FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- The Law of Conservation of Energy states energy cannot be created or destroyed, but Fort Rucker energy engineer Buddy Coleman believes it, and money, can be wasted.
People can save both by following a few simple tips - a couple involve light usage.
"If (people are going) to be gone from the office for more than 15 minutes, turn the lights off," he said.
Coleman added many offices are overlit, a problem that can be solved by removing one or two bulbs from a single ballast. This not only saves energy but can save people's eyesight as overlighting makes computer screens harder to see.
"In most offices, you open the louvers and twist off bulbs," he said. "You can use a task light (lamp) to do your reading."
In order to remove light bulbs, Coleman encourages office personnel to place a service order into maintenance technicians.
Community members can save energy by also turning off computers and monitors when they leave their offices for extended periods of time. In fact, Army regulations require all computers not being used overnight must be turned off at the close of the business day.
Coleman said many computers, including all Energy Star-rated equipment, have sleep modes, which shut down the computer's power usage after about 20 minutes of inactivity. To ensure full energy savings, a person needs to check if the computer has a properly functioning sleep mode.
Having too many plugs in a socket can also waste energy. If an office is cold, he encourages people to bundle up instead of plugging in a space heater to an electrical outlet.
Saving energy on Army installations is more than a suggestion - it's the law.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandated a reduction goal of 20 percent from the 2003 baseline of usage by 2015, according to Andy Franks, Directorate of Public Works resource efficiency manager.
Coleman estimates Fort Rucker has reached only 5 percent overall.
Also, Executive Order 13423 requires a 3-percent reduction in usage per year and a 30 percent total reduction by 2015.
Taking steps to reduce energy usage also helps achieve the Army's new "Net Zero" program.
Energy - why waste it'
According to laws and executive orders, Army installations are required to save energy wherever possible. Here are a few tips community members can use to cut back.
* Stop idling government vehicles when unattended or waiting for more than 30 seconds.
* Scanners, copy machines, faxes, printers and other such equipment should be programmed with sleep modes to activate automatically when not in use. Equipment is required to be Energy Star rated and have a sleep mode by the Energy Policy Act of 2005, Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and Army Regulation 420-1.
* Use setback temperatures on all heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, including window air conditioners. If automated controls are not installed, activate procedures for manual adjustment of all heating and cooling equipment at the end of the every work day and for any periods an area is unoccupied during work hours.
* Turn off all outside lights during the day.
* Doors and windows between conditioned spaces and non-conditioned spaces should not stay open. Active management of doors and windows that control conditioned spaces is critical to reducing energy waste especially in maintenance areas with heating and/or air conditioning.
* All motors and pumps with automatic controls should be operated in the automatic mode and not in the manual mode. Disable systems such as hot water circulating pumps that run all day in facilities where the hot water is not required immediately at the faucet.
* Install or replace all weather stripping on every entry way where a gap or light is visible. Caulk all joints, window frames, door jambs and any penetrations from the outside of the building.
Source: Buddy Coleman, Fort Rucker energy engineer
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