Training Industrial Engineering Students as Energy Engineers

Training Industrial Engineering Students as Energy EngineersBuildings consume approximately forty percent of all energy consumption in the United States.Most buildings operate far less efficiently that their potential. Industry accounts for about 31%of all energy consumption in the United States. Th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inAssociation for Engineering Education - Engineering Library Division Papers p. 23.1262.1
Main Authors Salimian, Masud, Mahmud, Yaseen, Ransom, Avis L
Format Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published Atlanta American Society for Engineering Education-ASEE 23.06.2013
Subjects
Assessment centers
Business competition
Commercial buildings
Curricula
Decision analysis
Design analysis
Design engineering
Economic analysis
Energy consumption
Energy efficiency
Engineering education
Environmental impact
Green buildings
Industrial engineering
Leadership
Maintenance
Power efficiency
Professional development
Report writing
Retrofitting
Skills
Students
Training
United States > US
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Training Industrial Engineering Students as Energy EngineersBuildings consume approximately forty percent of all energy consumption in the United States.Most buildings operate far less efficiently that their potential. Industry accounts for about 31%of all energy consumption in the United States. There are many benefits to making commercialand medium sized buildings; and industrial and manufacturing processes more efficient. One isto become more competitive in the international market resulting in the obvious domesticbenefits. Another is the impact on the environment. Even a small increase in overall efficiencyof U.S. commercial buildings and manufacturers would reduce the U.S.’s carbon foot print.Currently, the U.S. workforce is not adequately trained in the area of energy efficiency. TheDepartment of Energy recognizes and is attempting to remedy this with programs such as theGreater Philadelphia Innovation Hub for Energy Efficient Buildings and the continued supportand recent expansion of Industrial Assessment Centers. However at the present time, workersproviding “energy efficiency” services are typically too technical such as researchers andprofessors; or possess inadequate analytical and design capabilities such as technicians andresidential energy auditors.Workers with skills and knowledge in engineering design and engineering economic analyses areextremely valuable in increasing energy efficiency in industry and commercial operations. Theywill both be able to define better solutions, and present compelling cases to managers and ownersto invest in retrofits, upgrades, maintenance and efficient operations in general.Using industrial engineering (IE) as the basis for developing a workforce skilled in science,engineering and business aspects of energy efficiency holds great potential. IEs are trained tohave strong process, material, and economic analysis skills that are needed for this discipline.We will start with an existing ABET accredited IE program with a concentration in “energy” andinfuse lecture and laboratory modules into an established IE curriculum. Course and laboratorywork will be accompanied with hands on field experience in investment grade auditing to makeindustrial operations and commercial buildings operate more efficiently. Field work with beaccomplished with a multidisciplinary team, involve leadership development and decisionmaking and will include assessment, analysis, design, recommendations, return on investmentprojections, report writing, and oral presentation. As the program grows the evaluation ofrecommended outcomes will be added as will the establishment of a best practices database.