Energy Savers

The Sustainable Manufacturing Alliance for Research and Training Industrial Assessment Center (SMART IAC), established in 2021, has been a force for change in sustainability. With a dual focus on industrial and commercial assessments.

Since its launch, SMART IAC has trained 16 students and conducted 20 assessments, with 11 already documented in the DOE database. These assessments have translated into an impressive $1.3 million in energy cost savings, demonstrating the financial benefits of eco-friendly practices.

SMART IAC consistently aims for a minimum ten percent energy savings for clients, and their early results have set an impressive precedent.

Here's a look at the energy resource and cost savings from their first five assessments.

SMART IAC OVERVIEW
In 2021, UC Irvine received nearly $2.25 million of a $60 million investment by the U.S. Department of Energy to assist small- and medium-sized manufacturers in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and lowering energy costs, while training the next generation of energy-efficiency workers.
The Sustainable Manufacturing Alliance for Research and Training Industrial Assessment Center (SMART IAC), housed at UCI’s California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (CALIT2), operates the center with two satellite centers at CSUN and Cypress College. IACs provide small- and medium-sized manufacturers with assessments and recommendations on energy efficiency, productivity improvement, sustainability and competitiveness as well as measure the impacts of these recommendations on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
“While large, sophisticated companies like SpaceX dominate the public’s perception of manufacturing in Southern California, it is the manufacturers with fewer than 50 employees that produce most of the innovation, output and employment,” said G.P. Li, project PI and UCI CALIT2 director. “I am proud that UCI has been selected to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers across America lower their energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while remaining globally competitive. This is further acknowledgment of UCI’s commitment to clean energy. By harnessing the talent of our brightest minds, we can take on the energy, environmental and economic challenges of tomorrow.”

ABOUT US
Our SMART IAC provides no-cost energy consulting services to small- and medium-sized manufacturers within 150 miles of UC Irvine (Orange, Ventura, Imperial and Riverside counties.) We have expanded our program to provide commercial building assessments, too.
Our assessments typically require one day on site in your facility and we typically identify 10-20% energy and productivity savings.
As part of our services, we will deliver a detailed, professional report outlining several ways that your facility can save energy and money. Our analysis includes detailed engineering and economic calculation of potential energy saving ideas. We typically only target recommendations that result in a 2-year financial payback for our clients.

UC IRVINE CALIT2

featuring the SMART IAC

Credits

Writer: Sharon Henry

Video: Natalie Tso

Editor: Shelly Nazarenus