In 2003, Fort Lewis trained 25 public works staff to improve building energy use. 2 years later, the base had achieved 20-30% greater efficiency than the ASHRAE standard

Improving energy efficiency in a large collection of buildings requires more than installing newer equipment. It also depends on trained personnel who understand how building systems work together and how daily operating decisions can impact energy use. Fort Lewis Army Base provides an example of this approach, combining professional training, equipment improvements, building upgrades, and better operating practices.

Fort Lewis and Its Large Building Infrastructure

Ft. Lewis Army Base is located south of Seattle near Tacoma, WA. With a daily workforce of 29,100 civilian and military personnel, the base is comparable in size to a small city.

The installation has 22 million square feet of building space across approximately 87,000 acres. Its facilities include offices, housing, schools, retail buildings, healthcare facilities, water treatment facilities, warehouses, hangars, and utilities.


The Public Works Department is responsible for planning, developing, operating, and maintaining this extensive building infrastructure. Handling such a diverse collection of facilities needs staff with knowledge across multiple building systems and energy-related functions.

BOC Training Expanded Staff Expertise

A partnership among the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council, Ft. Lewis Army Base, and the U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program helped organize and conduct an on-site BOC training program at Ft. Lewis in 2003.

The Ft. Lewis Public Works Department hosted a BOC Level I course series for twenty-five Maintenance and Repair Division electrical and mechanical staff. Other Public Works employees, that included engineers, planners, and estimators, also participated.

“Expanding professional horizons” was the intent of holding the training, as per Charles Howell, energy program coordinator for the Public Works Department’s planning division.

Five other Fort Lewis public works employees had earlier completed a BOC series in nearby Renton, WA. After finding the program worthwhile, one encouraged a BOC “home schooling” program for colleagues.

Energy Efficiency Was a Major Challenge

Fort Lewis and other federal facilities functioned under the 1999 presidential Executive Order 13123, which established an objective of cutting energy use 35 percent by 2010 compared with 1985.

Meeting that target was challenging because several of the base’s facilities were older and energy inefficient. Buildings included concrete block construction, single-pane windows, and small heat piping that required long reheating cycles.

The base had already undergone extensive energy-efficiency improvements with financial and other assistance from Bonneville Power Administration and Tacoma Power. At the same time, Public Works staff faced the continuing challenge of operating and maintaining newer equipment while upgrading older lighting, motors, boilers, HVAC systems, mechanical systems, and windows.

The installation of light-emitting diode (LED) traffic lights was also found as one of the base’s energy-efficiency efforts.

Renovations Pushed Efficiency Further

Fort Lewis was involved in substantial renovation projects, and its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) requirements called for even greater efficiency, with goals nearing 50% above the ASHRAE standard.

LEED™ is described in the provided material as a voluntary standard promulgated by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). ASHRAE Standard 90.1/1999 and its current revisions provide minimum energy-efficiency requirements for non-residential buildings.

Most LEED™ certified buildings surpassed ASHRAE Standard requirements by as much as 25% to 30%. At Fort Lewis, the improvements had successfully produced a 20% to 30% increase in efficiency compared with the ASHRAE standard.

“The efficiencies we are gaining will require a better trained and sophisticated M&R staff to maintain this level of efficiency,” stated Howell. “BOC has been truly helpful in that regard.”

Integrated Controls Were Being Developed

Until that period, Fort Lewis functioned without an integrated controls system for monitoring HVAC, mechanical, and lighting systems. Monitoring had to be carried out separately at individual buildings across the installation.

With almost 1,000 buildings, this created a substantial challenge for Public Works staff. Development of an integrated controls system spanning 10 percent of the base’s facilities was underway with funding from an energy savings performance contract (ESPC).

Once completed, the system was expected to allow building managers to establish energy-consumption baselines and optimize the operation of energy-intensive equipment, including lighting and heating and ventilation equipment.

Training Supported Changes in Equipment Practices

The Fort Lewis experience showed that energy efficiency depended on people and operating practices as well as equipment. Jim Flannery, Mechanical Lead, described BOC training as part of a broader cultural evolution toward energy efficiency at the base.

Flannery discussed the challenge of maintaining HVAC and mechanical equipment that had become old and outdated. He described having a storeroom full of obsolete parts and deciding to substitute the outdated equipment with energy-efficient alternatives.

He also launched procedures within his team calling for aged circulating pumps to be replaced with newer energy-efficient models. These newer pumps were smaller, easier to handle, and helped reduce utility bills.

Training Expanded Awareness of Indoor Air Quality

John Sly, a BOC graduate and pipe fitter by background who worked as a planner-estimator, said he left the training with “good awareness of areas that you don’t normally work on.”

Although Sly already understood many aspects of building systems through his work as a tradesperson, the BOC classes gave him fresh insights into indoor air quality.

That knowledge influenced how he considered carpets and their fumes when developing selection criteria for work packages. The increased awareness also helped Sly and others take a more proactive method to indoor air quality by finding possible pollutant sources and tracking occupant complaints more closely.

Energy Conservation Became Part of Project Planning

Sly also applied ideas from his BOC training when designing, planning, and estimating projects. During design and pre-construction meetings, he positioned greater emphasis on energy conservation approaches and encouraged better building commissioning and re-commissioning processes.

His attention to conservation included purchasing high-efficiency motors. The training also gave him a stronger knowledge base for reviewing vendor-proposed energy measures, including lighting recommendations.

These practices connected energy efficiency with project planning and procurement rather than treating it only as an equipment issue.

A Focus on Training and Long-Term Efficiency

Fort Lewis combined staff training with equipment upgrades, renovation projects, controls development, and changes in operating practices. The BOC training gave Public Works employees additional knowledge in areas that extended beyond their normal specialties, while the base continued working to improve the efficiency of its extensive building infrastructure.

By the time described in the provided material, Fort Lewis had achieved a 20% to 30% increase in efficiency compared with the ASHRAE standard. The experience also emphasized that maintaining efficiency requires trained staff who can operate, evaluate, and improve building systems over time.

Source: Building Operator Certification

FAQs:

Q1. What is energy efficiency?

Energy efficiency means using energy more effectively to provide needed services. It can involve equipment, building systems, and operating practices.

Q2. Why is staff training important for energy efficiency?

Trained staff can better understand and manage building systems. Their knowledge can support more efficient equipment operation and maintenance.