The military spends a lot of money... a LOT of money. But it's also been gaining a reputation for saving taxpayer dollars through technological innovation — in the case of the Air Force, by recently using infrared imaging to slash maintenance costs.

The 78^th Civil Engineer Squadron at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia recently began utilizing a small infrared camera in order to identify impending maintenance issues in base technology. Wayne Crenshaw reported on the Air Force's news site that the infrared camera and its thermal imaging technology recently saved Robins Air Force Base from having to shut down a large section of the base for an entire day.

The 78^th Civil Engineer Squadron's Chief of Operations estimates that without the camera, the eventual shutdown and repair of the building would have cost the Air Force hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of dollars. The one-time cost of the camera was $55,000 dollars. That's some serious government (and taxpayer) savings!

The cameras aren't just producing a good return on investment, they're also easy to use. "You're dealing with a situation where you have a camera technology that is relatively simple," says Geary Morris, a certified infrared thermographer, non-destructive testing thermographer, and expert thermography consultant with American Infrared Consultants. Mr. Morris told OhMyGov! that a relatively easy online certification and training program is available for organizations wanting to install and run their own in-house infrared system. And if a complete in-house system isn't desirable, expert consultants like Mr. Morris take over.

The ThermaCAM P640 used by Robins Air Force Base was developed by FLIR Systems, one of the largest and most cutting-edge companies developing and selling advanced thermographic instruments. FLIR's infrared technology is useful for all branches of the military, police, security personnel, and various building maintenance technicians.

And Robins isn't the only military base currently using infrared technology and thermography.  Numerous bases across the country use the ThermaCAM P640 or other FLIR infrared systems in much the same way as the Civil Engineer Squadron at Robins. "It's saving them tons of money," Mr. Morris said.

Using Technology to Make Government More Efficient? You Infrared My Mind!

Because nearly all electronic systems in existence heat up before an imminent failure, the basic thermographic technology used in all of these cameras makes it possible to detect even the smallest increase in temperature in electronics, thus allowing users to, literally, nip most technology problems in the bud. Electronic shut-downs can cost millions of dollars, even in something as simple as office electrical systems, so this camera gives users real bang for the buck.

"We use the technology to help make facilities energy efficient by testing for air-leakages, monitoring air-flows, and testing heating and cooling systems," Mr. Morris adds. He says infrared technology is the "King of Hill" when it comes to predictive building maintenance and finding numerous and varied structural and electrical problems in a buildings before they become "catastrophic or excessively costly."

There is no need for costly multiple camera systems for these different tasks, either. The very same camera system that is used for structural building maintenance can be used for electrical maintenance. The Department of Homeland Security even uses their infrared camera technology to scan human body temperatures, which can detect the onset of fevers and help to predict possible H1N1 flu infections. "It is a multi-use, multi-application tool," says Mr. Morris.

Environmental Efficiency. Cost Efficiency. Government Efficiency. Infrared technology might sound like a government tool from Thomas Moore's Utopia, but it is very real, and very available. The military and federal government sectors already using thermography deserve a standing ovation, and the rest of the government deserves a much needed "nudge" in the right direction. Think for a minute: If infrared can save millions of dollars in building maintenance costs and the government maintains thousands of buildings, how much money could the government save installing infrared cameras in every one of their buildings? It doesn't take a certified expert thermographer to know that this is a hot idea.