NAVFAC Southeast Contract to Help Marines Save Energy, Money

From Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast Public Affairs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southeast awarded a $5.2 million utility energy services contract (UESC) June 30, to TECO Peoples Gas Energy Systems Group, LLC for energy improvements to facilities at U.S. Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island.

The improvements will save the installation nearly $497,000 annually.

"We recognize that as residents of the Jacksonville community, Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island has a responsibility to do our part to conserve energy," said Blount Island base commander Col. Steven Peters. "This project puts us on the path to meet the goals of the Commandant of the Marine Corps Campaign Plan, increases our use of renewable energy, and reduces energy to meet executive order goals."

Projects under the UESC will include high efficiency lighting retrofits; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) improvements; controls upgrades, motor upgrades, transformer replacements, metering, compressed air system repairs, insulation, and solar hot-water and geothermal energy systems.

"We are always looking ahead to find ways to conserve energy," said NAVFAC Southeast energy program manager Brad Clark. "When the analysis was complete we found many buildings that could use upgrades to conserve energy."

Thirteen facilities and five non-facility areas will see some type of energy saving improvements.

Solar hot water panels are to be installed on Building 100 to augment its existing electric water heating system.

Solar powered (photovoltaic) systems include solar powered water circulators in two retention ponds to maintain proper oxygen levels. Solar powered car charging systems will be installed at Buildings 350, 351, 390 and 450 to relieve 44 electric vehicles from the utility system.

Geothermal energy systems work will include replacing building 450 cooling equipment with a water-cooled chiller and water-source heat pump. Ground-source heat pumps and new air handling units will replace existing heating and cooling equipment in Building 150.

"The Department of Defense (DoD) has imposed strict guidance to reduce consumption," claims Clark.

The DoD has mandated that electric and natural gas consumption be reduced at least 30 percent by 2015. In addition, executive order (EO) 13514 was signed in 2009 by the President which intensifies the energy savings requirements even more.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps has provided a campaign plan called, "Ten by '10 -- Top ten things to do by 2010 to reduce USMC Energy Risks."

Construction on the UESC Phase II projects for Blount Island will begin in August and is expected to be completed during the third quarter of fiscal year 2012, approximately June 2012.

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NASA Awards Safety Center Technical Support Services Contract

Beth Dickey

Headquarters, Washington                               

  

Lori J. Rachul

Glenn Research Center, Cleveland                    

CLEVELAND -- NASA has selected Alphaport Inc. of Cleveland to provide technical support services to the NASA Safety Center.

The type of services to be provided include training course development and support; mishap investigation training, reporting and office support; information dissemination and outreach; technical writing and graphics design; system failure case studies development; agency-wide safety and mission assurance conference support; operational support of the Safety Center’s information technology systems; change control and knowledge management; engineering services; NASA Incident Reporting Information System data quality, analysis, trending, and special studies; and project management. The services will be provided primarily at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland.

The cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a period of performance of five years with a potential value of $28.5 million.

The NASA Safety Center supports the safety and mission assurance requirements of NASA's portfolio of programs and projects. The center reports to the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

For information about the NASA Safety Center, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/nsc/home.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit http://www.nasa.gov.

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NASA Awards Spectrum Management And Engineering Services Contract

Michael Curie

Headquarters, Washington     

 

Cynthia M. O'Carroll

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

GREENBELT, Md. -- NASA has modified a letter contract with ASRC Research and Technology Solutions of Greenbelt, Md., for Spectrum Management, Engineering Services and Programmatic Resource Management Support.

This cost-plus-fixed fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a base value of $36,238,225.61 with a maximum task order value of an additional $10 million, for a total potential contract value of $46,238,225.61.

This contract was awarded as non-competitive under the Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) program to ASRC, an Alaskan native firm. ASRC Research and Technology Solutions is a subsidiary of ASRC of Anchorage, Alaska.

Under this contract, ASRC will perform required technical support and engineering studies in support of NASA's requirements for spectrum allocations and assignments and support the coordination of national and international spectrum management organizations related to the agency's mission needs, as well as its support of the U.S. commercial space communications industry.

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit http://www.nasa.gov.

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Navy Tests "Green" Hybrid Diesel Trucks

By Darrell E. Waller, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Public Affairs

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Navy engineers in San Diego and Bangor, Wash., began testing diesel powered hybrid vehicle technology June 15, for possible deployment to Navy and Marine Corps bases worldwide.

The program kicked off with the delivery of two vehicles to the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest Coastal Integrated Product Team (IPT) in San Diego, May 12. A second pair of trucks will be pressed into service with the recycling team in Bangor, Wash., this month.

The Navy has commissioned a total of four test vehicles - two diesel hybrids and two conventionally powered trucks - that will be compared side by side for six months at Bangor and the California site. Each location will receive a single hybrid to be tested against a similar, non-hybrid model. Both sites will operate the trucks under normal conditions, and the results will be compared at the end of the test period to determine potential fuel savings for the Fleet.

"The testing in this phase will be compared to earlier baseline tests to determine how well the hybrids match up in the real world against their conventional counterparts," said Capt. Paz B. Gomez, Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center commanding officer. "This has the potential to save millions of dollars for the fleet and taxpayers, enabling the Navy to move closer to achieving the SECNAV's energy goals of 50 percent reduction in petroleum used in naval vehicles by 2015."

NAVFAC ESC is working with the sites to monitor critical operating data on the truck use and hybrid system status for the duration of the test period. The trucks will be required to undergo weekly inspections of the hybrid systems. The fleet managers, operators and service teams will provide input on the truck status throughout the demonstration period.

