10
The Signature
Antonino Piluso:
A Puzzle Maker
By MC2 Brianna Green, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command HQ
n Greek mythology, Typhon, a monstrous serpent, I attempted to overthrow Zeus for the supremacy of the cosmos. Typhon and Zeus fought in a cataclysmic
battle, but Zeus defeated Typhon and buried him underneath Mount Etna. Trapped for thousands of years under the 3,315-meter-high Mount Etna, he would periodically lose his temper and spurt out spectacular columns of fire from one of his 100 dragon heads, explaining years of volcanic activity on the island. This volcanic activity has provided Sicily with sulfurrich soil that produces some of the best agriculture in the world. However, there are scarce water resources to maintain lush areas. This is what drove the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Europe Africa Central (EURAFCENT) Public Works Department Sigonella Installation Energy Manager, Antonino Piluso, to create innovative solutions. “In Sicily it takes a lot to keep the grass green,” said Piluso. “It takes at least six months of irrigation and sometimes even more. Thankfully, the previous installation COs (commanding officers) allowed us to xeriscape.” Xeriscape is a process that removes green grass and replaces it with white rocks which reduce the overall water consumption. Also, the installation is developing a way to use non-potable water for other irrigation around base. “We have a project in construction that will treat the grey water we use at NAS I and NAS II,” said Piluso. “It will become almost potable again, and then we use it for irrigation.” This project can save almost 10% of the annual water
usage by recycling reclaimed water, according to Piluso. Furthermore, by using reclaimed water, the base saves electricity and energy used to pump from wells. In addition to recycling water, Piluso finds other ways to recycle and reduce energy costs. “Right now, we have to increase the renewable energy usage to 25% in the next four years,” said Piluso. “Also, we have to reduce the total amount of energy we use by 2.5% each year.” The Navy uses the “Three Pillars of Energy Security” to accomplish this goal: reliability, resilience and efficiency. Developed in 2017, the three pillars set performance benchmarks within the Energy Security Framework. “We work on energy efficiency, and that means putting projects together that are replacing the energy system to perform the same job but using less energy,” explained Piluso. “We recently replaced 14,000 lighting fixtures and reduced energy by 50%.” Then, there is the aspect of renewable energy or the reliability portion of the pillars. “Mainly in Sigonella, we have done solar systems because we live in sunny Sicily,” said Piluso. “This is the most difficult part because it’s easier when you replace something that has to use less energy by fetching a more efficient system. When you have to install a new system, you have footprint issues, have to find the space, and then you have to maintain.” Funding these projects is another piece of the puzzle to solve. There are several ways to get a project funded, and that’s where Piluso can assist for each tenant command. "Puzzle Maker" cont’d on Page 11
