KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — After failing to reach a federally mandated 3 percent reduction in energy consumption, Kadena Air Base is pushing for ways to reach the goal this fiscal year.
An executive order, issued in 2007, requires federal facilities to cut energy use by 3 percent annually through 2015.
The mandate also requires federal facilities to decrease water consumption by 2 percent annually starting this fiscal year and continuing through 2015.
Several energy-saving projects — including a new metering system to track electricity usage in buildings — should help, but the goal is a lofty one, said energy manager Gerardo Salazar, of the 718th Civil Engineer Squadron.
The largest overseas U.S. Air Force base racks up a hefty tab.
Last year, Kadena’s total utility bill — for fuel oil, water and electricity — reached $66.1 million. The bill was nearly $500,000 higher in utility costs than in fiscal year 2006 — partly a result of an increase in water costs, Salazar said.
The air base met the requirement in 2007 with a 4.6 percent decrease in energy use, Salazar said.
But funding constraints for energy conservation projects and three water main breaks earlier this year hiked up energy consumption by 1.7 percent in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, he said.
Bases aren’t penalized for not meeting the executive order, but achieving it shows good stewardship toward helping the environment, Salazar said. On-base residents and employees also don’t face penalties or restrictions for water and electricity waste.
According to the 718th Civil Engineer Squadron, the base’s water rate of $9.10 per kilogallon is more than three times higher than the nation’s average. At $0.13 per kilowatt hour, Kadena’s electricity rate is nearly twice that of the U.S. average.
"The challenge is if you live on base, you don’t get a bill. So you just use," Salazar said.
An advanced metering system is projected to save 2 percent in total energy costs once it’s installed next year. The wireless tracking system will be installed in 274 facilities, and takes a "big brother" approach to monitoring electricity usage.
The system will be able to track dates and times of energy use in a building, pinpointing high readings and allowing managers to find ways to curb the spikes, Salazar said.
The squadron also has been providing free compact fluorescent light bulbs and water-saving faucet aerators to residents to help cut use and boost cost savings.
Aerators in base housing run about 2.2 to 2.5 gallons of water per minute. The water-saving aerators use about a half-gallon per minute, Salazar said.
A potential island water shortage, announced by Okinawa water officials in August, put military officials and residents on notice about the need to conserve.
About 11,500 people live in Kadena’s 4,000 housing units, said Lt. Col. David Wilder, commander of the 718th Civil Engineer Squadron. Some 24,000 servicemembers, civilians and Japanese employees work on base.
"The biggest customer as a single organization is the U.S. military, but the next to them is us," said Yoshiharu Yoneda, coordinator of the Okinawa prefectural Enterprise Bureau’s Water Supply Management Office.
The bureau said recently that water levels at the island’s 10 reservoirs have sustained a "comfortable level" for the last several weeks, but officials continue to urge residents to use water sparingly as the typical winter dry season nears.
New facilities, such as Ryukyu Middle School, a 20-acre campus completed in April, contribute to increased energy use, Salazar said.
"That’s why we’re pushing a lot of awareness," he said. "It’s a good way to start people thinking about energy conservation."
Residents can do their part by turning off lights and unused appliances, and maintaining thermostats at 76 degrees in summer and 55 to 68 degrees in winter, he said.
