Energy Action Month: A Good Opportunity

By Antonino Piluso, NAS Sigonella Installation Energy Manager

October marks National Energy Action Month (EAM), and here onboard NAS Sigonella, we all must do our part to use our resources carefully. Let’s take this opportunity to ensure our efforts align with nation defense and security strategy of “Enabling the Warfighter.” EAM is a program that promotes sustainability and energy efficiency while encouraging the smart use of energy, water, and transportation resources. This October, we want to you to pay attention to energy use and to develop energy efficient behaviors that will continue throughout the year. With that in mind, here is a list of tips we all can use to reduce energy and water usage:

This is an easy one; all lights must be turned off, even if you have LED or low consumption light bulbs. Let’s leave them off so they use no energy.

It is unusual to talk about fridges during energy saving subjects, but there is something very important to know about them: in order to perform efficiently, the fridge must be de-frosted once a year.

Windows and doors should be closed for security reasons, but keeping them closed also ensures that the house holds its inside temperature while we are gone. Double-check all doors and windows, even the one that are always closed.

Keep air compressors and other shop equipment off when not in use.

It may seem silly, but how many times do we let the toilet run continuously without noticing or forget to turn the faucet all the way off? Let’s make sure to close out those trickles and drips!

This tip is usually under-utilized. Our houses are full of coffee machines, computers, monitors, modems, televisions, chargers, etc. All this equipment uses energy. Although they only use small amounts while in stand-by mode, it is still energy, and we can save it just unplugging it or turning it off completely before leaving the house.

When using AC, each degree you raise the thermostat above 78 degrees F saves you about 7 to 8 percent on your electric cooling costs. In your workspace, turn off the A/C at the end of the work day.