WIESBADEN, Germany -- Energy efficiency is not foreign to U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden.
For seven years now, the Environmental Division has been participating in the city of Wiesbaden's energy conservation program and getting recognized.
Wiesbaden Lord Mayor Sven Gerich recognized the garrison for the successful completion of the 2013-2014 cycle of the Ecological Project for Integrated Environmental Technology (Oekologishches Projekt fuer Integrierte Umwelt-Tecknik), or ECOPROFIT Dec. 16 during a ceremony in the Wiesbaden Rathaus.
"Participation with the city in ECOPROFIT is simply another way we strengthen our relationship with our host nation," said Rainer Kreer, DPW Environmental Division.
ECOPROFIT is a program designed to support private business and public institutions to better protect the environment, conserve natural resources, reduce business-operating costs and maintain compliance with German environmental standards.
"Participation is easy for us, as we either meet or exceed the standard of the ECOPROFIT project every time," said Erik Cook, Environmental Management System coordinator, who explained that the environmental division follows the guidelines set by the International Organization of Standards, and the strategic energy conservation plan of the garrison is in compliance with ISO 14001.
This year the garrison focused its energy conservation efforts on reducing energy consumption in the Wiesbaden Army Lodge facility. The division also used the occasion to set into practice a "conservation orientation" program for newcomers to the military community.
Kreer explained that the majority of Soldiers and their families, and also many U.S. civilians, stay at the hotel in Hainerberg Housing before they receive their more permanent housing arrangement. He said during the guests' stopovers in the lodge they are provided an information package on energy and water conservation and waste separation and recycling. Through this action the newly arriving residents are being trained on the local practices for conservation and energy consumption.
"Using this knowledge later on in their assigned homes helps to decrease waste of resources and to save taxpayers money," said Kreer.
According to officials, the estimated savings over all USAG Wiesbaden housing areas are roughly $100,000 per 1 percent of reduction in primarily energy and water.
Participation in the annual program is voluntary, but the garrison uses it as an opportunity to prove the tactics of Army's Energy Strategy and Campaign Plan. The plan is aimed at eliminate and reduce energy waste in existing facilities while monitoring energy usage; increasing energy efficiency in new or renovated constructions; reducing dependence on fossil fuels; generating energy; conserving water resources; and improving energy security with a focus toward net zero.
Successful completion of the ECOPROFIT program requires that the garrison conduct energy conservation and waste management focused workshops during the program's cycle. At the end of the cycle an ECOPROFIT commissioning team evaluates the participant's submissions, or facility, to determine if the requirements of the program have been successfully met.
USAG Wiesbaden has been successfully participating in ECOPROFIT program since 2007. The following is a list of facilities the focused on each year: Wiesbaden Army Lodge (2014), Physical Fitness Center, Clay Kaserne (2013, ECOPROFIT Club member participation), Rheinblick Golf Course (2012), Wiesbaden Fitness Center (2010) and Dining Facility (Bldg. 1052), Hangar Facility (Bldg. 1036) and Motor Pool Facility Bldg. 1066 (2007/2008).
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