Philadelphia Navy Base's Energy Olympians Bring Home "Gold" in 2008 Energy Awards

The Naval Support Activity (NSA) Philadelphia was recently recognized with a “Gold” level of achievement in the 2008 Secretary of the Navy Energy and Water Management Awards. This program recognizes commands who are leading by example in advancing the nation’s energy security and environmental performance. The awards ceremony will be held on October 21, 2008, at the Navy Memorial in Washington, DC.

Commands are evaluated on management involvement and support, energy training of personnel, and progress toward achieving energy and water management goals established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Executive Order 13423.

Federal agencies are specifically charged with improving energy efficiency and building performance by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by 3% annually or 30% by 2015; reducing water consumption by 2% annually through 2015; and adhering to conservation, prevention, and purchasing standards.

“Congratulations and my personal gratitude for all the outstanding achievements. You are all energy champions,” noted Donald C. Winter, Secretary of the Navy.

“I strongly encourage all Navy and Marine Corps installations and personnel to continue to be good stewards of energy and water by reducing consumption and implementing energy cost savings measures,” Winter added.

Initiatives implemented at NSA Philadelphia include:

  • Energy efficiency and water conservation: Replacing boilers and improving the steam and condensate systems through several completed and ongoing projects, including a Super Energy Services Performance Contract, should save approximately 22,000 MBTUs, conserve 500,000 gallons of water, and trim energy use by 29,237 kWh/yr, yielding an estimated utility bill reduction of $385,000 annually.
  • Building performance: Installed 350 Energy Star rated windows which will produce 69 MBTU in annual energy reduction.
  • Metering and controls: Installed remote electrical metering system basewide and selected lighting controls. Upon completion, these measured should help conserve 8,215 MBTU and save $195,000.
  • Petroleum conservation: Purchased new flex fuel vehicles and used six electric cars, saving 7,500 gallons of gasoline.
  • General energy conservation: Set thermostats at required ranges and initiated a later start up date for the heating season.

From 2003 to 2007, energy and facilities managers and engineers at NSA Philadelphia reduced the base’s energy usage by 30.5%, thus completing the mandated energy reduction goal for 2015.

“We are accountable to the tax payer and our tenants to support our war fighters and the various war fighting missions here at NSA Philadelphia. We are also accountable to do the right things, for the right reasons, the right way,” said Navy Captain Chris Vitt, the base’s commanding officer.

“That includes being a prudent steward of those dollars that pay our utility bills and implementing the right energy saving technologies at the right cost.”

Occupying 2.2 million square feet of office space located on 135 acres in the city’s Lawncrest section, NSA Philadelphia provides an operationally ready, secure shore infrastructure committed to providing common base support services to over 5,500 military members and civilian staffs that support our nation’s warfighters.