CHIPS Articles: NSA Annapolis Showcases Energy Initiatives

50 members of the chapter attended a presentation describing the energy conservation measures completed at the U.S. Naval Academy and NSAA.

"We are trying to showcase what the Navy has done with its efforts to conserve energy here at NSA Annapolis to meet the Secretary of the Navy's executive order," said Chi Chiu, NSAA Public Works mechanical engineer.

After the presentation, the guests took a tour of the recently completed water treatment plant, central heating plant and the chill water plant. These facilities went through major updates to make them energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

"I think this is a great example; the Navy has always been in front of the country leading the way as far as conserving energy, in my opinion," said John Lord, president of the Association of Energy Engineers/National Capital Chapter. "I think what the installation has been able to do is been really fantastic; the payback on these projects are great, the return on the investment for the U.S. taxpayer has been great. I think we're using energy efficiency as our first line of defense to keep from having a reliance on foreign sources, and that's what this country is all about; that's what energy management is supposed to be doing."

The water treatment plant project alone will reduce the water treatment plant's water draw by nearly one-third or about 125 million gallons annually, translating into over $1.5 million in annual savings.

Chiu explained that in the six months the water plant has been active it has saved the Navy more than $200,000.

Naval District Washington and Naval Facilities Engineering Command are focusing on efficient use of energy resources to ensure optimal mission readiness, while building energy teams throughout all supported and tenant commands, and raising awareness and the commitment to energy excellence.

"All three of these projects are very well planned and very well financed; I think that the connection between the individual who acts as the operator at the units and engineering teams and the independent contractors is running smoothly," said Lord. "This is a textbook example of what the best practices for energy engineering are. It's been great to be able to tour these facilities today."

GGF is a yearlong, Department of the Navy initiative which demonstrates the sea service's efforts to transform its energy use. As one of the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus' key energy goals, the purpose of the GGF is to make our Sailors and Marines better warfighters -- able to go farther, stay longer and deliver more firepower. Mabus chose the name Great Green Fleet to honor President Theodore Roosevelt's Great White Fleet, which helped usher in America as a global power on the world stage at the beginning of the 20th Century. The GGF will usher in the next era of Department of Navy energy innovation.

Lord added he was pleased with the experience of touring the facilities at the Naval Academy and that it was also a learning experience.

"I'm going to have a renewed faith in the professionalism of engineers and the staff who run equipment, and if you show the kind of dedication that the NSA Annapolis team has shown and you have the kind of leadership that Capt. Jones (NSAA commanding officer) [and that the Navy] has put behind the Great Green Fleet you really can do great things," said Lord. "You just have to be dedicated to overcome the little obstacles that get on your way."

For more information about the GGF initiative visit http://greenfleet.dodlive.mil/energy/great-green-fleet/.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/.

For more news from Naval District Washington, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/ndw/, http://www.facebook.com/NavDistWash/ or follow @NavalDistWash on Twitter.