Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex leaders and industry officials cut the ribbon Wednesday on the start of work on the largest energy savings performance contract in Air Force history.
The $243 million facility modernization project with Honeywell is projected to save more than $626 million in energy and operational costs over the 21-year life of the contract.
“We are honored to be home to the largest energy retrofit project in Air Force history,” Brig. Gen. Mark K. Johnson, OC-ALC commander, said in prepared remarks. “This is a big milestone for Tinker Air Force Base and the Air Force in our journey to achieving operational efficiency, and we thank both the Secretary of the Air Force leadership and Honeywell for making this achievement possible. In addition to increasing productivity, the improvements will also make us more competitive in the private sector for aircraft maintenance work through decreasing our energy costs.”
The joint project that includes Honeywell, Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center is expected to reduce energy consumption by 23 percent and save the base $20 million in energy and operational costs each year.
The work will modernize energy management and efficiency at OC-ALC production facilities, where more than 9,000 people are employed.
Honeywell guarantees yearly energy and operational savings for the Air Force, which will fund the upgrades and involve no up-front Air Force investment. The base is expected to save over $7 million in energy expenses and $13 million in operational costs in the first year.
Terrence Hahn, president and CEO of Honeywell’s Home and Building Technologies, said the company is “pleased to do our part with this energy modernization project for the base, which builds on the work we’ve done with the Tinker Air Force team for almost 10 years now. This project will provide new jobs right here in the local community, putting the trades to work, teaming with the local utility, and have an overall positive effect on the Oklahoma City economy.”
Upgrades to infrastructure and industrial processes will include:
• Eliminating wasted ventilation and boosting worker safety
• Installing two new 2,000-ton chillers to increase cooling system reliability
• Upgrading paint booths to reduce energy used by the painting process
• Using smart meters to monitor and track building energy consumption
Past energy improvement projects have saved the base about $12 million in yearly energy and operating costs.