The University of Dayton Industrial Assessment Center has been selected to receive nearly $2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to continue free energy assessments for small- to mid-sized manufacturers in the region and train the next generation of energy-engineering professionals.

The free assessments include teams of UD faculty, staff and students visiting companies for a day and then providing a customized report with recommendations for reducing energy, waste and production costs. To be eligible for an assessment, companies must have a Standard Industrial Classification code for "manufacturing," and annual energy bills between $100,000 and $2.5 million.

"We will examine your utility bills, facilities, equipment, manufacturing processes and waste streams," said Jun-Ki Choi, director of the UD Industrial Assessment Center and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. "Within six weeks an easy-to-read, confidential report will be delivered documenting current practices and recommending ways to save money. The report is an independent assessment of your facility needs and is not biased by the desire to generate sales or consulting opportunities."

The only one in Ohio and one of just 32 nationwide funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the UD Industrial Assessment Center has helped more than 1,000 manufacturers reduce energy costs since 1981. Clients usually save 10-15% of their energy costs, according to Choi.

"America’s best and brightest university students are successfully helping local manufacturers reduce pollution, save energy and cut their electricity bills," said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. "DOE's university-based Industrial Assessment Centers are assisting small- and medium-sized businesses — particularly those in disadvantaged and underrepresented communities — in the transition to a clean energy economy, building the next-generation energy workforce, and propelling America toward a carbon-free future by 2050."

UD's Industrial Assessment Center is a two-time winner of the U.S. Department of Energy's Center of Excellence Award, a three-time winner of the department's Excellence in Applied Energy Engineering Research Award, and a winner of the Ohio Governor's Award for Energy Excellence. For more information on the center, visit http://go.udayton.edu/iac.

For more information on the center, email udayton.iac@gmail.com. For interviews, contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at srobinson1@udayton.edu.