Dyess an example in energy

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alan Garrison
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  When you think of energy conservation Dyess might not come to mind, but it's one of the lead bases in the Department of Defense. 

Mr. Tom Denslow, 7th Bomb Wing energy manager, is the man tasked with ensuring Dyess uses energy in the most economical and efficient way possible. He does this by overseeing projects that have produced drastic results in energy conservation in the past few years. 

One of those projects is the super cooling system used for the dormitories and the B-1 simulator campus. 

"The system employs a pond and an ice plant through which water is circulated and is then used to cool the dormitories and campus during the hot summer months," Mr. Denslow said. "The program has reduced the energy used by the B-1 simulator campus by over 30 percent, and saved Dyess more than $239,000." 

Another program Mr. Denslow manages is transporting water to the golf course. 

"Through a partnership with two companies we are able to take previously unusable water to the base through a previously existing and abandoned pipeline for use on the golf course," Mr. Denslow said. "The project reduced the amount of potable water used by two percent, and saves over 160 million gallons per year." 

If you look up in the base hangers you might see another energy change. 

"The base's hangers, 1600 metal halide fixtures were replaced with new electronic dimming versions, which have saved 9,734 million BTU's," Mr. Denslow said. "That is a translated savings of $209,000." 

The good ideas don't end there as an advanced metering system has also been installed which allows for readings to be taken at a central location. This gives the base energy manager feedback at an immensely quicker rate. From this system adjustments can be made to save wasted energy in a much quicker time period, thus reducing the total amount of energy used, and reducing cost. 

All of these energy ideas have made Dyess one of the top models in the DoD to follow, in fact over the past 11 years 14 awards have been presented to the base. These awards have included 2003 and 2004 Presidential Award for Leadership in Energy Management, the 2003 White House Closing the Circle Award for Environmental Excellence, and the 2007-2009 CINC Installation Excellence Award. While awards are nice, there not what Mr. Denlsow is most proud of. 

"Seeing an idea through from its infancy to fruition is the most rewarding part of my job," Mr. Denslow said.

In these times when every tax dollar saved, and every precaution to preserve the environment seems to be among the highest priority, it is good to know that Team Dyess is hard at work accomplishing both.