Photo By William Farrow | Col. Sebastien Joly, Huntsville Center commander, opens the Huntsville Center 2025...... read more read more
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — As the U.S. military continues to modernize its operations, ensuring its installations are energy-efficient and compliant with federal laws and regulations has become a critical priority.
The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville annual Resource Efficiency Managers (REM) workshop April 1-3 is at the forefront of these efforts ensuring REMS have the skills, knowledge and reach back they need to assist installation commanders with meeting statutory requirements while enhancing energy resilience.
Col. Sebastien Joly, Huntsville Center commander, opened the workshop addressing the more than 80 privately contracted REMs representing the Army, Navy and Marine Corps.
He said with a new administration in place, there is always a change in priorities.
“There is a clear focus on the resources available and we need to really deep dive into where every dollar goes,” he said.
Joly said as the U.S. pays billions of dollars in interest alone on the national debt every year, there is clearly a priority to how money is spent within the Department of Defense (DOD).
“We have to be efficient with the dollars we (DOD) do get, but some things are non-negotiable — we (DOD) are a very energy dependent — we have to turn the lights on, we have to have power,” he said.
“For all of you who help manage our energy requirements, your expertise makes a difference, and you know best what package, construct and design is most cost effective for maintaining resilient energy systems to meet our warfighters’ requirement.”
Military installations are major consumers of energy. From powering operational equipment to maintaining base infrastructure, the energy demands are vast and varied.
With energy resilience now seen as a key element of national security, John Trudell, Huntsville Center REM program manager, said REMs play an essential role in improving the sustainability of the critical infrastructure, which in turn supports military readiness and operational effectiveness.
“The DOD has established strict regulations aimed at reducing energy consumption and enhancing the sustainability of military installations,” Trudell said.
However, military installations are still required to follow regulations and laws, Trudell said.
“From the Energy and Water Management Requirements for Federal Agencies to Energy Resilience and Energy Security Measures on Military Installations statutes to Army Regulation 420-1 (Army Facilities Management, Section VIII Energy and Water Conservation Programs and Awards), these laws and regulations require achievement of specific energy-saving targets and adopt sustainable practices,” Trudell said.
Huntsville’s Resource Efficiency Manager, REM, program improves installation energy programs by identifying projects and practices to reduce energy and water costs through a contracted subject matter expert.
REMs provide vital expertise to develop site energy and water plans that achieve energy efficiency, reduction, security and resiliency through sustainable and renewable resources. REMs help energy managers increase energy awareness, collect data for reporting site energy use and management and support energy programs in the achievement of energy goals and mandates.
The REM service adds value to energy programs because each REM is an energy management subject matter expert who provides expertise to identify infrastructure energy improvements to significantly reduce energy and water utilization to meet energy and water security, resiliency and reduction goals while providing support for energy construction activity, documentation review, energy awareness and other energy related activities.
Trudell said REMs are responsible for ensuring compliance with these statutory mandates, conducting regular audits, and developing strategies that reduce energy consumption.
“Their expertise is critical in navigating complex regulations, ensuring that the military is not only meeting required energy targets but also working to exceed them wherever possible,” he said.
Energy resilience is an increasingly important aspect of military preparedness. Installations must be able to function effectively even in the event of energy disruptions, whether caused by natural disasters, cyberattacks, or other crises. REMs are integral to the implementation of energy resilience strategies, which include the integration of renewable energy sources, the use of backup power systems, and the optimization of energy systems.
According to Trudell, a resilient energy infrastructure ensures that military operations continue uninterrupted in times of crisis, which is essential for maintaining national security.
“Our REMs' ability to integrate these systems efficiently can make the difference in a timely response during an emergency or disaster scenario,” Trudell said.
To enhance the overall effectiveness of REMs, workshops and training programs are being increasingly adopted across the services and the Huntsville Center workshop provides REMs with the latest knowledge, tools, and strategies to optimize resource use.
“By learning new techniques for energy management, energy audits, and compliance tracking, REMs can identify cost-saving opportunities while also improving installation performance,” Trudell said.
"Training is key to improving our efficiency," Trudell said. "It allows us to stay ahead of regulations and technological advancements, which ultimately benefits our energy resilience and reduces operational costs."
One of the major benefits of an effective REM program is the potential for significant cost recovery. As REMs implement energy-efficient measures, they help reduce overall energy expenditures and operational costs.
Shaun Tudor, REM at U.S. Army Garrison Italy-Livorno, attended the workshop and presented data showing the 20 comprehensive energy and water evaluation audits conducted there since September resulted in $1.2 million in Garrison energy savings.
He said the creation of an empowered and agile “bootstraps” resiliency team that includes himself, a contracted Utility Metering Control System specialist, an HVAC technician, an electrician and a plumber, utilizes extensive institutional knowledge helping the Garrison meet its primary objective of saving 3% in energy and 2% in water annually.
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2025 11:50 |
| Story ID: | 495015 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 109 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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