Original Date: 07/18/1994
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

A Presidential Executive Order issued in March 1994 instructed federal agencies to reduce overall energy use in federal buildings by 30% by the year 2005 from 1985 energy use levels; increase overall energy efficiency in industrial federal facilities by 20% by 2005 using 1990 as the baseline year; and minimize use of petroleum products at federal facilities by switching to less-polluting alternative energy sources. It also directed agencies to design and construct new facilities to minimize life-cycle costs through energy efficiency and water conservation technologies and use passive solar design and active solar technologies wherever cost effective.

Prior to this event, the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAAP) had already undertaken an energy conservation program that met or exceeded the goals called for in the Executive Order. In 1985, Mason & Hanger (M&H) formed the IAAAP Energy Council, chaired by the Facilities Engineering Energy Manager, with a main goal to reduce energy use throughout the facility and eliminate unnecessary overhead or operating costs. Members of the council included the engineering division manager, mechanical division manager, operations division manager, transportation and services manager, a representative from the comptroller, and bargaining unit representatives. The Council met quarterly to review past accomplishments and develop new initiatives which would meet their charter.

This program has accomplished many milestones including the establishment of a energy monitor program through which volunteer employee monitors identify targets of opportunity to reduce energy usage. The facility also converted to gasohol use in M&H's fleet of vehicles for an annual savings of over 10,000 gallons of gasoline per year. Building consolidation studies are ongoing, as well as an active review of all new construction and renovation at the facility with emphasis toward energy efficiency. The establishment of a dynamic energy resource management plan has been established, and the work week of the employees was modified from an eight-hour, five-day to 10-hour, four-day work week.

Through the efforts of the employees at M&H, the IAAAP documented energy cost avoidance of over $1.32M during the period of FY85 through FY93. The IAAAP has adopted the policy of reducing the demand for energy as being immediately more effective than increasing the supply.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.