Winter offers savings opportunity – you can help

  • Published
  • By Jim Stamper
  • CSC, Electrical Engineer
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  The winter season offers Team Vance an opportunity to help conserve energy. People living in military family housing and unaccompanied officer and enlisted quarters can make a significant contribution by observing the base winter temperature standard. 

Set your thermostat at 70 degrees and then lower it to 55 degrees if you will be away for the weekend or a holiday. This single action will reduce heating energy consumption as much as 40 percent from normal usage and will help keep Vance AFB utility bills down. 

Facility managers can have an even bigger impact by ensuring that thermostats in the workplace are lowered after duty hours and over weekends and holidays. 

Temperature in the work area is controlled by either a thermostat or the base Energy Management and Control System. In non-EMCS connected buildings the facility manager must lower the thermostat manually. 

If the thermostat is programmable, be sure to change the settings for weekends and holidays. A minimum space temperature of 55 degrees is required to avoid freezing and breaking pipes. 

Facility managers can get more information about thermostats or EMCS-controlled temperatures by calling Civil Engineering at 213-6081. 

The Air Force is using state-of-the-art technology, such as the EMCS, to ensure energy resources are used efficiently. You can help by using lights, office equipment, and heating and air-conditioning wisely in your living and work areas.