Living in a public private venture housing – the military housing you see around bases – can be very beneficial for servicemembers, but now, it's more beneficial for the environment as well. PPV home tenants normally have their rent and utility payments covered by a Base Allowance for Housing, which is taken out of servicemember paychecks. However, new standards for the Navy, Army and Air Force have set a limit on utility usage to reduce energy costs, according to Forbes.
Program details
According to a military Resident Energy Conservation Program release, every month, servicemembers will receive a BAH based on the type of home they live in. Similar homes are put into groups and the average usage for each home type is calculated on a monthly basis to find an operating average. Because the operating average is determined on a monthly basis, fluctuations based on seasonal weather is taken into account. A 10 percent buffer above and below the operating average allows servicemembers a low and high usage limit and a normal usage window. Servicemembers that fall below the normal usage limit can collect rebates and credits based on the difference. On the other hand, servicemembers that go above the normal usage limit will have to pay extra costs.
This gives military personnel an incentive to cut their energy costs and maintain living standards less harmful to the environment. An added benefit, according to Forbes, this may also increase the demand for more energy-efficient homes outside of military neighborhoods as servicemembers transition to civilian life.
Soldiers and the military save money
Following a Navy Resident Energy Conservation Program that showed a 20 percent reduction in utility usage among residents that had to pay their own utility bills, the military adopted the RECP for naval homes in 2013, according to military data. Following the adoption in the Navy's southeast region, residents saved as much as $20 on each utility bill and decreased monthly CO2 emissions by 62 metric tons over a period of a few months. Additionally, Balfour Beatty Communities reported that among 3,900 participating homes, residents reduced energy consumption by 90,000 kilowatt-hours within months.
It's all part of a military measure to reduce costs after facing budget cuts, Forbes reported. Greater energy efficiency is one way the military intends to reduce spending without sacrificing operational effectiveness.