Local students accept "military challenge"

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Abigail Klein
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Chase Gardner, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology mechanical engineering student, contributed to this article.

In an effort to continue with Air Combat Command's Energy Conservation Campaign, five engineering students from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, working in the 28th Civil Engineer Squadron energy office, recently replaced traditional incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights in unoccupied base housing.

CFL lights, more efficient than traditional bulbs, have already been implemented in various industrial buildings here, including the dormitories and newer base housing.

"[Installing CFL lights at] Ellsworth has already reduced its energy intensity by six percent for the 2009 fiscal year," said Chase Gardner, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology mechanical engineering student. "There is no plan of stopping and there is more to be done to increase this progress."

To continue with this progress the students have been participating in ENERGY STAR®'s military challenge by expanding upon its "Operation Change Out" campaign.

Operation Change Out, which was implemented April 22, 2008, is a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy. Ellsworth and 64 other Air Force Bases have been involved with the program since its implementation, replacing incandescent bulbs with new energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

The student's have aided this program's success at Ellsworth by replacing traditional bulbs with an average of 35 to 40 ENERGY STAR® CFLs in unoccupied base housing, Mr. Gardner said.

"Incandescent bulbs are a large part of energy consumption on base," Mr. Gardner said. "This replacement will lead to an approximate energy cost savings of $915 per housing unit."

In addition to installing CFL lights in base housing, the SDSMT engineering students are currently planning to install more efficient thermostats for heating and cooling units in base housing.

"The opportunity to not only save money here [at Ellsworth] but to reduce our energy consumption is extremely large," Mr. Gardner said. "Many of the facilities on base are using old inefficient, incandescent bulbs and I feel it's well worth the time and effort it takes to tackle such a project."

Along with switching to CFL lights, the students recommend the following tips to reduce energy costs in dormitories, homes and apartments on or off base: 

· Switch from 100 or 60 watt incandescent bulbs to either a 26 or 13 watt CFL to save money on energy costs throughout the year
· Make sure all air registers and vents are clear so air can properly circulate throughout the dwelling space
· Make sure to change the air filter regularly so air can flow throughout the venting system easily
· Unplug any appliances that aren't used frequently
· Closing the shades of windows facing direct sunlight can help keep dwelling spaces cooler during summer time
· In the winter opening the windows facing the sun helps to heat the dwelling space
· If the dwelling space is equipped with ceiling fans, increasing the thermostat and running the fans can help cool the rooms more efficiently on hot summer days

"These small steps will reduce energy use at Ellsworth and support Air Combat Command's Goal to reduce energy consumption by the year 2020," said Dell Petersen, 28 CES base energy manager.

"Using these methods will ensure success in meeting ACC's goal, but in order to do this we must reduce our energy use and work together to make our installations energy efficient," said Lt. Col. Matthew Joganich, 28 CES commander.

For more information about Operation Change Out, visit www.energystar.gov.