Garrison Wiesbaden engineers receive federal energy and management award

By Connie DickeyNovember 29, 2021

New solar panels near the airfield reduces glint-glare for incoming aircraft.
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – New solar panels near the airfield reduces glint-glare for incoming aircraft. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
The new equipment inside the heating plant features combined gas and electric for improved performance.
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The new equipment inside the heating plant features combined gas and electric for improved performance. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WIESBADEN, Germany – The U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Directorate of Public Works Engineers are set to receive a 2021 Federal Energy and Water Management Award for implementing a $9.4 million energy services performance contract, which resulted in more than $600,000 in immediate annual energy savings.

The contract replaced an oil-burning heating plant with an energy efficient natural gas and electric combined heat power plant, installed an 885 kilowatt DC renewable energy solar PV system, performed heat distribution improvements and converted 4,757 light fixtures across 19-buildings to high-efficiency LED technology.

According to Tomasz Filatow, DPW’s Energy Manager, the power plant was at least 30 years old. “We started in 2015 to develop a plan and project to address how to improve it and the construction started in 2019,” he said.

“We began replacing light fixtures, more than 1,000 in the physical fitness center, and converted them to LED lights, which is resulting in an enormous savings,” Filatow said.

He said they competed against all Army agencies and has to provide an annual report to prove its efficiency performance and increased savings. “There has been no cost invested from the Garrison,” he said. “All the costs are paid back from the savings we are receiving.”

“What a tremendous accomplishment — at the federal level no less! Exceptional work by all. We really appreciate all your efforts,” Col. Mario Washington, Wiesbaden garrison commander said.

Besides the power plant and light-fixture swapping, DPW installed a specific solar panel system with a reduced reflection index at available space near the installation’s airfield.

According to the federal energy focus areas, this project will serve as the Army Europe’s benchmark for innovation, training, awareness and behavior change related to federal energy and has resulted in an expanded use of this approach as part of the Federal Energy Management and Water Conservation strategies for U.S. Army Europe.

The DPW staff members named in the Project Award Category who will be recognized during the award ceremony in March 2022 are Tomasz Filatow, Judith Rodriguez, Divison Chief Engineering, Eric Ausen, Program Manager, Lucas Dombrink, Project Manager and Fabian Seimen, Energy Engineer.

Filatow has also been named a recipient of the Secretary of the Army 2021 Energy and Water Management Awards in the Individual Exceptional Performance Category for Fiscal Year 2020.