BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --
The Air Force Energy Flight Plan of January 2017 identifies improving resiliency, optimizing demand, and assuring supply as three priorities that need to be fulfilled in order to manage our energy.
“The more energy we save, the more energy we secure for the future,” said Michael Bock, 460th Civil Engineer Squadron flight chief. “A large part of our national security depends on our energy security.”
The month of October has been dubbed “Energy Action Month” by the federal government and is an initiative that looks to curb the consumption of energy. Through new innovative ways of producing energy, coupled with education on how to reduce the amount of energy organizations within the government use, progress is being made at Buckley Air Force Base towards more effective and responsible uses of resources within the federal government.
“The new boilers are 94-98% efficient compared to the older boiler which were 75-82% efficient,” said Michael Liesveld, 460th Civil Engineer Squadron resource efficiency manager. The new boilers are smaller and take less energy to heat up, reducing the power needed to heat buildings.
Along with new more efficient boilers, the installation of solar panels and zero-scaping on Buckley AFB has reduced the amount of resources needed to conduct missions on base and eased the strain the base puts on the power grid.
Since the initiative began in 2012, Buckley AFB has decreased its energy use by 10 percent per year. By reducing the cost of utilities, more capital can be spent on the mission. The installation continues to cut costs on energy and introduces an average of 10 projects per year that are focused on reducing the base’s energy consumption.
Energy Action Month highlights the importance responsible consumption of energy is in enabling Buckley AFB’s mission of missile warning and defense and continued mission growth.