Why Go Green?
Across the Department of Defense, energy conservation programs are underway with a goal to reduce our overall energy consumption in the United States by 20 percent, and ultimately reducing our dependency on foreign energy.

Conservation is not only the way of the future but energy conservation is good for you, your family and your community. Millions of dollars are spent at Air Force Installations annually for residential utilities. By conserving, more funds can be allocated for enhancements such as home energy-efficiency upgrades.

How to live Air Force Blue, Mission Green?
As a resident of privatized Air Force Housing, you already are part of the solution. Simple eco-friendly choices you and your family make can have a huge impact on your total utility consumption and a long-term impact on the environment as a whole. Contact your Management Office for specific environmentally-friendly programs and activities already taking in place in your community. You can make a major difference just by following the simple tips you received in your move-in packet.

Under this program, all homes at Air Force sites will be metered at a minimum for gas and/or electricity for a period of time to establish a utility usage baseline. Balfour Beatty Communities will administer the Resident Utility Conservation Program and an independent third-party utility billing company will administer the billing process. Monthly Conservation Statements (or utility bill) will be sent to each resident’s home and you will be responsible to pay your monthly bill.

Why do we have a Utility Allowance?
The Utilities Allowance was created to set aside a portion of a service member's BAH to pay utility costs. This allowance will not eliminate out-of-pocket utilities expenses for all service members. However, a 10% buffer is added to the average monthly rate. Only service members who exceed this rate will incur out-of-pocket expenses. As a result, this process is designed to encourage energy conservation in accordance with federal and DoD policy objectives.

How is my Utility Allowance determined?
Once all of the housing units in a neighborhood are individually metered, there will be a data collection and review process during which time all Unit Utilities will continue to be included in the BAH. A figure that best represents the maximum expected utility usage will be established for a housing unit by type and size. One hundred ten percent (110%) of this consumption figure, multiplied by the local commodity rates will establish the Utility Allowance. During this time, an appropriate communication strategy (to include mock billing) will be implemented to advise and educate each resident of their monthly electric and gas consumption, the costs associated if they were to exceed the average consumption for their home and allow them the opportunity to adjust their lifestyle accordingly. The Utility Allowance shall be calculated annually by multiplying the previous year’s average monthly utility usage for each home type by one hundred ten percent (110%) and then multiplying that figure by the expected subsequent year’s commodity rates.

What is a Monthly Conservation Statement?
Under the Air Force’s Resident Utility Conservation Program, you receive a Monthly Conservation Statement from an independent third-party utility billing company. These statements will include your meter readings, the amount of your consumption and where you stand (including your 10% buffer) in relation to your established baseline.*

* The Utility Baseline is a reasonable average of the cost of gas, electricity and/or heating oil for a particular home. Baselines vary according to installations and neighborhoods.