Civil Engineer Squadron supports Air Force C3 Initiative Published Aug. 22, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Laura R. McFarlane 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- As the Air Force moves to a more cost conscious culture, Goodfellow's 17th Civil Engineer Squadron is doing their part with upgrades to base energy management. The 17th CES is currently finishing the upgrades to its energy management control system which controls the majority of the air conditioners, boilers, some exterior lighting and some irrigation systems. The new system, Webcontrol, offers a quicker and more precise way to monitor the temperatures in buildings to include individual rooms. This allows them the ability to identify if there is a problem with the system itself or if external factors are affecting the sensors. "Webcontrol, gives the 17th CES better control over the buildings," said Mary Lumsdon, 17th CES base energy manager. "If a thermostat reaches a high red zone temperature, 17th CES can look into the building and see if someone placed something under the thermostat that shouldn't be there such as printers, coffee pots, etc." The 17th CES is required by executive order to reduce energy consumption coinciding with the Air Force's Cost Conscious Culture initiative. C3 is a broad program centered on cost savings and cost avoidance. The 17th CES uses a spend one dollar save one dollar ratio which correlates to every one dollar spent, one dollar must be saved. The 17th CES purchased Webcontrol using this culture mindset and from the energy savings by replacing the pneumatic control air compressors in five of the buildings on base. According to Lumsdon, the base is projected to save more than $53,000 in the first year.
