WATT'S HAPPENING
PUBLISHED BY
THE CENTER FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Middle Tennessee State University
Volume 1, Issue 4 November 1999
Editor: Linda Hardymon
MTSU Nominated for Rebuild America Energy Excellence Award
At the Rebuild America National Forum held in Las Vegas in August, Middle Tennessee State University competed
with Texas A&M University, Idaho State University, and Duke University for the Award in Energy
Excellence in Universities and Colleges. The award encourages Rebuild America partners to focus on their partnerships. Being
nominated for the award indicates MTSU's commitment to energy improvements on campus.
According to the
nomination, "From initial meetings regarding the Rebuild America program, MTSU formed an Energy Task Force, chaired
by a former dean (Dr. Ed Voorhies) and composed of several faculty and staff members. Since MTSU became a Rebuild
partner, this committee facilitated the creation of an MTSU Center for Energy Efficiency. With support from the vice
president for Finance and Administration and cooperation from Academic Affairs, the Center is now providing facilities
support for a campus-wide upgrade to infrastructure and the improvement of operations and maintenance." Also cited
were the Center's support for campus, classroom, and community efforts to achieve energy efficiency, the CEM seminars
held on campus, the TEE Expo hosted on campus, the website, the state award for excellence for the new co-generation
plant, and the solar demonstration area established on campus. MTSU and the CEE are glad to receive recognition for
their efforts towards energy efficiency.
Performance Contracting Committee Update
In June 1997, the initial meeting of the Joint Committee on Energy Savings Performance Contracting took place at
MTSU. Led by committee chair Dr. Kathy Mathis and AEE, Middle Tennessee Chapter, past president Herb
Stonebrook, the purpose was to discuss energy savings through performance contract (PC) funding and start a dialogue
on how performance contracting could be implemented. It was agreed that an informational brochure be developed and
specifically that state officials be made aware of the opportunities for energy savings through PCs. Over the past years,
the PC Committee continued to meet, information and ideas were shared, progress on projects at UT-Martin, Nashville
Tech, and other areas was discussed, and interest at the state level, as well as others, grew. Talk of
CEMs, RFPs, RFQs, EPA's Energy Star Buildings Program, and DOE's Rebuild America continued to develop interest.
All of the meetings and discussions culminated in announcements at the meeting in September that the State Building
Commission approved the State Energy Action Plan for integrating energy services for state buildings in August and that
Finance and Administration has a 15-year plan to bring partner agencies with motivated facility managers on board to
begin energy saving projects. It was also announced that MTSU, as the initial project for the state, has its RFP 90%
complete and should be ready to issue in early 2000. All of the work by the committee members, the meetings, and the
discussions have paid off. More information will be made available as the organization for these major achievements in
energy management falls into place.
Energy Auditing Class Encourages Student Energy Interests
Ten students at MTSU are enrolled in the energy auditing class for the Fall 99 semester. The course offers an overview
of energy management and energy technologies, covers demand, consumption, and usage
profiling, and leads to walk-through assessments of buildings on campus for class projects and presentations. The class for undergraduate and
graduate students is part of the Environmental Science and Technology Program curriculum.
Working with people in industry, the class has a hands-on approach to energy issues. Guest lecturers cover HVAC,
motors, lighting, auditing procedures, and best practices for incorporating energy efficiency in daily operations. So far this
semester, Dr. Kathy Mathis and Joe Whitefield from MTSU and Larry Kaminsky from Geo-Marine, along with instructor
Linda Hardymon, have instructed the class on important energy efficiency principles. Energy savings opportunities, project
development, financing options, and energy software are also covered in the class.
Announcement: Fundamentals of Lighting Efficiency Seminar and Exam
The Center for Energy Efficiency is hosting an AEE Fundamentals of Lighting Efficiency Seminar and CLEP Exam at MTSU.
A two-day seminar on reducing lighting related energy costs and a review for the "Certified Lighting Efficiency Professional"
(CLEP) exam. The exam will be offered the morning following the seminar. (Earn 1.6
CEU's.)
