Energy Workshop benefits Area Schools and Companies
The
Center for Business and Industry of Southwestern Community
College completed an Energy Savings workshop January
12 and 13 at the SCC Swain Center in Bryson City. The
presentation by instructor Charles Krug was developed
from a grant received from the U.S. Department of Energy,
Education and Research Services Inc., and the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory. The theme of the workshop was “Retrofitting
older buildings to reduce energy costs.”
Charles
Krug points to an identification tag on a boiler
for student Robert Triplett of Harrah’s Cherokee
Casino & Hotel while Karmen Reis of National
Textiles, Jerry Green of Caterpillar, Jim Pennington
of Jackson County Schools and David Booth, also
with Harrah’s, look on at the heating system
at the SCC Swain Center. Photo by Keith Corbeil
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The
content of the program introduced students to the Patterns
of Energy analysis and introduced methods of calculating
energy usage per square foot of a building and converting
this to an annual energy cost. Also discussion from
the group related to the “Seasonal Use Pattern”
of a facility, school or business building. During the
workshop Krug covered ways energy consumption could
be cut and significant dollars could be saved by adjusting
control set points on equipment, installing system timers
and setting up maintenance schedules to improve equipment
performance and efficiency. Krug pointed out that overlooked
common sense measures still include turn if off and/or
turn in down. His research supported this common knowledge
when it comes to lighting, computers, and heating and
cooling systems.
On the second day of the workshop a “Data Logger”
was used to measure motion, temperature and natural
light in the SCC Swain Center. Next the group toured
the building and Krug and the students discussed more
complex measures for saving energy dollars. The information
from the data report and analysis of complex motor speeds,
variable fans, digital control systems and programmable
systems provides companies a blueprint for lowering
energy expenditures.
Representatives from Caterpillar Precision Seal, Cherokee
Harrah’s Casino & Hotel, Jackson County Schools,
National Textiles of Rabun Gap, GA and Southwestern
Community College participated in the workshop. A limited
number of CD’s from this program are available
by contacting Keith Corbeil at the SCC Business Assistance
Center at 828.488.6413. Corbeil can also be reached
by email at kcorbeil@southwesterncc.edu
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