The United States Department of Energy has lauded the United States Army Reserve's 88th Readiness Division with two Interior Lighting Campaign awards.
The Interior Lighting Campaign is a recognition and guidance program that encourages participants to improve lighting systems -- specifically troffer, high bay, low bay and suspended linear lighting systems and controls -- in their efforts to conserve energy and bolster the energy efficiency of their facilities.
As of February 2018, Interior Lighting Campaign participants have planned or completed improvements to 1.6 million lighting systems estimated to save $28 million in electricity costs and 227 million kilowatt hours of power annually.
The Army Reserve's four Readiness Divisions and Mission Support Command are among nearly 70 participants in the Interior Lighting Campaign, which also includes cities, universities, retail companies and health care providers.
The 88th Readiness Division was one of 13 participating agencies to receive Interior Lighting Campaign honors during this year's award cycle.
The Colonel P. Schulstad Army Reserve Center in Arlington Heights, Illinois received an award for Highest Percentage of Annual Energy Savings for Troffer Lighting Retrofits in a Large Project. Energy efficient light emitting diodes, or LEDs, replaced T-8 fluorescent lamps in 1,225 troffers in the facility. The improvements reduced energy use by 231,000 kilowatt hours, or 72 percent, for an estimated annual cost avoidance of $16,200.
The First Lieutenant Robert L. Poxon Army Reserve Center in Southfield, Michigan received an award for Highest Percentage of Annual Energy Savings for Troffer Lighting Retrofits in a Medium Project. There, LEDs replaced fluorescent lamps in 94 troffers. The improvements reduced energy use by 15,000 kilowatt hours, or 63 percent, for an estimated annual cost avoidance of $1,800.
Contractors also installed occupancy sensors throughout both facilities. The 88th Readiness Division estimates that the sensors contribute nearly 25 percent of the energy use reductions in the Army Reserve Centers.
"We predict that [these projects] will have significant impacts on our annual energy use intensity," said Chris Jackson, Energy Manager at the 88th Readiness Division.
As a Command, the Army Reserve reduced its energy use intensity by 17.7 percent in fiscal year 2017, compared to the fiscal year 2015 baseline.
Improvements to the lighting systems at these and other Army Reserve Centers will offer additional benefits to the 88th Readiness Division as well. LEDs have longer lives than fluorescent lamps, so they will be replaced less frequently. Thus, they will reduce maintenance demands at the facilities, and they will lessen disruptions to the structures and their occupants. They will also generate less waste. Overall, the projects will support the holistic integration of sustainability into the "battle rhythm" of the enterprise.
Energy is vital to every mission in the Army Reserve. With its efforts to improve the efficiency of its Army Reserve Centers, the 88th Readiness Division is contributing to the Command's energy conservation goals and protecting the critical resources that ensure our readiness.
Visit sustainableusar.com to learn more about Army Reserve energy and sustainability initiatives. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/SustainableUSAR and on Twitter @SustainableUSAR.
Related Links:
Soldiers for Sustainability, the blog of Army Reserve Sustainability Programs
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