Energy University course offerings

This course will review fuel cells and microturbines as possible alternatives for data center and network room power generations The benefits and drawbacks of multiple power generation approaches will be highlighted.

The focus of this course is to explore the different ways we can control motor speed efficiently and with minimal physical stress on equipment. In addition, we'll discuss other advantages such as controlled starting and regulated torque.

Have you ever been in a meeting in a conference room where the room was just too hot? Or too cold? Did you find it uncomfortable and hard to concentrate? Have you ever considered how much money is wasted when things like that are not addressed? What’s the solution? The control system within a building is very important to the energy efficiency of the building, and also to the comfort of the building’s occupants. In this class, we will learn a simple definition of a control system, learn the components of a control system, and describe some fundamental types of control and control loops.

Building control systems are important facets in any building’s energy management plan. They help avoid waste and save money. A vital component of a control system is the sensors that are incorporated into the system. We must measure what we wish to control. We need to have a way to make measurements accurately and repeatedly. Sensors measure the data that the controller uses to make decisions based on its set of programmed standards and set points. Sensors are the first step of control. This course provides an overview of the various sensors integrated in a building control system, and looks at the variety of designs and need for correct placement.

The purpose of this course is to provide you with an overview of basic building control technology used in buildings, so that you will understand how building controls can contribute to energy efficiency. We will examine the five controller loop responses and review the terms associated with controller loop responses.

The purpose of this course is to examine the two-position response and the floating response. We’ll also spend some time working in an interactive example whereby you can simulate how changing a VAV box will affect static pressure and temperature in the environment.

If we can control an environmental system we can tell equipment when to turn on and off, how slow or fast to run, and how cool or hot the temperature of air or water needs to be. For an environmental control, or building automation system to work effectively, three things must take place: Measured data must be input into the system. That data must be compared with a set of standards or instructions. Lastly, an action to change or maintain current environmental conditions must be made. In the previous class in this series we looked at how controllers respond to the inputs they receive. We will now look at the different classifications of controllers. We’ll also see how the control loop is completed by controlled devices, which take the actions that maintain or change current environmental conditions.

The building envelope is a critical component of any facility since it protects the building occupants and plays a major role in regulating the indoor environment. Consisting of the building's foundation, walls, roof, windows, and doors, the envelope controls the flow of energy between the interior and exterior of the building. A well designed envelope allows the building to provide comfort for the occupants and respond efficiently to heating, cooling, ventilating, and natural lighting needs.

Cogeneration today is widely used throughout the world for efficient production of heat and power. Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of heat and power in a single thermodynamic process. The purpose of this course is to review the different approaches for applying technologies to the function of cogeneration. We’ll also explore the various issues and considerations for deployment of the two main types of cogeneration concepts: "Topping Cycle" plants (including “Combined Cycle” plants), and "Bottoming Cycle" plants.

Commissioning is a process to ensure building performance problems are understood and corrected. Deficiencies such as design flaws, construction defects, malfunctioning equipment, and deferred maintenance have a multitude of consequences, ranging from equipment failure, to poor indoor air quality and comfort, to unnecessarily high energy use or under-performance of energy efficiency strategies. Fortunately, an emerging form of quality assurance, known as building commissioning, can identify and cure most deficiencies. This course will explain the purpose of a commissioning process, and discuss the impact of the commissioning process on energy efficiency.

The course will explain how to quantify the electricity savings and provide examples of methods that can greatly reduce electrical power consumption.

This course will review how Demand Response works, why it is beneficial and what the Smart Grid is.

Due recent electricity market liberalization and on-going concerns regarding the cost of electricity as well as efforts towards environmentalism; distributed generation is experiencing a renewed interest throughout the world. Distributed generation, is generally defined as small-scale electricity generation and is used to provide an alternative to or an enhancement of the traditional electric power system. The purpose of this course is to discuss the various small-scale generation technologies that exist today and then move on with a discussion of the major benefits and issues of distributed generation.

In buildings, nearly three quarters of the electricity consumed is used to turn motors. For a typical motor, the lifetime energy bill is equivalent to 100 times the cost of the motor itself. The money invested in motors, is merely 1% of their total cost. And installing and maintaining those motors accounts for only 2% of overall motor costs. 97% of costs associated with motors are spent on the energy required to operate them. This course will provide an overview of power drive systems and motors along with insight on efficiency. This course will also cover, gears - types, efficiency and maintenance.

