As the weather gets warmer, civil engineering (CE) crews are preparing to curtail heat in some areas of the base. CE will monitor the weather closely and make adjustments to the heating and air conditioning systems as appropriate. Monitoring and making proactive adjustments to these systems could save as much as $150,000 from the normal May utility bill.
Facility heating/cooling standards, according to Hill AFB Instruction 23-301 states, "Temperatures in occupied office areas should be maintained between 65-70 ¬° F," during the heating season and 76-80 degrees in the cooling season. Air conditioning systems designed for comfort cooling are typically prepped for seasonal operation and will be operational after three consecutive days where the high temperature exceeds 80 degrees. Adequate personnel comfort levels will be maintained while CE follows the instruction guidelines. The following represents how each specific area will be handled:
800, 1100, 1200, 1600, 1900 and MAM II areas: Civil engineering will turn off the boilers in the afternoon and bring them back on in the morning. The boilers will remain off when the outside temperature (as forecasted by Weather Operations) is not predicted to drop below 42 degrees at night. If the weather forecast shows the temperature dropping into the low 40s, CE will bring the boilers up about 4 hours before the start of the day to ensure buildings have heat by the start of the duty day. Employees should realize that poorly insulated buildings in all these areas could be cooler in the mornings.
MAMS I: Heating will not be curtailed until the outside temperature can ensure facilities remain in tolerance for the mission of MAMS I facilities. This is because the steam distribution system in this area takes more than 24 hours to heat back up once it has cooled.
Building 120, Building 225, Hangar 1, Building 5 and the 388th Fighter Wing area: These areas take about 24 hours to reheat through a long steam distribution line. Civil engineering will shut the heat off to these areas completely when the temperatures remain above 42 degrees at night, but will open the steam valves when the weather forecast 24 hours prior showed it would be cooler than 42 degrees. Again, poorly insulated buildings could be cool in the mornings.
Other facilities in the east area: Heat in these areas won't be curtailed. This includes the community center area, The Landing formerly known as Club Hill, Dining Hall, Building 180, billeting, dormitories, hospital, gym and some of the industrial area such as Buildings 100, 220, 265, 505, 507 and surrounding buildings. These facilities are heated by an extensive distribution system that, once cooled, takes up to four days to reheat. Once the temperature in the dorms and billeting remains warm enough for no supplemental heat, CE will close off the comfort heating valves for the summer, as done every year. The industrial facilities in the east area needing process steam will keep a heat supply through the spring and summer months, by leaving those distribution lines open to those facilities.
Privatized family housing, Hobson House and Aircraft Control Tower: Occupants in these areas control their own heat and have been notified about the importance of conserving energy.
CE will monitor the weather forecasts closely and will adjust heating and cooling levels as the weather dictates. In the meantime, please anticipate fluctuating temperatures by dressing appropriately in the work areas. Thank you for everyone's help in this basewide effort to conserve energy and save valuable resources.
For more information contact Bill Kopfman, Facility Systems Flight, 801-777-384
