Virtual workshop attendees still see benefits, receive resource efficiency manager-community support

Huntsville Center Public Affairs
Published May 20, 2021
Locations of resource efficiency managers around the world. More than 60 people attended the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville’s virtual Resource Efficiency Manager Workshop April 27 – 29.  Huntsville center’s REM program identifies practices and projects reducing energy and water costs through a contracted subject-matter expert.

Locations of resource efficiency managers around the world. More than 60 people attended the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville’s virtual Resource Efficiency Manager Workshop April 27 – 29. Huntsville center’s REM program identifies practices and projects reducing energy and water costs through a contracted subject-matter expert.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- More than 60 people attended the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville’s virtual Resource Efficiency Manager Workshop April 27 – 29. 

Attendees included U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program staff, garrison energy managers and REMs and contractor management.

Huntsville center’s REM program identifies practices and projects reducing energy and water costs through a contracted subject-matter expert. REMs provide vital expertise to develop site energy plans encompassing projects that achieve sustainable, renewable, secure, resilient energy management.

“REMs work behind the scene assisting energy managers meet their energy mandates and objectives, increase energy awareness and collect data for reporting site energy management,” said John Trudell, Resource Efficiency Manager Program manager.

Trudell said the services REMs provide is value added to energy programs as each REM is an energy management subject-matter expert providing expertise to identify infrastructure energy improvements that significantly reduce energy and water utilization to meet energy and water security, resilience, and reduction goals.

Trudell said each REM also provides important support for energy construction activity, documentation review, energy awareness, and other energy-related activities.

“The best part of the workshop is the communication and sharing of knowledge and experience with each participant,” Trudell said.

Victoria Newman, Resource Efficiency Manager for the 9th Mission Support Command, an Army Reserve unit at Fort Shafter Flats, Hawaii, has attended two previous in-person REM workshops.

She said anytime a group of people in the same field can get together and share experiences and challenges, there is an opportunity for the community-at-large to grow and improve focus.

“REM workshops give us an opportunity to focus on the unique challenges REM face in the field. We can share and advise each other to help move projects forward,” she said.

Newman said she has kept in touch with REMs she met at previous “on-site, in person” workshops and continues to follow up with REMs and other participants who have information that help her with her specific projects.

She said although this year’s event was held in a virtual environment, the workshop continues to provide an opportunity to focus on the unique challenges REMs face in the field.

She also said that because of the virtual nature of the event, she believes holding the event on-line can be beneficial to many REMs due to some of the REMs distant locations related to Huntsville, Alabama.

“The in-person meetings provide more opportunity to network and connect with other REMs, however the virtual workshops make it easier for REMs from farther away—in say Europe or Japan—to attend.”

Product vendors were also in attendance offering the latest technology and services aimed at boosting military installation energy program effectiveness.