This course will review the different types of audits, the overall auditing process as well as the auditing methodology which will help prepare you to successfully participate in the energy audit process.

This course will review electrical, lighting, temperature and humidity measurement instruments that are used in energy audits.

As a continuation of Energy Audits Instrumentation I, the purpose of this course is to review the measurement instruments used in energy audits in order to select and employ the appropriate instrument for your auditing needs.

This course is extremely important in understanding building energy use and energy efficiency measures that customers can implement to save energy and money in their facilities.

This course explores the fundamentals of energy units and electricity. With energy demand rising and greenhouse gas emissions in sharp focus around the world, the time has come for everyone to take action to economize on energy use by the intelligent application of technology to bring about energy efficiency.  Understanding these units and concepts is the foundation to managing and controlling energy – and the key to reducing both consumption and emissions.

In this course we will focus on what a building automation system (BAS) is as well as some of the commonly used terminology. We will also look at some of the HVAC strategies used in building automation systems.

In this course, we will focus on the energy conservation measures that can be used with building automation systems.

The procurement of energy (electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, etc.) is becoming a major part of the energy manager’s job. Cost effective energy procurement requires understanding of the market, regulatory limitations and opportunities, and contingency planning. The purpose of this course is to raise awareness of the available options for energy procurement.

An on-going Energy Risk Management program can provide for more predictable budgeting and insulate future earnings from the unpredictable effects of volatile energy prices. The purpose of this course is to address the hedging process. We will also cover the spot and forward markets as well as fixed and index linked contracts.

- Managing energy costs is the key to a successful profit margin and bottom line for many industrial companies. In order to successfully manage costs in this market, it is helpful to apply a balanced hedging strategy. A balanced hedging approach will quantify exposure to adverse events and mitigate the impact of those events on financial results. The purpose of this course is to describe a variety of hedging strategies, and identify the main drivers of energy prices. We will also cover how the commodity market functions to support energy trading

Understanding the forms of energy used at a facility, and the rate structure for each, is key to understanding energy costs and implementing an energy efficiency program. By understanding what you are paying for energy, and how the rate structure controls your bill, you can adopt different strategies for reducing your energy costs. You may even be able to move to a different rate structure that is more cost effective for you. In this course, we will focus primarily on gas and electricity concepts and unit pricing.

Understanding the forms of energy used at a facility, and the rate structure for each, is key to understanding energy costs and implementing an energy efficiency program. By understanding what you are paying for energy, and how the rate structure controls your bill, you can adopt different strategies for reducing your energy costs. You may even be able to move to a different rate structure that is more cost effective for you. In this course, we will focus primarily on gas and electricity concepts and unit pricing. 

This course will review the results documented from the creation and operation of the Data Center Observatory of the Parallel Data Lab housed at Carnegie Mellon University.

Everywhere, the economy is tight and banks becoming more and more cautious with regards to lending. However, this doesn’t mean that there is no alternative business funding options for you. The purpose of this course is to discuss general financing alternatives, the aspects of performance contracting, along with ways to measure and verify energy savings.

This course defines green buildings, explains the mission of the US Green Building Council and the requirements of the LEED rating system. Schneider Electric solutions for meeting the LEED requirements will also be explained.

This course will review the benefits of greening up your buildings and review some new approaches to save money and energy while keeping an acceptable level of reliability in your data center.

This course discusses how an HVAC system manipulates the properties of the air in the conditioned space to regulate a desirable rate of heat transfer. Calculations for Sensible Heat Transfer and Total Heat Transfer are also explained.

Psychrometrics is the study of the thermodynamic properties of moist air and its effect on materials and human comfort. Psychrometrics applies the well understood relationships between humidity and temperature in the air to practical problems.  HVAC system designers use these factors to model the HVAC requirements depending on the location of the building and the needs of the occupants or processes within it.  This course explores how those factors are used to ensure an effective HVAC system, while discussing how Psychrometric Charts are utilized to drive HVAC sizing and evaluation.

