Demolishing to build efficiency

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Maurice A. Hodges
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Bulldozers and wrecking balls have come out and are tearing down buildings and other structures not considered mission-critical in response to the Air Force initiatives to clear all outdated and under-utilized buildings.

Buildings that sat vacant for years, Deb's Café  and the bank, have already been removed and now it is time for the caution tape to placed around Building 804.

Throughout the past 60 years, Building 804 has been home to the Airman's Attic, thrift shop, honor guard and playgroup.

The demolition of buildings is part of the Air Force's goal to become more efficient. This entails reducing energy costs to 20 percent by the year 2020.

"If every base does their 20 percent part then the Air Force would meet the 20 percent goal," said Rex Bluml, 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron assets management flight chief. "The impact is to get more efficient use out of the existing square footage and reduce our overall energy consumption and maintenance cost."

For fiscal year 2012, the base's facility footprint has been reduced by 12.5 percent. The destruction of Building 804 will add 0.55 percent.

"Building 804 is just another piece of the base's attempt to do our portion," said Bluml.

McConnell has the largest demolition consolidate program in fiscal year 2012 in Air Mobility Command. The next building scheduled for demolition will be Building 1090, which will reduce the infrastructure footprint by 9.25 percent, said Bluml.

The 22nd Logistic Readiness Squadron is moving to Building 1029 while Building 1090 is slowly phased out of use.

In addition to demolitions, buildings will receive renovations to replace those being torn down.

Hangar 1128 was recently renovated as the fabrication shop that repairs KC-135 Stratotanker parts, and Building 1220 will become the new mobility center.

It will take five weeks to completely demolish Building 804.