Seminar - March 27 - 28, 2000
Exam - March 29, 2000
Seminar outline: Building energy codes/compliance strategies + Lighting calculations + Lighting economics + Maintaining
lighting systems + Lighting fundamentals + Electrical basics + Lamps + Ballasts + Upgrading luminaires + Quality lighting +
Integrating solutions for system efficiency + Energy management via lighting control strategies (reduce operating
hours/reduce lighting power) + Environmental concerns
The instructors: T. Kenneth Spain, P.E., CEM, CLEP, has over 17 years experience as an energy analyst helping
clients with reducing energy costs. A senior research associate at the University of
Alabama-Huntsville, he is project manager for IdEA$, the Industrial Energy Advisory Service, advising business, industrial, institutional, and government
clients in cost effective energy saving technologies. John Fetters, CEM, CLEP, is president of Effective Lighting
Solutions, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. A lighting consultant, he is chair of AEE's Certified Lighting Efficiency Board, serves on
the Industrial Lighting Committee for the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNA), and is widely published in the lighting
field.
Fee: 2-day seminar AND exam………$800. (2 or more deduct $100)
Examination ONLY…….$300
Pre-register by March 20, 2000.
CEE Director to Serve as Officer of Local AEE Chapter
At the September meeting of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Association of Energy Engineers, Joe Whitefield,
director for the CEE, was elected treasurer for the upcoming year. Other officers are Gary Moody, Nashville Gas,
president; Dave Edmunds, Finance and Administration, State of Tennessee, president-elect; Alex Chomicki, TVA, 1st
vice president; and David Rehse, Siemens Building Technologies, secretary.
Presenting the program for the meeting, Joe discussed the role of the Center for Energy Efficiency in energy management
on MTSU's campus and the many opportunities at hand for energy managers.
Call for Case Studies Update
The CEE has received several responses from the "Call for Case Studies" and wants to thank all of you who have shared
your experiences with us. But we want MORE! If the response warrants it, the cases will be compiled and published for
distribution, so keep those case studies coming in! We want to make information available to anyone interested. And we want to share your success stories with others.
Spreading the Energy Word…
*An AEE "Fundamentals of Lighting Efficiency" Seminar will be held on campus March 27 and 28, 2000, followed
by the CLEP exam on March 29 for those interested in becoming certified. A form to register for the seminar is included
with this newsletter. Make plans to attend and return your registration as soon as possible. The other seminars we have
offered have proven valuable to the attendees, and this one should be just as rewarding.
*The August CEM seminar and exam instructed by Steve Sain and Kenny Spain was our third CEM training on campus
and another positive educational experience. The class also had a great tour of the MTSU co-gen plant for some
practical, up-close and personal knowledge.
*Linda Hardymon became coordinator for the CEE in August and welcomes the opportunity to work with Joe and
Kathy in developing the Center's 3 C's - campus, classroom, and community, and being a part of the exciting energy
developments that are occurring at MTSU .
*Joe Whitefield and David Gray attended the 12th Annual E SOURCE Member's Forum, "Dynasties, Dinosaurs, and
Dynamos: Energy Services in the 21st Century" in Colorado Springs, CO, November 8-11. E-SOURCE, of which
MTSU is a member, is an information service company that provides members with focused research services, sector
studies, technical reference materials, and unbiased, independent analyses of retail energy markets, services, and
technologies.
*In previous newsletters, we have asked for comments, requests for seminars, and case studies. Let us hear from you!
Letters, e-mails, phone calls, faxes, suggestions, requests, news- let us know you are out there!
Solar Bike Workshop at MTSU
A Solar Vehicles Workshop supported by Solar BikeRayce USA is scheduled November 20, 1999, at MTSU for those
interested in building a solar bike or adapting a bike to solar power. Appealing to science, technology, and vocational
teachers and students and anyone interested in biking or solar, the workshop is from 8:30am to 4pm, and registration is
$15 (2 or more, $10 each). Mechanical and electrical sessions will be presented by workshop leaders Ken Sergeant,
MTSU Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies, and Doug Kanitz, Tennessee Solar Energy
Association. Sponsors include the MTSU Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies, Tennessee Solar
Energy Association, and MTSU's Center for Energy Efficiency. Call (615) 898-2119 or (615) 904-8096 by Nov 17 for
more information.
Solar BikeRayce USA is dedicated to the educational development of high school students and all ages, to stimulating
interest in science and technology, and to raising awareness of energy alternatives that make fewer demands on our
environment.
CEE Contact information:
Center for Energy Efficiency
Middle Tennessee State University
P.O. Box 57, Murfreesboro, TN 37132
Phone (615) 904-8096 Fax (615) 904-8093
e-mail: cee@mtsu.edu Web: http://www.mtsu.edu/~cee