DHS Efficiency Review Turns One: More than Spare Change
As we mentioned yesterday, in honor of the first anniversary of DHS’ Efficiency Review this week, we’re going to spotlight a few of the outstanding DHS employees making a big difference in changing the way we do business here at DHS.
Sometimes, it’s the simplest changes that make a big difference.
U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Ryan Murphy recently came up with one such idea – an ingeniously simple energy-saving efficiency. Ryan realized that, by installing timers on vending machines to automatically turn them off at night when no one is using them, his base, Coast Guard Base Support Unit Honolulu, might lower its utility bills.
Ryan got the idea after examining sales records for each vending machine on the base and measuring their energy consumption over time. He found that several vending machines were consuming a great deal of power but had very low sales revenue. He also realized that the machines were not being used at night.
As a result, Ryan removed some machines from service, relocated others, and, using seed money from the Coast Guard’s Facility Energy Efficiency Funds, outfitted all remaining machines with inexpensive occupancy sensors that allow the machines to power down after hours. Additionally, because the machines would not be operating at night, he removed the lighting systems from the remaining machines, further reducing their daily energy consumption.
Sure enough, Murphy’s base now expects to lower its utility bills by $6,000 a year as a result of this clever innovation.
Sensible and easy-to-implement, Ryan’s efficiency is a great example of the many creative ways DHS employees are saving time and resources across the Department.
Sometimes, it’s the simplest changes that make a big difference.
U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Ryan Murphy recently came up with one such idea – an ingeniously simple energy-saving efficiency. Ryan realized that, by installing timers on vending machines to automatically turn them off at night when no one is using them, his base, Coast Guard Base Support Unit Honolulu, might lower its utility bills.
Ryan got the idea after examining sales records for each vending machine on the base and measuring their energy consumption over time. He found that several vending machines were consuming a great deal of power but had very low sales revenue. He also realized that the machines were not being used at night.
As a result, Ryan removed some machines from service, relocated others, and, using seed money from the Coast Guard’s Facility Energy Efficiency Funds, outfitted all remaining machines with inexpensive occupancy sensors that allow the machines to power down after hours. Additionally, because the machines would not be operating at night, he removed the lighting systems from the remaining machines, further reducing their daily energy consumption.
Sure enough, Murphy’s base now expects to lower its utility bills by $6,000 a year as a result of this clever innovation.
Sensible and easy-to-implement, Ryan’s efficiency is a great example of the many creative ways DHS employees are saving time and resources across the Department.
Labels: coast guard, efficiency review
posted by DHS @ 3:52 PM
3 Comments:
At March 30, 2010 11:18 PM ,
Anonymous said...
An Arizona Rancher, Rob Krentz, was murdered along with his dog by illegal aliens on his property. We need to secure the dangerous border. The National Guard should be called upon to secure the dangerous border.
At March 31, 2010 12:18 PM ,
James Polk said...
This type of innovation can not only save the government money but can be shared to save any business money that would apply these techniques. It might even save more money for vending machine lights to come on only when a person walks up to the front of it. This could be accomplished with the use of a sensor like the ones used in rest rooms.
At March 31, 2010 12:48 PM ,
Penny Magnotto said...
Why are our posts NOT printed? Because they criticize DHS/Napolitano? This site is obviously a farce! Yesterday, I (a taxpaying U.S. citizen) wrote about the brutal murder of AZ rancher, Rob Krentz, demanding that the National Guard or military be deployed to our southern border. Now, even the hypocrite, John McCain has called for troops at the pathetic line in the sand which we call a secured border!
TODAY, I reference the assault of yet another BP agent last night, who was ambushed & rocked while in pursuit of illegals near McAllen, TX. I am assuming he was alone...as our brave agents usually are. He is now hospitalized in San Antonio.
What do we have to do or say to be acknowledged?
Must we start with "Dearest Ms. Napolitano, I hate to bother you with frivolities like death an other mayhem, but if you could find the time in your busy schedule to look into the criminal activities at our southern border....."
Post a Comment
Thank you for leaving a comment at the Blog @ Homeland Security. Submitted Comments will be reviewed before posting. See more about our Comment Policy.
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home