Integrating energy, waste and productivity in a DOE industrial assessment center, selected case studies

The Oklahoma Energy Analysis and Diagnostic Center (0EADC) has provided over 475 no-cost energy surveys for small to medium-sized manufacturing plants since 1980. The OEADC was upgraded to an Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) in 1994, which expands the scope of surveys to include opportunities in waste minimization as well as energy management and Productivity improvements. These three items are interrelated in many cases, thus the focus of the survey team has changed from one of energy management to resource management. This paper will present the changes that were implemented to facilitate the transition from an EADC to an IAC. The paper also includes a few examples of energy and waste reduction opportunities that are commonly used by the Oklahoma IAC.