![From left, Wes Hamill, Reggie Parker, LT Chris Thomas, and Tim Gleason from the NAS Whiting Field Public Works Department, analyze a monitor for the chiller in building 3005 onboard NAS Whiting Field. The chiller generates more energy than any other single unit on the base, but it is also the most efficient as it chills the air for the air-conditioning in four different buildings. The efficient power consumption of this unit played a major role in NAS Whiting Field winning the Department of Energy Award. [PHOTO BY ENSIGN MATT LEMBO | NAS WHITING FIELD PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-7409385f-add5-23c7-e053-0100007f2fd4-88a3de04.jpeg)
MILTON — The Department of Energy recognized NAS Whiting Field of Milton this week for its contributions to energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy technologies.
Selected earlier this month as the Department of the Navy's small shore installation Energy Excellence award winner for 2018, NAS Whiting Field's recent Utility Energy Savings Contract was also selected by the Department of Energy as a Federal Energy and Management Program award for 2018. The project was one of only nine selected throughout the entire federal government, and the only Department of Navy project recognized.
"It's great to see the team recognized for their hard work. The government and our industry partners, Gulf Power and Siemens, really worked well together to both increase energy efficiency and significantly modernize our HVAC systems. It was a long but ultimately rewarding process," Whiting Deputy Public Works Officer Wes Hamill said.
The Federal Energy and Water Management Awards is a DOE program that recognizes individuals, groups and agencies for their outstanding contributions in the areas of energy efficiency, water conservation and use of advanced and renewable energy technologies at federal facilities. With more than 350,000 energy-utilizing buildings, the federal government is the nation's largest energy consumer.
Completed in late 2017, Whiting Field's UESC project will result in more than $500,000 in annual energy savings and operational cost avoidance through the installation of energy and water conservation upgrades in 58 facilities.
A UESC is an innovative limited-source contract between a federal agency and its serving utility for demand reduction services and efficiency improvements. The initial project costs are financed through a third party and repaid with future utility savings.
The project development began with a series of energy audits conducted in 2014 and 2015. The resulting energy conservation measures for each building were further refined and crafted into a single project to leverage greater economies of scale and maximize the overall return on investment. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast awarded the project to Gulf Power, our electric utility provider, in September 2016.
The UESC project scope included more than 10,000 LED light fixtures, high efficiency HVAC equipment upgrades, low flow water fixtures, transformer replacements and significant modernizations to the HVAC control systems in multiple facilities.
One innovative highlight of the project was creation of a new "virtual" chiller plant. The "virtual" chiller plant cross-connected the existing chillers in the three adjacent facilities that house the installation's advanced aviation simulators. The design consolidated multiple HVAC components, adding system redundancy while increasing energy efficiency.
"It's a great honor for NAS Whiting Field to be named a winner of the Federal Energy and Management program award, and I'm very proud of the people who made it happen in our Public Works office. Jason, Reggie, Steven, Wes, Tim and Lt.Cmdr Justiss have done an outstanding job working to ensure NAS Whiting Field is energy efficient and sets the standard for the Navy's energy efficiency and savings," NAS Whiting Field Commanding Officer Captain Paul Bowdich said.
The Whiting Field energy team, Jason Poe, Reggie Parker, Steven Webster, Wes Hamill, Tim Gleason and LCDR Mark Justiss will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC on October 23.
The Mission of FEMP is to work with its stakeholders to enable federal agencies to meet energy-related goals, identify affordable solutions, facilitate public-private partnerships, and provide energy leadership to the country by identifying government best practices.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Whiting Field earns Department of Energy Award