Modernize Army Central Energy Systems
Energy Plant Evaluation Process
Department of the Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2002
How would an agency deal with implementing a $300 million program to modernize aging energy plants? The Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed a unique and innovative practice involving modeling and simulation tools to handle this need. The tools evaluated and modernized central energy plants and distribution systems to expand their useful life.
The Army owns and operates over 75 large central energy plants providing utilities such as heat, air-conditioning, steam and compressed air for thousands of buildings on Army bases throughout the world. Many of these plants were built in the World War II and Korean War period. The Army faced a challenge and an estimated one billion dollar requirement as many energy plants were reaching the end of their useful life. The Army modeling and assessment process considers current environmental, energy, and safety laws and directives and alternative engineering possibilities for modernizing large central energy plants.
The Army’s innovative evaluation process is being used to implement a $300 million program to modernize over forty of the largest and oldest energy plants in the inventory. Benefits derived from Army’s unique energy plant evaluation process include modern efficient systems, cost effectiveness, use of the latest technologies, reduced burning of fossil fuels, lower air pollution, better maintainability, lower water use and improved plant safety. The Army innovative energy plant evaluation process will protect and enhance the value of government real property assets and can be used by other government agencies or commercial firms who own and operate central energy systems.
For more information, contact John J. Krajewski at (703) 428-6170 or via e-mail at john.krajewski@hqda.army.mil.