"Both the NAVFAC Southwest Base Support Vehicles and Equipment Core team and the Coastal Integrated Product team worked closely with NAVFAC ESC and the manufacturer to make this happen," said Luann Benson, NAVFAC Southwest Base Support Vehicles and Equipment product line coordinator. "We are looking forward to reviewing the results and hopefully implementing more heavy hybrid vehicles."

One demonstration truck includes an innovative hybrid platform known as a hydraulic hybrid system, which works by charging an on-board gas accumulator. Its simple layout allows for rigorous use and frequent stops while delivering lower costs through high volume production. This type of technology becomes increasingly important with the rising costs of petroleum.

Hybrid electric systems will reduce noise, allowing quiet engine-off operation at low speeds or idling for work modes. This not only enhances environmental quality of life, but also improves safety and productivity. Line workers can better communicate without having to compete with diesel engine noise, and crews can work normal shifts without concerns about additional noise disturbance.

While improved fuel efficiency is a critical driver for this demonstration, the hybrid systems offer unique environmental benefits. The hybrid trucks' regenerative braking system will significantly eliminate the use of a conventional brake system. This not only avoids the downtime and cost of brake replacement, but it also avoids the fine particulate matter generated with each application of the brakes, better protecting air and water resources.

"This is just one small example of the Navy's many contributions to how our government is leading the charge toward a healthy and sustainable future," said Ken Furra, NAVFAC Southwest Coastal IPT Public Works Business Line team leader.

Test data will be released to other Department of Defense components and federal government organizations by 2012, and the technology may eventually benefit warfighters in all theaters.

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CBP Unmanned Aircraft System Providing Imagery Above Mississippi

Washington — U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine (OAM) began providing imagery Monday to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) along the Mississippi River basin in support of flood response efforts.

The remotely piloted Predator B Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is providing streaming video and Synthetic Apeture Radar (SAR) mapping and change analysis of areas affected by flooding, such as levee integrity along the Mississippi River, all the way to Memphis, Tenn.

The CBP MQ-9 Predator B Unmanned Aircraft is used to fly a variety of missions, including disaster relief support along the Mississippi River Valley. Pilots in Grand Forks, N.D. and Corpus Christi, Texas are providing images to the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help determine the integrity of the levees along the Mississippi River. 

The Predator B is launching from the National Air Security Operations Center-Corpus Christi (NASOC-CC) and then flown by pilots in North Dakota.

“This is the farthest we have operated into the interior of the United States,” said Director of Air Operations NASOC-GF, John Priddy. “This year alone, we have flown over 124 hours from Grand Forks in support of emergency responders in the national air space, and provided thousands of images to law enforcement and other agencies to help state and local governments respond appropriately.”

The real-time video stream, known as Big Pipe, is a video distribution system that CBP provides to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies so that responders have access to real-time video and still imagery. The images can be viewed anywhere there is an internet connection, including smart-phones.

The CBP UAS program expanded to the Northern Border in early December 2008 and provides reconnaissance, intelligence, surveillance, tracking and acquisition capabilities in areas that are difficult to access or otherwise considered too high-risk for manned aircraft or CBP personnel on the ground. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, the UAS flew over 500 hours in support of law enforcement and emergency responders.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

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NAVFAC Washington Completes Energy Saving ARRA Project

By James Johnson, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington successfully completed a $3.6 million, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded, HVAC restoration project at Naval Support Facility (NSF) Indian Head, Md., May 6.

Primary Contractor Grunley/Gooel LLC was awarded the contract to replace the existing HVAC system in Bldg. 900 at NSF Indian Head on Sept. 29, 2009. Work included installing two roof-top units, replacing all duct work and controls and replacing old ceilings and lights.

"This equipment will save on the building's current energy usage," says Bill Rees, NAVFAC Washington construction manager. He also notes that "a spirit of cooperation" between NAVFAC Washington, the contractor, and Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC), which occupies the building, helped ensure the project was completed on time and on budget. Work was also completed with no lost-time accidents.

JITC is scheduled to move back into their workspaces by Aug. 1, 2011.

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NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic holds Energy Industry Day

By Tom Kreidel, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic Public Affairs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic held their first Industry Energy Day April 15.

More than 100 local contractors attended the event to discuss the command's vision for the Mid-Atlantic Region's energy program as well as tentatively planned energy projects scheduled for execution in FY-2011 and beyond.

NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic Executive Officer, Capt. John Heckmann discussed four major areas: energy use reduction, renewable forms of energy, metering and benchmarking, and sustainable facilities.

"I think gatherings like these are important," said Heckmann. "It gives us a forum to lay out our goals and challenges. For our contracting partners, it's a great way to assess how they can possibly be part of the way forward."

Heckmann reminded the attendees the Navy is focused first on reducing energy consumption. At shore installations this means much attention on facilities and utility infrastructure. Energy conservation technology is becoming more into the mainstream of the project development and design process.

All new construction contracted by NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic will be Leadership in Energy and Efficient Design (LEED) Silver certified, designed and built using strategies intended to improve performance in metrics such as energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources.

Heckmann said the Navy is looking at metering and benchmarking energy use with "smart meters" to better identify exactly when and where facilities are using the most energy, as a method to find ways to use less. With this added fidelity of consumption use, building occupants can more readily see how their operations affect energy costs.

The group was also briefed on the different types of contracts the Navy uses for energy projects, the different types of proposals used for these projects, along with discussing some projects that are in the works and others that are being looked at in the future.

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