Potential Savings From Eliminating Unnecessary Central Air Conditioning In Military Family Housing In Oahu Hawaii

GAO reviewed military housing operations and maintenance. The objective of the review was to determine what the Department of Defense's (DOD) present policy is on air-conditioning military family housing in Hawaii. Specifically, GAO set out to determine whether the Services identify the need for central air-conditioning in their family housing in Hawaii and whether savings were possible from eliminating unnecessary central air-conditioning in existing family housing units. While DOD has changed its requirements to consider the need for air-conditioning on a case-by-case basis, GAO found that unnecessary central air-conditioning is still used in some family housing in Hawaii. Disconnecting and removing these unneeded air-conditioners could produce substantial long-term savings. Initial estimated net savings of $623,000 could be realized in the first year by removing unneeded units. Future year savings will rapidly approach $1 million annually.