ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- While Robins recognizes Energy Awareness Month every October, its energy-reduction movement is an "around the clock, 365-days-a year, more-than-a-decade-long" effort.

That's because the Air Force has mandated the base to reduce its energy intensity by 30 percent over the next five years from a 2003 baseline, and reduce its water intensity by 26 percent over the next 10 years from a 2007 baseline.

"It's a difficult challenge," admitted Col. Carl Buhler, 78th Air Base Wing commander. "But with the active participation of every Team Robins member, we'll continue to move toward these targets." By 2026, Robins must also generate a fourth of its energy from renewable resources.

In conjunction with the 78th Civil Engineer Group, Team Robins is already working several initiatives to help the base move closer to the mandates, said Dave Bury, the Energy Office project officer charged with overseeing the efforts.

They include:

-- Every new employee at Robins now receives energy awareness training during his or her orientation.

-- Advanced electric meters are now installed in most buildings on base. The meters allow building managers to track consumption on a real-time basis, which provides them use and cost data to isolate target areas for improvement. The meters can be read from any computer on base.
-- An Energy Miser Team is now helping organizations find ways to conserve energy. The team is using conservation efforts in Bldg. 905, the 78th Air Base Wing headquarters, as a template.


-- Energy auditors have identified measures to reduce energy consumption in 23 facilities, including many of Robins' biggest users. The audits also help Robins compete with other bases for Air Force and other higher-level funds for energy-related projects.

-- A project has been implemented to improve efficiencies of the central steam and chiller plant, and its associated distribution system, which delivers steam heat and chilled water to many facilities.

-- Controlling the levels of the high-mast lights across base, particularly during times when most Robins employees are not here.

Meanwhile, Robins is well ahead of its water reduction goal for this year, thanks to "superb efforts" of the 78th Civil Engineer Group to repair water leaks around the base, Bury said.

As for the future, a renewable energy study is in the works to help determine which technologies will work best for the base, said Bury. Those options include solar energy and a possible biomass energy plant.

An environmental impact study has also been funded, he said. The study will help determine how the use of renewable energy technologies might impact Robins and the surrounding area.