Building Energy Monitors (BEM) from tenants across NAS Patuxent River will soon be gathering for bi-annual training that will cover an array of topics selected to help them fully understand their position and better promote positive energy usage in their respective workplaces.

"All BEMs from every tenant command are invited," said Paul Waxman, NAWCAD energy manager. "We have some 125 BEMs covering around 570 utility-consuming buildings."

Primarily a collateral duty, BEMs play a vital role in the buildings they serve by acting as energy conservation activists, communicating energy usage and goals to their buildings' occupants, encouraging positive habits and serving as points of contact.

The training, normally held in April and October, is conducted by members of the installation's Energy Management Team and, this year, will include emphasis on understanding the monthly consumption poster received by each BEM for posting publicly and forwarding to all hands in their building. Another focus will be on understanding their building's temperature and humidity requirements, or "environmental controls."

"Considering [environmental controls] are one of the largest portions of a building's energy consumption, this is an area that needs to be managed for maximum efficiency, while still balancing the safety of the workforce and the mission needs," Waxman explained.

Also open for discussion will be the BEM checklist used to periodically inspect each facility and identify corrective actions that may need to be requested via the facility coordinator to further conserve energy or water usage.

What is Energy Action Month?

Energy Action Month (EAM) is a federal government-wide program that promotes sustainability and energy efficiency, while encouraging the smart use of energy, water, and transportation resources. EAM is designed to increase attention to energy use, and to develop energy efficient behaviors that will continue throughout the year, according to the Commander, Navy Installations Command website.

Energy is critical to the Navy's ability to accomplish its mission - to provide the global presence necessary to ensure stability, deter potential adversaries, and present options in times of crisis.

You can no longer draw a bright line between our shore Installations and forward operations.

Navy shore installations play a critical role in promoting readiness, generating the force structure necessary for mission success, and enabling combat operations. Through improved energy efficiency and increased utilization of renewable energy at our Installations, the Navy gains two advantages:

*Strategic Advantage - Diversifying our energy supply to incorporate alternative energy sources like renewables increases our Installations' resilience, so that we can continue operations in the event of a commercial grid failure.

*Force Protection Advantage - Transforming energy usage and innovating base systems improves our energy resiliency, reducing vulnerabilities to Sailors and providing a reliable source of energy and water to Navy facilities.

"We must reduce our shore energy costs," Waxman noted. "Energy bills are the single largest cost for Navy installations, reflecting about 28 percent of the shore budget. The Navy must reduce energy costs to free up scarce budget dollars to support training and fleet operations."

The BEMs are there to help; to look for areas of improvement and drive behavioral change, but reducing energy is a team effort and all personnel need to start thinking of energy as a culture, and be part of the solution.

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For more news from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, visit www.navy.mil/.