Psychrometrics is the study of the thermodynamic properties of moist air and its effect on materials and human comfort. Psychrometrics applies the well understood relationships between humidity and temperature in the air to practical problems. HVAC system designers use these factors to model the HVAC requirements depending on the location of the building and the needs of the occupants or processes within it. This course explores how those factors are used to ensure an effective HVAC system, while discussing how Psychrometric Charts are utilized to drive HVAC sizing and evaluation.

This course will review alternative methods for power distribution in the data center as well as provide case example to illustrate the benefits involved with these alternative methods.

Most engineers, architects, and end users are familiar with the use of insulation to reduce heating and cooling loads and control noise in building envelopes. Insulations used for pipes, ducts, tanks, and equipment are not as familiar. The installed cost of these materials is usually a small part of the total cost of a project. As a result, mechanical insulation is often overlooked, undervalued, or improperly specified and maintained in commercial and industrial construction projects. The purpose of this course is to review the different types of industrial insulation applications for a given application.

The pipes and installations in industrial plants often carry materials that need to be kept at a certain temperature for an optimal production process. Unless the pipes and installations are properly insulated, the proper temperature may not be maintained. And while placing the actual insulation onto the mechanics—such as a pipe, tank or vessel—is fairly easy; determining what type of insulation to use and how much—is not so easy. The focus of Industrial Insulation II will be on the process of performing calculations in order to determine the requirements/impact of industrial insulation.

Insulation systems, like all mechanical systems, require a schedule of regular inspection and maintenance. Despite the well known fact that inspection and maintenance are the responsibility of the owner, the reality is that most insulation systems are frequently ignored. Over time, insulation systems can also become damaged due to a variety of reasons—and if not repaired or replaced—can be rendered useless. The purpose of this course is to discuss the proper process of inspection and maintenance for industrial insulation.

This course will provide an overview of the basics of lighting which will present ways for you to reduce costs and increase efficiency with lighting.

This course is a continuation of the Introduction to Lighting Basics course and will provide you with an overview of the different lighting applications available.

The purpose of this course is to continue the assessment of the various lighting applications and determine their appropriate usage(s) in order to maximize their energy efficiency.

Good maintenance saves energy costs! Properly maintained facilities and equipment produce quality products, reduce downtime and have lower energy costs. This adds up to real money! This course will address the importance of maintenance in facilities, discuss the savings proper maintenance can contribute, and identify techniques that can lead to the energy efficient maintenance of facilities.

In this course, we’ll discuss energy accounting, and examine some of the concepts and methods involved in energy measurement and benchmarking. We’ll also explore the components of a utility bill, and provide benchmarking examples to verify charges.

Data center electrical efficiency is rarely planned or managed.  The unfortunate result is that most data centers waste substantial amounts of electricity.  Today it is both possible and prudent to plan, measure, and improve data center efficiency.  In addition to reducing electrical consumption, efficiency improvements can gain users higher IT power densities and the ability to install more IT equipment in a given installation.  This course explains how data center efficiency can be measured, evaluated, and modeled; we’ll also explore a comparison of the benefits of periodic assessment vs. continuous monitoring.

This course explains how data center efficiency can be measured, evaluated, and modeled; we’ll also explore a comparison of the benefits of periodic assessment vs. continuous monitoring.

Measurement and verification can be defined as the process of measurement to determine the actual savings created by an energy management program or energy conservation improvements.   The purpose of this course is to explore the concept of measurement and verification, including the role of guidelines such as IPMVP.

Low power factor and harmonics are a frustration for electrical installations. They can cause power losses and reduced energy reliability. In the context of increasing concern about energy efficiency and energy management, power factor and harmonics are important issues to consider for the management of electrical installations. This course will explore power factor and harmonics and will explain how power factor correction and harmonic mitigation provide immediate benefit in terms of reduced power losses, reduced electricity bill, and the possibility to use the total system capacity.

Steam has come a long way from its traditional associations with locomotives and the Industrial Revolution. Today, it serves as an integral and essential part of modern technology. This course will introduce the benefits of utilizing steam in numerous processes and discuss t selecting the appropriate pressures for each of these different processes.

This course will introduce a measure of boiler efficiency and discuss the impact of correct boiler sizing as well as how working pressure affects efficiency. We will also look at choosing the correct steam velocity for a given system. Finally, we will talk about how air and non-condensable gases can impact a steam system.

