The Detroit Arsenal's Commander's Energy Conservation Cup began May 1 and continues through Oct. 31. This senior commander program is designed to encourage members on the installation to try and conserve energy wherever they can and will reward the facility who conserves the most electricity over the same period last year.
"These conservation efforts are being driven by federal mandates," said Alan Parks, garrison manager for the Detroit Arsenal. "That's not the only reason we need to do this. We need to be good stewards of our taxpayer dollars and it's just the right thing to do for future generations. We are making great strides in reducing energy usage even as the installation continues to grow. This competition will help keep those efforts in the forefront of people's minds and help us meet our goals."
Buildings throughout the installation with individual meters will be measured against the amount of electricity they used last year during the same period and the one with the largest percentage of energy reduction will win a silver trophy that can displayed in their work area until the next winner is crowned.
"We used percentage of reduction to make the competition as fair as possible," said Mohammed Ikram, installation energy manager. "We have smart meters on most of the buildings on base that help up keep track of energy usage and help us provide feedback to people in those buildings on how they can reduce their energy consumption."
Some buildings are broken into different areas because of the size of those facilities and the way they are managed and used. Buildings in the competition include 200D, 201, 205, 210, 212, 212B, 215, 229, 230C/E, 230W, 231, 249, 255 and 270. Building managers will work with individuals working in those building and other buildings throughout the installation to provide tips and inspections to facilitate the conservation efforts.
"There are several simple things people can do to make a difference in their work areas," said Ikram. "Some of the simplest include turning computers off at the end of the day, not using personal refrigerators in their work space (unless approved for medical reasons), and turning off lights when a room is not in use. There are many more and we will continue to provide tips and assistance as we proceed through the competition."
Competition updates and additional energy savings tips will be provided monthly through Warren All emails and from building energy managers as the competition moves forward.
Conservation Tips
Shut down exhaust systems
Exhaust systems in machine shops and warehouses draw conditioned air out of the building. Shut them down when not required.
Check conditioned air supply and exhaust vents
Remove obstructions in front of supply diffusers and terminal heating units. Keep the exhaust vents clean and clear. Obstructions make the heating/cooling units operate that much harder. Each degree of cooling can increase the consumption of electricity by at least 5 percent.
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