motor/pump change out - two 20-hp vertical turbine pumps replaced two 100-hp vertical tribune pumps and a 20-hp water circulating pump; and 5) chiller replacement - excess steam available from an existing contract was utilized by exchanging two chillers with a 400-ton absorption chiller and another electric centrifugal chiller was added to replace a rental chiller.
No funds needed to be allocated to execute the ESPC. The contractor is paid from the cost savings of the program initiatives over the next 14 years.
Because of the dedicated efforts of Mohammed Ikram, the USAG-Detroit Arsenal has established a strong foundation for the future development of safe, dependable, environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy and water campaigns.
"When you look at the analysis, with all of the growth at the Arsenal," stated Ikram, "we are maintaining [energy] levels instead of showing an increase." This is a great achievement.
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