Steam is one of the oldest and most widely used forms of energy in industry. Difficulties in energy management of steam arise from the fact that it is often a totally unmeasured service. The distribution, control and regulation of steam is crucial because inefficiency translates into additional operating costs. The savings potential is enormous: Not only from a fiscal standpoint, but also from an environmental standpoint. This course will review the basics of steam systems and list the benefits associated with measuring steam. We will discuss steam piping design, metering, and steam manifolds. Also addressed are two typical applications of tracing as well as the components involved when controlling and regulating steam.

In the previous courses, we saw that steam condenses in the distribution pipes, and has to be removed to avoid water hammer. The financial value of condensate has been neglected in the past, but has a distinct monetary value which must be recaptured. This course will explore why it is far too valuable to merely discard condensate to the ground or a drain. It will help you to calculate the value of the condensate, and explain the different types of steam traps available for separating steam from condensate.

In Steam Systems part one, we discussed the overall advantages and basics of steam as source of energy. In part two, we looked at the impact of boiler sizing, pressure and velocity on overall system efficiency. During part three, we reviewed the distribution, control and regulation of steam, and in part four we learned how to prevent energy from going down the drain by implementing proper condensate removal strategies. Now we will further explore condensate removal and show you how to maximize your recovery with considerations for choosing traps, proper testing and sizing of traps and options for how to lift the condensate. To ensure your steam system enjoys a long and full life cycle, we’ll summarize a preventative maintenance program. The downfalls of by-passes, and impact of waterlogging will also be discussed.

In this series of courses on steam systems we have reviewed a number of key success factors for efficient operation of steam systems, including correct boiler sizing, selection of working pressure and pipe sizing, metering of steam, and removal of condensate. Flash steam is another essential topic for the efficient management of steam. This course will discuss how flash steam recovery contributes to energy efficiency, how to identify how much flash steam is available and discuss ways to recover that steam.

Electricity usage costs have become an increasing fraction of the total cost of ownership (TCO) for data centers. It is possible to dramatically reduce the electrical consumption of typical data centers through appropriate design of the data center physical infrastructure and through the design of the IT architecture. This course explains how to quantify the electricity savings and provides examples of methods that can greatly reduce electrical power consumption.

- Globally retail companies spend billions of dollars and euros on energy each year. Those costs can account for 25 percent to 40 percent of ongoing building expenses. In many countries, energy costs continue to rise - for example in the US those costs rose 31 percent from 2003 to 2005, according to U.S. federal figures.  There is no indication that these costs will fall in the future. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy projects a 30 percent sustained increase in the cost of electricity. This course will identify ten strategies for saving energy and reducing cost in the retail environment, as well as describe the benefits provided by implementing energy efficient practices.

This course will review the various methods for evaluating the economics of energy efficiency projects in order to develop a business case or framework for implementation.

Storing thermal energy can save money in a number of different ways. High-cost peak-time power usage is avoided. Also, with stored cooling capacity, the cooling system doesn’t have to cope with the hottest part of the day in real-time. It may be possible to install a smaller compressor, pumps and pipes. This may help reduce the initial purchase cost and operating and maintenance costs. Some very broad conditions favor thermal energy storage, but it’s not advisable without competent staff to oversee operation. This course offers a description of the various forms thermal energy storage, describes strategies, provides advantages and drawbacks and provides realistic examples and calculations in US Customary and Metric units.

Energy-efficient buildings and products offer economic and environmental benefits. They diminish energy expenditures and environmental pollutants caused by consuming fossil fuels. They also help highlight economic opportunities for business and industry by promoting new energy efficient technologies. This course will discuss the codes and standards that influence and mandate energy usage in the United States.  This course seeks to define the difference between an energy code and an energy standard, and explores specific codes and standards for lighting, ventilation and other relevant areas, while identifying the laws and international codes that govern them.

Waste heat is present in almost all industries and processes. Opportunities exist to put this waste heat to use economically in order to reduce the energy consumption in the plant. The purpose of this course is to identify opportunities to recover waste heat, and the equipment used to recover waste heat. The process for calculating waste heat recovery will also be addressed, along with the factors that influence the feasibility of waste heat recovery.