Stewards of energy conservation Published Feb. 22, 2012 By Senior Airman Jose L. Hernandez Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- On a cold day in Minot it is not uncommon to see someone run for shelter indoors where it's nice and comfortable. Thanks to the electricity and natural gas flowing into the buildings, people are able to enjoy a break from the cold winter weather. With a cold climate like North Dakota it takes a great amount of energy to combat the cold temperatures. Yet, with so much energy usage, do people realize that last year Minot Air Force Base earned the Air Force's top recognition for energy and water conservation? The team responsible for overseeing energy consumption and establishing projects for facility energy reduction is Jason Webster, 5th Civil Engineer Squadron energy manager, and contractor Larry Johnson, 5th CES resource efficiency manger. The duo is entrusted to ensure Minot AFB manages its energy efficiently and effectively. "We are here to support the Air Force's energy goals of reducing demand, increasing supply and raising energy awareness," said Webster. There is lots of variety in their job duties, explained Webster. Some of it involves identifying new concepts for projects to save energy, evaluating proposed energy projects to insure they will be economically viable, tracking energy consumption and reviewing utility bills to make sure there are no abnormalities. "Every day we have the opportunity to learn new ways to improve our energy saving efforts," said Webster. "Whether it's implementing more efficient technology on base or, working with our utility suppliers to improve energy distribution." Despite some of the challenging tasks they perform, Webster said the most rewarding part of the job is seeing the final results of new energy projects and witnessing everything come together in the end. "New technology is a very exciting thing," said Webster. "There continues to be great advances in energy efficient technology in areas like lighting and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment. Suppliers are creating more efficient equipment every day and we try to plug in those systems here on base. I want to make sure that we are only using the energy we need because every bit of energy saved is money saved." While it was the interest in new technologies and how things work that motivated Webster to join the engineering field, for Johnson, it was the passion for leaving behind a better world for the next generations to come that led him into the energy industry. Johnson explained that his interest in energy first began in 1973 when he read a National Geographic magazine which explained what was going to happen to the world if we did not change our ways. Ever since then he has done what he can to walk the talk when it comes to effectively managing energy consumption. "It is amazing how much more can be done to save energy and not change the way we live," said Johnson. It was his work as design engineer for the ground-source heat pumps that paved the way to Minot AFB's success in earning the Air Force's top energy recognition. Johnson explained that nowadays he is very happy that he gets to work on saving energy full time, something he could not do as a design engineer. Both Johnson and Webster agree that energy is a limited resource and thus it is important to use it efficiently. While they will continue to work on energy projects that help reduce energy usage, they stressed the importance of the contribution people can make as individuals. "Whether it's turning off a light when you leave a room, opening a service call to fix a leaking faucet, or replacing an incandescent light with a compact fluorescent bulb, everyone can make a difference in the overall picture," said Webster. "It is important to keep your eyes open for energy waste." Webster encouraged those ideas for new energy reduction projects to contact the energy office at 723-4075 or 723-1037.