OREANDA-NEWS. Engineers with General Dynamics Mission Systems are teaming up with experts at Eversource Energy to significantly improve the energy efficiency at the company's 870,000 square-foot facility located in Pittsfield, Mass.Eversource Energy is the utility provider for more than 3.6 million customers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire, including General Dynamics'Pittsfield location. The two companies began work last fall, developing and implementing a multi-year plan to reduce the energy used for lighting, heating and cooling operations at the facility by more than two million kilowatt hours per year, enough energy to power 274 homes in Berkshire County for 12 months.

Carlo Zaffanella, vice president and general manager of Maritime and Strategic Systems for General Dynamics Mission Systems, said, "We are pleased to be collaborating with Eversource to reduce General Dynamics' energy footprint in Berkshire county. Together we will identify new and innovative ways to create a cleaner, healthier environment for our community."

Following an extensive analysis of energy use and energy loss, the team prioritized the conservation projects. The work began with replacing 125 exterior light fixtures with environmentally friendly light-emitting diode (LED) light sources. The team also implemented an energy 'master control' system in the facility's chiller room to continuously monitor and adjust the building's heating and cooling functions based on the real-time demand for energy throughout the building.

Since the 1940's, the U.S. Navy has leased the Pittsfield facility to General Dynamics.

"By reducing energy costs, General Dynamics is proactively decreasing and controlling their overhead costs which directly influence our Navy programs here at the General Dynamics facility. This decrease in cost leads to an increase in the Navy's buying power and ultimately brings greater capability to the warfighter," said

Dan Rochford, U.S. Navy Commanding Officer, Program Management Office, Strategic Systems Program, Shipboard Systems.

Nearly 1,200 employees work at the Pittsfield location, which is a primary site for the engineering and development associated with the U.S. Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, Littoral Combat Ship and other programs for the U.S. Department of Defense.