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A U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern team recently won the Secretary of the Army Energy and Water Conservation Award in the small team category for energy efficiency and energy management.
The small team included Bill Mack, the garrison’s public works director, and Paul Lindemer, chief of the facilities engineering division. Lindemer will accept the award from M. Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installation, energy and environment, during the Governergy conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“This is an Army-wide award and is great recognition of our efforts to conserve and manage energy,” said Bill Holz, deputy director of the garrison’s public works directorate.
The garrison team found opportunities in Kaiserslautern to conserve energy and reduce costs for heating, hot water and electricity without compromising the Army mission. They oversaw the replacement of hot air heating with radiant heat systems and added exterior insulation on two buildings at the Kaiserslautern Army Depot.
The garrison is replacing sodium street lights at the depot, Panzer and Daenner kasernes, and Landstuhl hospital with light emitting diode lights. Some buildings with high hot water use, such as dining facilities and fitness centers, had their hot water heating systems replaced with solar water heaters. The Army is also installing photovoltaic solar panels on buildings.
The awards program was developed to help implement the Army’s overall goal of reducing energy use and costs. It recognizes significant achievements in energy and water conservation by installations and individuals in the active Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve.
Award winners must demonstrate that they have cost-effectively improved energy efficiency and reduced energy use within the installation, Holz said. Award winners not only improve the Army’s energy future by improving efficiency, they also reduce greenhouse gases, use new, clean renewable technologies, and promote energy awareness.
“This is a very, very important program to us,” Holz said. “We have to conserve energy to support the Army’s mission.”
