By Samantha Harms, Fort Cavazos Public Affairs
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — Load shedding efforts here began June 16 through reducing electrical energy consumption during the highest demand part of the day – 2 to 6 p.m. – to reduce the strain on the Texas power grid. This effort will continue throughout the summer months, with the load shedding effort programmed to end in September, according to Fort Cavazos officials.
Using Fort Cavazos’ Utility Monitoring and Control System, temperature set points on HVAC systems will be adjusted 3-4 degrees warmer in nearly 200 facilities across the installation. Family housing and barracks will not be impacted by this effort.
“(This is Fort Cavazos being) good stewards of tax dollars through electrical energy cost savings as well as being good neighbors with Texas communities,” Brian Dosa, Directorate of Public Works director, shared. “Similar actions taken last summer reduced energy consumption by more than 1,800 megawatt hours with a cost avoidance of more than $429,000. It is anticipated the load shedding effort will produce similar results this summer.”
Kirk Farmer, manager of the Utility Monitoring and Control System, points to the FM-LMS and explains how the system uses radio frequencies to help reduce energy demand at Fort Cavazos facilities. (U.S. Army photo by Christine Luciano, DPW Environmental)
Help conserve energy by following these simple tips from Texas Energy Commission at home and at work:
• Use a programmable air-conditioning thermostat and adjust the thermostat during overnight hours or when no one is at work to reduce the cooling costs. To reduce energy consumption, set the thermostat at 78 degrees or higher, and remember to keep the doors and windows closed. At the end of the workday or if the space is unoccupied, set the thermostat to 85 degrees.
• Replace incandescent lights with Light Emitting Diodes lights whenever possible. Using LEDs instead of comparable incandescent bulbs can save about 70-80 percent on lighting costs. These LEDs only use one-twelfth the energy and last up to 100 times longer.
• Switch off all unnecessary lights in places such as conference rooms, restrooms and storage rooms. Use dimmers, motion sensors or occupancy sensors to automatically turn off lighting when not in use.
• Close or adjust window blinds to block direct sunlight to reduce cooling needs during warm months.
• Service your air conditioner. Easy maintenance such as routinely replacing or cleaning air filters can lower your cooling system’s energy consumption by up to 15 percent.
• Seal ducts to reduce air loss through ducts, which can lead to high electricity costs, accounting for nearly 30 percent of a cooling system’s energy consumption.
• Switch on bathroom fans to suck out heat and humidity from your home, improving comfort.
• Cool your home with ceiling fans, which will allow you to raise your thermostat four degrees. This can help lower your electricity bills without sacrificing overall comfort.
