The 49th Contracting Squadron completed a contract that started Feb 20, 2017 of changing the exterior lights on buildings from fluorescent or incandescent bulbs to light-emitting diode lights at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.

“This contract is $800,000,” said Maj. Gregg Chilson, the 49th CONS commander. “The amount seems high initially, but the savings annually will be between $300,000 to 600,000. The cost savings of this will have a return in two-and-a-half years.”

The Executive Order 13693 – Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade was signed in March of 2015. This order requires a deduction in federal facility energy usage by 2.5 percent annually for the next 10 years.

The LED lights are being used to help Holloman comply with this executive order because they use less resources, less likely to break, longer light life, and produce no extra heat, according to LEDlights.org.

“There are 2000 light fixtures in 141 buildings across Holloman AFB that will be changed,” said Staff Sgt. Ryan Stark, a 49th CONS contact administrator in construction. “Not only does this change help with Holloman reducing energy, the old light fixtures can be a safety and security issue. If someone is leaving the building in the hours of darkness, not having enough light could cause them to fall. And, when Security Forces does their patrols at night, they are better able to see if there’s anything wrong.”

Holloman is continuously looking at ways to be more cost efficient and effective; this contract is filling both of these tasks.

“Enabling this contract is important because it puts Holloman AFB in compliance with Executive Order 13693,” said Chilson. “We need to be cognizant of being energy efficient and effective. At the contracting squadron, we are always here to help liaison with other units on base to be more innovative and where we can be more energy aware.”