UA’s Industrial Assessment Center Named Center of Excellence

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s Alabama Industrial Assessment Center was recently recognized as the Center of Excellence of industrial assessment centers by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program.

The distinction ranks UA’s AIAC as the best of the 26 industrial assessment centers throughout the country.

The AIAC, headquartered in UA’s College of Engineering, is one of 26 Department of Energy-funded centers throughout the country tasked with assisting manufacturing plants with energy conservation and efficiency by issuing a detailed report of energy-saving recommendations.

“The IAC at The University of Alabama has provided excellent technical assessments which are complete, creative and delivered on time, normally providing solid recommendations in excess of $200,000, ranking at the top of recommended financial and energy savings per assessment category,” said John Smegal, the workforce development lead for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program.

UA’s AIAC has included reports in 15 different industry classifications with more than 20 assessments completed last year. The research team utilizes data loggers on major energy consuming equipment to analyze usage data and provide accurate recommendations. UA’s AIAC is the first center to regularly use the Department of Energy’s tools, including AirMaster, Chilled Water System Analysis Tool and Visual DoE/eQuest. UA AIAC reports typically contain thermal imaging pictures providing convincing evidence of energy being wasted.

“Helping Alabama companies excel by reducing energy has been very rewarding, and to be recognized by our peers for our work is gratifying,” said Dr. Keith Woodbury, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the AIAC.

For more information regarding the Alabama Industrial Assessment Center, visit http://iac.ua.edu.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering classes. Today, UA’s fully accredited College of Engineering has nearly 3,100 students and more than 100 faculty. In the last eight years, students in the College have been named USA Today All-USA College Academic Team members, Goldwater scholars, Hollings scholars and Portz scholars.