MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- Parris Island was recently awarded for its efforts to save on the costs of its power, water and other forms of energy.
According to a newsletter from Carl Zeigler, energy program manager with Headquarters Marine Corps, the Depot was recognized with a blue level achievement for its significant energy conservation program by the Secretary of the Navy.
Installations were rated based on their annual energy program report and awards submittal, according to Zeigler.
This is one of the many awards the Facilities Maintenance Division aboard the Depot has received in the past decade.
"We have earned several awards over the last ten years from both the Secretary of the Navy and [the Federal Emergency Management Agency]," said Richard Pierce, the information technology and energy manager at Facilities Maintenance.
According to Pierce, it is important to save on the cost of using energy aboard the Depot.
"The Marine Corps has always had an energy conservation policy to reduce energy consumption," he said. "It's our job here on the Depot to conserve as much as possible in water and energy."
He said there are various means for conserving energy on the Depot. Implementing new technology for conservation, generating energy at the Depot's power plant, designing buildings that use less energy and water and management of power are just a few ways this is done, Pierce said.
One of the ways energy conservation is monitored is by using a baseline that was established in 1985. The Depot's goal by the end of this year is to reach a 35 percent reduction. Right now, they are at 32 percent, which Pierce feels is quite an accomplishment when taken into account all the new technologies operating on the island and buildings that have been built since 1985.
"We have built several new buildings in that time frame, all of which have air conditioning that uses power," he said. "Also, back in 1985, there were not too many computers aboard the Depot, and now they are everywhere."
The Facilities Maintenance Division has made many efforts to think of new and ingenious ways to cut down on the amount of energy being used, even though there are more items that would require the use of energy.
ierce said the military uses more energy than any other organization in the country, and it is everyone's job to assist in saving energy whenever possible.
"The Department of Defense is the largest consumer of energy in the country," Pierce said. "It's up to us to take the lead [in energy conservation]. The biggest single way to help is to not waste. Turn off lights, shut doors, don't leave things running that shouldn't be running and shutting down computers over night are some ways everyone can help."